DJ Nathan Dawe Dishes on Collaborating With Little Mix on the Glorious ‘No Time for Tears’

English DJ and producer Nathan Dawe has been the genius behind a number of our favorite singles and ingenious remixes of 2020, and we seriously haven't stopped listening to his latest masterpiece since it released last week.

The track in question is "No Time for Tears," a bouncy, danceable and anthemic house beat featuring Little Mix. Fans (us included!) simply can't get enough, which is why we were so excited about getting the chance to ask Nathan himself all about it.

Want to know how "No Time for Tears" came to be? Find out what he had to say about it below.

Sweety High: How did this collaboration with Little Mix come about? What is it about their style and your style that felt like you'd be a good complement for each other?

Nathan Dawe: I've always really respected Little Mix and what they've done in pop music for the last decade. I have some mutual friends with them, so we arranged a session with Jade and within the first few hours, we created "No Time for Tears"!

 

SH: What was the recording process behind "No Time for Tears"? How did the track come together?

ND: Thankfully, we didn't have to do it remotely. The session was arranged for when lockdown was lifted and music studios were open again. I've worked with Tre Jean Marie and MNEK, who we made the song with, before, so the process was really natural. Jade had also worked with the guys, so it was an easy fit. The energy in the room was amazing from the get-go so I wasn't surprised we were able to get something so good so quickly.

 

SH: What aspects of the band did you want to highlight in the sounds you created for them?

ND: I know the band hadn't done a house song in recent times so I really wanted to bring that element to it. It was about mixing the house style, which is in my previous records, and mixing it with the massive pop sound that Little Mix brings to the table. I feel like we got the right balance.

 

SH: What does the track mean to you, and how did that influence your production?

ND: I think it's quite a fierce record with a strong message. It's about a couple breaking up, but I think people can interpret it in many other ways. It's obviously been a really difficult year for everyone, so I kind of see it as standing up to 2020—especially in the chorus. I just wanted to make sure the production was hard and complimented the lyrical content.

 

SH: How has the pandemic changed the way you make music, if at all? Has it been a challenge?

ND: I'm not sure it's changed the way I make music too much, as I'm lucky enough to have my own setup where I live, so it's easy for me to go in and out of the studio. However, for us DJs, it's been really difficult not performing live. I'm used to traveling around for the majority of the year, and obviously that's been taken away, so I've had to get used to being at home a lot more. The plus side has meant I've been able to be in the studio a lot more.

 

SH: Are there any artists that are particularly inspiring you during these unusual times?

ND: I've been inspired by everyone making music during 2020. As mentioned in my previous answer, it's been such a difficult time, so I think anyone that has been able to keep releasing music and not let these things weigh them down is a real inspiration.

 

SH: Is there anything else you'd like to add?

NW: Just that I'm so thankful for everyone's support this year. It's honestly meant the world to me and I really hope you all enjoy the new record with Little Mix!

 

If you're as obsessed with Little Mix as we are, click HERE for our favorite empowering Little Mix lyrics to use as Instagram captions.