With Another Big Year Ahead of Him, Benny Benassi Discusses His New Album & Reflects on His Influential Legacy.
There are artists who define moments in dance music history – and then there are those who define entire blueprints. Benny Benassi stands firmly in the second category.
When he and his cousin Alle Benassi first unleashed “Satisfaction” in 2002, the track didn’t simply dominate clubs… it rewired them. Its distorted bassline, mechanical groove, and stripped-back futurism helped establish the foundation of electro-house as we’ve come to know it, influencing everything from Ibiza residencies to the eventual rise of main-stage festival culture.
But the story of Benny Benassi has never been a one-record legacy. In fact, he boasts a celebrated career that spans across more than two decades, where he’s consistently balanced underground credibility with mainstream impact, building a catalog that’s reflective of both innovation and longevity. From his European Border Breaker Award-winning debut album Hypnotica to 2008’s Rock ’N’ Rave, Benassi steadily evolved his sound while maintaining the signature grit and pressure that made him unmistakable from the very beginning. Along the way, he’s become one of the rare producers whose work continues to dominate the nightclub circuit, radio airwaves, and festival stages.
That ability to bridge worlds reached new heights with the Grammy-winning remix of Public Enemy’s “Bring The Noise,” a groundbreaking collision of European electro and American hip hop, which only further help set the stage for countless future cross-genre crossovers. His impact expanded even further with 2011’s Electroman, featuring his smash hit “Cinema” with Gary Go – a record that later exploded into a global phenomenon when Skrillex reimagined it into a Grammy-winning remix that helped introduce a new generation to the power of electronic music in the U.S.
It’s not even just about his own tracks and DJ sets because Benassi’s fingerprints are found throughout modern pop and dance culture. From co-writing Madonna’s “Girl Gone Wild” for MDNA to working with artists as varied as Ne-Yo, Kelis, Lil Yachty, Chris Brown, T-Pain, John Legend, and David Guetta, he has remained a trusted collaborator over the course of his career. At the same time, he’s continued to command stages globally with noteworthy sets at Coachella, Electric Daisy Carnival, Tomorrowland, and Ultra, among others.
Benassi has even leveled up in recent years, reintroducing his DNA to a new generation through a ’22 rework of “Satisfaction” with David Guetta – only further cementing his current-era momentum with “Love Is Gonna Save Us,” his ’25 collaboration with ARTBAT. Now he’s pushing towards the future yet again – this time with newest album Feel The Bass, an unapologetically club-focused statement that reconnects with the intensity that defined his early rise coupled with a sound that fits today’s modern dancefloors.
More than a nostalgic return, Feel The Bass truly feels representative of a full-circle moment for an artist who continues to shape the movement he helped create. With a new wave of stripped-back electro energy surging through clubs worldwide, Benassi once again finds himself at the center of the sound – and this time not as a reminder of the past, but as a force progressively steering the future. As he prepares for the anticipated drop of his latest full-length album and another massive year of touring – including summer runs through Ibiza and Mykonos and an upcoming Canadian tour – Benassi, 58, sat down with DJ LIFE to talk all about it.
DJ LIFE: Who were some of your earliest musical influences?
Benny Benassi: They were definitely rooted in the Italo- disco of the ’80s. I grew up in an area of Italy that was home to so many clubs, what we used to call “discoteche,” and the musical culture there was incredible. What is defined as Italo-disco today was simply “club music” to us back then; it was the music that brought the night to life. Being Italian, I grew up looking up to icons like Giorgio Moroder and producers like Mauro Malavasi, who helped shape a unique sound bridging Italo-disco and funk. Those roots are still the foundation of how I approach music today.
DJ LIFE: Which artists do you find inspire you most today?
Benassi: Max Styler – his sound is truly incredible. Then there’s Laherte, whom I’ve also collaborated with; I really like his approach and the way he constructs his tracks. And finally, Massano, who has a very strong sonic identity and great energy in his productions.
DJ LIFE: Which of the breakthrough artists are you into as of late?
Benassi: I always keep a close eye on what’s happening in Italy. I’m a huge fan of Meduza – they’ve grown so much over the last few years and have really put the Italian sound on the global map. I also enjoy following GENESI, as well as younger guys like SQU4RE or ESSENTIA, who are bringing fresh perspectives to the club scene. Overall, I’m really impressed by the production quality and the diversity of sounds found in contemporary electronic music today.
DJ LIFE: What did your first DJ set-up look like? How about today?
Benassi: It very basic: two turntables, not even Technics SL-1200s, which were already the industry standard back then, but belt-drive models, because I couldn’t afford the “real” ones. I had a small, simple two-channel mixer and an equalizer that I’d try to patch in before the mixer to tweak the sound of the vinyl before it hit the main signal. It was all very DIY, but that was the beauty of those years: you learned how to make do with what you had. Today, my set-up is much more advanced, but it stays fairly classic: I still use turntables, CDJs, and Pioneer DJ mixers, updating them as I go. The difference is that today’s technology makes everything much more instant and accessible.
DJ LIFE: What about on the studio side? What’s that evolution been like?
Benassi: I started out with my cousin Alle, who was the true musician of the family. I was more the DJ of the duo, while he was the one with the technical and production-focused vision. Our first studio was tiny: a 16-channel mixer, with a few channels that didn’t even work, a Korg M1, which was a staple back then for house basslines and pianos, and a Roland sampler with very limited memory. It was an era defined by sampling everything, from drums to grooves.
Over the years, the studio has evolved tremendously. The space Alle and I built is still the hub of my work today, and we’ve designed the layout specifically to fit how we create now. Everything is centered around a fast workflow in Ableton Live, but we always make sure to integrate hardware gear to give the sound its own unique character. The set-up itself is also built for collaboration; with a dual workstation and shared spaces, it’s much easier for us to work as a team and let the creative ideas flow naturally.
DJ LIFE: Did you start producing or DJing first?
Benassi: DJing – I held a residency for many years in the clubs around my area, during a time when the clubbing world was completely different from what it is today. Back then, your world was your city; there weren’t constant flights, and you didn’t have the chance to travel as easily as you do now. However, I was lucky because my region had so many clubs and a very vibrant scene. Eventually, I felt the need to create something of my own: remixes, edits, and custom versions. But doing that back then was complicated; we didn’t have the tools we have today. So, I decided to team up with my cousin and build a studio together. That’s where my whole production journey began.
DJ LIFE: What’s some wisdom you can offer aspiring DJ/producers today?
Benassi: Giving advice is always tricky, especially since I come from a completely different era. When I started out, I had to support myself through music, so I often had to adapt to the clubs and the crowd; I couldn’t always follow a strict artistic line. Today, however, I’d tell young producers to try and define their own identity as early as possible. Follow the labels you truly love, study them, understand their sound, and then produce music that is consistent with that vision. And above all, send your records to the right labels, not just to anyone willing to release them. Artistic direction makes all the difference today.
DJ LIFE: Entering your new era… why the title Feel The Bass?
Benassi: The title Feel The Bass comes from a very specific memory. When I was a kid, in the clubs I used to go to, the subwoofers were often positioned right under the stage or the booth. I’d stand close by because I was fascinated by the physical displacement of air. I could feel the bass physically, inside my body. Those big analog speakers from the ’80s had an incredible, almost hypnotic impact. To this day, that sensation is something I look for in music: turning up the volume and feeling the bass move through the air. Feel The Bass is exactly that.
DJ LIFE: How did you approach this album project?
Benassi: When we started working on the album, which was a massive team effort, I had a pretty clear direction in mind. I wanted to return to a certain type of sound, closer to my roots: what I’ve always defined as electro-punk or electro-house. It’s also a time when these sounds are making a comeback, so it felt natural to lean into them. It wasn’t so much a “mission” as it was a feeling: bringing that sound back, but with contemporary energy and production.
DJ LIFE: From start to finish, how long did the album take?
Benassi: We started selecting the first tracks about a year ago, right around the time I started hearing this type of sound again in the sets of DJs I follow and respect. It reminded me a lot of things from the past, like the early Boys Noize records, and that general electro energy from 20 years ago. From there, everything took off: track selection, development, and then the collabs.
DJ LIFE: Are there any tracks on the album that you feel really capture your essence, more than any other?
Benassi: Yes, in particular, “Dead Limit,” the collab with Laherte – it really takes me back to my original sound, but with a more current edge. I feel a real sense of continuity between the past and the present.
DJ LIFE: Which album tracks have road-tested the best so far?
Benassi: I’ve road-tested pretty much every track live, including at major festivals, by working them into my DJ sets. The response has been incredible across the board. If I had to pick one, I’d say “Superstar” with Chris Nasty, a producer from my hometown with whom I collab often. In more house-oriented contexts, “Chicago Baby,” my collab with Felix Da Housecat, also works really well. It has a very specific energy that I love to play.
DJ LIFE: What was the process on the album’s collabs?
Benassi: The collabs on the album came together in different ways, but due to timing, we often work remotely, swapping stems and ideas. With Felix Da Housecat, for example, we actually had a lot of fun working via video calls. With ARTBAT, the collaboration was born from a remix they did of an old track of mine, which sparked a creative dialogue. With other artists who are closer to home, like SQU4RE or Chris Nasty, we’re often in the studio together. It depends on the project, but the priority is always to keep the creative flow alive.
DJ LIFE: Do you have a preference when it comes to collabs – swapping ideas virtually or working in-studio?
Benassi: It depends a lot on the artist. Some people are more introverted, while with others, you hit it off immediately. Studio sessions are great, but that’s not always where the record is born. Sometimes it’s better to swap ideas, take your time, and develop them in your own space, then bring everything together by working on the stems. Stepping into a studio with someone and creating something great isn’t always automatic. In fact, often the best ideas come later, when you’re alone. That’s why I don’t have a specific preference: in many cases, it works better to let everyone stay in their own creative world.
DJ LIFE: Your Grammy-winning remix of Public Enemy’s “Bring The Noise” was one of the earliest major electro/hip-hop collisions. Did you realize you were opening a door for future crossover culture?
Benassi: To be honest, at the time, I didn’t realize what was happening. We were in a period when club music was very electronic and often instrumental, and we felt the need to bring in vocals; you couldn’t really play an entire set of just instrumental tracks. So, we started overlaying a cappellas on electro beats, and that’s where the idea for the Public Enemy “Bring The Noise” remix came from. We didn’t have the sense that we were breaking new ground, but in hindsight, many urban artists, especially in the U.S., started gravitating toward that European electro sound. It was a very interesting moment.
DJ LIFE: Let’s talk “Satisfaction.” You helped define a whole sound with the track. What do you remember about that track coming together?
Benassi: I remember pretty much everything about “Satisfaction.” My cousin wrote those notes while he was in Tunisia, stuck in a taxi traffic jam during soundcheck for a concert. When he got back to the studio, he turned those notes into that famous riff. We looked at each other and knew right away that it was incredible. From there, we looked for a sound that was rude, dirty, and heavily compressed. Those were the years when we really pushed that kind of processing. That’s exactly where it all started.
DJ LIFE: Did you guys realize right away that “Satisfaction” was different?
Benassi: Yes, we knew immediately. The first time I played it in the club where I was a resident, the manager came up to the booth and said: “What is this techno music? You’re emptying the floor!” So I knew right then it was a strong track, almost “annoying” in a way. And that’s exactly why it worked.
DJ LIFE: And what has it meant to your career?
Benassi: Certainly, “Satisfaction” opened the doors for me to make a living through music, travel the world, and play the biggest clubs and festivals. It was the key that allowed me to turn a passion into a life.
DJ LIFE: Outside dance music, which artists are some of your favorites?
Benassi: I often listen to more “legendary” artists. Among my favorites are definitely Pink Floyd – I still listen to them all the time.
DJ LIFE: What albums do you love?
Benassi: Some of Pink Floyd’s work is definitely among my all-time favorite albums, like Wish You Were Here. And I’d also have to say a Daft Punk album. For me, they remain an absolute point of reference, like Discovery.
DJ LIFE: If you had to choose three of your own tracks to play in all your future sets, what would they be?
Benassi: I’d go with: “Beautiful People,” “Cinema,” and “Satisfaction.” They represent three different moments of my journey and capture my musical identity well.
DJ LIFE: How do you view the difference between the American electronic scene and the European scene?
Benassi: The Italian and European scene has grown so much in recent years, especially regarding festivals. In Italy, we have major events like Kappa FuturFestival or Nameless Festival, and brands like Electronic BBQ are also growing fast. However, I experienced the explosion of massive festivals firsthand in the U.S. I’ve been lucky enough to play Coachella, Ultra Music Festival, and EDC. America was ahead of the curve on that front for years, even though Europe has incredible events like Tomorrowland. At the same time, I still love smaller clubs: you have a direct connection with the crowd there that is simply irreplaceable.
DJ LIFE: Have there been any strange occurrences at your gigs, maybe something that make you laugh now?
Benassi: One of the strangest things that has happened to me, and it still happens occasionally, is when the power goes out completely. You’re in the booth, the monitor lights are still on, but the dancefloor suddenly goes silent and you don’t know what’s happening. The first few times, I thought I’d played the wrong record and “cleared” the room. Then you realize the amplifiers just cut out… it’s a very surreal moment.
DJ LIFE: For you, was there ever a “pinch-me” moment, where you knew this was more than just a hobby?
Benassi: One of the first moments I realized something big was happening was when I started getting calls from France. That’s when it all kicked off: the first organized bookings, a manager, a tour manager. In that moment I thought: OK, maybe this is becoming something serious.
DJ LIFE: How have the DJ/producer world and the dance-music scene itself changed over time?
Benassi: What has stayed the same is that, ultimately, the music speaks for itself. A good bassline or a well-crafted distorted sound still makes a floor dance today just like it did back then. What has changed most is everything surrounding it: social media, video, image. Today, even the “drop” is tied to how it’s filmed, shared, and told. It used to be all about the moment right in front of you, in real-time. Now, there’s a virtual dimension that has become fundamental.
DJ LIFE: What’s next for you?
Benassi: I’m currently preparing for the summer season, which will be very intense, as always. I’ll be in Ibiza and Mykonos, where Cavo Paradiso remains one of my favorite clubs in the world, and then I have a major tour coming up in Canada.