BORN: Tijs Michiel Verwest, known as Tiësto, was born in the Netherlands in 1969.

SOUND: Hailed by many as the Godfather of EDM, Tiësto’s dance music is mesmerizing and thumping, with clear trance influences and no fear of extremes.

BIG BREAK: Since the age of 12, Tiësto has found himself enamored with music. Early on, it was radio that introduced him to the possibilities that lie ahead, and he was soon drawn to the turntable, eventually landing residencies at clubs throughout the Netherlands. He began to develop his unique sound and style, and in late 1994, he was signed to Basic Beat label Trashcan.

NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: The 54-year-old DJ’s three-decade- and-counting career is replete with novel achievements. The same year he received his first record deal, he launched his own label, Guardian Angel, which continued to release until 2002. After three years and four EPs with Basic Beats, Tiësto and a colleague founded Black Hole Recordings, where he nabbed his first top-15 hit with the trance anthem “Gouryella.” In 2003, he joined Moby on an 18-day tour around the U.S., where he was joined on the road by artists like David Bowie and Busta Rhymes. He became one of the first DJs to play extended sets for the same crowd, his performances lasting up to nine hours. He performed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, and on a weekly radio show for a prominent Dutch radio station. His 2008 album Elements of Life and 2022 album The Business were both nominated for Grammy awards, and his remix of John Legend’s “All of Me” won a Grammyfor Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical.He has also been the recipient of DJ Mag’s No. 1 DJ (2002-2004), as well as Best DJ of the last 20 years (2011).

LATEST WORK: In April, Tiësto will be releasing his eighth studio album, Drive. The club-ready single “All Nighter” was released on March 9.

FUN FACT: In a recent interview with NME, Tiësto revealed that if there were any song he wishes he could have written, it would be Eurythmics’s “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).”