You could tell immediately upon the release of ‘Takin’ My Time’ that SWYDE are doing things differently.
Embracing carefree fun with reckless abandon, the infectious track brims with Y2K nostalgia, kaleidoscopic synths, and a sugary pink core aesthetic that rivals Barbie.
“Our collaboration was so smooth that we created ‘Takin’ My Time’ by our second meeting,” the trio tell us in a new interview.
Below, SWYDE members Nikita, Dima and Valery swing by Happy for a deep dive into their artistry, formation, and plans for the future. Catch the full interview below, and scroll down to listen to their latest single ‘Takin’ My Time’.
HAPPY: What are you up to today?
SWYDE: Just back from summer vacation! Sunbathing and diving fully recharged us to create new hits!
HAPPY: Tell us a little about where you live. What do you love about it?
SWYDE: Two of us, Nikita and Valery, live in Izmir, Turkey, and the other, Dima, lives in Moscow, Russia. We love Turkey for its Mediterranean Sea, friendly citizens, and fresh fruits.
On the other hand, Russia offers a completely different vibe with its underground music scene, cool graffiti, and brutalist architecture. We’re really a mix of very contrasting influences and a complicated heritage.
HAPPY: How did SWYDE come together, and what’s the story behind your name?
SWYDE: Oh, there’s a fascinating story behind it! We all met abroad as immigrants from Russia. Despite the vastness of Russia, we all came from the same small city—Saratov, located on the outskirts of the central region.
What a coincidence to find soulmates who also love making music! Our collaboration was so smooth that we created ‘Takin’ My Time’ by our second meeting! Just imagine what we have hidden in our pockets after a year of working together
Producing music was never hard, but choosing a name was a challenge. We tried many options (at one point, we almost stuck with “Second Hand Thieves”). After two months, we finally came up with “SWYDE,” a blend of “Sway” + “Slide.”
HAPPY: What inspires your creativity, and how do you keep your ideas fresh?
SWYDE: With three of us, our inspirations are endless!
At the beginning of each session, at least one brings an idea, like “Let’s create a song like that soundtrack from Persona 5,” or “I want to try adding these snares,” or “Let’s start with from the end: creating chorus instead of drums.”
We love the process of creating music itself, and the good sound is just the result of us having fun. For one song, we even rapped about our tour to Istanbul. When you live in the moment and aren’t afraid of being heard, creativity reaches its peak.
HAPPY: How has your sound developed over time, and what can we expect from future releases?
SWYDE: We started with a classic organic house sound reminiscent of Crystal Waters, but over time, we evolved into a more electro vibe, with sharper, more distorted sounds, hip-hop verses, and loud choruses. W
e moved from the 90s to the early 2000s era, full of energy and drive! Our music reflects our perspective on an era we fondly remember as kids. We try to recreate music from our early feelings, in a modern way, of course.
We’re no longer afraid to showcase Nikita’s rapping skills or include more of Valery’s singing. As our skills have sharpened, you can hear the difference over time.
SWYDE isn’t stuck to one genre—it’s only stuck to the music we love. Who knows? Maybe one day we’ll even explore DnB!
HAPPY: Can you walk us through your collaborative process when writing and producing music?
SWYDE: Initially, our sessions were offline in Izmir. It was easy—just grab some beer, sit in Nikita’s and Valery’s home studio, and create magic together.
We could write music non-stop for three days straight! But after Dima had to move back to Russia, we had to adapt to online sessions, which wasn’t as easy as it sounds.
We even took a break from producing music for a while. Eventually, we reunited and found a solution: video calls via MUSE (thanks to Ivan Dorn’s recommendation).
Now, we grab some beer, sit in front of our laptops in our home studios, and continue creating magic. Although this is a good compromise, we still miss the offline sessions.
So, with our first big paycheck, we’ll buy plane tickets to see each other and create music in person again.
HAPPY: Who are some of your biggest influences, and how do they shape your music?
SWYDE: We each have our own icons. As both producers, Nikita is more pop-oriented (he enjoys Tyler the Creator, Joji), while Dima leans towards underground sounds, like A Tribe Called Quest or Crystal Castles.
Nikita adds risers and special effects as if he’s the adopted son of David Guetta, ha-ha! Valery draws inspiration from singers like Lana Del Rey and Lady Gaga.
She also listens to voices similar to her own to develop new techniques. Her singing coach often says she reminds her of a young Madonna in some demos—a huge compliment, as you can imagine!
HAPPY: What’s next for SWYDE, and are there any exciting projects or releases on the horizon?
SWYDE: YES, and very soon! Our next single, “LOST,” is in the final production stage, but we’ve already teased it on TikTok. Imagine a new teenage Netflix series about lovers lost in their complicated relationships and selves—that’s the vibe!
We also filmed a music video for this release in Istanbul during our latest tour. It’s currently in the editing stage, and we’re working closely with the team to capture the highest 2010s atmosphere, inspired by Lady Gaga’s videos.
The track is darker and more dramatic than ‘Takin’ My Time,’ with a more electro and energetic sound, as we’ve mentioned before. This is just the beginning of SWYDE’s new era!
HAPPY: What makes you happy?
Nikita: Good food and music, the sea, beer, and the people I love.
Dima: Music success, nice weather, and my dog Niles.
Valery: Morning coffee, my cat, karaoke, Fortnite.
