“We’re club DJs. We make music for the dancefloor. We’re not thinking about charts, streaming playlists, or radio,” they tell us. That philosophy explains why the extended version actually came first, becoming the one DJs championed before a shorter streaming edit was released. It also says a lot about the duo themselves. We sent Ben and Najeh a few questions while they were still enjoying the whirlwind around Chica, looking back on the studio session where everything clicked, the accidental Dropbox upload that put the track in Saoirse’s hands, and the moment they realised something they had made simply for the club had taken on a life of its own.
First of all, how are you both doing? Where are you answering these questions from today?
Ben: I’m doing really well, even better than usual since Chica dropped. Hehe! I'm writing this from the sofa at home in Hamburg, Germany.
Najeh: I’m also doing really well. Everything feels incredibly exciting at the moment, and I’m genuinely enjoying the ride. I answered the first part of these questions from my apartment in Hamburg, and the second half from an apartment in Berlin, Prenzlauer Berg.
Najeh: I’m also doing really well. Everything feels incredibly exciting at the moment, and I’m genuinely enjoying the ride. I answered the first part of these questions from my apartment in Hamburg, and the second half from an apartment in Berlin, Prenzlauer Berg.
It’s only been a few weeks since Chica was officially released, and you’ve already followed it up with the extended version, almost doubling the length of the original. What inspired this new chapter, and how does it change the way you experience the track yourselves?
Let’s be clear: we’re club DJs. We make music for the dancefloor. When we’re in the studio, we’re not thinking about charts, streaming playlists, or radio. So, as always, we produced the long club version first. When the track started blowing up, and we signed it to a label, we had to deliver a short version for the streaming platforms too. That’s just how it works today. Labels need that. People prefer to stream shorter versions at home, and it’s much harder to get into the big playlists with longer tracks.
We struggled a bit to cut it ourselves because it always feels wrong to shorten a track that was meant to be exactly that length. It was even harder this time, so the label brought someone else in to do it, and he actually did a really good job. Long story short: the extended version came first. That’s the one DJs played and the one that went viral. The shorter version only came afterwards, even though it ended up being released first.
We struggled a bit to cut it ourselves because it always feels wrong to shorten a track that was meant to be exactly that length. It was even harder this time, so the label brought someone else in to do it, and he actually did a really good job. Long story short: the extended version came first. That’s the one DJs played and the one that went viral. The shorter version only came afterwards, even though it ended up being released first.
In less than a month, Chica is already approaching half a million streams on Spotify and has become one of the records of the summer. How have the past few weeks felt from your side?
Pretty surreal! We’re no big guys in the scene, and we don’t have hundreds of thousands of followers on social media, so seeing our music making such big waves in clubs and reaching so many people means a lot. Chica was played by all the big names and became a track people were genuinely waiting for. More and more people reached out asking about the release date, and once it finally came out, you could immediately see it reflected in the streams and downloads.
It’s also opening doors for us. We’re talking to lots of labels, building new relationships with DJs and producers, and we’ve already had some amazing opportunities. We just got back from Ibiza, where we were in the studio with HalfPint at Can Jay Studios after being invited by Circoloco. All of that happened because of Chica. The energy around us right now is incredible, and we’re excited to see where it leads.
It’s also opening doors for us. We’re talking to lots of labels, building new relationships with DJs and producers, and we’ve already had some amazing opportunities. We just got back from Ibiza, where we were in the studio with HalfPint at Can Jay Studios after being invited by Circoloco. All of that happened because of Chica. The energy around us right now is incredible, and we’re excited to see where it leads.
“I think we’re now at a point where people can actually hear that a track belongs to the two of us. There’s a very specific groove in our productions.” Ben
Let’s go back to the beginning. How did that first studio session actually unfold?
Ben: The vibe between Najeh and me was great from the very first minute. We’d known each other for years, but musically our paths hadn’t really crossed. That changed about two years ago. My sound had evolved more and more towards house music, and when we finally got together in the studio, it clicked. We made two tracks in our first two sessions. The flow was there from the beginning, and it kept getting stronger. The reactions came almost immediately.
Around that time, Shonky was playing after Najeh at an event. He played one of our tracks, and Shonky instantly asked what it was. That felt amazing, especially because it was only the beginning. It took a few more sessions before we really found our groove, but I think we’re now at a point where people can actually hear that a track belongs to the two of us. There’s a very specific groove in our productions. People recognise it. The energy between us is real.
Najeh: As Ben said, we’ve known each other for almost fifteen years. We always got along really well, but we’d never worked together. We’d run into each other at gigs or around our neighbourhood in Hamburg. In 2024, I noticed Ben had started releasing music under his own name. I messaged him asking if he had any unreleased tracks I could play, and honestly, there were some absolute bombs in there. Not long afterwards we got into the studio together, and it immediately felt completely natural. Timing played a huge role too. We’re both a bit older now, we’ve both gained a lot of experience, we’re both fathers, and we share very similar values. Everything clicked. We finished our first two tracks during that very first session, and by the third we’d already found our groove. I think you can hear that chemistry in every record we’ve made since.
Around that time, Shonky was playing after Najeh at an event. He played one of our tracks, and Shonky instantly asked what it was. That felt amazing, especially because it was only the beginning. It took a few more sessions before we really found our groove, but I think we’re now at a point where people can actually hear that a track belongs to the two of us. There’s a very specific groove in our productions. People recognise it. The energy between us is real.
Najeh: As Ben said, we’ve known each other for almost fifteen years. We always got along really well, but we’d never worked together. We’d run into each other at gigs or around our neighbourhood in Hamburg. In 2024, I noticed Ben had started releasing music under his own name. I messaged him asking if he had any unreleased tracks I could play, and honestly, there were some absolute bombs in there. Not long afterwards we got into the studio together, and it immediately felt completely natural. Timing played a huge role too. We’re both a bit older now, we’ve both gained a lot of experience, we’re both fathers, and we share very similar values. Everything clicked. We finished our first two tracks during that very first session, and by the third we’d already found our groove. I think you can hear that chemistry in every record we’ve made since.
The Dropbox story has almost become music folklore. When did you realise that Saoirse had been playing Chica for months without you even knowing, and what was your first reaction when you saw that video of five thousand people completely losing themselves to the track?
Ben: I think Najeh should tell this one, since he’s the one who made the mistake (laughs)! But I’ll say this: the moment the video from Body Movements appeared, he called me straight away, and we were both completely hyped.
Najeh: That moment was absolutely crazy. I was scrolling through Instagram, catching up on everything that had happened over the weekend. I think it was a Tuesday. I opened one of Saoirse’s stories from Body Movements Festival and suddenly thought, ‘Wait… I know this track’. Then it hit me. ‘Hold on... that’s Chica’. I was completely shocked. On one hand, I had no idea how she’d even got the track. On the other, I couldn’t believe what I was watching. The whole dancefloor was absolutely exploding. I immediately sent the video to Ben. It’s one of those moments you never expect, and honestly I’ll never forget it. Long story short, I’d accidentally saved the track in a Dropbox folder I’d shared with Saoirse without even realising. She found it there, assumed I’d shared it intentionally, and started playing it everywhere. Completely by accident… and that’s how the track went viral.
Najeh: That moment was absolutely crazy. I was scrolling through Instagram, catching up on everything that had happened over the weekend. I think it was a Tuesday. I opened one of Saoirse’s stories from Body Movements Festival and suddenly thought, ‘Wait… I know this track’. Then it hit me. ‘Hold on... that’s Chica’. I was completely shocked. On one hand, I had no idea how she’d even got the track. On the other, I couldn’t believe what I was watching. The whole dancefloor was absolutely exploding. I immediately sent the video to Ben. It’s one of those moments you never expect, and honestly I’ll never forget it. Long story short, I’d accidentally saved the track in a Dropbox folder I’d shared with Saoirse without even realising. She found it there, assumed I’d shared it intentionally, and started playing it everywhere. Completely by accident… and that’s how the track went viral.
A little later, Saoirse played Chica at a Circoloco afterparty in Thailand, the video exploded with more than a million and a half views, and suddenly the track seemed to take on a life of its own. Did it ever feel like things were happening faster than you could process them?
Ben: Absolutely. In the best possible way. From one second to the next, requests were coming in from everywhere. Every producer knows how difficult it is when you’re sending demos out and fighting for every reply. Suddenly everything was coming to us instead. That really changed everything. It pushed us to another level, and we’re incredibly grateful for that. It all happened very quickly, but we’ve both been around long enough not to lose our heads. We enjoy it, but we don’t take ourselves more seriously than before.
Najeh: At our stage as artists, that kind of reach is honestly unbelievable. Watching everything happen almost overnight is something you simply can’t prepare for. It was the first time I really experienced how powerful social media can be when everything aligns in a positive way. I’ve always had quite a difficult relationship with social media because I often found it exhausting. But sometimes one good experience is enough to completely change your perspective. Let’s just say… I’ve finally become friends with Instagram.
Najeh: At our stage as artists, that kind of reach is honestly unbelievable. Watching everything happen almost overnight is something you simply can’t prepare for. It was the first time I really experienced how powerful social media can be when everything aligns in a positive way. I’ve always had quite a difficult relationship with social media because I often found it exhausting. But sometimes one good experience is enough to completely change your perspective. Let’s just say… I’ve finally become friends with Instagram.
Today, Chica has found its way into sets by Chris Stussy, Jamie Jones, Seth Troxler, Joseph Capriati, Adriatique, Blond:ish, Chloé Caillet, and many more. Out of everything that’s happened, what has genuinely meant the most to you?
Najeh: I’ve always believed that if you keep doing what you love for long enough, eventually you’ll end up exactly where you’re supposed to be. I’ve never tried to be someone else or follow someone else’s path. It took a few years, but everything has finally started falling into place. Seeing artists from completely different corners of electronic music connecting with the same record is an incredible feeling. Of course, the track has fulfilled a few dreams, and I’ll always be grateful for that. But in the end, it’s not about one specific name playing it. It’s the passion behind all of this that means the most.
Ben: Personally, seeing people like DJ Tennis or Ryan Elliott playing the track was a huge highlight. They’re completely different DJs, but they’ve both inspired me for years. Whenever someone who inspires you starts playing your music, it’s impossible not to feel proud.
Ben: Personally, seeing people like DJ Tennis or Ryan Elliott playing the track was a huge highlight. They’re completely different DJs, but they’ve both inspired me for years. Whenever someone who inspires you starts playing your music, it’s impossible not to feel proud.
“I like things simple. I’m obsessed with the little details. When it comes to groove, nothing makes me happier than the perfect open hi-hat. Sometimes that’s all it takes.” Najeh
Has anyone reached out personally to tell you how much they love the track? Any message that caught you completely by surprise?
Najeh: We’ve received so many messages over the past few weeks, from established artists, upcoming DJs, and people we’ve never met before. As amazing as it is to receive support from artists we admire, the messages that stay with me the most come from everyday people. When someone writes, ‘This is our track of the summer’, or ‘I went to Ibiza for the first time and Chica became the soundtrack to my trip’, that’s what really hits me. I have songs like that myself. Songs that instantly take me back to a particular summer or a special moment in my life. The fact we’ve now created that song for someone else is incredibly emotional. Maybe in ten or twenty years, people will remember the summer of 2026 through Chica. Even saying that now gives me goosebumps. Sometimes it honestly brings tears to my eyes.
Ben: After the Circoloco Thailand afterparty, I got messages from loads of DJs. James from Rüfüs du Sol reached out, SG Lewis too, both asking for the track. That definitely wasn’t something I expected. There were also plenty of funny DMs from people trying to get hold of it, but we didn’t send it to anyone. We kept it for ourselves for a while. Even now, people still message us telling us how much they love it.
Ben: After the Circoloco Thailand afterparty, I got messages from loads of DJs. James from Rüfüs du Sol reached out, SG Lewis too, both asking for the track. That definitely wasn’t something I expected. There were also plenty of funny DMs from people trying to get hold of it, but we didn’t send it to anyone. We kept it for ourselves for a while. Even now, people still message us telling us how much they love it.
Ben, you’ve spent years touring the world and steadily building your catalogue. Does the success of Chica feel like a turning point, or simply another step in a much longer journey?
Ben: Definitely a turning point. I’ve experienced hype around other projects before, but this feels different. It feels like the beginning of a completely new chapter. It wasn’t that long ago that I started releasing music under my own name after other projects, and my sound naturally evolved more and more towards house. Now new opportunities are appearing, old connections are coming back, and a lot is happening. Another EP with Najeh is coming on Luuk van Dijk’s label, I’ve got a new solo single coming on my own label Eternal Sunshine, some remix requests I’m really excited about, and my friend Biesmans and I have also finished a few new tracks. Everything seems to be falling into place, and I honestly couldn’t be happier.
Najeh, you’ve often said, “The groove is always on top.” What makes a groove impossible to ignore?
Najeh: I like things simple. I’m obsessed with the little details. When it comes to groove, nothing makes me happier than the perfect open hi-hat. Sometimes that’s all it takes. Ryan Elliott once said, “Kick drum, bassline & hi-hat.” For me, that says absolutely everything.
“We’re club DJs first. We make music we genuinely want to play in our own sets. We never work from reference tracks. We simply trust our instincts.” Ben
Neither of you seems interested in chasing trends. Looking at how naturally Chica has connected with people, has this experience reinforced the importance of trusting your own instincts?
Ben: One hundred per cent. I don’t think we sound like we’re chasing trends. We sound like ourselves. That’s probably because we’re club DJs first. We make music we genuinely want to play in our own sets. We never work from reference tracks. We simply trust our instincts. We’ve believed in these tracks from the beginning because we’ve tested them so many times in clubs and they’ve always worked. I always felt that eventually something bigger would happen.
Najeh: I think we’ve finally found a sound that genuinely represents who we are. Usually one of us arrives with an idea, often based around a sample, and from there everything develops naturally. As Ben said, we never think about what’s trending. We simply make the music that feels right to us. If people connect with it, that’s amazing. I honestly believe that’s the only real way to build your own sound. It might not be the easiest route, but it’s definitely the right one for me.
Najeh: I think we’ve finally found a sound that genuinely represents who we are. Usually one of us arrives with an idea, often based around a sample, and from there everything develops naturally. As Ben said, we never think about what’s trending. We simply make the music that feels right to us. If people connect with it, that’s amazing. I honestly believe that’s the only real way to build your own sound. It might not be the easiest route, but it’s definitely the right one for me.
Hamburg continues to produce an incredible wave of electronic artists. What keeps the city’s scene so exciting, and how has it shaped each of you creatively?
Najeh: Hamburg has played a huge role in both of our lives, although at different moments and in different ways. In the end, it was this city that brought us back together in 2024. Personally, the last few years with my Café Soda family have shaped me enormously, not only as an artist but also as a person. Café Soda is my home, and together we’ve spent years building a platform for house music in Hamburg. Seeing house become such an important part of the city again makes me incredibly happy.
Ben: One of the best things about Hamburg’s house scene is that it doesn’t feel like a competition. It feels like a community. People play at each other’s parties. Nobody isolates themselves. Crews like Café Soda, The A.O.S. and Hungry4 have kept the city alive for years with incredible events and bookings. That’s hugely important because the club scene here has definitely had better days. Hopefully that’s starting to change again, and maybe the momentum around Chica can help give Hamburg another push. Hamburg has always been a house city. Just think about Front. It was the blueprint for so many clubs that came afterwards, including Berghain and Panorama Bar.
Ben: One of the best things about Hamburg’s house scene is that it doesn’t feel like a competition. It feels like a community. People play at each other’s parties. Nobody isolates themselves. Crews like Café Soda, The A.O.S. and Hungry4 have kept the city alive for years with incredible events and bookings. That’s hugely important because the club scene here has definitely had better days. Hopefully that’s starting to change again, and maybe the momentum around Chica can help give Hamburg another push. Hamburg has always been a house city. Just think about Front. It was the blueprint for so many clubs that came afterwards, including Berghain and Panorama Bar.
Imagine someone is pressing play on Chica somewhere in the world right now. Where would you love that place to be? Somewhere unexpected that would make you look at each other and think, ‘We’ve actually made it there’.
Ben: Maybe Snoop Dogg playing it in his studio while we’re rolling a joint together in Los Angeles. That would definitely be an unforgettable experience. Although I’m not sure which one of us would fall asleep first.
Najeh: I recently watched a video of the England football team celebrating a big win in the dressing room while singing along to an ANOTR track, and that really stayed with me. Imagine Germany winning a World Cup match one day, walking into the dressing room, and everyone celebrating while singing the vocals from Chica. From a dancefloor in Thailand to a World Cup dressing room. That would be completely surreal.
Najeh: I recently watched a video of the England football team celebrating a big win in the dressing room while singing along to an ANOTR track, and that really stayed with me. Imagine Germany winning a World Cup match one day, walking into the dressing room, and everyone celebrating while singing the vocals from Chica. From a dancefloor in Thailand to a World Cup dressing room. That would be completely surreal.
