The Dare, the moniker of New York-based producer, DJ, and songwriter Harrison Patrick Smith, quickly became a leading figure in the city’s resurgent downtown nightlife scene. Blending infectious dance-punk energy, tongue-in-cheek lyrics, and a distinctly playful pop sensibility, The Dare’s sound is both a tribute to the early 2000s indie dance explosion and a bold leap forward. After fronting the post-punk band Turtlenecked in Portland, Smith reinvented himself as The Dare in 2022, self-releasing the viral single “Girls” — a brash, minimalist party anthem that captured the hedonistic spirit of a new generation.

The track’s success fetched critical acclaim, club ubiquity, and a deal with Republic Records, leading to further singles and electrifying DJ sets across North America and Europe. A fixture in clubs from New York to Berlin, The Dare’s events and remixes are renowned for their unpredictability, humor, and joyous excess. Melding indie sleaze nostalgia with a modern, internet-age insouciance, his debut EP *The Sex* became a cult favorite among fashion crowds and music media, cementing his reputation as both provocateur and hitmaker.

As both a solo act and a coveted collaborator, The Dare continues to push dance music’s boundaries, infusing the underground with playful irreverence and a distinctly New York attitude.