Unusual collaborations in today’s world of modern music are nothing new—but some still manage to surprise. One such pairing is that of Steve Aoki, the chart-topping EDM star known for throwing cakes during his energetic sets, and Tyler Hubbard, the Georgia-born country star who spent over a decade topping charts as half of duo Florida Georgia Line.
The two artists debuted their new single in Memphis, Tennessee, at the city’s RiverBeat Festival earlier this month. Following a performance that saw fans hit with Aoki’s signature airborne dessert, the pair sat down for a chat with Newsweek.
“This is my first time in Memphis,” Aoki shared, fresh off the stage.
“Yeah, I’ve been in Memphis a few times,” Hubbard laughed. “I love Memphis.”
“We went to Graceland today. That was really cool,” Aoki, 47, added. “We shot our music video here. So, I really got to feel like I was in Memphis.”
That new music video accompanies their collaboration, Forget Tonight, a genre-blending single that fuses Hubbard’s warm, Southern vocals with Aoki’s high-octane beats. Aoki drew inspiration from the late Swedish DJ Avicii when making the track.
“When he came out with ‘Wake Me Up,’ and certain records that were big crossovers for us…you know….people didn’t like it,” Aoki said, referring to Avicii’s hit. “And then it became one of the biggest songs of EDM. So I really feel like there’s this renaissance of that happening now. And I think this is a perfect time to drop our song…evoking more of that spirit.”
The pair first met at a show in Calgary, Canada, in 2024, where Aoki was instantly impressed by what he heard. “I was watching [his] set. I was like, ‘Dude, this guy is unbelievable…I love his melodies. I love the way he’s singing. I love how he control[s] the audience. He’s like a performer,'” Aoki said. “And then I learned more about his band, Florida Georgia Line…And then I just was like, ‘This dude’s the G.O.A.T, man!'” he added, meaning the greatest of all time. “‘This guy’s like a songwriting genius.’ So, you know, I was honored that Tyler was down…to experiment, work on a song together, and [I’m] really, really happy with how it turned out.”
The admiration flows both ways. Hubbard, 38, recalled watching Aoki’s show that same night and being struck not only by his energy, but his curiosity.
“This guy is so diverse and dynamic,” Hubbard said. “I’ve hung out with Steve a few times now, I already feel like…we’re buddies.”
“And in our world—country music…[if] you’re a good dude…you’re in. We’re buying in.”
The track they’ve crafted together jumps on a rising wave in country music—a genre that’s become open to hybrid sounds. “I think now…between streaming and everybody’s open mind…[we can] listen to a bunch of different kinds of music,” Hubbard added. “It’s just a beautiful time in the history of music to get to blend worlds and create unique sounds and cool things and just connect worlds. Man, [it’s] pretty neat.”
If Aoki’s Instagram post following the festival is anything to go by, he’s embracing the country world he’s been introduced to. Wearing a cowboy hat and bandana, he captioned the photo: “Honky Tonking for life from now on.”
Hubbard commented: “We probably need to bring Steve down to Nashville for a week. Just get him, you know, educated right quick….Get Steve down to Nashville and hit the honky-tonks.”
But that’s not all that Aoki has to learn from Hubbard. In January, Aoki announced he and his wife Sasha are expecting a baby boy, and fatherhood is connecting the two artists on a more personal level. “I’ll tell you, he’s given me a lot of pointers,” Aoki said of Hubbard. “So that’s, like, one of the first things that [I] was ask[ing] the man himself. He’s got three kids, Tyler. So, I mean…I’m learning a lot, just trying to be a student, to learn from my friends.”
Hubbard laughed, as he insisted: “I don’t have it figured out, but it’s a fun journey, for sure.” But he does share some of the advice he offered Aoki. “We talked about trying to maintain this balance of work and home life.”
“It can be definitely challenging at times, but it’s super rewarding and fulfilling,” Hubbard said.
The DJ was particularly inspired by how Hubbard incorporates family into his touring life. “You bring your kids everywhere,” Aoki said. “I was like, ‘Oh man, that’d be cool to bring, you know, my son to travel with me.'”
Hubbard added: “Yeah…it’s just gonna add that extra layer of, you know, joy to life and fulfillment. And it’s a beautiful thing.”
Any plans for a baby DJ set at the Aoki household? “It’s already been sent to the house!” Aoki laughed. “People were like, ‘He’s gonna be a DJ. Of course, we got to send this stuff to him.'”
Don’t think fatherhood is going to dull their showmanship, however. In fact, Hubbard threw cake for the first time on stage with Aoki at RiverBeat—and nailed it. “Tyler has some aim!” Aoki said. “I was impressed! I mean, like, I was right off the bat. I was like, ‘Whoa, we got some head shots!'”
“That was a blast!” said Hubbard.
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