Disco Shrine Turns Summer Excess Into Pop Euphoria
LA-based artist and DJ Disco Shrine makes maximalism feel personal, building a bright, strange world where club music, pop spectacle, cultural identity, and character-driven fantasy all collide. Pulling from hardstyle, dance-pop, and the shimmery rush of mall-pop nostalgia, her sound treats those influences less like decoration than raw material. The result is loud, flirtatious, and high-gloss, made for the kind of Friday night that starts with a plan and ends somewhere else entirely.
Her new single “Spray Tan” pushes that energy into full summer mode. It also marks the start of Disco Shrine’s #SprayTanSummer, a high-glam pop era built around vanity, transformation, release, and the joy of leaning into the performance without taking it too seriously. The title comes with a wink, but the feeling underneath is sincere.
That balance is where Disco Shrine feels most at home. Her music understands how ridiculous pop can be while still carrying an emotional charge, especially for listeners who find their way to the dance floor before they’ve fully processed what they’re trying to escape.
Now, she’s breaking down her latest era and everything she wants to convey through it.
“Spray Tan” feels like it fully commits to the fantasy of summer. What was the initial spark behind the track?
Disco Shrine: The idea for “Spray Tan” came after I couldn’t book a spray tan anywhere in West Hollywood. I kept calling different spots and everything was fully booked, then I realized Coachella was a few weeks away and everyone was prepping for photos. I thought it was funny at first, but it also got me thinking about how much pressure people feel around appearances and confidence. A spray tan kind of becomes this weird little shield. So I ended up writing “Spray Tan” as this fun, unserious track about feeling like as long as you have your spray tan, you don’t need anything else, while also subtly poking at the pressure to keep up appearances.
“Spray Tan” definitely has this hypnotic “getting ready to go out” energy to it. Was there a specific mood, scene, or kind of person you were channeling while making it?
Disco Shrine: The first thing we made was that synth bass melody, which immediately set the tone for this sexy club energy. Pairing that with something so aggressively un-club, like getting a spray tan, felt fun to me and less on the nose. After that, the concept and melodies came together super fast. I was honestly a little unhinged in the studio that day because everything just poured out super quickly. My co-producer Taylor Dubray and I were laughing the entire time while making it. It was definitely one of those flow state sessions, which is probably why the song feels so carefree.
You’ve called this era #SprayTanSummer. What does that phrase mean to you beyond the obvious surface-level image?
Disco Shrine: #SprayTanSummer isn’t just about feeling confident and hot on the outside; it’s about romanticizing your life a little more. Getting ready with your friends, blasting music, and wanting to feel your best.
Your sound has been described as a collision of hardstyle and mall-pop. What draws you to pairing those more extreme club textures with playful pop instincts?
Disco Shrine: I’m such a girly girl. I grew up obsessed with Polly Pockets, Barbie dolls, and Bratz dolls. My favorite website was MyScene, where I’d dress up all the girls and print out every outfit from my mom’s office printer because I was so proud of “designing” them. I love going to the mall just to get a matcha latte and window shop. I’m a driving-down-Ventura-Blvd-with-the-windows-down-listening-to-No-Doubt kind of Valley girl. So “mall-pop” is really my way of bringing the world I grew up in into my music sonically and lyrically.
But at the same time, I grew up sneaking into Brownies & Lemonade parties with a fake ID and seeing Skrillex play secret sets at abandoned gas stations in Chinatown. I’ve always connected with rave environments, heavy bass, and electronic music. So my sound is really just me trying to merge those two worlds that both feel intrinsic to my identity.
You’ve built such a vivid, lived-in pop world over the past few years. How has that visual world-building shaped the way you approach your music?
Disco Shrine: Honestly, it’s all come together pretty naturally over time. I’d love to say I masterminded every detail from the beginning, but really I just pull in whatever genuinely inspires me, whether that’s in the studio making music, creating single artwork and music videos, or even through social media and live shows. A lot of the world-building honestly comes from the little inside jokes and shared moments my fans and I create together. I think the most important thing for me is making people feel like they’re in on it and along for the ride with me.
You’ve developed a strong underground following while also stepping further into a bigger pop lane. What parts of your underground roots feel most important to carry with you as your music expands?
Disco Shrine: I come from the LA DIY music scene, which is where I first started performing and building community. I think I’ll always carry that DIY mindset with me, doing things a little less traditionally and finding creative ways to make things happen. As much as I love playing iconic venues, there’s still nothing like throwing a party somewhere it absolutely shouldn’t be, like the laundromat party or the barber shop party I threw. I still love the scrappy side of DIY culture: flyering poles, making zines and buttons, figuring things out with limited resources. I think having constraints forces you to be more creative, and that’s something I never want to lose.
With more music on the horizon this year, what can listeners expect from the world you’re crafting after “Spray Tan”?
Disco Shrine: Listeners can expect more music to dance, more shows to get tickets to, more music videos to gag to, and just more absurdity and fun.
