A multi-faceted ever-evolving solo music career, half of Grammy winning duo Silk Sonic, feature film director and restauranteur; it’s safe to say that Anderson .Paak refuses to sit still.
And now, ever the multi-hyphenate, his latest project sees his alter-ego DJ Pee .Wee take centre stage with one of the world’s biggest entertainment companies: Disney.
To mark a new era of Mickey & Friends, Disney has announced House of Mouse, a global tour of immersive events that’ll be hitting up major cities around the world. With a VIP guest list, genre-defying music, spectacular performances and live animation technology, DJ Pee .Wee takes the spotlight every single night – and it’s all kicking off in London.
Ahead of tonight’s (Thursday 17 October) first House of Mouse event, HuffPost UK asked Anderson .Paak/DJ Pee .Wee about his creative process, his love of DJing and how he got his name.
Hey Anderson! We’re super excited for your new side quest working with Disney on the House of Mouse Global Tour – what can we expect?
A whole lotta fun, excitement, dancing, and cute photo opps. Think Disney nostalgia, but at a big party, with great company, and even bigger vibes.
What drew you to this project? Was your creative process for this different to your other projects?
I’ve been a fan of Disney ever since I can remember, and I’m loving their usage of motion capturing technology. I love what Mickey and his friends stand for and am pretty excited to play a role in their new era. So, I thought it was a good way to have a fun time with DJ Pee .Wee.
What was the most surprising element to learn in this new project?
Learning about the motion capturing technology and how to work with it to make immersive experiences with all of the characters was pretty crazy. It’s definitely something that I want to start using in my artistry.
We love DJ Pee .Wee, how did this alter ego come about? Was there a specific moment where you thought ‘okay, time to try out being a DJ?’
I’ve been DJing since I was in high school, and when I started doing the Silk Sonic residency, Bruno gave me the nickname “Pee Wee,” once I started wearing the bob wig. To kind of give myself a break from Silk Sonic, I would DJ the afterparties, and then I got addicted to it and everything kind of just snowballed from there.
No one can say your career as a musician isn’t multi-faceted – how have these different versions of yourself moved your career forward? I think it just keeps the brand exciting, it keeps me from getting too comfortable and keeps me from being bored. I have a lot of fun expressing myself in different ways through my different musical personalities and this is just one of the different ways that I can express it.
You’re having a helluva 2024 between tours (cries in Malibu only being performed in the US), directing films and now this – what are you most excited about as we come to the end of the year?
I’m most excited about taking a much needed vacation and spending more time with family.
What can we expect from DJ Pee .Wee AKA Anderson .Paak next?
Partying with the Disney cast across the world, more soul train lines, and more vinyl spinning!
DJ Pee .Wee - AKA Anderson .Paak - is headlining the first instalment of Disney’s new global tour, ‘House of Mouse’ in London this October. The tour marks a new era of Mickey & Friends, and will feature immersive events celebrating music, friendship and good times together. The experience will see these beloved characters show up in a whole new way that fans have never seen before, thanks to live animation technology. Keep an eye on Disney’s channels to find out more.