Vincent Antone doesn’t just play music; he moves with it. Blending elements of funk, hip-hop, soul, and bass into one infectious sonic experience, he’s developed a sound that’s raw, electric, and makes you feel alive.
Infused with live instrumentation, his style lies somewhere between a groovy jam sesh, a late-night block party and a dose of heavy-hitting bass. Whether he’s taking you through a journey on stage or embedding a Jay-Z sample into a wave of face-melting wubs, his music not only pushes boundaries but stands as a call for celebration.
Yet, behind all the funky grooves and bass-heavy drops is an artist rooted in intention, creating not for the spotlight but for that feeling of connection only music can provide.
In the midst of a massive summer run that includes appearances at festivals like Secret Dreams and landed a coveted lineup placement at GRiZMAS, the Austin-based producer is not only carving out a path of his own but is riding the momentum of a breakout year.
“It’s all been really exciting! Definitely feeling good about the direction,” he explained in an interview with The Daily Frequency.
“I just got off the LSZEE tour and I remember towards the end thinking, ‘Man, how am I gonna top all this?’ It was all massive theaters and venues and was just so top-notch, but I’ve got a lot of fun plans – festivals, a few different countries, GRiZMAS, new music, and my own tours. So the plate is full and I’m excited to dive back into my thing and keep it all rollin’!”
Next stop on the list is Elements Music & Arts Festival, where Antone will take the stage alongside longtime friends and inspirations like Pretty Lights and SunSquabi.
“It’s great, I’ve been friends with those two squads for a number of years now, and it’s always nice to see them out and about at the different functions. I caught up with the PL gang the other weekend at Secret Dreams and was on the same stage there, too. It’s always nice to have not only familiar faces but familiar musical vibes.”
It’s not just the music and familiar faces, it’s the experience of it all. Festivals, especially camping festivals like Elements, are more than just events; they’re temporary escapes from reality.
Tucked away in the Pocono Woodlands of Long Pond, PA, Elements is an immersive world fueled by electrifying beats, interactive art, and community. Each stage is named after one of the four elements, Earth, Air, Water, and Fire, creating a festival experience grounded in nature and marking the perfect backdrop for some funkadelic bass.
The setting “can have quite the impact!” Antone noted. “Festivals always tend to be out in the rural areas, a couple of hours outside the big cities, which is nice because you really feel like you’re away from all the normal hustle and bustle noise and out in the thick of it. There’s no substitution for the feeling of Mother Nature when she chooses to shine down nice on ya.”
Performing Sunday, the last day of Elements, he’ll kick off the Earth Stage from 2:30–3:30, opening for Pretty Lights, SunSquabi, and more. But just because his set is early in the day doesn’t mean he won’t bring the energy.
“I’m def excited! Been in this position lately where I’ve moved up to the bigger stages at festivals, but am usually earlier in the day, which can be a lot of fun because you kind of get to set the tone of the day and get the party started. It’s gonna be a get down full of new tunes, simple as that!”
That dancefloor-forward mentality has always been baked into the music. Pulling from 60s funk, 90s hip-hop, and today’s jam and bass music scenes, his sound doesn’t revolve around trends but reflects what moves him.
“It’s just a reflection of everything I like, 60s & 70s funk/soul, 90s & 00s hip hop, and modern jam, bass, and production. It’s a fun lil concoction. I’ve always described it as exactly the kinda music I’d wanna hear at a real poppin’ house party,” he laughed. “Just has all those good Elements (hehe) of groove and solid vibes with your friends. Very carefree.”
A free-spirited mentality, paired with a background as a multi-instrumentalist, is what makes his music so electric. Having come up in rock and funk bands, he’s always approached production with a live sensibility, building tracks that leave space for human connection, both onstage and off.
“I come from a rock/jam/funk background, I used to play in a lot of bands etc., so it was only natural that it would bleed through. I’ve been talkin’ through a guitar one way or another for decades now. Plus it’s always fun when I can incorporate the live band thing or various musicians. I fundamentally believe that music is meant to be played with other people. It’s a sacred thing. So I try to do that wherever I can.”
And while classic rock and 70s funk laid the foundation, it was the evolution of live electronic acts that sparked something deeper.
“I was raised on a lot of the old classic rock stuff, fell in love with the 70s funk sound. So a lot of that but in terms of the more contemporary stuff in this world. Obviously PL, GRiZ, The Floozies, STS9, Big G, all that live electronica stuff that brought a lil more flavor to the table.”
However, while his sound continues to evolve and push limits, his biggest shift in recent years wasn’t musical but internal. Choosing sobriety brought a new sense of clarity, changing not just how he made music but what it meant to him.
“I used to be of the idea that I needed some sort of substance when I was younger to find inspiration or access that place one goes to bring out their expression. It’s not true. If anything after a while it becomes diminishing returns, if you chase that rabbit hole deep enough, cause you start to lose yourself in the process, then it’s not even you speaking anymore. And so then what’s the point you know? So along with leaving that all behind I felt like I was accessing a more true version of myself. And what’s a better position for an artist than that?”
In a scene where party culture often takes center stage, staying grounded in sobriety comes with its own set of challenges. For Antone, that meant learning how to navigate it head-on.
“Fortunately, early on in my sobriety, I had a festival I had to play, like 10 days clean or something wild, just after getting through withdrawals. And thankfully, I had a solid crew around me to help keep me straight early on, but I was exposed back to the party scene pretty early on. I’m grateful for it now because it forced me to kind of figure it out.”
What came from that moment wasn’t just resilience, but a renewed sense of purpose.
“I’m continuing to build a life for myself that is really great and it’s lightyears better than it was, and I ain’t about to f*ck that up! haha.”
Still, he’s not here to preach or play guru. He’s just telling his truth, something he hopes inspires others, without pressure or posturing.
“I don’t shy away from sharing my story about it, but I never really intended to be any sort of authority on it or poster child for it. My life is just as complicated as anyone else’s, and so I try to refrain from getting too preachy about it, but I would say:
“To thine own self be true.”
“Everyone knows deep down where they’re coming up short. It’s just a matter of being willing to look at such things and answer some of those questions for yourself. We don’t have control of much, but it’s your life, and you have the ability to decide what life you wanna have. You’re stronger than you might think.”
Of course, that uplifting energy doesn’t just live in his words; it radiates through his music. With every thunderous bass drop or swirling guitar riff, Vincent Antone just wants to inspire and serve as a reminder that you can do anything you put your mind to.
“You’re a child of the universe! You don’t have to do anything, prove anything, or be anything for anybody to be worthy of love and acceptance, and I love ya! So just be who you are!”