Since first touching the piano at age six, Brooklyn-based artist Taylor Bradford has been immersed in music. With deep roots in jazz, samba, and bossa nova, his sound now bridges global rhythms, melodic storytelling, and timeless club energy.
Photo credit: Taylor Bradford – Instagram
A fixture of Brooklyn’s Beats On Time label and connected with Amsterdam’s Riythmica and Rhythm In You, Bradford’s rise reflects both artistic persistence and personal evolution.
Fresh off the release of his ‘Imagine’ EP via Acrylic Music TV Records, Bradford opens up about the transformative year behind the project—including a major health scare—and the inner voice that keeps him grounded in a fast-moving scene.
In this conversation, Taylor Bradford reflects on mentors, memory, process, and the healing power of creation.
EG: Taylor, welcome to EG. Before we begin, where are you today, and what kind of energy surrounds you right now?
Taylor Bradford: Hello Electronic Groove! Thank you so much for having me. I have been following you guys for over a decade now, and it is an extreme honor to chat with you all today. I really admire all of the hard work that you have put into representing electronic music over the years.
I just stepped away from my music studio in Brooklyn, as I finished recording a mix for the P.O.S.I.T.I.V.E SESSIONS podcast channel out of Bangalore, India, while also practicing for my upcoming gig with Robag Wruhme at the Beats On Time showcase right here in New York City next month. In between, I have been responding to all of the incredible feedback that my ‘Imagine’ EP has garnered, which came out on Acrylic Music TV Records last week. Needless to say, it has been a crazy, busy past year for me with a lot of creative and positive energy surrounding my musical endeavors.
EG: You started on piano at six. What is one early memory that still shapes the way you make music today?
Taylor Bradford: My immediate family is a very music-oriented group. As a young child, I remember being exposed to so many different musical instruments and genres through my parents and my brother. My dad would be playing bossa nova and jazz records in his home office while he was working – a lot of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery, Herbie Hancock. My brother, who is 4 years older than me but was also a young child at the time, somehow got his hands on disco CDs – ABBA, Gloria Gaynor, Aretha Franklin, and Barry White. My mom was the one who championed my dad to purchase a Kawai mini grand piano early on, and from there began my journey to learn many instruments and discover amazing music from every genre out there. I think this still defines the way I view music and music production as I try to incorporate elements of different genres into my own music.
EG: Your sound pulls from many worlds, and you have received support from respected artists. How did those voices help you see who you wanted to become as a creator?
Taylor Bradford: I am very fortunate to have had so much support within the musical world since the very beginning — from all of my music teachers throughout childhood to all of the stellar music producers and artists around the globe who have helped me navigate the vast realm of electronic music.
Throughout my formative years, my music teachers were very passionate and showed me what a proper work ethic and dedication to a craft looked like. I spent thousands of hours practicing various instruments and learning music theory, which directly translated to my current path in electronic music, where I am motivated to innovate and create on a daily basis. One of the biggest compliments of my life came recently when my high school music director reached out to me, saying that I have been creating rich, colorful, sonic landscapes with a distinct identity and personality.
In terms of electronic music artists, there have been so many who have supported and inspired me throughout my journey since I downloaded Ableton for the first time in 2015. To name a few, Lost Boy (Sol Selectas), Sam Jaspersohn (Bedrock Records), and Saqib (Get Physical) have always been in my corner since the start and have always told me to produce timeless music that is unique to my own style and true to my heart. I really do think that our conversations throughout the years have really helped me feel settled and at peace in 2025, where the landscape of electronic music has completely changed.
EG: Do you remember the first time your music traveled further than you expected, maybe when a major artist played one of your tracks. What did that moment open for you?
Taylor Bradford: (Laughter) Yes, most definitely. I still replay the moment in my head like it was yesterday. Last year, I attended BLOND:ISH’s Abracadabra show at Industry City in Brooklyn to hear her and my friend Saqib perform to a pretty massive audience. Saqib was playing an amazing set, and at the end of his timeslot, I immediately realized that he was mixing into my track ‘Buscándonos’, which was my first ever official release on a music label (and definitely the first time it was played out). My mind was completely blown by that point where I blanked out and rushed on to the stage in a frenzy and told all of the stage managers that “my friend is playing my track” and fortunately, they allowed me on stage to soak in the moment.
Most of the work of being a music producer and DJ is spent in my music studio alone. Being in-person and experiencing a crowd of a thousand vibing to my music for the first time really affirmed to me that all of the blood, sweat, and tears I put into my craft at home can and eventually will translate to other people’s hearts and souls.
“The realization that my life and health were not guaranteed pushed me to finish this project”
EG: Congratulations on your new release. When you began this new EP, what idea or inner shift pushed you to explore a different side of yourself?
Taylor Bradford: It was not until an insane medical emergency, which landed me in the ICU and on dialysis for a few months, that this EP truly started to form. The realization that my life and health were not guaranteed pushed me to finish this project. Each track became part of a bigger emotional arc and helped me process and close a difficult chapter in my life.
EG: Every artist has a way of catching ideas. What does your process look like when a track is forming, and what guides you as you shape the final version?
Taylor Bradford: There really is no rhyme or reason to my style of producing music. Some projects take years, like my ‘Space Samba’ EP, which went through nearly 1,000 versions over eight years. Others, like ‘Imagine’ EP, were completed in a year. The key for me is consistency and dedication — I don’t impose a timeline. The process isn’t linear, and that’s the beauty of it.
EG: Why did this release need to come out now in your path, and what did it teach you about your voice as an artist?
Taylor Bradford: This release gave me closure and acceptance. After everything I went through, ‘Imagine’ EP became a reflection of my life and emotions. It taught me that my voice is not only valid but powerful when I trust my story and express it honestly.
EG: One track on the EP was reworked by the Acrylic collective. When you hear someone reinterpret your work, what does that show you about your own identity in music?
Taylor Bradford: It’s the biggest compliment when other artists want to remix your work. The Acrylic team reworked all four tracks into one reimagined piece and tested it in an Italian club. Seeing that was mind-blowing. It reminded me that my sound carries a clear identity — one strong enough to inspire others.
EG: Is there someone whose support or example has played a real part in your journey so far?
Taylor Bradford: Saqib has been my mentor, friend, and literal lifesaver — both musically and medically. We met at an All Day I Dream party in 2015, and he’s been there ever since, even through my medical emergency earlier this year. I truly wouldn’t be here without him
“This release gave me closure and acceptance”
EG: If you had to choose one word to describe your path as an artist, which would it be and why?
Taylor Bradford: Persistent. I’ve never stopped. From piano at six to now, that consistency has defined everything I’ve done.
EG: With the scene shifting so fast, what challenges do new producers face today, and how do you stay steady in your own direction?
Taylor Bradford: The tools are more powerful than ever, but the challenge is staying true to your own identity. Trends come and go. I was lucky to discover electronic music before social media really took hold. That time taught me to dig deep and find music through community, not algorithms.
EG: Looking ahead, which corners of your creativity are you excited to explore next?
Taylor Bradford: I’m excited to showcase my music live at Signal NYC on January 10th with Robag Wruhme, Esther Sillex, Saqib, and Sana. And otherwise, I’ll be in the studio creating what I love.
EG: Thanks for the time and all the best.
Taylor Bradford: Thank you so much Electronic Groove, for having me. It has been an honor!
Taylor Bradford’s ‘Imagine EP’ is out now on Acrylic Music TV Records. Stream and download here.
Follow Taylor Bradford: Spotify | Soundcloud | Instagram
