Franky Rizardo pulls out of Pete Tong collaboration amid John Summit dispute

Franky Rizardo has pulled out of a collaborative remix with Pete Tong after the BBC Radio 1 broadcaster was accused by John Summit of stealing the track.

In a post shared on X on Wednesday (July 8), Summit accused Tong of "promising to release" his remix of Everything But The Girl's 'Missing' with Franky Rizardo, and then "jacking" it.

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Summit included a screenshot of a WhatsApp conversation with Tong, where the two appear to be discussing production elements for the track. "Class act you are," Summit wrote. "To think I actually looked up to you too."

Following the accusations, Summit responded with another post claiming that he had spoken to Rizardo, who "had no idea about all of this".

The Dutch DJ and producer responded in a statement via X last night, writing: "After learning more today about the background surrounding this release, I’ve come to the conclusion that it no longer feels right for me to be part of it."

"This isn’t about taking sides or blaming anyone - it’s simply the decision that feels right to me," he continues. "I actually made it in the car on the way to a show, and I was so excited when I was given the opportunity to release it." 

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"I truly wish all parties involved nothing but the best, and I hope everything gets resolved. I believe everyone acted with the best intentions, but it no longer feels like the right way for me to release my remix. For now, it’ll remain a set-only track. At the end of the day, staying true to my values matters more to me than releasing a record."

Both artists have played their respective edits of 'Missing' in recent sets; Rizardo debuted his during a set at Barcelona's Swing in March, while Summit played his during a set at Miami's Space in the same month.

Mixmag has contacted a representative of Pete Tong for comment.

Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, get in touch with her here