M-22

The EDM production outfit M-22 brings together Englishman Matt James and German Frank Sanders, each of whom had already built individual reputations through extensive behind-the-scenes songwriting and production work for R&B and hip-hop acts including Flo Rida, Pitbull, and Jason Derulo. Mutual friends introduced the two for a collaborative writing session, and they connected immediately, united by their enthusiasm for house music and especially the '90s "French touch" aesthetic. On the same day they first met, the pair completed their debut single, "Good to Be Loved," and chose to name the project after the date of that encounter—March 22, 2015. The track, a polished example of swinging deep house built around an ear-catching vocal and piano riff, achieved immediate popularity. Endorsed by Pete Tong, it received extensive airplay on British and German stations while accumulating millions of streams. Shortly afterward, Swedish house figurehead Sebastian Ingrosso extended an offer to sign them. The duo joined his Refune imprint, which quickly put out their next release, "Inspiration," a harder-edged and more club-oriented cut. Subsequent team-ups with Robin Schulz and Klingande came next, together with official remixes for Avicii, Sigala, Axwell & Ingrosso, and Sigma. Their third single, "First Time" featuring Medina, surfaced in 2017, with "How Does It Feel" appearing the following year.