COOPER SMITH ISN’T JUST ANOTHER NAME RISING OUT OF MELBOURNE’S ELECTRONIC SCENE — HE’S REDEFINING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MODERN DJ, PRODUCER AND PERFORMER. WITH ELECTRIFYING SETS, RELENTLESS AMBITION AND A MESSAGE ROOTED IN RESILIENCE AND INCLUSIVITY, COOPER IS FAST BECOMING ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S MOSt EXCITING YOUNG ARTISTS.

HIS JOURNEY STARTED IN 2021, WHEN A 16-YEAR-OLD COOPER BOUGHT A DJ APP ON AN IPAD AND BEGAN TEACHING HIMSELF TO MIX. BY THE NEXT YEAR HE WAS PLAYING HIS OWN LUNCHTIME SETS IN THE SCHOOL GYM, CATCHING THE ATTENTION OF TEACHER AARON JACK, WHO HELPED SECURE SUPPORT FROM THE DYLAN ALCOTT FOUNDATION FOR COOPER’S FIRST PROFESSIONAL MIXER AND HEADPHONES. FROM THERE, HE BUILt HIS OWN FULL DJ SETUP — AND NEVER LOOKED BACK.

IN 2022 COOPER BEGAN STUDYING MUSIC PRODUCTION UNDER ELECTRONIC ICON Eric POWELL, SHARPENING THE SKILLS THAT NOW SHAPE HIS HYBRID OF HOUSE, INDIE DANCE AND FESTIVAL-READY ENERGY. WHAT FOLLOWED WAS A RAPID RISE THAT MOST ARTISTS SPEND YEARS CHASING. DANCEFLOOR. BORN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY, HE USES EVERY STAGE, EVERY TRACK AND EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO CHAMPION DIVERSITY, BREAK DOWN BARRIERS, AND INSPIRE ANYONE WHO’S BEEN TOLD THEY CAN’T. HIS ATTITUDE IS SIMPLE — AND NOW FAMOUS AMONG PEOPLE LIKE CARL COX AND DOM DOLLA WHO CALL HIM A FRIEND.