DJ Danifox, or Daniel Veiga, must be the only member of Príncipe to be based in Leeds, in the north of England. Veiga, the son of Angolan parents, was born in Lisbon, Portugal but he moved to the United Kingdom in 2014, around the time that he began making his first beats as a means of sheltering from family-related difficulties surrounding him. As his aesthetic began to take shape, coming from tarraxo, kuduro, and Lisbon ghetto, he connected with the Príncipe crew through his friend Deejay Ary, whom he collaborated with on 2016’s Dorme Bem.

Now 20 years old, Veiga is touted as one of Príncipe’s rising names, acknowledged for his dancefloor cuts and playful vibes. After releasing his debut solo EP, Long Way Talk, on Los Angeles’ Point Records, moving from kuduro to house and featuring his own vocals, he’s contributed “Dark Hope,” a closing title track, to Príncipe’s thrilling 32-track label compilation. Alongside Puto Márcio, Lycox, and BBoy, Veiga also forms the Tia Maria Produções crew, who will release a new EP on Príncipe later this year.

Veiga recorded his XLR8R podcast in Lisbon, Portugal, earlier this month, without really thinking too much about it. Instead of trying to create a pumping club mix, he’s taken a relaxed approach, compiling a set from his own private archives, whether that’s as a solo artist, with DJ Lycox, or as part of Tia Maria Produções—but that won’t stop you dancing.

01. What have you been up to recently?

I’ve been trying to stay positive, and look out for myself and the loved ones around me. Also trying to not let down my creative side and have the channels open to keep the music coming and flowing.

02. Can you talk to me about your journey into music?

When I was a child, I was born in Lisbon, and I used to like playing football. I also had good ears because my family was very musical. When I was 13, I went to Angola and I saw kids playing with homemade instruments—like they’d use a can for percussion. Returning to Portugal, I began to have some kind of communication with my friends and they told me about this software called FL Studio. I’d never paid much attention to this software until I moved to Leeds. I had problems at home and outside my home that made me isolate in my bedroom and only by making music did I feel calm and also confident with my person, and that’s how I discovered who I am today.

03. Which artists do you look up to?

Dj Adamm, Dj Lycox, and Dj Nigga Fox.

04. Where and when did you record this podcast?

I recorded this podcast in Lisbon, Portugal on July 23.

05. What can we expect with the mix?

No expectations. I’m just happy when anyone can take the time to listen to it. It’s different from what I’d play in a club because the dancers in the room normally contribute to the music I play; it’s like we do it together, a mystery.

06. What’s up next on your horizon?

We, Tia Maria Produções, have a new EP ready in the pipeline, coming on Príncipe before the year ends.

07. What are your longer-term ambitions with music?

As I say, “day doesn’t kill day.” What’s important is that I’m happy with it and I’m allowed to share my imagination with everyone.

XLR8R has now joined Mixcloud Select, meaning that to hear the podcast offline you will need to subscribe to our Select channel, or subscribe to XLR8R+ to download the file. The move to Mixcloud Select will ensure that all the producers with music featured in our mixes get paid. You can read more about it here.

Tracklisting:

01. Tia Maria Produções (DJ Danifox) “Jogo T” (Unreleased)
02. Tia Maria Produções (DJ Danifox) “Na Tua” (Unreleased)
03. Tia Maria Produções “Culpadalisa” (Unreleased)
04. Tia Maria Produções “Rootz” (Unreleased)
05. Tia Maria Produções (DJ Danifox) “Lost” (Unreleased)
06. Tia Maria Produções (DJ Danifox) “Collision” (Unreleased)
07. DJ Danifox “Baú” (Unreleased)
08. Tia Maria Produções (DJ Danifox) “Olha Hora”(Unreleased)
09. Tia Maria Produções “Robô Que Fala”(Unreleased)
10. Tia Maria Produções ((DJ Danifox and DJ Lycox) “Big Rich Town Remix (Unreleased)
11. Tia Maria Produções “Se Eu Cantar”(Unreleased)
12. Tia Maria Produções “Vibe Boa” (Unreleased)
13. DJ Danifox “SZA Love Galore Remix” (Príncipe)
12. DJ Danifox “NiggaFox” (Unreleased)
14. DJ Danifox “HIV” (Unreleased)
15. DJ Danifox “Tou Constipado” (Unreleased)
16. DJ Danifox “Nubata” (Unreleased)
17. DJ Danifox “Acordei” (Unreleased)
18. DJ Danifox “Muted” (Unreleased)
19. Tia Maria Produções (DJ Danifox) “Soldado Desligado” (Príncipe)
20. DJ Danifox “Oi Manah” (Príncipe)
21. DJ Danifox “Alesis” (Príncipe)
22. DJ Danifox “Marjam” (Unreleased)
23. DJ Danifox “Para Você Tânia” (Príncipe)
24. DJ Danifox “Na Palmeira” (Point Records)
26. DJ Danifox “Jelly” (Unreleased)
27. DJ Danifox “Lacura” (Unreleased)
28. DJ Danifox “Poliangui” (Unreleased)
29. DJ Danifox “Earthen 2” (Unreleased)
30. DJ Danifox “Ódio No Coração” (Príncipe)
31. DJ Danifox “Karsh” (Unreleased)