GODFATHER OF THE FUTURE HOUSE MOVEMENT, DUTCH DJ, PRODUCER, AND GENRE-CROSSING CREATOR DON DIABLO CONTINUES TO SHAPE THE EVOLUTION OF DANCE MUSIC WITH NEW ALBUM FOREVER

BY TIA KIM

BORN: Don Pepijn Schipper hails from Coevorden, Netherlands.

SOUND: Diablo is considered a founding father of the future house camp, an evolution of electronic dance music that was popularized in the 2010s, marked by high energy, big danceable drops, and heavy bass.

NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Now 41, the DJ signed his first record deal at only 15, but it wasn’t until he released his debut LP, Life is a Festival in 2008, that the Dutch DJ garnered international fame. He’s since collaborated with some of the most prestigious heavyweights in the biz, including Madonna, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, and Ed Sheeran. In 2015 he launched his own record label, Hexagon, which saw instant success with the release of No. 1 hit “Make Me Feel Better.” He’s currently ranked No. 7 on DJ Mag’s Top 100 list.

RECENT WORK: More than two years after it was announced, Diablo’s third LP, FOREVER, hit the digital stratosphere this fall, comprising 21 electronic tracks that, through nonstop energy and optimistic cadence, broach poignant themes such as fear, death, destruction, and lost connection.

BEYOND THE BEATS: The DJ’s fervor for creation stretches beyond the music realm; he’s designed apparel (he collaborated with Disney in 2018 to create a Star Wars x HEXAGON capsule clothing line), created a comic book series, and directed several music videos and shorts. A block chain enthusiast and crypto-artist, Diablo broke a world record this spring when he packaged and sold his Destination Hexagonia concert as an NFT (non-fungible token) for $1,259,280, marking the first full-length concert experience to trade as an NFT.