EDMTunes Chats with Le Youth on Groove Cruise 2026

Groove Cruise 2026 is a wrap, but the afterglow remains. On Day 2 of this amazing adventure, we caught up with Le Youth at the very top deck at the very back of the ship ahead of his set at the Ultimate Abyss Stage. We talked a bit about his experience with Groove Cruise, similar festivals, and his music. He played two sets on Groove Cruise, one scenic outdoor night set on Friday and another set on Sunday in the ship’s Theater. The attendees absolutely raved about both sets – just read some of the commentary from the attendee Facebook group below. Read on for the full interview!

EDMTunes: What’s up guys?! This is Scott with EDMTunes and I’m here on the Wonder of the Seas for Groove Cruise 2026, Day 2 with Le Youth. How does it feel to be here?

Le Youth: It feels amazing! We have nice weather, in the middle of January!

EDMTunes: Absolutely. So, you just told me that this is your third Groove Cruise, which I was surprised to learn. So tell me about your previous experiences.

Le Youth: Yeah, played in 2015, then I think 2016—although I could be wrong.,nd then yeah, just didn’t play it again for I guess ten years. But in that time, did a lot of other festivals on cruise ships. So did EDSea, and did, um, one called “It’s The Ship” in Asia. So it’s nice to be back.

EDMTunes: And this kind of event goes so well with your music and your performance style. I know that during your shows you like to go into the crowd and kind of mix it up with people, take pictures, give hugs, and show love. Do you feel a comparison to the scene here where all of the artists are hanging out and chatting it up with everybody?

Le Youth: Yeah, that’s interesting. I haven’t thought about… I haven’t gotten that deep into it yet. Usually, I kind of feel it out when I start playing and I say, “Is this the kind of crowd that’s going to be receptive to me jumping out and dancing with them?” Every once in a while, they’re not. Um, but yeah, it’s a good point. I imagine this crowd is going to be very into that.

EDMTunes: You’re absolutely not going to have to worry about that.

Le Youth: Yeah.

EDMTunes: So, talking about your music…you really base a lot of your tracks on emotions… love, heartbreak, longing. Can you tell me a little bit about how you are inspired to write your musics? Was it all from any of your own experiences or…?

Le Youth: Yeah, I mean everything kind of flows from my own experiences. I was in a band for a long time—I’m also a songwriter—and, um, I don’t know, I guess that’s where I pull a lot of inspiration from. It’s those feelings of kind of longing and, yeah. I’ve just always operated from that… from that perspective in my style of writing. And, um, maybe it’s time to switch it up. I don’t know.

EDMTunes: No, I love it. It works.

Le Youth: I’ve been doing it for so long. [Laughs].

EDMTunes: Um, do you also get inspiration from scenery? Like we’re here out in the ocean and it’s this serene place, or is it more just from within you?

Le Youth: It’s definitely internal. I don’t know, I’ve always been jealous of people who can pull inspiration from things like, um, like a sunset or, um, you know, a cruise ship. I’m not really that good of a songwriter. I kind of… I have to pull from my own experiences.

EDMTunes: Okay, very interesting. And speaking of which, you have a new album coming out in March, and you teased that there’s going to be previews coming out soon. Are we going to get a little teaser of that tonight?

Le Youth: Yeah, so there’s a few songs already out. The album is called Who Are You Really?. And it’s kind of this introspective look at my own life, but also kind of opens the door so other people can look at their own life too. So at this point, there’s three tracks already out—maybe four? And, um, planning on playing a couple of other new ones and then obviously the ones that are already out.

EDMTunes: Amazing. And so this is your first set of the voyage tonight. Tell us what you have planned for the rest of Groove Cruise.

Le Youth: Oh man. [Laughs] So my parents are joining me on this Groove Cruise, which is amazing. So I’m kind of at their mercy. I think tomorrow when we get to the island, we’re going to do some excursions. The kinds of things that I wouldn’t normally do.

EDMTunes: Like swim with the pigs?

Le Youth: Yeah, we actually did that a couple of years ago on the EDSea one. So maybe we’ll do something different this time. But, yeah, I don’t know exactly. Cassian is playing later, I’m going to try to catch some of that. Um, Angrybaby—I think he has another set. I want to catch that too.

EDMTunes: Is that the casino one maybe, with Jigitz?

Le Youth: Yeah, I think so.

EDMTunes: That would be good.

Le Youth: But yeah planning to just enjoy myself. And you know it’s funny, when I first got here I had a balcony, which I was really excited about. And the balcony was one of the ones facing inwards.

EDMTunes: Oh okay. so the Boardwalk.

EDMTunes: And it was like the main stage was right there too. It wasn’t too loud, it was just like… wasn’t the experience I was hoping for, which was to watch the ocean. And so I kinda complained a little bit, and then I got my cabin facing the ocean. So that was one of the perks.

EDMTunes: Awesome. And you have one more set this weekend, right?

Le Youth: Yeah, that’s right.

EDMTunes Is it going to be different than the one you’re going to play tonight?

Le Youth: They’re always different. I’ve never been the kind of DJ that plays the same sets. I play the same songs, obviously, um, but I kind of feel it out. And it always ends up being something different.

EDMTunes: So take us through the rest of 2026. You have this album coming, but what else are you looking forward to this year?

Le Youth: I’m actually fully wrapped up in this album. So the album tour starts in March. We just announced the first part of that, and that’s like, I don’t know, 15 or so cities across the world. And then there’s going to be a Part 2. And that should take me into the end of the year. So I’ll be on tour from March until, uh, hopefully December. You can look for Miami on Part 2 ;).

EDMTunes: Very cool. Thanks for speaking with me. It’s been a pleasure and I’ll see you at both of your sets!

Le Youth: Yeah man, absolutely! [Shakes hand].