Meet Carter Morris & Will Rubert of Kent Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carter Morris & Will Rubert.

Hi Carter & Will, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Carter Morris, originally from Hudson, Ohio, arrived at Kent State University in 2022 to study architecture as a freshman. Searching for community early in college, he joined Sigma Chi, a decision that unexpectedly introduced him to the world of DJ culture. Through the fraternity, he met his big brother Cam Dixon, a well-known DJ across campus who was regularly performing at major student venues. Carter began attending nearly every show with Cam, watching the energy of live performances up close and quickly developing a deep fascination with DJing. What started as curiosity turned into commitment — he began performing at fraternity events and local gigs, immersing himself in the craft and the culture surrounding it.

As his exposure to electronic music expanded, Carter found a particular connection to house music and began teaching himself music production. Wanting to push beyond DJing alone, he launched his first releases under his own artist name and started distributing original tracks across streaming platforms. A semester abroad in Italy became a major turning point in his artistic development. While studying overseas, Carter performed up to five nights a week, gaining real-world experience in crowd reading, sound selection, set structure, and networking within unfamiliar scenes. The consistency sharpened his instincts as both a DJ and producer, and he returned to the United States with a renewed drive to create at a higher level.

Back home, Carter committed to relentless output, releasing music nearly every week and steadily building industry relationships. That momentum translated into stronger bookings, larger audiences, and deeper connections within the electronic music space.

Around this time, fellow Sigma Chi member Will Rubert, originally from Rochester, New York, began pursuing DJing with equal intensity. Drawn to the process, Will sought mentorship and immersed himself in Carter’s studio sessions and live performances. He absorbed the technical and creative side of production quickly, developing his own skill set at a rapid pace. As their collaboration grew, the line between mentor and partner disappeared. They began producing every track together and performing as a unit, recognizing that their chemistry in the studio and on stage created something bigger than either could build alone.

That partnership became UVA.

UVA — short for Unidentified Verified Artists — represents the shared starting point of every emerging artist: building identity, connections, and confidence in a crowded industry. The name reflects their belief that persistence, discipline, and trust in the process can transform uncertainty into opportunity. Having once felt unknown within the scene themselves, the duo aims to embody what sustained effort can achieve.

In just two months as UVA, the duo has released eight original records, generated over 50,000 streams across platforms, and is approaching 20,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Their rapid growth has extended beyond streaming into live performance, including an appearance at Lost Lands Festival, an upcoming slot at Breakaway Festival, support performances alongside major touring artists, and shows in large cities. These milestones mark UVA as one of the fastest-rising young acts in the tech house space, driven by consistency, collaboration, and a shared vision for long-term growth.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Will and I have a really strong working dynamic. Like any creative partnership, we don’t always agree on everything — but what’s important is how we handle it. We’ve built a foundation of mutual respect, so even when scheduling gets complicated or we have different perspectives on a show or a record, we approach those conversations constructively.

As two 21-year-old students balancing school and music, logistics can be challenging at times, but we’ve learned how to communicate clearly and stay aligned on the bigger vision. We’re intentional about being on the same page — whether that’s the direction of our sound, the types of events we want to be part of, or the long-term goals for UVA.

There have definitely been moments where we’ve debated the credibility of a booking or the direction of a track, but those discussions ultimately make the project stronger. We value honest feedback and trust each other’s instincts. At the end of the day, any short-term disagreement is small compared to what we’re building long term. The shared vision always comes first.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We specialize in tech house, but we’re very intentional about carving out a sound that feels distinctly ours. Our records lean darker and more textured, with gritty low-end energy and explosive drops that are designed for impact in a live setting. Sonically, we focus on tension, groove, and moments that translate on big systems — that’s always been core to the UVA identity.

What we’re most proud of, though, isn’t just the production — it’s the reaction. Whether we’re testing new demos with friends, playing unreleased tracks in a club, or seeing the streaming response from listeners around the world, the connection is what validates everything we’re building. That feedback loop is what drives us.

A defining moment for us was securing official clearance to remix one of the biggest pop records of the 2000s, I Kissed a Girl by Katy Perry. Being trusted to reinterpret such an iconic track into our own tech house version, “Cherry Chapstick,” was a major milestone. It allowed us to blend a globally recognizable vocal with our darker, club-driven production style — and to do it officially, with clearance, made it even more meaningful. That record is available across all platforms and represents a big step forward in our growth as artists.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
We have a lot of love for our city. At the end of the day, it’s a college town — but that’s also what makes it special. Kent is where we’ve met some of our biggest supporters, closest friends, and incredible local business owners who have believed in us from the beginning. The sense of community here is real. We’ve been fortunate to build meaningful relationships with fans, venue owners, and creatives across the city, and that local connection has played a huge role in shaping UVA.

At the same time, we recognize that house music is still growing in our area. It hasn’t fully connected with everyone yet, and that’s actually something that motivates us. We see it as an opportunity rather than a limitation. Our goal is to help cultivate a stronger house and tech house presence in our college town — to create experiences where this music feels accessible, exciting, and appreciated. Being part of building that scene from the ground up is something we take pride in.

Pricing:

• Depending on circumstances and venue, our standard booking price is around $500

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uva_.music?igsh=a3E1b3NseTl0ZTN1&utm_source=qr
• Soundcloud: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6gNNOwQkzfJbHQa5Ig3Nbn?si=e8meGTplTIyDnDPFk41j7Q
• Other: https://linktr.ee/cartermorris