EDC Las Vegas has always been a proving ground, and this year’s 30th anniversary edition was no different. While the festival honoured its legacy, the bass POD stage became a focal point for some of the most compelling conversations happening in the scene right now — two of them involving HEYZ and EAZYBAKED, artists who are building their careers on authenticity rather than algorithm-chasing.
For HEYZ, the weekend carried a particular charge. The bass POD itself was new this year, and he was quick to flag what that meant for the energy between artist and crowd. „It was honestly fucking awesome. A new stage after many years of the same stage. No hate on the old stage, but what a blessing to break in some new shit,“ he said. „I never played the old stage, but I feel like I would be up there and disconnected from the crowd, but we were in there together.“ That sense of physical closeness with an audience is something HEYZ clearly values — and it shows in how he talks about the bass community more broadly. „I just think wooks are nice. It’s all love and good vibes and wookery. Everyone’s super nice, I love it.“
EAZYBAKED — the Orlando-bred duo of Eric Ray and Andrew Principe — were experiencing the bass POD from a different vantage point entirely. This was their first-ever EDC Las Vegas appearance, and they arrived at the festival’s milestone anniversary with something to prove. „It feels incredible. It feels like an honor to bring our sound to this place and this vibe. Thirty years is such a crazy number, so it’s really cool to contribute,“ said Ray. The pair, who have been best friends since third grade, originally made music separately — Ray under the name Eazy, Principe as Mr. Baked — before eventually merging into EAZYBAKED. The name came from their old Xbox gamertag and SoundCloud handles, and the partnership has been growing ever since.
Their sound is harder to pin down than most. When asked to describe it to someone unfamiliar with their work, Ray and Principe traded single words back and forth: „Organic. Trap. Intimate. Raw. Fun. Minimal. Intentional. Warm. Disgusting. Unexpected.“ Ray then added, „You don’t really know what you’re going to get, but you’re going to get something that you’re going to like, type shit.“ Hip-hop sits at the core of their influences — Mr. Carmack, Flume, and old trap music all get name-checked — and their dream collaboration would be with A$AP Rocky. „Him just being down for us writing him a beat would be cool, if we’re talking dreams,“ said Ray.
HEYZ, meanwhile, has his sights set closer to the bass world’s own royalty. Zeds Dead was his immediate answer when asked who he’d most want to collaborate with, before revealing that a project with them had recently fallen through. „I think it will happen. They’re the best, they’re the GOATs. Before I was even an artist, I looked up to them big time.“ His releases on Deadbeats and Bassrush Records this year, alongside a heavy touring schedule, suggest he’s positioning himself well for that kind of conversation to happen organically.
Both artists were candid about the realities of sustaining a career on the road and in the studio. HEYZ spoke honestly about the physical toll of touring — the dopamine spike after a set that makes sleep nearly impossible, the discipline required to stay healthy. „I think the main thing is taking care of your mental health and your body. Drink a bunch of water. Try to go to bed. It’s hard when you play a set, and you’re trying to wind down; it’s super difficult because you’ll be on a dopamine high just from playing for a bunch of people.“
When it came to advice for emerging artists, both HEYZ and EAZYBAKED landed on strikingly similar ground despite their different paths. HEYZ urged new producers to resist chasing trends, stay active on social media without being consumed by it, and put themselves out there without fear. „You can make shitty music and still be popular. Play the game, but try to detach yourself from it,“ he said. On the rise of influencer-turned-DJs, he was measured rather than dismissive: „It’s just more eyes on our scene. I don’t really have an issue with it unless it’s just like super not genuine.“
EAZYBAKED’s advice was more blunt. „Make a thousand fucking demos,“ said Ray. Principe added, „Push yourself endlessly.“ Ray continued: „Don’t take no for an answer. Just keep writing music, just keep practicing. Write bad tunes, write good tunes, just write tunes, and stack them up. Trust yourself. Don’t try to do what other people are doing because it’s hot. Do what’s real to you because eventually that will pay off.“ Principe closed it out simply: „Do what you think is cool, and just do that. It should eventually work if you just stay with it.“
Two different stages of a career, one shared philosophy. At EDC Las Vegas 2026, the bass POD didn’t just host sets — it hosted a masterclass in how to build something that lasts.
Sources: EDM Identity, EDM Identity
