The L.A. DJ's first album straddles dance and pop, and has a laundry list of guest stars including Twista, Major Lazer and Martin Garrix.

Dillon Francis’ debut studio album is out on Oct. 27, and the Los Angeles DJ is anticipating a bit of backlash. Titled Money Sucks, Friends Rule, the album will be released on Columbia Records and is a strong pitch to move from EDM to pop. In other words, diehard dance fans will have to share the love.

During a recent visit to Billboard’s offices, Francis explained that he peppered the album with plenty of club tracks and his signature moombahton (a slowed down fusion of house and reggaeton), but that about half of the songs are primed for pop radio.

Day in the Life with Dillon Francis

“I love pop music, so that’s not me selling out,” he said. “I strategically did it this way so I can have the vocal songs on the radio, which is what I want, and then also have the songs that are for my true fanbase that has been listening to me since I started making moombahton.”

Watch the interview below:



Francis tapped heavy-hitting artists like Twista, Martin Garrix and Major Lazer to collaborate on the album. He also focused heavily on vocal hooks, which he says make pop songs so irresistibly catchy. “I couldn’t make an album that’s just straight-up club song after club song after club song,” he said. “That’s not going to be interesting to anyone.”

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The DJ got his start producing moombahton for Cory Enemy and Diplo, but thanks to a comically provocative social-media presence (he’s known for instagram videos in which he plays alter ego DJ Hanzel), the 26-year-old has emerged as EDM’s beloved funny guy. He just wrapped a summer sweep with the Mad Decent Block Party and will tour this fall with TJR.

On Jan. 16, 2015, Francis will play Brooklyn’s 18,000-seat Barclays Center, a benchmark show that he poignantly called “a f—ckin’ dream."