DJ Chauncey & Van Hechter team up for “Soldiers of Love”

17th December 2021 Bryce Quartz

A true house music bop, this track is quite an epic release from Chauncey and Van Hechter!

Chauncey Dandridge is a DJ, event producer, activist, author, poet and all around trouble gardener just to name a few. As DJ Chauncey D, he has enjoyed a residency for almost eight years at the legendary Stonewall Inn as in-house tech and DJ has been a sound selector for just about every gay bar in the city throughout his 18 plus year career from The East Village to The West Village and beyond from Rockbar to Nowhere. Throughout the years he has lent his talents to countless fundraisers and causes and is one of the producers of the annual New York Dance Parade and Festival each May.

DJ Chauncey’s new track “Soldiers Of Love” with edgy, chart-topping French-Georgian artist Van Hechter, is nothing less than a classic house music bop. The song starts off with solid house inspired production, led by Chauncey’s vocals. The instrumental here brings a steady paced beat along with a synth that is unforgettable.

As the track progresses, we are led directly into the catchy chorus, where we find ourselves wrapped in the vibe of the song. I absolutely MUST hear this in the club, mainly because the song makes me want to move my body, get a drink, and have a good time! The track is a must add to any house music or dance playlist, I promise you won’t regret it.

I had the chance to sit down and chat with Chauncey about this awesome new track!

Bryce Quartz: What inspired you to make this song?

DJ Chauncey: I participated in a Gays Against Guns demonstration on Fire Island during the Summer of 2019. I signed up to be a “human being”, dressed all in white and wearing a veil, representing one of the many people who have been victims of gun violence in the United States.

I was so inspired and moved that I sat on the steps to the beach afterwards and wrote several poems feverishly in my notebook. It’s basically a little tribute and anthem to the activists that have come before me and the newer ones that both inspire me equally. I’m a big proponent of leading by example.

BQ: What was your favorite part about making this song?

DC: I’ve been writing poetry and lyrics for most of my life. It’s something many people don’t know about me, that I’m a writer. I think that my favorite part about writing or creating is when I discover someone else likes it enough to take it to another level. In this case, Van Hechter and his musical partner Eryck fashioned “Soldiers Of Love” using my lyrics.

BQ: Where did you record this song, and what are the vibes like in the studio with you?

DC: My disco brother Van invited me to Montreal in August of 2019 and we recorded about six songs. It was my very first time in an actual recording studio so I was terrified and excited. It was a lot of hard work and very humbling. I really enjoyed it and cannot wait to get better and better and make more music!

BQ: Was this release cathartic for you?

DC: All of the songs from our project were set in motion before the pandemic and we obviously had to put some of it on hold because of it. It has definitely been cathartic but with a little blue ball action thrown in there too. Our music video for our second single “The Delight” had to be created while the two of us were quarantined in different countries. It has been an interesting time to release music!

BQ: What keeps you motivated?

DC: I always feel like I’m in a race against time, so I stay busy with all types of projects. I also have recently connected with a huge group of talented queer artists in NYC who are really hustling to get their stuff out there and that has reinvigorated me and my passion for creativity exponentially.

BQ: What can we expect next from you?

DC: Definitely looking forward to taking these songs on the road with Van. We definitely have some plans to perform in NYC together again this Spring and Summer. We also have a few more songs in the oven.

Our forthcoming EP really is a well rounded expedition through the trials, tribulations and the joys of being a gay man expressed through the language of disco. I’d really love to make an actual music video with Van and I together in real life!

BQ: What other artists are you listening to right now?

DC: Being a DJ, I have to keep up on all things fresh and new while keeping a handle on the classics. I really love everything Sofi Tukker touches. My favorite artists right now, though, are people like Jessie Ware, Roisin Murphy, Purple Disco Machine, Vincint and Haiku Hands. The new album by Hard Feelings from Joe Goddard of Hot Chip and diva Amy Douglas is phenomenal.