"How I made Potion": Calvin Harris explains how he created his latest hit in 30 seconds

Calvin Harris is, undeniably, a man who has the magic touch when it comes to crafting a hit, but if his recent ‘how to’ video is to be believed, it’s all remarkably simple.

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Calvin Harris studio

(Image credit: The Altman Brothers/Doug Elliman)

We think we’ve named every piece of gear in Calvin Harris’s studio

The 30-second clip shows us how the Scottish DJ/producer created Potion, his latest single. Harris explains that it was as easy as playing a few chords on a Rhodes electric piano, adding some guitar chops on a Fender Stratocaster and recording a bassline. Oh, and then calling up Dua Lipa and asking her to sing vocals.

Now, you might have a bit of trouble following the last of these instructions - Dua just won’t return our calls for some reason - but if the aim here is to illustrate that making a record isn’t as difficult as you might think, then it’s job done.

“That’s the tune - that’s how you do it,” says Harris, adding that “you can do it too”.

So, what are you waiting for?

Ben Rogerson

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it. 

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