Emerging from the underground with a sound as unpredictable as it is electrifying, debbiesthuglife is carving out her own lane in the world of experimental club music. Widely renown for her distinctive DJ sets and warped, genre-defying productions, the multi-hyphenate now steps fully into the spotlight with her self-produced debut EP, JELLYFISH. The project is a sonic deep dive into glitchy textures, submerged rhythms and off-kilter energy—an emotional, club-ready collision of ambient, bass and deconstructed electronic music.
Created entirely on a DIY setup, JELLYFISH captures both technical grit and raw vulnerability. Consisting of 10 tracks, the EP reflects debbie’s evolution from releasing edits on SoundCloud to becoming a full-fledged artist, vocalist and producer—earning co-signs from the likes of Zack Fox and radio support from BBC’s Jaguar in the process. With track titles such as “MEDUSA PHASE” and “STINGER”—as well as title track “JELLYFISH” drenched in Baltimore club heat—the EP is as fluid and striking as its name—beautiful on the surface, with a sting that lingers.
We caught up with debbiesthuglife to chat about her creative process, influence and what it means to truly move people on the dance floor…
Can you tell us how you first got into music and production?
debbiesthuglife: Music has been an essential part of who I am for as long as I can remember. Nearly everything I do has always revolved around my deep love for it. When it comes to production, it was actually Kenny Beats who first encouraged me to give it a serious try especially since I was already DJing and my track selection had a unique, niche appeal. And really, who am I to say no when a Grammy-nominated producer gives me that kind of advice?
Who were your biggest musical influences growing up—and who inspires you now?
debbiesthuglife: Growing up, my mind was a melting pot of all kinds of music. I listened to everything from Stevie Wonder and The Bee Gees to Gorillaz and The Neptunes and I’ve always been (and still am) obsessed with Tyler, The Creator. Truthfully, electronic music wasn’t something I heard much of in my environment, but whenever I did come across it, I was drawn to how playful and energetic it sounded. That early mix of influences shaped my musical identity, and I try to channel those roots into the sound I create today, which I think plays a big part in what makes my music feel individual.
Right now, I draw inspiration from a wide range of artists, including Machinedrum, James Blake, Rosalía, Nia Archives, Jialing, ATRIP, and more. You can definitely hear traces of those influences in my work. I also weave in elements inspired by artists like Billie Eilish, The Weeknd, Tyler (of course), SBTRKT. The list honestly goes on and on.
JELLYFISH is such a vivid title—fluid, beautiful, but also dangerous. What does the metaphor mean to you personally and artistically?
debbiesthuglife: If I’m being completely honest, the idea just came to me one day. It felt like it had been floating around in my subconscious for a while (no pun intended), especially now that I’m suddenly seeing jellyfish everywhere. But once it surfaced, it just made perfect sense. A jellyfish is mesmerising to watch, full of fascinating facts and, of course, capable of delivering serious harm. Not that I’m out here trying to hurt anyone, but I do feel like I’m often underestimated. My sting comes in the form of proving people wrong.
The EP dives deep into warped electronics, underwater textures and deconstructed club elements. What inspired this sonic direction?
debbiesthuglife: Once I landed on the title JELLYFISH, I was intentional about making sure every track, aside from the interludes, evoked movement and captured the essence of a jellyfish. Whether it’s the erratic energy of hunting in the deep or the calm, aimless drifting with the current, I wanted each piece to reflect that fluid unpredictability. I also made a point to incorporate unusual sounds and textures, steering away from anything too conventional because I’ve never seen myself as that, and I think that really comes through sonically. I found myself especially drawn to sounds that felt almost broken, yet still somehow worked. Glitchy, raw, imperfect but full of motion and life.
You’ve mentioned the EP captures your growth as an artist. What part of your creative identity do you feel evolved the most during this project?
debbiesthuglife: A big part of this project’s growth was stepping away from heavily sampling other songs, which had been a key element in my previous singles. But the biggest evolution, without a doubt, was becoming a vocalist. I used to lean on sampled vocals but there’s only so many vocal samples you can use before someone slides you a cease and desist. My manager actually suggested I try rapping after hearing a session where Denzel Curry and I were just messing around for fun.
Even though I still can’t stand the sound of my own voice, I leaned into that discomfort by distorting it heavily, taking inspiration from American Southern rap and chopped n screwed records. That choice became a defining part of my sound. I used to spend hours digging for chopped n screwed versions of my favourite tracks, so it feels like a full circle moment to now be channeling that influence in my own music.
You self-produced the entire project on a DIY setup. Can you walk us through your process—what tools or techniques were essential to crafting this sound?
debbiesthuglife: Some of the tracks started with me spending hours just building the skeleton, carefully shaping how I wanted each song to sound and feel. I was working on a basic version of Ableton on my MacBook Air, so as you can imagine, my sessions were stacked to the brim. It was almost embarrassing to show other producers! For vocals, I’d literally record voice notes on my phone, AirDrop them to my laptop, and do my best to make them sound compressed and polished. Some of the vocals are even from interviews I conducted in my past life as a journalist. I even spent time digging through obscure Reddit threads for sound packs that matched the vibe I was chasing. Pretty sure I picked up a virus or two along the way.
For the songs where I felt like they needed more depth, the heavens basically sent me these amazing Canadians, MONEYPHONE. They just got it. They completely understood the sound I was going for, helped flesh out ideas, and, best of all, we didn’t have to compress a hundred sounds into one track anymore. Working with them not only elevated the songs but also taught me a lot about refining my process.
“MEDUSA PHASE” is chaotic and hypnotic, with uncredited vocals from Zack Fox. How did this collaboration come about?
debbiesthuglife: Zack is a good friend of mine, and I’ve had the pleasure of opening for him and even MCing at some of his shows. The music he plays is this wild, chaotic blend of sounds, but it all flows together so naturally…kind of like a jellyfish, actually. So of course, I felt compelled to translate that energy into a track.
The vocals came from a moment in Amsterdam when we were working at the dinner table. Out of nowhere, he started freestyling, and I instinctively hit record. That’s why the audio isn’t super polished like a studio take, but I loved how raw and spontaneous it was. It captured the moment perfectly.
The track is called Medusa Phase, which is the reproductive stage of a jellyfish and honestly, what better topline could there be than Zack Fox saying “fucking on your bitch”?
The title track “JELLYFISH” leans heavily into Baltimore club energy. What drew you to this scene’s influence, and how did you make it your own?
debbiesthuglife: I came across this track called “Freaky Horns” by Jialing, and it instantly became my whole personality. I couldn’t play a DJ set without including it, it lived rent-free in my head. That track led me down a rabbit hole of Bmore artists, and I completely fell in love with the sound. I remember thinking, I want to make a song that makes me feel the way I did the first time I heard this, something that makes you move without thinking.
These days, I mostly listen to chilled jazz in my downtime, so I wanted to blend that influence into the track as well. I added jazz-inspired keys and chords to give it my own unique spin. Rosalía’s “SAOKO” also played a big role in shaping the track, especially with how she incorporates a jazz break so effortlessly. That kind of genre-blending really inspired me to push my own boundaries.
You’ve mentioned wanting people to “dance and move” to this EP. What’s your ideal setting for someone to hear JELLYFISH for the first time?
debbiesthuglife: Lately, my favourite way to experience new music is in the car. There’s something about car testing that really immerses you, it lets you be fully present with the music instead of immediately diving into who produced it or who’s featured. It also helps you hear the project’s flow and the story the artist is trying to tell in a more natural way.
That said, for the more high-energy tracks on JELLYFISH, the perfect setting isn’t behind the wheel, it’s in a sweaty club, around 1AM, when the night’s peaking and you’re feeling like an absolute slut. That’s when it all hits just right.
As an artist, how do you stay creatively inspired in a fast- moving digital landscape?
debbiesthuglife: To be honest, it’s a tough balance. I don’t want to fall into the trap of chasing virality just because social media dominates so much of the music world today. I believe in the quality of my music and want it to speak for itself but of course, it still needs to be heard.
I dedicate a lot of time to searching for new music to play in my sets, and that process has a dual benefit: it keeps my inspiration fresh and constantly evolving. Still, I always try to stay true to what I personally connect with, rather than following whatever the mainstream masses are listening to at the moment. I think that’s why Charli XCX’s Brat was so successful, she stuck to her own sound and individuality, and eventually, people just gravitated toward it.
Looking ahead, how does this project set the stage for where you’re headed next musically?
debbiesthuglife: I think this project really shows that I’m leaning more into my role as a vocalist, and I’ll definitely be exploring that further in the future. I already have the name for my next project, and its title will reflect the texture and feel of the songs—just like JELLYFISH did. For me, music is all about digging deeper than the surface, tapping into emotions and experiences that have truly shaped who I am. I also think JELLYFISH gave people a great insight into the sounds I love and what they can expect next, something similar, but maybe even more chaotic.