Widely recognized as one of the defining architects of China’s contemporary dance-music movement, ZHANGYE approaches electronic music with a refined sensibility shaped by years of disciplined study.
Rather than treating classical motifs as an afterthought or a novelty sample, the Beijing-born DJ/producer builds dance records with a laser-sharp focus, attention to harmonic architecture, melodic progression, and dynamic emotional arc.
ZHANGYE’s musical path took root early, first picking up the guitar around age 10 and discovering that melody could serve as a reflective vessel for emotion. That innate fascination eventually carried him abroad to high school in Russia and straight into the world-renowned Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, where he immersed himself in the world – and demanding discipline – of classical composition.
After a break from music, ZHANGYE returned to his work as a creative in 2020. However, electronic music wasn’t a drastic pivot, but more of a natural evolution of his sonic craft. The foundational disciplines of arrangement, structure, and harmonic development seamlessly merged with modern sound design, driving low-end theory, and the raw kinetic energy of live crowds. And then the impact arrived swiftly with breakout productions like “Own Way,” which racked up more than five billion streams on TikTok China, cementing his place at the forefront of the country’s commercial soundscapes. He quickly proved equally proficient on the global stage, operating as the principal creative driving force on high-profile collabs with international heavyweights such as Steve Aoki on “Where Do We Go,” Grammy winner Libianca on “Don’t Say Sorry,” Bassjackers on “Nobody Else,” and Ummet Ozcan on “IUNU.”
That momentum reached another career high with the arrival of “Dreaming,” a sprawling collaboration with the five-time Grammy-nominated Skylar Grey. Released via Cyanhill Music, the track takes us back to the golden era of progressive house, while anchoring itself in punchy modern mix. Pairing driving basslines and uplifting melodic progressions with Grey’s iconic emotional delivery, the release demonstrates ZHANGYE’s knack for crafting stadium-scale records that bridge contemporary dance floors and arena-level pop.
When it comes to his work behind the decks, ZHANGYE is reshaping China’s dance music scene through Cyanhill Music and his pioneering CHINA EDM initiative. After exporting Chinese electronic culture directly to European nightlife hubs like Amsterdam’s Escape deLux, he launched CHINA EDM Vol. 2 – a groundbreaking, all-female compilation designed to spotlight the country’s premier female producers and DJs. Featuring influential tastemakers including Lizzy Wang, DJ KAKA, MEGURU, SUNK, and DJ UNA alongside international remixers like MATTN and Mariana BO, the initiative directly challenges industry visibility gaps. We recently caught up with ZHANGYE.
DJ LIFE: How did music become part of your life?
ZHANGYE: I was around 10 when I really started getting interested in music. I began to realize that music could hold so much – ideals, emotions, and the way I understood life. Later, I learned to play guitar, formed a band, and started writing my own songs. Music gradually went from being an interest to becoming an important part of my life.
DJ LIFE: How did you become interested in electronic music?
ZHANGYE: I really found my way back to electronic music later on. I went to Russia to study music in high school and later studied composition at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory. After graduating and returning to China, I went into the investment industry, and from 2012 to 2020 I didn’t make music at all. For me, coming back to music felt very natural. My classical composition training taught me to pay close attention to melody, harmony, structure, and how a piece develops. When I discovered electronic music, I realized that sound, rhythm, space, and the energy of a live setting could all be part of the creative process. So, I never really felt like I had “jumped from classical music to EDM.” It felt more like I had stepped away from music for a while and eventually found my way back to it. This time, I chose electronic music as the way I wanted to express myself.
DJ LIFE: What do you believe makes you stand out as a DJ and producer?
ZHANGYE: I think my background allows me to bring together several different worlds: classical composition, electronic music, and my perspective as a Chinese artist. A major part of my work is also about connecting Chinese electronic music with global audiences and creating collaborations across different cultures.
DJ LIFE: What’s in your studio?
ZHANGYE: I mainly use Ableton Live. There’s no particular reason – I started learning electronic music with it, so I just stuck with it. I tend to use [reFX] Nexus and [Native Instruments] Kontakt quite a lot. The huge range of sounds and instruments they offer often helps spark new ideas when I’m creating.
DJ LIFE: What’s your process when you’re composing?
ZHANGYE: I usually start with the melody. I often sit down at the piano and start writing. Usually, there’s a musical idea first, and then I gradually find the rhythm, sounds, and structure that work with it. I don’t usually start by deciding, “I’m going to make a certain type of EDM,” and then build the track around a fixed formula. For me, the music itself should come first. Once that feels right, I can decide how I want it to take shape. Of course, when I’m working with a singer, the topline can sometimes be an important starting point. But wherever I start, I always pay close attention to the melody itself and whether it can carry a complete piece of music. To me, a track shouldn’t just sound good in one moment – the emotion should be able to unfold naturally over time.
DJ LIFE: When you began to DJ, what were you using?
ZHANGYE: By the time I got into the scene, DJs were already playing from USBs on CDJs – I’m not really a technical DJ.
DJ LIFE: Describe your transition from studio producer to DJ/performer…
ZHANGYE: I see producing and DJing as two different skill sets. When I’m producing, I can go back and change the same eight bars over and over. But when I’m playing live, once the music starts, I have to respond to what’s happening in that moment. I think observation is one of the most important parts of being a DJ. You have to pay attention to the audience – when they’re getting into the music, when they need more energy, and when it’s time to pull things back. It’s not just about following a playlist you prepared beforehand. That’s what I find interesting about being a producer and a DJ. In the studio, I’m thinking about why the music works. Onstage, I get to see what that music does to people.
DJ LIFE: You’ve played standout club and festival dates. For you, how do crowds and energy levels compare?
ZHANGYE: I think the biggest difference is not really about the level of energy, but how that energy comes across. In a more intimate club or live venue, the audience is closer to the DJ, so the response is much more direct. A break, a vocal, or even a small change can get an immediate reaction. A large festival is different. At a stage like Untold, the space is much bigger, and the audience comes from different countries and cultural backgrounds. Music has to create a shared feeling in a shorter amount of time. I enjoy both. Music can happen in a room with a few hundred people, or in front of tens of thousands. For me, these different experiences also change the way I think about rhythm, energy, and structure, and that eventually finds its way back into my production.
DJ LIFE: What was the collab process like with Skylar Grey on the “Dreaming” single?
ZHANGYE: “Dreaming” was about capturing the timeless feeling of the golden era of EDM, while bringing it into a modern progressive-house setting. Skylar has such a distinctive voice and emotional quality, and her vocals brought a warmth and depth to the record that complemented the cinematic production perfectly.
DJ LIFE: You also joined forces with Steve Aoki on “Where Do We Go.” What was it like working with him?
ZHANGYE: After working with Steve, one of the biggest things I took away was that a truly world-class artist isn’t just making music. They’re creating a whole system of energy around it. A lot of people might see Steve Aoki’s greatest strengths as his musical influence or commercial success. But after working with him, I realized that what really stands out is his understanding of how emotion moves through a live experience. He has a very clear sense of how the audience is going to respond – when they need to release, when to build some tension, and when to bring everyone into the same feeling.
Another thing that really stayed with me is how open he is. When artists reach that level, they can sometimes become more fixed in their ways because they already have a proven way of doing things. But Steve is still genuinely curious about new cultures, new sounds, and younger creators. He doesn’t approach you with assumptions just because you’re from China. What matters to him is whether you have something of your own to bring.
DJ LIFE: How have you seen the electronic-music ecosystem in China transform?
ZHANGYE: Chinese electronic music has continued to develop with more DJs and producers creating original music and looking beyond China to reach international audiences. Through Cyanhill Music and CHINA EDM, I’ve tried to help provide a platform for that talent and create more connections between China’s electronic music community and the global scene.
DJ LIFE: How does the club/dance scene in China fundamentally differ from those in the U.S. and Europe?
ZHANGYE: The biggest difference is simply the stage of development. Club and dance music culture in Europe and the U.S. has been developing for decades, and there’s now a relatively mature ecosystem connecting clubs, DJs, labels, festivals, media, and artists. China’s electronic music scene is much younger and is still evolving quickly. But that also means there’s more room to explore. Chinese artists are still finding their own musical identities and thinking about what electronic music can mean within China’s cultural context. Another clear difference is that the connection between Chinese and international artists is still being built.
DJ LIFE: How’s that?
ZHANGYE: China has a very large audience for electronic music, and more and more international artists are coming to China. But creating more opportunities for Chinese artists on the international stage is still a gradual process. I don’t think the next step is to separate China from the rest of the world. It’s about creating more genuine exchange and collaboration between the two. That’s also part of why I started CHINA EDM and have been developing Cyanhill Music – I want to play a part in building this ecosystem and creating more opportunities for Chinese artists to share the same stage with artists from around the world.
Photo Credits: Cyanhill Music