S3RL
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]EDM Artists >> S3RL
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S3RL is the alias of Jole Richard Hughes, a Brisbane, Australia producer who’s been a fixture in the hardcore and happy hardcore scene since the early 2000s. The name itself came from an old childhood nickname, and while the sound has always stayed rooted in fast, upbeat happy hardcore, UK hardcore, and frenchcore, S3RL built a whole world around it – bright, anime-referencing artwork, playful vocal hooks, and a devoted fanbase that’s followed him for two decades.
His biggest calling card is probably "Pretty Rave Girl," a 2008 track that sampled the melody from Daddy DJ’s late-90s hit and turned it into one of the most recognizable happy hardcore tunes out there. He’s also been a regular contributor to the long-running Bonkers hardcore compilation series, and in 2015 his track "Genre Police," featuring vocalist Lexi, actually charted at number 10 in Norway.
S3RL isn’t just a producer, he’s basically run his own hardcore ecosystem for years. He started his label EMFA Music back in 2011, then launched a second imprint, M4 Music, in 2021, using both to put out his own tracks and collaborations with a rotating cast of vocalists like Tamika, Sara, and Krystal. Anime and manga influence shows up constantly in his artwork and song references, which has made him a favorite in hardcore’s more otaku-leaning corners.
He stepped back from touring in 2018 to focus on family life in Brisbane with his wife Jodie and their two sons, but he never stopped producing. In January 2025, he made his first live comeback since that hiatus, playing the hardcore event HTID – proof that after all these years, the happy hardcore crowd still shows up for him.
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