Southern Spin

DJ Steve Aoki and singer Tyler Hubbard speak to Newsweek about redefining country cool

- - DEVIN ROBERTSON

UNUSUAL COLLABORATIONS IN today's world of modern music are nothing new—but some still manage to surprise. One such pairing is that of Steve Aoki, the chart-topping EDM star known for throwing cakes during his energetic sets, and Tyler Hubbard, the Georgia-born country star who spent over a decade topping charts as half of duo Florida Georgia Line.

The two artists debuted their new single in Memphis, Tennessee, at the city's RiverBeat Festival in May. Following a performance that saw fans hit with Aoki's signature airborne dessert, the pair sat down for a chat with Newsweek.

"This is my first time in Memphis," Aoki said, fresh off the stage.

"Yeah, I've been in Memphis a few times," Hubbard laughed. "I love Memphis."

"We went to Graceland today. That was really cool," Aoki, 47, added. "We shot our music video here. So, I really got to feel like I was in Memphis.”

"I was watching [his] set. I was like, Dude, this guy is unbelievable.... a songwriting genius.""

That new music video accompanies their collaboration, “Forget Tonight,” a genre-blending single that fuses Hubbard’s warm, Southern vocals with Aoki’s high-octane beats. Aoki drew inspiration from the late Swedish DJ Avicii when making the track.