Cheat Codes & Two Friends Release Collaborative New Single 'The Way It Is'

Acclaimed producer/DJ duo Two Friends release their collaborative single, “The Way It Is” with dance trio and DJ group Cheat Codes. 

Cheat Codes' and Two Friends' partnership on “The Way It Is” results in a true dance-pop fusion, combining masterful electronic production with a catchy vocal hook. As the song progresses, layered beats and atmospheric synths increase in intensity, resulting in a euphoric, driving peak.

Cheat Codes also joined Two Friends at Big Bootie Land - Los Angeles on February 10th at the Kia Forum for a special live premiere of the single. Last weekend, the two groups once again joined forces to treat the crowd at XS Las Vegas to an early edition of the track - watch the visualizer for an exclusive look at both performances HERE.

“We're super stoked 'The Way It Is' is finally out! We have always loved the Cheat Codes dudes and have wanted to do something together so we were all pumped when this collab came together,” explains Two Friends. “It was really cool working with an iconic interpolation and re-imagining it for 2024. No doubt this will be a highlight of all our upcoming sets!"

Two Friends kicked off what is set to be a monumental 2024 with Big Bootie Land - Los Angeles, premiering their Big Bootie Mix, Vol. 24, now available on all streaming platforms. A drumline with sticks of fire and an epic smoking spaceship stage were just a few of the elements Two Friends brought to their biggest hometown headline show to date that had fans on their feet for the entire show.

With additional guest appearances from Arizona Zervas and Yung Gravy, EDM.com shared, “The infectious energy they exuded onstage was palpable, spreading like wildfire through the crowd and leaving an indelible mark on all who were fortunate enough to be part of the experience.

“The Way It Is” follows Two Friends' June collaboration with diamond and multi-platinum selling dance music duo Loud Luxury and award-winning pop singer Bebe Rexha, “If Only I,” which topped charts and was performed at Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve in December. The song is also nominated in four categories at the 2024 Electronic Dance Music Awards including ‘Dance/Electro Pop Song of the Year.'

In addition to multiple festival performances including Bonnaroo, Project Glow, and North Coast Festival, as well as headlining sets across the country this year, they will also be bringing The Great Escape to MGM Music Hall in Boston and the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado this spring. Fans can purchase tickets HERE.

UPCOMING TWO FRIENDS LIVE DATES

March 12 - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - Cabo San Lucas Spring Break 2024

March 14 - South Padre Island, TX - Clayton's Beach Bar

March 16 - Tampa, FL - XOXO Festival

March 17 - Las Vegas, NV - Encore Beach Club

March 23 - Las Vegas, NV - XS Las Vegas

March 29 - Vancouver, Canada - Insomnia Fest 2024

March 30 - Miami Beach, FL - LIV Nightclub

April 26 - Boston, MA - MGM Music Hall

April 27 - Boston, MA - MGM Music Hall

April 28 - Washington, DC - Project GLOW 2024

May 1 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks

May 26 - Quincy, WA - Gorge Amphitheatre

June 16 - Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival 2024

July 28 - Las Vegas, NV - XS Las Vegas

August 25 - Las Vegas, NV - XS Las Vegas

September 1 - Chicago, IL - North Coast Music Festival

UPCOMING CHEAT CODES LIVE DATES

Feb 23 - Charlotte, NC - RSVP South End

March 8 - Saskatoon, SK - TCU Place Unhinged 

March 9 - Edmonton, AB - Union Hall 

March 15 - Vancouver, BC - Harbour Convention Centre 

March 16 - Portland, OR - 45 East  

March 20 - Miami, FL - El Centro Wynwood 

March 23 - New York, NY - Marquee 

April 12 - Boston, MA - The Grand  

April 28 - Jung-Su, South Korea - RDMPTN Festival 

May 11 - Los Angeles, CA - Academy 

June 1 - San Diego, CA- Nova 

June 22 - Nashville, TN - Barstool Block Party 

July 12 - Seattle, WA - Q Nightclub 

July 13 - Costa Mesa, CA - Time Nightclub  

About Two Friends:

Two Friends is the musical creation of longtime companions Matt Halper and Eli Sones. The dance-pop duo's fitting name reflects their lifelong bond as both musical collaborators and best friends. Two Friends are pioneering an artistic identity that is simultaneously relatable as it drives fans to the dance floor. The pair have released high-voltage original productions like “If Only I (ft. Bebe Rexha)” with Loud Luxury, “More than Yesterday (ft. Russell Dickerson),” “No Saving Us (ft. SAYGRACE),” and “Graduated (ft. Bryce Vine).” With fans at the epicenter of their success, they take pride in engaging with them both at shows and across their social media platforms.

The tandem exploded into the global dance music landscape with their viral remixes of The Killers' “Mr. Brightside,” Blink 182's “I Miss You,” and their award-winning Big Bootie Mix series. Amassing millions of streams across YouTube and SoundCloud per installment, the Big Bootie Mix series has become the soundtrack to many a good-night-out across 10 years of regular releases. In 2022, the band created their very own festival, Big Bootie Land, for the premiere of a new Big Bootie Mixes in a different city every year.

In February, Two Friends brought Big Bootie Land to the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, debuting their Big Bootie Mix, Vol. 24.  Always innovating on efforts past, the premieres have even incorporated original characters and storylines as imagined by Matt and Eli. Testaments to their intricately-produced live sets, Two Friends performed at iconic venues like Forest Hills Stadium in New York, just to name a few on their headline tour, ‘Planet Two Friends,' which kicked off with their Coachella debut.

The pair also boast a coveted residency at the Wynn's XS Nightclub and Encore Beach club, bringing their signature sound to the Las Vegas strip. 2024 is primed to be another major performance year, with sets confirmed at festivals such as Bonnaroo and Project Glow.  As they continue building a legacy crossover brand, Matt and Eli will always just be Two Friends. 

About Cheat Codes:  

Los Angeles trio Cheat Codes remains an inescapable musical force hopscotching through genres of electronic, dance, pop and now country, leaving an impact of innovation and collaboration throughout popular culture. Their total stream tally eclipses a staggering over 6 billion plays. Maintaining a prolific pace, they've steadily amassed a diverse discography, including the platinum Pop Radio Top 5 smash “No Promises” [feat. Demi Lovato], the gold-certified “Feels Great” [feat. Fetty Wap & CVBZ], and gold-selling breakout “SEX” with Kriss Kross Amsterdam.

Speaking to their international impact, “Only You” [feat. Little Mix] soared to #1 on Pop Radio in the UK, while they received dozens of platinum certifications in 20 countries. On top of this, they have also done remixes for pop sensations Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith. Igniting clubs worldwide, their 2019 level 2 EP yielded the #1 Dance Radio hit “Who's Got Your Love” [feat. Daniel Blume] in addition to “Ferrari” [feat. Afrojack] and “Be The One” [feat. Kaskade].

Cheat Codes are taking it back to their roots with this next chapter of music, channeling a modernized dance-pop direction that's reminiscent of evergreen hits No Promises, Sex, Shed A Light and most recently Location.  The Hellraisers trilogy and One Night In Nashville took the band around the world collaborating with the likes of artists across all spectrums of genre alternative, pop, country dance and more.

The band has always pushed the envelope enforcing creative change and experimentation. As DJs and dance artists first and foremost, they believe that dance music can transcend anywhere at any time no matter who the collaborating artist may be. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Greg Fry

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