Ever since the internet became an integral part of daily life, there has been a never-ending debate about how this has affected the music industry. Some have claimed that streaming platforms and social media are killing it. Others have argued that these advancements are responsible for allowing unheard talent to emerge from relative obscurity. A decade ago, aspiring musicians had to be discovered in a record store or on stage at an open mic night. Nowadays, that has changed thanks to digital music platforms and social media outlets like TikTok, allowing instantaneous distribution and consumption of creative content.

This phenomenon can be seen with the release of Produce, a new EP by a group including the headlining artist Veggi himself. Veggi, a DJ and producer from Southern California, is one of the most recent and successful examples of the new wave in music. A newcomer to the industry, he became an overnight star in 2021 after releasing his lo-fi house/disco track, “LEVITATING”. An immediate hit, the track took the internet by storm as it was picked up in a viral TikTok video and became a dance music staple that year. In a world of diminishing attention spans, Veggi’s mix and match of old-school and trendy dance, pop, and rap music helped him stand out from the rest and made him a fan favorite with Gen Z and millennials.

Since his debut track, Veggi’s following on social media platforms like TikTok has skyrocketed. His audience on the platform currently stands at 1.3M+ followers and counting, and his unique music content, catchy remixes, and beat flips have been viewed 150M+ times. His sounds have been used and shared widely by the likes of Kevin Abstract, Remi Wolf, Gwen Stefani, Adam Levine, Amine, and countless other creators and musicians on social media. Veggi’s music has wound up on the live sets, playlist, and radio rotations of Disclosure, Chill Nation, Snakehips, SiriusXM Chill, and many more.

Produce, Veggi’s biggest-ever collaboration so far features some of the prominent names of music from different countries. They include The Juno Award-nominated for Contemporary R&B/Soul 2022, Canadian music sensation, KALLITECHNIS, the English singer-songwriter, Bipolar Sunshine, the Hip Hop/ Rap artist, Rome Castille, and emerging American rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer, Pell. This EP release is an impressive bout of 5 records that offer a contagious and enticing listening experience fans are unlikely to forget or hear replicated soon.

“The name of my project, Produce, serves as a double entendre,” the artist discloses. “One interpretation could be in relation to the agricultural products that are associated with my artist name, Veggi. The other interpretation is that this project is a culmination of my current sound as a music producer.” For the first time in recent memory, independent artists can become just as popular as those signed with a major label, and Veggi is proving they are just as, or even more, talented.

Following the EP’s official launch on November 11th, the artist will be playing live in Los Angeles on December 6th at the Moroccan Lounge. With a whopping 23.5M+ views on his music video snippets so far, Veggi’s future is limitless, and fans and critics alike agree on that.

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.