Toronto based DJ/producer and vocalist Shaun Frank has had a phenomenal year. Having his own unique groovy and funky sound, Shaun Frank paired up with Borgeous for “This Could Be Love,” with his own original track “Time” following shortly after. The Canadian producer recently collaborated with Dutchman Oliver Heldens on “Shades of Grey,” which easily has racked up almost 2 million SoundCloud listens in the past month. Reaching #1 on Beatport, it’s clear that his groovy synths has dance music fans digging his style. I had a chance to check out his set at Electric Adventure and from start to finish, it was filled with energetic progressive house tracks that had the crowd memorized to the beats. I had the opportunity to have a quick chat with Shaun before his set, and here is what he had to say…

SR: When you make your music, who is your biggest influence?

SF: I come from a background where I listened to Coldplay and that kinda stuff. But these days I listen to a lot of these guys like Skrillex, Adventure Club, and Disclosure.

SR: Did you use to go to raves a lot before you started touring?

SF: I went to raves in Asia. Places like Bali and Thailand are kinda where I fell in love with house music. Before I started producing, I was playing in a band as a vocalist and I while touring, I would go check them out. On the side, I started producing on my laptop for fun. I started to take myself seriously and I already had some stuff made and that’s really where it all started.

SR: You and Oliver Heldens just released a track together called “Shades of Grey.” How did you two meet?

SF: Oliver was in Toronto for a New Year’s and he had been playing one of my remixes at shows. So we met up and chatted. We went to Niagara Falls and went bowling…

SR: So man date with Oliver Heldens?

SF: Yeah, it was cool! After Niagara Falls he asked “do you mind if I come by the studio?” I said absolutely! He’s one of my favorite artists. He came by and I gave him a bunch of stuff and we just kept talking. I showed him the vocal I already had done for Shades of Grey and we agreed to work on the track together.

SR: What was it like working with Oliver Heldens?

SF: I really enjoyed working with him. He helped me really find my style and gave me great advice. That’s kinda how the synths on the song came to be. I had a lot of synths in my old tracks that he really loved and he asked me to do something like that for “Shades of Grey.”

SR: What was the first concert/rave you went to?

SF: Probably Warped Tour. I was 14. I really was into From First to Last and bands like that. I was actually with Skrillex a couple weeks ago and we were chatting because we both come from similar backgrounds since we were both were in bands.

SR: He’s like the nicest person I’ve ever met. So genuine.

SF: Right!? We were riding around on those IO Hawk things that him and Diplo are on all the time.

SR: If you started a boy band, name three members you would recruit and what their role in the band out be.

SF: Definitely Sonny. Me and Sonny could trade off on vocals. Leighton from Adventure Club because I know he plays guitar. I’ve heard Zomboy is a sick drummer and I’ve heard that Borgore is a bass player.

SR: It’s definitely a perk when DJs can play an instrument.

SF: Yeah for sure, the Keys N Krates guys are awesome too!

SR: What new tracks or remixes from you can we be on the lookout for?

SF: I have a new track with KSHMR called “Heaven.” I’m pretty excited about that. There is a piece of it on the Internet right now. I’m working on a new track with Sam Feldt as well. And I have a new original track which is dropping on Dim Mak on September 11th called “Ready for Love.”