Raphi returns with uplifting house single ‘Giving U’ via Spinnin’ Records

Cyprus-born, UK-raised DJ and producer Raphi has shared her latest solo single, Giving U, continuing the momentum behind her emergence as one of house music’s fastest-rising names. Released via Spinnin’ Records on June 26, the record follows her debut solo outing, Mine Forever, while offering a deeper insight into the sound and artistic identity she is now developing.

Built around warm house grooves, euphoric vocals and an unmistakably feel-good energy, Giving U leans into the classic dance music influences that have increasingly defined Raphi’s productions. While rooted in nostalgic textures inspired by 1980s pop and early-2000s house, the track balances those references with a contemporary club sensibility that has become central to her recent work.

For Raphi, however, the release represents more than simply another single. She describes it as the moment her solo project truly began.

“Giving U is where it all began for me. This was the first track where I knew my project was born. I remember leaving the studio that day feeling so inspired by what we created. It’s the perfect balance of everything I stand for: happy, emotive and classic sounding.”

She also reveals that the record has been part of her DJ sets long before its official release.

“It’s the track that made me believe in myself again and set the tone for the rest of the project. I remember playing it out for the first time two years ago and having the crowd sing it back to me. Two years in the making and we are finally here.”

The single arrives after a breakthrough period for the producer. Before launching her solo career, Raphi built a reputation through collaborations including If There Is Love alongside Laidback Luke and Whisper with Patrick Topping. Earlier this year she also joined forces with Armand Van Helden and George Reid on This Ain’t Love, further establishing herself as both a producer and songwriter with an increasingly distinctive creative voice.

Away from the studio, Raphi’s profile has continued to grow through performances at major electronic music events and venues including Creamfields, Hï Ibiza and Printworks London. Giving U marks another step in that trajectory, offering a glimpse into the direction of a project that continues to blend uplifting songwriting with dancefloor-focused production.

Fresh from the release of Giving U, Raphi sat down with Mixmag to discuss the record that sparked her solo project, the importance of trusting her creative instincts, finding optimism through house music, and why authenticity remains at the heart of everything she creates. Reflecting on her artistic journey so far, she also opens up about the lessons learned from collaborating with some of dance music’s biggest names, building a community around her music, and the vision driving the next chapter of her career.

You mentioned that Giving U was the first track that made you believe in your solo project. Looking back now, what changed internally after that studio session, and how did it influence every record that followed?

Raphi: Honestly, it’s so hard to put into words. It’s really just a feeling. But it was a genuine turning point for me. It was the moment I stopped being afraid of not fitting the mould and started creating music that actually felt fun and exciting to me, not because a trend said I should. It was when I started making music that felt authentic. Now, within the first ten minutes of working on a new song, I can usually tell whether it’s something I’ll truly love or whether I need to let the idea go and move on.

House music is often associated with nostalgia, but your records also feel very contemporary. How do you balance honouring the genre’s history while creating something that feels personal rather than simply retrospective?

Raphi: For me, the most important thing is making sure I create something honest and personal around what I’m most influenced by and that is 80s/90s house music. Where I grew up listening to that music with my family, naturally I want to honour the genre but make it my own from personal experiences and that also is where the contemporary feel comes from. Using the technology from that era also helps capture the nostalgic feel.

Before launching your solo project, you collaborated with artists like Laidback Luke, Patrick Topping and Armand Van Helden. What did those collaborations teach you about your own creative identity, and at what point did you feel ready to step fully into your own voice?

Raphi: It taught me to be proud of what you create. Each of the artists I’ve collaborated with all have their “sound” and aren’t afraid to own it. To give yourself time too. We are surrounded by so much pressure in general life and especially how fast paced the industry is but one thing that you can’t fault is the journey and without realising the lows are as important as the highs. They’re lessons that help us grow.

There’s a sense of optimism running through your music that feels increasingly rare in dance music today. Do you consciously see joy as part of your artistic mission, or is that simply the most honest reflection of who you are as a person?

Raphi: A bit of both!! To me life is a wonderful thing to experience. As cliché as it sounds, we only get to live it once. So I’m grateful for every day and to be able to do what I love the most. I love dancing to music and losing yourself in the moment to forget your worries, and that is also what I want people to feel when listening to my music.

You said the crowd was already singing back Giving U long before it was officially released. How does seeing an unreleased track connect with people change your relationship with it, and does that influence how patient you’re willing to be before releasing music?

Raphi: It’s one of the best feelings EVER!! I genuinely get goosebumps every time and actually it makes me get a bit protective, like the song becomes my baby. Giving U, for example, as much as I wanted it released, it also felt weird to finally have it out in the world. But now I’m glad it can be a special song for others, like it is for me. I do also believe timing is everything!

Dance music can sometimes feel driven by algorithms, trends and constant output. How do you protect your creative instincts from those external pressures while building a career at such a fast pace?

Raphi: I try my hardest not to focus too much on that stuff. Trends come and go so fast that I believe if you stay true to who you are, and through your own trial and error, you could land on your own algorithm that blows up. Some trends I find fun to recreate whilst others don’t fit who I want to be as an artist, and I think that’s okay. I don’t want to push myself into things that don’t feel natural. The audience watching also know what’s authentic or not. I actually have a tattoo on my finger that says “be you” to always remind myself!

Your productions combine songwriting with club functionality in a way that feels equally suited to headphones and dancefloors. When you’re writing a new record, are you thinking first about the emotional story, the vocal, or the moment you imagine happening in the club?

Raphi: ALWAYS the moment happening on the dancefloor. That’s the most special part for me. And melody is key to that. I think that’s why I’m such a sucker for a good synth line as well as just catchy hooks. I don’t want people to have to sit and think deeply about my lyrics. I want them to feel the music and dance, whatever time of the day.

As your solo project continues to grow, what do you hope people will associate with the name Raphi a few years from now, beyond individual releases or festival performances?

Raphi: Community and energy. As much as I create music for myself, I do it even more for my music family, the audience. I want to be the person people want to come watch because they know they’ll leave feeling like the best version of themselves. As if they were up there DJing with me.