Tai Woffinden’s (@twoffinden) move from professional speedway to electronic music already gives him a different starting point from most new producers, though “Mirror Mirror” feels like the point where that background begins to take shape as a clearer artistic identity.
The three-time Speedway World Champion links with Scottish trance veteran David Forbes for the new single through Hannah Laing’s doof label, and the result leans into peak-time trance with enough atmosphere and tension to work beyond one obvious part of a set.
Woffinden entered music in 2023 after spending most of his life competing at the highest level of motorsport. Since then, he has collaborated with Oliver Heldens, Gabry Ponte, CERES, and Mauro Picotto, released through Armada Music, and received support from Armin van Buuren. “Mirror Mirror” now brings him into Doof’s lane of fast, direct club music, while David Forbes’ production experience helps shape the record around drive, emotion, and a vocal hook that can carry over in larger rooms.
The interview below explores the overlap among elite sport, music production, and modern DJ culture. Woffinden talks about discipline, identity, branding, and why consistency should come from a recognizable point of view rather than repeating the same record.
He also explains why his background gives him an advantage in the studio: years of trusting the process, taking feedback, and showing up again after difficult results.
Interview With Tai Woffinden
Your launch into music has been pretty epic. How has your understanding of who you are as an artist changed since you started?
It has evolved massively. When I first came into music, I was still figuring out exactly who I was as an artist. Coming from motorsport, I was used to competing at the highest level, so naturally I threw myself into music with the same intensity. Early on, it was all about learning, experimenting, and absorbing everything around me.
Now I feel like I have found my musical identity. I have realized that what I bring is not about trying to sound like somebody else. It is about combining high-energy, emotional records with a clear sense of tension and release. I love music that can move a crowd physically and also create a real feeling.
“Mirror Mirror” reflects that evolution. Working with David Forbes was incredible because he is someone who has mastered that balance. The record has power and drive, and there is also emotion and atmosphere in it.
Do you feel like DJs today are expected to have a gimmick, look, or brand?
Social media has definitely changed things. The visual side of being an artist is more important now because people often discover you before they have even heard your music.
I do not think a gimmick can sustain a career. It might get attention initially, though eventually the music has to stand on its own.
For me, my story is already pretty unique. I have spent my life competing in front of huge crowds as a professional athlete, and now I am building a music career. My focus is on releasing great music and letting the brand develop naturally around who I am.
Where does “Mirror Mirror” sit in your sets?
It is definitely one of those tracks that can work in several moments. It has enough energy to hit during peak time, and it also has enough atmosphere to build tension and anticipation before things really explode.
That is one of the reasons I love the record, and the vocal is super hooky.
Personally, I love tracks that give you options as a DJ. How I use it depends entirely on the club or festival I am playing, and whether I am opening, closing, or headlining. It is one of those records that can fit into different parts of a set and still have an impact.
How do you approach consistency without becoming predictable?
In speedway, you do not become a champion by reinventing everything every week. You become great by mastering the fundamentals and constantly learning from the people around you, whether that is in speedway or another form of motorsport.
I approach music in a similar way. I am always playing with different levels of energy, emotion, and intensity, and I am not interested in sticking to one genre. I think consistency comes from having your own identity rather than repeating the same track.
Are there artists you admire for constantly evolving their sound?
Absolutely. Someone like David Forbes is a great example. He has remained relevant and respected for years by evolving naturally while maintaining his identity.
I also admire artists like Hannah Laing. She has never been afraid to push into different territories and challenge expectations while still sounding unmistakably like herself.
To be honest, I am listening to a lot of female artists at the moment. The girls are absolutely killing it and bringing a lot of fresh energy into the scene.
What would you say to DJs and producers who worry they are not distinctive enough?
I would tell them not to force it. A lot of people spend so much time trying to be different that they forget to focus on developing their skills.
Your individuality usually comes from your experiences. Nobody else has lived your life, and that is where your uniqueness comes from.
My move into music was not planned. I did not sit down and think, “How can I create a unique story?” It happened naturally. The things that make you different will reveal themselves over time if you stay true to yourself.
What is one skill you developed as a world champion athlete that gives you an advantage as a DJ and producer?
Drive.
So far in music, a lot of the people I have worked with have been surprised by how driven I am. Whether that comes from my racing background, earning a black belt in martial arts at a young age before I was racing professionally, or whether it is something you are born with, I honestly do not know the answer.
What I do know is that being a professional athlete taught me discipline, how to trust the process, and how to keep showing up regardless of the result. That is probably the biggest advantage I have.
I have spent my entire life pursuing excellence in one field, and now I am applying that same mentality to another.
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
