Tommy Phillips’ “Sun Is Shining (Lovelee Dae)” Hits Beatport #1 [Q&A]

Tommy Phillips has just come through the biggest week of his career. His new single, "Sun Is Shining (Lovelee Dae)," climbed to No. 1 on Beatport, capping a packed run that included seven shows, a Reading Festival appearance and his long-awaited Creamfields debut. Built around Blaze's enduring 1997 house classic "Lovelee Dae," the track carries personal history for the UK producer, who has played the original for years. Below, Phillips recalls discovering the record through an MK set, reflects on Max and Luke Dean's early support, and teases upcoming tours and collaborations.

Hey Tommy! Congratulations on scoring your first Beatport #1! How's it feeling, and have you had a chance to celebrate yet?

It feels amazing. Last week was the biggest week of my life: seven shows across the week, with the news landing right in the middle of it. We were on a buggy heading to the stage at Reading Festival when I got the notification. I'm always refreshing the Beatport page, and suddenly my name was sitting at the top of the website.

Jack and my family, including my mum, were there too. We were filming for my YouTube vlog, so we actually caught the moment I found out on camera. I got a bit emotional. Then, within about 20 minutes, I was playing one of the biggest shows of my life. It was a really special way to celebrate.

When coming to visit us at the Beatport HQ in Los Angeles, you told us that the original 1997 track "Lovelee Dae" by Blaze is one of your favorite tracks of all time. Do you recall when the track first found its way into your orbit?

Yeah, the original by Blaze is definitely one of my favorite tracks of all time. One of the first big sets I ever saw was MK playing all night. He was going through a lot of his old-school material and MK dubs, and he played the Anime Edge & Dance remix of "Lovelee Dae." That was my introduction to the track, and I fell in love with it straight away. It's a proper goosebumps record.

It was a key moment for me because it happened at one of the first house events I ever attended. I went away, found the original and started playing it in my own sets, especially at afters and during warm-ups. I've been playing it for seven or eight years now, ever since I first got into house music, so it has always been very special to me.

You kept the track tightly guarded before release, with only Prospa and Max & Luke Dean initially holding it. How important was that sense of mystery in turning it into such a sought-after ID?

I think the scarcity really helped the release. Nobody could get hold of it, and people look to Max, Luke and Prospa to hear what they are going to play next. I've built strong relationships with them over time, and Max and Luke supported me very early in my career. It felt right to give something back by making the new music I sent them exclusive.

It has been good for those relationships, but it also gives them something that nobody else has, which naturally makes them want to play it. Prospa have been hammering my music lately too. I'm extremely grateful that we've built that relationship over the past year or so, and their support played a big part in building the anticipation around the track.

Max & Luke Dean have backed your music from early on and helped bring you into the neXup fold. What has that relationship given you, both as an artist and on a personal level?

I was lucky enough to support one of Max and Luke's first headline shows when I was living in Leeds, around four or five years ago. I was the warm-up act, but I played entirely my own music. 

Max grabbed me afterwards and said, "What the hell is this? Who are you? I haven't heard anything like this. I want to bring you with me." He stayed true to his word and has brought me along for the whole journey. I've been able to grow alongside him and watch his career develop too, which has meant a lot to me.

That relationship has built me up in a way that nothing else really could have. You have seen it before with artists like Jamie Jones using Hot Creations and Paradise to build careers, and I think Max is doing something similar for the next generation. He has helped countless artists through his support over the past few years. He has done no end of good for me, and I'm very grateful.

Between "Million Things," your "I Remember" remix passing one million streams and now an overall Beatport #1, you've had a strong run of milestones. What have you learned about yourself as an artist through this period?

The biggest thing I've learned is to stay true to yourself and your sound, even when it doesn't seem to be working. I experimented with different styles that did not catch on immediately, but sometimes it only takes one encounter - one person recognizing what you're doing - to change things. 

Even if your music doesn't sound like what is popular or fit neatly into a particular genre, you have to stick with it. Eventually, someone will understand what you're doing and help take it to the next level. Over the past year, I've stopped worrying about fitting into different groups or circles and focused on being myself. That has helped me more than anything.

You've played "Sun Is Shining (Lovelee Dae)" everywhere from Music On at Pacha Ibiza and Paradise at UNVRS to Splash House and Reading Festival. Was there one moment when the track hit the crowd differently - a reaction or memory you know you'll never forget?

The intro has become a key part of the reaction. There's a string right at the beginning, and as soon as I bring it in just loud enough to be heard, you see people grabbing each other, putting their hands in the air and getting their phones out because they know what's coming. That happened a lot during release week, when the excitement around the track was at its highest.

The moment that really stands out was at Music On at Pacha this past week. It was the first big show of the release run, and we were playing a slower, moodier warm-up set before Marco Carola. I closed with the track, and when that string came in, followed by the bassline, you could hear, see, and feel the crowd’s reaction. It was hard to hold it together. Since then, I've kept introducing the track with that string, and it gets the same reaction every time. It has become a real standout moment in my sets.

What's still to come before the end of the year, and where do you want to take this momentum next?

We have a few tours that we're about to announce. I can't say too much yet, but they are really big tours and I'm very excited about them. I can say that I'll definitely be coming back to the US as part of them.

I've also got two more releases in the pipeline and I'm collaborating with a lot of artists I've admired since the start of my career. There is plenty ahead that I'm really excited about, with some big announcements coming very soon!