Innellea: "I wanted to go back to my roots and remind myself why I started this journey in the first place: friendship, community, and that feeling of belonging.

Innellea has fundamentally reimagined the relationship between artists and their communities, launching belonging as more than just a record label — a radical experiment in creative democracy that challenges how music gets made and released. In an industry increasingly ruled by algorithms and fleeting viral trends, Innellea’s mission centers on rebuilding the sacred sense of community that first drew him to dance music — creating a space where fans become genuine collaborators, not just passive listeners.

Through belonging’s dedicated Telegram channels, community members vote on artwork, choose singles, and participate directly in creative decisions shaping each release. This unprecedented transparency stems from Innellea’s belief that vulnerability and authentic connection should drive artistic creation — a philosophy rooted in his early club experiences, where “it was never just the DJ who made the night special, but everyone involved who created a sacred place.”

His debut compilation, Finding Home, represents the full realization of this vision — 12 tracks created with 14 artists he calls a “creative family,” each decision guided by community input. Since launching with the viral hit “Inside Your Mind” (which earned a coveted spot in Tiësto’s Coachella set), belonging has proven that community-first artistry can drive both innovation and success.

The compilation spans from the breakbeat-infused “Trust” featuring SCRIPT to the nostalgic beauty of “Childhood” with chart-toppers Goom Gum, each track reflecting Innellea’s philosophy that music must serve genuine human connection rather than chase trends or algorithms.

Innellea sat down with Beatportal to discuss why vulnerability is his greatest creative asset, how community involvement shaped Finding Home, and what authentic belonging means in today’s fragmented industry.

Finding Home represents a completely new approach to creating an extended project, with your community directly involved in choosing artwork and singles through your Telegram channel. What inspired you to hand over this level of creative control to your fans?
I can still remember the very early days when I first connected with music and the culture around it. Back then, it was all about community. I didn’t yet know that I would become an artist, that happened more by accident, but I already felt the urge to belong to this space. It was never just the DJ who made the night special, but everyone involved who created a sacred place where, for a few hours, we could forget the outside world and simply be together. That spirit was the core reason why I started all of this. With Finding Home, I wanted to bring that feeling back and give people the chance to actively be a part of it.

You've described creating belonging "from a place of total honesty" and believe vulnerability is essential. How has this emotional transparency shaped not just the music, but the way you've built this community around the label?
At the end of the day, we’re all human beings, and we all need love, connection, and real friendships in this crazy world. I wanted to build this community the same way I build friendships: with honesty, openness, and care. For me, nothing feels better than hearing that two people connected through my music. Belonging is about creating a space where those connections happen naturally, and I want to keep pushing that to another level.

The compilation features collaborations with artists you consider "creative family" – TH;EN, Carlo Whale, Goom Gum, SCRIPT, and Rafael Cerato. How do you choose these collaborators, and what does it mean for someone to earn that level of trust in your artistic process?
Well, you’ve just mentioned a few… but there are so many more: Astrø, Sioma, Xira, Afnan Prince, Alphadog, Yubik, Roman Kyn, Ubbah, Clėr Letiv, Doriann. All of them are incredible musicians, but beyond that, they’re amazing human beings with beautiful souls. For me, collaboration is about trust. Sharing the creative process with people I admire and who inspire me has given me so many joyful, sunny moments throughout this project.

"Trust" with SCRIPT introduces unexpected breakbeat elements to your sound. How important is sonic evolution within the Finding Home project, and how do you balance pushing boundaries while maintaining your signature emotional depth?
If you look at my catalogue, breakbeats have always been a part of my music – tracks like The Oar I Never Got, Distorted Youth, The Invention Of Flying. I’ve always been deeply influenced by the UK scene. I love experimenting, blending styles, and pushing boundaries, but always while keeping the emotional depth at the core of it. That’s the balance I try to maintain.

Your conceptual live tours like "Distorted Youth" and "The Belonging" have always explored themes of connection and personal growth. How does Finding Home continue that narrative journey, and what does "belonging" mean to you in 2024?
For me, every piece of music has to tell a bigger story, otherwise I don’t see the sense behind creating it. The Belonging was the transition from Distorted Youth into Finding Home. It reflects my own growth, both as an artist and as a person. With Finding Home, I wanted to go back to my roots and remind myself of why I started this journey in the first place: friendship, community, and that feeling of arriving somewhere where you truly belong.

The belonging label launched with "Inside Your Mind," which became a viral moment after Tiësto played it at Coachella. How do you balance creating music that can have that immediate dancefloor impact while also serving the deeper emotional and community-building goals of the project?
For me, music has to come from the heart. It has to be created out of honesty, not because a certain genre is trending right now. If you look back at music made only to follow a hype, it rarely stands the test of time. But if it’s born out of love and passion, you’ll always be proud of it no matter if it reaches millions of people or just a few. That’s the balance I want to keep.

You've mentioned that you "cry easily" when something beautiful touches you. In an industry that often prioritizes strength and bravado, how has embracing vulnerability become your greatest creative asset?
That’s absolutely true. I even cried watching High School Musical! (laughs) But honestly, emotions are our biggest source of inspiration. Whether it’s anger, sadness, joy, or love, when I step into the studio and let one of those emotions guide me, I get a completely different outcome every time. That emotional openness is what drives my creativity.

Looking beyond Finding Home, how do you see the belonging community evolving? What does success look like when your goal is authentic connection rather than traditional metrics?
I don’t want belonging to grow just for the sake of numbers. I want to build deeper, more meaningful connections. For me, success is when people truly connect with each other through the music, the shows, and everything we create together. That’s the vision – not chasing charts, but building something that lasts because it’s real.