Artists: WITH U, Joshua Baraka
Title: Girl In Ibiza
Label: Crash Your Sound/Universal Music Group
Release date: March 13, 2026
Download / Stream
Out this March via German imprint Crash Your Sound, “Girl In Ibiza” brings together Hamburg duo WITH U and Ugandan breakout Joshua Baraka on a collaboration that feels as organic as its origin story.
The track began with a TikTok studio clip of Joshua singing the now-instant topline; after stumbling across it online, WITH U rebuilt the idea in their DAW and posted their take back to the platform, prompting Joshua to respond immediately and turn a spontaneous exchange into an official release. Musically, “Girl In Ibiza” fuses Joshua’s warm, unmistakable vocal presence with WITH U’s melodic, groove-led production, landing somewhere between sunlit escapism, open-air emotion and the easy pull of a record built to travel. With both artists carrying fast-growing momentum in their respective lanes, the single not only captures the carefree pull of Ibiza in the title, but also reflects how naturally European electronic textures and East African warmth can meet in one record when the chemistry is right.
We were just scrolling through TikTok one evening when we stumbled upon this clip of Joshua in the studio, vibing with some producers and singing this insanely catchy melody. It instantly caught us – the vibe, the emotion, everything. We opened our DAW right away, built a remake around it, and posted it back as a reaction. Joshua saw it, loved it, and that’s how the collaboration was born. What started as a random scroll turned into ‘Girl In Ibiza.’ – WITH U
That video was just me in the studio, having fun with an idea I’d been humming all day. I didn’t expect much – but when I saw how WITH U used my vocals on TikTok I was blown away by what they did with it. It felt fresh, it felt right. We connected instantly and decided to make it official. ‘Girl In Ibiza’ really came from that moment of creative spontaneity – nothing forced, just pure vibe. – Joshua Baraka
WITH U
WITH U is a DJ duo from Hamburg, Germany, blending Afro House and melodic elements into a sound shaped by rhythm, emotion, and long nights behind the decks. Made up of longtime friends Philip and Marlon, the project is rooted in over a decade of shared musical experience and a strong back-to-back dynamic. Since emerging from the Afro House scene, WITH U has steadily built momentum. Their debut release “Karibu” found a fast-growing international audience and has since surpassed 70+ million Spotify streams, alongside 1.8+ million monthly listeners. Their music moves naturally between high-energy dance floors and more intimate settings, driven by groove rather than hype. WITH U made their debut with a live set at HÖR Berlin and has since played shows across Europe and beyond, including Formula 1 Singapore, Voyage Lisbon, Bootshaus Cologne, Kraftwerk Zurich, and COSY BOX Delhi, among others. Recognized by Shazam as one of its 50 promising artists for 2025, the duo continues to gain support from DJs and selectors worldwide. With a clear focus on sound and connection, WITH U is carving out its own space – staying grounded while looking forward.
Joshua Baraka
Joshua Baraka is a Ugandan singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist at the forefront of East Africa’s new wave. Blending Afrobeats, R&B, Amapiano, and Dancehall with soulful precision, he quickly became one of the region’s most exciting exports. A Spotify RADAR Africa alum, Baraka broke through with “Nana” and soared in 2025 with “Wrong Places” (prod. JAE5), now one of Uganda’s highest-streamed records. With more than 1 million monthly Spotify listeners and more than 50 million global streams, Baraka is carrying East African music onto the world stage. Releasing the single on Ugandan Independence Day, “Dive In” finds the Kampala native healing from heartbreak, caught in the bittersweet moment of meeting “the girl of my dreams at the lowest point of my life.” Joshua weighs the pros and cons of opening back up again, pulled between hope and fear. The track comes packaged as a smooth, mid-tempo Afrobeats cut, pairing his razor-sharp and emotive vibrato with JAE5’s warm, melodic production. Layered percussion, a steady bassline and the subtle vocoder under Joshua’s vocals give an elegant reminiscence of classic R&B.
For more information about WITH U / Joshua Baraka / Crash Your Sound:
WITH U: Instagram | Spotify
Joshua Baraka: Instagram | Spotify
Crash Your Sound: Instagram | Website
Sometimes the best collaborations happen when you’re not looking for them.
German duo WITH U turned a chance TikTok discovery into their latest single, “Girl In Ibiza,” after connecting with Ugandan singer, songwriter, and producer Joshua Baraka. Released via Crash Your Sound and Universal Music, the track blends Joshua’s soulful vocals with WITH U’s signature Afro House sound.
Fresh off the success of “Karibu” and performances around the world, WITH U continue to build momentum, while Joshua Baraka is quickly emerging as one of East Africa’s most exciting young artists.
I recently caught up with Philip and Marlon of WITH U to discuss the making of “Girl In Ibiza,” how the collaboration came together, life on the road, and what’s next for the duo.
You’ve got a new release, “Girl In Ibiza,” with Joshua Baraka, and the origin story is incredible. What exactly did you see on TikTok, and what made you stop scrolling and open your DAW?
We took a closer look at Joshua’s profile and were fascinated by his voice and his vibe. On top of that, he seemed very versatile, so we thought — why not make an electronic track together with him?
When you started building around Joshua’s vocal, what was your creative process like? Did the track come together quickly, or did you refine it over time?
Thanks to his great talent, everything came together easily and quickly — there’s not much more to say about it. 🙂
You mentioned the vibe and emotion instantly caught you. What is it about Joshua Baraka’s voice and style that felt like such a natural fit for your sound?
Who would fit an Afro House track better than someone originally from Uganda?
At what point did it shift from a fun TikTok reaction to “this needs to be an official release”?
When we posted the first sneak peeks, we immediately received very positive feedback from both Joshua’s community and ours. So we realized pretty quickly that the track had to be released.
You’ve both been making music together for over a decade. How has that long-term chemistry shaped the way you produce and perform now?
Since we’ve known each other for such a long time, we know each other inside out. That makes it easy for us to adapt to each other’s sound while DJing or producing.
Your debut release “Karibu” has over 70 million streams, which is massive. How did that success change things for you creatively and professionally?
Karibu simply showed us what’s possible and that we can let our creativity run free however we want. Professionally, a lot has changed — from zero calls to more than 10 calls a month, many interviews, etc. Slowly, everything started becoming more serious, which isn’t a bad thing at all.
Let’s talk about live performances. You made your live debut with HÖR Berlin. What was that experience like, and did the room get as packed and intense as it looks online?
Of course, we felt very honored as DJs playing Afro and Melodic House to perform a live set there. The set we played was also received really well. When we performed there, it was 0 degrees in Berlin, but despite that, we were sweating like crazy in that small bathroom with just a tiny heater.
You’ve also performed at major events like Formula 1 Singapore. That’s a very different setting from a club. How do you approach a set in that kind of environment?
Everything naturally felt much more high-end, and it was a lot of fun making music at such a professional event. Most importantly, it brought us a lot of attention. You can tell from the crowd, though, that it’s not a typical party and that the guests are a bit more reserved.
For someone who hasn’t seen you live yet, what can they expect from a WITH U performance?
A set full of fun, mixed with hard groovy tracks as well as melodic and more emotional tracks. We love taking our DJ sets on a journey — from a warm-up phase to a powerful peak time and finally into an emotional closing phase.
How do you balance technical precision with creating a real emotional connection on the dance floor?
When you DJ that often, you naturally develop your own technique over time, which allows you to focus entirely on the emotions.
You’ve been named by Shazam as one of the 50 promising artists for 2025. What does that recognition mean to you at this stage in your career?
The recognition from Shazam simply motivated us even more to keep pushing forward.
There’s clearly growing support from DJs and selectors worldwide. Are there any moments where you’ve heard your track played unexpectedly that stood out?
Definitely the first time Keinemusik played our track “Karibu” — we couldn’t believe it ourselves.
Looking ahead, how are you planning to support “Girl In Ibiza” this summer? Are there tour dates or key shows fans should be watching for?
Yes, we’re back touring around Europe again, but also in places like Canada and India.
Do you approach touring differently now compared to when you first started playing shows together?
We still enjoy touring just as much as we did in the beginning. We believe there’s still so much of the world left to discover — whether it’s places, clubs, or festivals.
Back to the track for a moment. Ibiza is such an iconic place in electronic music culture. What does “Girl In Ibiza” represent to you beyond the title?
Ibiza is the island of electronic music. Where else would you rather dance with your girl than in Ibiza?
This collaboration started with pure spontaneity. Has it changed how you think about platforms like TikTok as part of the creative process?
Of course, we’re always checking TikTok for interesting tracks to play or singers for a great collaboration.
Are you actively looking for more cross-continental collaborations like this, or do you prefer letting those moments happen organically?
Ideally, everything happens organically, but if a good opportunity comes up, we’ll definitely take it.
We’ve covered a lot of ground. What’s next for WITH U, and what should fans be most excited about as we head deeper into 2026?
At the moment, we’ve kind of fallen in love with tracks leaning towards Indie Dance, so you might hear a track from us in that direction very soon.
Thanks for doing this, guys. That was fun! In all of the interviews I do, I always give the artist the last word. Go.
We’d like to thank every single listener and everyone who has already attended one of our shows. We hope to see you again soon and to put a smile on your face with our music.
