Nicky Romero on DLDK London, Monocule, and the Power of Now

Ahead of his performance at the first-ever Don't Let Daddy Know London at Drumsheds, Nicky Romero sat down to discuss his evolving sound, his Monocule alias, upcoming collaborations, and what makes the UK crowd special. The Dutch producer, known for progressive house anthems like "Toulouse," "I Could Be the One" with Avicii, and "Legacy" with Krewella, continues to explore new directions through his Protocol Recordings label and deeper, melodic releases under Monocule.

First London DLDK and What Fans Can Expect

Romero has played London many times and Don't Let Daddy Know many times, but never in this combination. For the debut London edition, he promised new music and special moments: a new remix for Armin van Buuren getting its first-ever play, and a live performance of "Run To You" with vocalist Grace Barton, who had never joined him on stage before.

What sets UK crowds apart, according to Romero, is their focus on the experience over appearance. "What I like about the UK is, this is generally speaking, it's not everywhere, but they usually don't care so much. Like, 'Oh, we have to pay attention to how we look all the time.' It's about creating the party, it's about the atmosphere," he explained. "These days everything is about social media. I get it, it's amazing to look good. It's amazing to have great videos. But I think the only moment we really have is now. It's the power of now, as Eckhart Tolle would write in his books. So, let's focus on the now."

Evolving Sound and the Monocule Difference

When asked which track best represents where he is now, Romero pointed to "Run To You" with Grace Barton, his remix for Armin van Buuren, and "Party" with Reinier Zonneveld. He's working to blend elements from trance, Eurodance, and melodic techno with his progressive house foundation.

The Monocule alias allows him to explore a different kind of expression. "Monocule is more about a deeper sound, it's like storytelling. Nicky Romero feels like chapters, and I think Monocule feels like a proper book. I need more time to tell the real story and with Nicky Romero, it feels like little chapters that all are very much peak energy. But this is a proper book with an intro and outro. That's the difference."

He recently revisited "Freak" as Monocule, explaining that some ideas merit multiple approaches. With Nicky Romero, it was a proper club track; with Monocule, it became about setting the vibe rather than creating a peak-time energy moment.

IDs and What's Next

Beyond the Armin van Buuren remix, Romero teased new ideas with Almero, Blackcode, and Amel. He also mentioned an ID with Sick Individuals that's been in the works, though the vocal version is still being refined.

With so much music in the pipeline, Romero admitted he can't always keep track of every idea. But his focus remains on constantly expanding, changing, and adapting while staying true to his progressive house roots.