Bio

Singer, Songwriter and DJ Maxine Hardcastle is not restrained by genre.  Having written, produced and sang on soulful, funky house  tracks for Hed Kandi and The Ministry of Sound, she also has a number of Smooth Jazz releases, reaching NO.1 on the American billboard chart.
Born and raised in the outskirts of London, Maxine Hardcastle is just at the beginning of her music career. It would be difficult not to claim that music runs thought her veins - her father, the legendary 80s popster Paul Hardcastle made his mark revolutionising the sound of Pop with the record '19', which subsequently Simon Fuller named the company '19 Management'. Mr. Hardcastle continues to dominate the American Charts with countless hit albums. If that wasn't enough to claim artistic heritage Maxine's brother Paul Jr is a saxophonist and producer, having performed on his fathers tracks since the age of Ten, he now produces his own material and is creating a huge buzz in the industry. His summers are spent playing to the loyal music crowds of Ibiza in which he has several residencies . Louis Hardcastle her grandfather was a credible tap dancer and Jazz musician, playing 7 instruments flawlessly and touring his way around the world until the fine age of 80!
Maxine's youth was typically spent attending 'all things musical'. Trained in Ballroom, Latin American, Ballet, Greek and Street dance she has performed on numerous stages through-out the country. Acquiring A's in both Music and Drama at GCSE and A Level, at 16 she was excepted to The 'Italia Conti Academy' achieving a Diploma in theatre arts. Credits during this period include singing live at the Royal Albert Hall , the Spice Girls Movie, dancing several times on S-Club television, appearing in the series I- dream,  and co-writing and performing on 'Hardcastle 4' - all before she was 18! Since then Maxine has concentrated on writing and producing her own solo material, teaching herself digital music production and setting up a studio in her bedroom. She was determined to become musically self-sufficient and involved in each step of making music.
Subsequently Maxine wrote her first House track ' It's Gonna Happen ' in 2007,  immediately snapped up by global label and club brand Hed Kandi. This was released on the Summer Sampler and Beach House 2007 album.  Buzzing by her first solo release she teamed up with Wez Clarke with whom she wrote, sang and played the keyboard on  'Another Chance'. It gained instant recognition in Ibiza and holiday destinations where the track sits comfortably with sun, sea and a mohito. Hed Kandi obliged again for her second signing and released the track on several albums including , A Winters Taste, Kandi Lounge , Beach House 2008, Live Verbier and American Ministry of Sound Albums. Well established remixer Richard Earnshaw also provided a remix on further albums.  With her feet firmly in the terrains of dance music two further successful tracks were signed with Hed Kandi. ' Bringing Me Back ', was released on Beach House 2009 album and several albums Stateside. The Mr. Vasovski Mix was released on Discopolis records and featured on 'Born To Dance Presents Essential House Miami Twenty Ten'.  Wez Clarke was interested in Maxine's music writing ability, taking  ' Walking with a smile' , a soul/ funk track that she had written  and remixing it into the house track that now appears on several Hed Kandi albums. Garage producers Control - s loved the hooky vocals and created an additional remix in 2010, this time making there own 2-step garage version. This reached the ears of respected garage artists DJ EZ and the Artful Dodger, achieving radio play on popular stations such as Kiss 100.
In 2011 Maxine writes the seductive vocal to Nacho Marco's track 'Parisian Rain' which also features her brother's Paul sublime sax solo. Parisian Rain featured on 'Pacha VIP" album 2011. Maxine debuts the track at her DJ and singing performance at Pacha and Passion FM. Maxine Debut's her first remix with her EP release. Being taught by her father in remixing, it only seemed a natural progression to mix her fathers releases recent releases. Firstly she made her own version of 'Into the Blue' which was subsequently released with Pacha recordings. The remix 'Rainforest/ Whats going on also features on the EP, which original climbed to the top of the american club charts above Lady Gaga and The Sweedish House Mafia. Hot Off The Press' is the last track to feature, with it's vibey synths and exotic instrumentation the remix serves the original well. Since the first release Maxine has performed her tracks live in prestigious venues over the world, including The Royal Albert Hall, The flagship Mac Store in Regent St, DJing for the relaunch of Carlsberg in Malaysia, Pacha London, Pacha Lithuania, Russia and Kuredo Island Maldives.
 Music production led to the fascination with Ableton Live, it was from this moment she entered the world of Digital DJing. She composed her own remixes and bootlegs and took to local venues playing her favourite tunes and weaving her live vocals into her set, this immediately made her stand out from others. The Fascination grew as she then teaches herself to spin the more conventional with decks.Maxine may be relatively new blood on the DJ scene but she has already sparked a lot of industry interest - not many DJs we know leave the decks looping and get down onto the floor to sing in the crowd.
Highlights to date include touring on two accessions for 'Pink Poison' in Lithuania, Playing for the relaunch of Carlsberg in Malaysia, Kuredu Island Maldives,  Mac Store Regent street, The national polo championships 'Sandbanks Rocks', Egg, London with Layo and Bushwacka and Dirty Vegas, Dreamers Marbella, Mqueens Shorditch, The Horse and Groom Shorditch, Public Life, Notting HIll carnival after party streamed live on Trolled Radio and global dance station Passion FM to name a few. Maxine has billed at highly respected club nights Hed Kandi, Dance Aid, Blow, Miss Moneypenny's, Dirty Byrds, Wired, Be Somebody, Femme Fatale, DiscoTech, Mother Funkers, Pukka Up, Dirtbox, Tutti-Frutti, the Thursday Night Project and more.
Away from the decks and dance scene Maxine finds relaxation in writing and singing Acoustic and Smooth Jazz. She has co-written and performed on several of her fathers #1 Smooth Jazz albums. At the start of 2011  'A Different Kind Of Love', a track co-written with American artist Nate Harasim who was voted up and coming Smooth Jazz artist of the year was added to American radio shortly before it's official release. The song is the single taken from his latest album ' Rush '. Maxine has several smooth Jazz / chill out releases due out this year.
So what is next?  Maxine continues to spend time both writing, singing and DJing.  She adds ' Iv'e been busy in the studio collaborating with other producers and have really enjoyed trying new things..I'm excited for 2012!

Events

Two Pink Poison Tour's in Lithuania including Pacha Lithuania
Kureudo Island, Maldives
Mac Store Regent street,
Dreamers Marbella
Sandbanks Rocks ', The national polo championships alongside Dane Bowers and Brandon Block
Egg
The Driver, Kings Cross
McQueen, Shorditch

Aura

The Rose Club, Marylebone
Cinnamon Kitchen, Liverpool Street
Jewel Bar, Picadilly Circus
Dance Crusade Festival
NO.10 Notting Hill
Too Damn Glamm Boat party
The Horse and Groom, Shorditch
That Club
Club 195
Cave Austin
Broke
The Kings Oak Hotel
Opium Lounge
RS Lounge
Chesent Country club
Sugar Hut
Candy Club
Brickyard Bar and Grill
The Ark, Bishop Stortford
Candy Club, Chelmsford


Promotions

Hed Kandi
Carlsberg relaunch Malaysia
Dance Aid
Passion FM
Trollyed Radio
Dirty Byrds
Blow
Miss Moneypenny's
Pink Poison
Wired
Be Somebody
Femme Fatale
DiscoTech
Mother Funkers
Pukka Up
Dirtbox
Tutti-Frutti,
Thursday Night Project
Way too Much

Shake it Down

Intimate Parties