THEY’VE performed at some of the world’s biggest venues and festivals, including the 3Arena, the O2 in London and Tomorrowland, and this year, they will take to the stage at Live at the Marquee.

Dublin DJ duo Robbie G and Bissett, better known as Belters Only, sat down with The Southern Star to talk all things music, stardom and their upcoming Cork gig.

Joining an impressive line-up including Kesha, Kneecap and Two Door Cinema Club, Robbie and Bissett describe their upcoming Live at the Marquee gig on July 3rd as ‘an honour’.

‘The crowd down here is just like Dublin, we like to say, so it’s exciting,’ said Robbie.

‘We know what to expect and they know what’s coming, so we’re looking forward to it.’ ‘The Cork crowd, they bring the energy, so we love coming down here and playing,’ added Bissett.

The duo have travelled all over the world, playing in Thailand, Canada, New York, Paris and Dubai this year alone.

‘When we go to the likes of Australia, 90% of the crowd is probably Irish,’ said Bissett. ‘We were in Bali the other day and you just always see a tricolour flag everywhere we go, so it’s great.’

Robbie added: ‘The Irish always see the tone. If you have a group of Irish people in the middle of a crowd, then everyone else has to match them, because they’re going to be the loudest in the room.’

The late nights and jetlag that come alongside international travel certainly make performing high energy DJ sets more challenging.

Belters aim to stay as regulated as possible despite their chaotic schedule ‘We’ve done six flights in the last two days, so it’s just about trying to stay as healthy as possible,’ said Bissett. ‘We probably have about 15 different supplements to keep us going as well!’

Robbie stressed the importance of sleep for late night performers: ‘You have to try to get as much sleep as you can, especially on the road.

Like, my body doesn’t really know where I am right now. I know I’m in Cork, but it doesn’t know what’s going on because obviously we’ve been all over the place.’

With their busy schedule, the pair haven’t had much time to explore. Robbie admitted they don’t visit West Cork ‘as much as we should or we could.’

‘I feel like the only time I actually ever have trekked down here was for shows. You do forget that Cork is so big. It’s such a Dublin thing to say, isn’t it!’

The duo rocketed to international fame in 2022 with their viral house anthem Make Me Feel Good. The rise to fame still doesn’t feel real for the pair.

‘Every single day it’s just something pops up and you’re just like, this is crazy,; said Bissett. ‘Going to do shows halfway around the world is just like a dream come true to be honest with you.’

Belters Only made history by selling out Dublin’s 3Arena in minutes, an achievement that felt colossal for the DJs.

‘It’s any boy’s dream, whether you’re a fighter or no matter what you’re doing in Dublin, it’s always to showcase that in the biggest arena in the country,’ said Robbie.

The two producers first crossed paths in the Dublin club scene, and have remained friends ever since. They began small, recording Make Me Feel Good in a cramped attic in Drimnagh and Robbie feels that anyone with access to the same technology can make it big like them: ‘I would say that if you are privileged enough to have a phone or a laptop, then you can figure out what you need to figure out. ‘We were just normal lads in bedrooms, we weren’t handed anything. You just need to get stuck in, be persistent.’

Although the vibrant DJ scene can feel a million miles away to anyone living down in West Cork, Robbie felt being surrounded by a rural community has its benefits too: ‘There’s actually a positive in people that don’t live in the cities because the city can be very noisy. Sometimes the best way to get results is to keep yourself disciplined and stay isolated.’

Bisset concluded: ‘Wherever you’re from, just work hard and have some goals and manifest it. It’s as simple as that.’

Belters Only & Route 94 presented by One Day will perform at Live at the Marquee on Friday, July 3rd.