Exclusive Interview: AVAION On The Making Of 'Wacuka'

“Music for dancing or for dreaming, depending how you’re feeling” that’s how electronic music artist AVAION labels his now signature sound.

Thanks to the inescapable hype of new single ‘Wacuka’ with Sofiya Nzau circulating ‘for you’ pages and reaching the airwaves of BBC Radio 1’s Pete Tong and the USB stick of Keinemusik, AVAION could be perceived as an overnight success. The truth is far from it. Christopher Stein, known as AVAION, has spent almost a decade honing his craft as a producer, singer, songwriter, DJ and immensely talented instrumentalist whose heart-on-sleeve lyrics and deeply hypnotic beats have cast a siren call to dancefloor nomads and listeners around the world, hooked on his innate connectivity.

A video teaser of ‘Wacuka’ dropped on AVAION’s social media channels at the end of 2024 and the internet went mad for it. Demand for the viral ID to drop was soon satiated on 10th January 2025 as the hyped collab made its official release on Sony Music and the track has only continued to bloom in its popularity.

So, what does it take to have a track blow up in 2025? At this present moment, AVAION might just be the artist to ask.

AVAION, who are you, what do you and why?

Hey everyone! I’m a 28-year-old artist from a small town in South Germany who produces, sings and writes all his songs. Why? I guess I just really like to make people feel some kinda way with my music. Feel seen on the down days and feel even more uplifted on the good.

The 'for you' page has made your new single ‘Wacuka’ with Sofiya Nzau almost impossible to miss! But in case we’re reaching new ears, how would you describe the sound and feeling of 'Wacuka?’

I think the sound of ‘Wacuka’ is really special. We combined the rich, warm, Afro House vibes from Sofiya`s vocals with my production style, which is contemporary, dreamy, and a bit melancholic. So, depending on your mood in that moment, ‘Wacuka’ can be super uplifting and euphoric, but also introspective and quite deep.

How did you come to link up with Sofiya Nzau on this track?

I actually knew of her vocals for a long time before we connected because of the popular Splice pack she did. I was always amazed by her soulful vocals and emotive delivery that just hit the right spot. One day, I received a DM from Sofiya asking if I’d be down to hear an exclusive vocal line, her management sent to my inbox, and so ‘Wacuka’ was born. Within two days we had the full track down.

Can you walk us through the production process for ‘Wacuka’ and the gear used?

I think the most special part of the song is the lead synth I used in the drop, this is what you hear in the viral videos. I'm really proud of this one. I made this synth in Serum and combined the Noise Filter together with a trumpet sound that is LFO automated inside of Serum.

Live footage of ‘Wacuka’ dropping on your For The Vibes tour goes off! Did you expect this reaction? And are all of your shows this energetic?

When I played ‘Wacuka’ for the first time on tour I knew in that moment that this song is something special. The live reaction was just incredible. No Phones. Just vibes. All my tour shows are like this, and the no-phones is not something I’ve ever asked of people who come to my shows but I'm beyond thankful that my listeners get the vibe that I wanna transmit and just live it up in the moment.

You’ve had huge support from the DJ community including Keinemusik, Calvin Harris and Pete Tong. What does that mean to you? Would younger AVAION believe this could happen?

What can I say! The support on ‘Wacuka’ has been huge and makes me beyond happy. I’m super thankful for all the love coming out of the scene for this song, especially from people who I’ve admired for a long time now. I would not have expected this a kind of love a few years ago, but hey, this is just the beginning. I’ve got plenty more music to come that I can’t wait to share.

Are you thinking of opening up ‘Wacuka’ for remix? We can see some producer fans have put their spin on unofficial edits. Is there a direction you’d like to see someone take the track?

Yes! We are currently planning to do an official remix but I can't drop the names yet until it’s all confirmed but, yeah, I’m open-minded to see what direction other producers might take ‘Wacuka.’

For people who might be discovering you for the first time through ‘Wacuka,’ which tracks in you catalogue would you recommend they check out to get the best understanding of the AVAION sound? And why?

I think all of my songs represent my vibe and style in a certain way. They kind of tell me story and you can hear the progression in my sound from ‘Pieces’ up until my 2024 releases. I’m really proud of my debut album Selfreflection which came out last Spring which combines earlier tracks with new material so I think people will get the message listening to the full tracklist.

If we were to credit your Beatport account with one free track, what song are you immediately going to purchase for your USB?

The Blaze -Territory

Whilst you’re likely still basking in the glow of ‘Wacuka,’ and rightly so, what are your plans for the rest of 2025?

I’m going to release an EP this year and in my I kick off my second solo European tour ‘You Are Seen’ where I perform my live show. I’m gonna be hitting up some really cool cities like Paris, Prague, Vienna, Munich, Amsterdam and more. Plus, I’ve got a lot of festivals in the pipeline for the summer season which will start announcing soon and I’ve been working on some new merch.

I’m so ready for this year, I think it’s going to be a big one. Much love to everyone supporting this journey.

Tickets for 'You Are Seen' 2025 live tour are available now!