[INTERVIEW] YERO Talks His ‘Wonderful Life’ Rework, Kryder, And More

We sat down to have a chat with the man of the moment recently.

In this day and age, Dance music has more traffic than ever, and that may make it difficult for a fairly new artist — or a veteran under a new name — to really take off. Well, not long ago, we stumbled upon a hotly-requested ID, a remake of a classic track. And now that it’s finally come out, we’re glad to introduce you to YERO.

A born DJ and natural disruptor, YERO is the new artist project of Greek producer Johnny Gerontakis. He’s been igniting parties in his home country for years, and now under this moniker promises to amaze crowds worldwide. And he’s already started. Earlier this year, he made his debut at Ibiza’s iconic sunset spot Café Mambo, and turned heads with his addition to this year’s Tomorrowland lineup, which, last time we checked, it’s this very weekend.

YERO’s debut single — and the one we discovered him with — is ‘Wonderful Life (Kryder’s Guilty Pleasure Mix)‘, a beautiful rendition of the 1980s original by UK band Black. His version, which features the vocals of Christian Burns, elevates the experience a couple notches by turning the positive lyrics into an Afro House masterpiece, all with the help of a Dance icon, Kryder.

And so we managed to lock in an interview with the man behind the ID, just days before his debut slot at Tomorrowland Belgium. Here’s our conversation. Read on.

Who is YERO? How would you describe your latest artist moniker?

YERO is my newly launched DJ and producer artist project for 2024 with a clear vision to get people back on the dancefloor. 

How did YERO begin, how was it born? We’d love to know about that moment when the idea came to your head.

The idea was to create a very personal project where I could combine the sounds and different styles of house music that I love all and that I’ve seen connect with crowds over the years as a DJ.  

I’ve DJ’d all my life so it’s a natural need for me to share the music and the vibe that I have in my head with other people, and I just felt the time for this to launch was now.

So, what takes us to you is your debut track, ‘Wonderful Life’, alongside Kryder and Christian Burns. So we’d like to ask, why ‘Wonderful Life’? Why rework this particular track, one that is practically a part of general music culture?

The positive message in the song’s lyrics fully matches my philosophy for music and life in general so I thought it was the perfect fit for my first release. 

The fun spirit and message of gratitude in the song is something we all need to hear in the spirit of summer and festival season. 

We’re absolutely aching to know, how did it feel working with Kryder? 

Kryder and I have a really special relationship, we’ve known each other for many years now. Working with him is not new to me but it is always a pleasure! I think he is a top player in the worldwide music industry, and I really enjoy learning from him.

So, this track blew up and came to be one of the year’s most requested IDs. What are your thoughts on that, and why do you think such was the case?

I was very happy to see the track getting support on the dancefloor. People instantly connected to the feelings and emotions we had in mind when creating the track and the uplifting production, so how could we not share it as an official release?

You’re debuting as YERO at Tomorrowland this week. First off, congratulations! And secondly, what can attendees expect from your set? Which genres do you wish to onboard to your timeslot?

Thank you! I’m so excited for Tomorrowland. It’s the world’s biggest dance party and an honour to be a part of it. I can’t wait!

As for my set, festival-goers can expect tech and tribal rhythms, uplifting melodies, sexy vocals with groovy drops – that’s my sound all over!

What can fans expect from YERO during this second half of the year and diving a bit into early 2025?

My main focus is to release at least one track per month and also throw some special DJ shows. I recently debuted at Ibiza’s famous Café Mambo, which was another bucket list venue, so I’m excited to see what’s next.

Final Words

Thank you so much to YERO for your words. We’re super excited to hear what’s next in your catalogue, and just know that we’re vibing to ‘Wonderful Life’ on a daily basis. In fact, you readers can also vibe to it, for YERO and Kryder have figured the best way to share the positive message was to give it away as a freebie! I, like the musical equivalent of a petrolhead I am, already secured my lossless copy, and I’d suggest you do the same, by heading to this link right here.

Thanks again YERO! The man himself is playing Tomorrowland this weekend, as he’ll be tearing down the Melodia Stage on Saturday the 20th, from 18:00 to 19:30. So if you’re over there, why not pay him a visit and experience those tribal rhythms and sexy vocals first-hand?! Make sure to stay tuned to our page for the latest news and views from our beloved Dance music world.