Lizzie Curious On UK Club Energy, Carnival Vibes And Creating Dancefloor Euphoria

As one of the UK house scene’s most consistently uplifting forces, Lizzie Curious has built a reputation on feel-good energy, heavyweight grooves and an instinctive understanding of what makes a dancefloor erupt. She’s now turning up the pressure alongside Charlie Big and Shanie with Rub Ah by Dub, a bass-heavy, carnival-fuelled anthem packed with ragga vocals, UKG flavours and enough low-end power to shake club walls.

But beyond the chart momentum and packed touring schedule, Lizzie’s focus remains firmly on the emotional connection dance music creates. Whether she’s testing tracks in sweaty clubs, building her Curious Energy label, or dropping unreleased IDs during Twitch livestreams, everything comes back to one mission: creating moments of pure collective euphoria. And with Rub Ah by Dub, she believes the trio may have captured exactly that.

“Charlie, Shane and I decided that after the runaway success of the revitalisation of their 90s Alex Party dance hits, that we should create something original that really captured the vibe of the dance music scene right now,” she explains. “Charlie & Shanie already had a strong idea for some ragga style vocals and the minute that I heard them I was instantly inspired!”

That inspiration quickly snowballed into what Lizzie describes as “an absolute dancefloor monster,” built around “carnival vibes with big house beats and a massive bassline.” While the track feels explosive and immediate, she says the chemistry between the trio naturally shaped the record from day one. “The three of us all have a really good energy and we lift each other up, so when we work together there’s a tangible hype!” she says. “I feel like the intention was subconsciously there right from the start.”

That energy became the foundation for the entire production. “Charlie and Shane’s vocals are so powerful, so I definitely wanted to give them the space in the mix to shine through,” she explains. “And hell yes, the bassline is also huge!” Instead of overcrowding the arrangement, Lizzie says she deliberately stripped things back, focusing on groove and impact. “I really focussed on letting those two key players be the main focus of the track, alongside what I like to call the ‘carnival garnishes’ and keeping the overall percussion crisp, simple & groovy.”

Those “carnival garnishes” are rooted in Lizzie’s own musical influences and experiences. “I’m loving UKG and bassline flavours and play a lot of that in my DJ sets,” she says. “I had a DJ residency in the Caribbean and spent nearly two years living out there, so you can hear a little soca/reggaeton influence in this track.” From whistles and crowd noise to samba-style drum fills, every detail was designed to amplify the atmosphere. “I think it would go down an absolute storm at Batabano,” she laughs, referring to the Cayman Islands’ annual carnival celebration. “It’s all there to add to the overall hype to MASH UP DI CLUB!”

For Lizzie, making records that truly connect physically and emotionally always starts with the feeling. “As you’ve probably picked up by now, it is all about the energy for me!” she says. “What really makes the track hit for me is the power of the bassline and that working well with the kick and the groove.” She pauses before summing up her philosophy perfectly: “If you can get that reverberation in your chest when you hear the track by a big speaker, for me that is a great indication it’s gonna be a banger!”

That pursuit of dancefloor impact also shapes how she fine-tunes productions before release. “I’d always want a track to be about 80-90% ready before I play it in a club environment,” she explains. “But having that ability to hear it live on big sound systems and make little tweaks before getting it mastered is invaluable.” Alongside clubs and festivals, Lizzie’s Twitch livestreams have also become an important testing ground. “I’ll often play my unreleased tracks and IDs on there,” she says. “That’s another great way to get feedback and hear how the tracks stand up in the mix.”

The Rub Ah by Dub package doesn’t stop with the original either. Featuring remixes from Booker T, Dancing Divaz, Heratiks and Blandy, the release covers a broad spectrum of UK club culture, something Lizzie absolutely loves hearing unfold. “I absolutely love hearing artists put their own stamp and creative ideas on a track,” she says. “It can take it in a completely different direction and open up the tune to a whole new genre of fans.”

And rather than trying to steer remixers too heavily, she prefers to trust their instincts completely. “They are the masters of their craft, so I trust them to produce something really special,” she says. “From the beautiful soulful grooves on Booker T’s remix, the no-holds-barred absolute banger from Heratiks, to the deep house vibes of Blandy’s remix and the dancefloor euphoria from Dancing Divaz, it’s a package that spans a big spectrum of UK dance culture.”

Despite the recent chart success, Lizzie remains refreshingly grounded about what success actually means to her. “There can be a lot of focus around numbers in our industry,” she says. “But sometimes what really matters is looking out on the dancefloor and seeing people absolutely dancing their heads off to your track.”

That feeling was reinforced during a recent weekend that saw her host a Curious Energy party in Manchester before heading to Ministry of Sound in London the following night. “Both events were filled with just the most happiest smiling, lovely people,” she recalls. “Seeing everyone dancing their cares away, honestly that’s really why I do what I do and that is what fuels my Curious energy.”

Naturally, Rub Ah by Dub made an appearance in both sets. “And of course,” she grins, “I dropped Rub Ah Dub at both of those shows and it absolutely MASHED UP DI CLUB!”

Lizzie Curious, Charlie Big & Shanie - Rub Ah Dub is out now. Grab it on Beatport HERE and the remixes HERE.

Read the interview with Lizzie Curious in full on The Night Bazaar HERE.