Over the last few years, Will Sass has established himself as one of house music’s fastest-rising names, pairing infectious club productions with a strong instinct for songwriting.

Following releases that have amassed millions of streams and earned Billboard chart success, the New York producer continues that trajectory with ‘ZaZaZa’, a vibrant collaboration with LION BABE on Love & Other. We caught up with Will to discuss the story behind the record, the influence of New York’s musical heritage, crate digging, finding his place within house music, and why the dancefloor remains at the centre of everything he creates.

You’ve had a pretty unusual trajectory, going from your first releases to Billboard chart success and millions of streams in a very short space of time. Looking back now, what part of that growth genuinely surprised you, and what misconceptions do people have about how quickly things actually happened behind the scenes?

I’ve been collecting records and producing music for myself and others for years, so while things may have seemed to happen quickly, there was a lot happening behind the scenes. My first two EPs were really a period of exploration, where I was experimenting with different sounds and figuring out what felt most authentic. Now I feel like I’ve found my home in house music.

I’ve actually been making house records for a while and quietly banking my favorites until the right time. Lately, I’ve been really inspired by creating grooves that I want to play in sets and that I hear other DJs connecting with too. More than anything, I’m thinking about how I can contribute to the energy of a room and create moments that have a positive impact on people’s nights.

Your records often sit in an interesting space between club music and songwriting. Even when you’re making something designed for a packed room, there’s usually a strong vocal or emotional centre to it. Do you see yourself primarily as a producer, a songwriter, or has that distinction become less relevant for the way you work today?

I see myself primarily as a DJ and producer, but songwriting has always been a huge part of my process. Over the past few years, I’ve become a lot more confident as a songwriter, and I think that naturally influences the way I produce, even when the focus is a club record.

Lately, a lot of the music I’ve been making has featured fewer vocals. When I play live, I’m usually playing dub mixes or more club-focused versions of my tracks. I think of my new releases as glimpses into my live sets. The streaming experience and the dancefloor are two very different environments, and I enjoy creating music that can live in both.

‘ZaZaZa’ feels deliberately direct. The hook lands almost immediately and doesn’t really let go. In an era where attention spans are shrinking and social media increasingly shapes how people discover music, how conscious are you of writing records that grab listeners instantly versus letting a track reveal itself over time?

Every track is different. I don’t usually start a session thinking, “This has to grab people in the first five seconds.” With “ZaZaZa,” the hook wasn’t some calculated decision it just happened naturally.

Lucas (from Lion Babe) and I built the instrumental over a couple of hours, and then Jill (from Lion Babe) came in and almost immediately landed on “ZaZaZa.” The phrase has a few different meanings, but the whole session had this playful, funny energy, and the record really grew out of that.

New York seems to be a recurring theme whenever you talk about your development as an artist. The city has produced everyone from disco pioneers to hip-hop innovators and underground house legends. What aspects of New York’s musical identity do you think still show up in your productions, even when you’re not consciously drawing from them?

I think it’s just part of who I am. Growing up in New York, you’re constantly surrounded by decades of incredible musical history. I spend a lot of time digging through record stores here and a lot of my initial inspiration comes from that.

“ZaZaZa” is a great example. I came across an old record called I Hear the Beat by La’nita Bell and the background vocals immediately caught my ear. I sampled it at home and brought that into a session with Lion Babe as a starter idea. We built the groove and beat around that initial spark. A lot of my upcoming records have started this way.

LION BABE have always occupied a space that feels broader than any single genre, pulling from soul, funk, R&B and electronic music. When you were working on ‘ZaZaZa’, was the challenge finding common ground between your worlds, or was it more about creating enough tension between those influences to make something unexpected?

There wasn’t much of a challenge at all. From the moment we got in the studio, it felt really natural. We had great chemistry, and I have a lot of respect for how genre-fluid Lion Babe are.

We all happened to be excited about making a house record, so nothing felt forced. It was more about following what felt good than trying to find a compromise. I think what made “ZaZaZa” so exciting is that it doesn’t sound like a typical house collaboration. Their musical background brought a different perspective and energy into the session, and that’s what made the record feel fresh. Also, playing shows with Lion Babe has given me an extra appreciation for them and their sound.

A lot of producers talk about finding their sound, but your catalogue seems comfortable moving between club records, crossover dance tracks and more pop-facing collaborations. Do you think artists are under pressure to be sonically consistent today, or is versatility becoming more valuable than having one recognisable formula?

My first two EPs were essentially about figuring out who I was as a producer. I was experimenting with different sounds and learning what felt most authentic. Even now, I still love trying new things, I love to experiment, but I’ve found my home in house music.

I think what stays consistent is my taste. I’m always making music that I’d want to play in my own DJ sets or hear in others. As my influences evolve and the records I’m digging change, my sound naturally evolves with them. I’d rather let my music grow organically than try to fit into one formula or try to be something I’m not.

You’ve spoken previously about crate digging and drawing inspiration from everything from soul records to ’90s house. When you’re searching for ideas now, what tends to catch your attention first: a technical production detail, an emotional feeling, a vocal phrase, or something else entirely?

The dream when you’re crate digging is to find a vocal that feels timeless and soulful, something that instantly makes you want to build a house record around it. But honestly, it’s just as often the groove, the chords, or even a tiny musical moment that sparks an idea.

A lot of times I’ll build an instrumental around that inspiration first and then write vocals over it. Sometimes I’ll even play an old vinyl record during a session with a singer, and we’ll write an entirely new song over the feeling it creates. Then I’ll go back and produce the track from the ground up in my own way.

I love working like that because it brings an analog, human element into the room. It’s a way of appreciating the music that came before while creating something completely new.

Will Sass & LION BABE – ZaZaZa is out now on Love & Other