Biographie
Throughout his extensive career as a DJ, producer, remixer, label owner, filmmaker, and philanthropist, former two-time World No.1 DJ Hardwell has established a lasting legacy in the electronic music scene.
Originating from Breda, a city in the Netherlands, Hardwell began his journey at 14, quickly becoming a sought-after artist in the Dutch dance scene before gaining international recognition. A decade later, at 25, he was crowned World's No.1 DJ in 2013, solidifying his role in shaping the EDM boom and emerging as one of the most celebrated figures in modern electronic music.
Hardwell's production skills elevated his reputation among fans and peers alike. He achieved numerous Beatport No.1 hits with dancefloor anthems like 'Spaceman,' 'Apollo,' and 'Run Wild.' He also remixed tracks for top pop artists such as Rihanna, Calvin Harris, Ellie Goulding, Moby, U2, J Balvin, and Coldplay, while collaborating with major acts including Craig David, Jay Sean, Austin Mahone, and Jason Derulo. Remaining true to his electronic roots, he worked alongside DJs like Armin van Buuren, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Steve Aoki, Afrojack, and Tiësto.
His acclaimed 2015 album 'United We Are' marked a groundbreaking moment, debuting at #2 on the iTunes worldwide album chart with its rich and diverse sound.
Beyond his hits, Hardwell became a headline act at major festivals worldwide, including Lollapalooza, Coachella, EDC Las Vegas, Creamfields, Untold Festival, EXIT Festival, Ultra Music Festival, and Tomorrowland. His stadium and arena tours included 'I Am Hardwell' (2014/15) and 'I Am Hardwell - United We Are' (2015/16), completing 62 shows across 21 countries with nearly 900,000 attendees. Official documentaries captured these tours, showcasing his career and sold-out performances at venues like London’s Brixton Academy and New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Always pushing performance boundaries, Hardwell embraced unique platforms such as the UEFA Champions League Final, becoming the first DJ to hold a solo event at Germany’s Hockenheim circuit and the first to perform on the Formula 1 podium during the Mexican Grand Prix.
He maintained strong ties to the club scene with headline gigs at Ministry of Sound (UK), Green Valley (Brazil), and residencies at Hakkasan Las Vegas, Ushuaia Ibiza, and Macau’s Club Cubic, where he was the first Western DJ to hold a residency.
Hardwell boasts a robust online presence, with over 8.5 million Facebook followers, 7 million on X, 5 million on Instagram, 7 million monthly Spotify listeners plus 3.5 million followers, and over 1.2 billion YouTube views. A pioneer in live streaming, his 2012 Tomorrowland set famously crashed the festival’s server and has 25 million views on YouTube. His 2013 Ultra Music Festival stream exceeds 35 million views, and his 2018 Ultra performance garnered 1.6 million views within two weeks.
His accolades include an MTV European Music Award, multiple International Dance Music Awards, two World No.1 DJ titles, Best Electro House DJ at the DJ Awards in Ibiza, Best Global DJ at the IDMA awards, and Best DJ at the Nova Era Awards.
Through his United We Are Foundation, Hardwell has leveraged his influence for philanthropy. The 'World’s Biggest Guestlist' aid concerts at Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium in 2015 and 2017 raised funds to educate 122,000 children from Mumbai slums, with over 145,000 attendees and 20 million viewers via live streams.
In autumn 2018, after more than ten years performing on major stages, Hardwell announced a sabbatical from touring. He gave fans a final special show at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome during the Amsterdam Dance Event, collaborating live with the Metropole Orkest Symphony to blend pop, jazz, and electronic music history.
Though off the touring circuit, Hardwell continued releasing music through 2018 and 2019. In early 2020, he released The Story of Hardwell, a compilation album featuring his most significant hits.
His time away from touring allowed him to focus on his award-winning label, Revealed Recordings, expanding and reorganizing the imprint, as well as dedicating more time to studio work and artist development. This period fostered a new chapter in Hardwell’s career.
On March 27, 2022, after nearly four years off the road, Hardwell returned to perform a surprise closing set at Miami’s Ultra Music Festival. He launched a new 14-track album, REBELS NEVER DIE, on Revealed Recordings and announced a 24-date world tour, reigniting global fan enthusiasm. The tour featured headline sets at Ultra Europe (Croatia), Laroc Club (Brazil), Atlas Arena (Poland), Soundstorm (Saudi Arabia), Untold Festival (Romania), Ushuaïa Ibiza, Creamfields, and Tomorrowland, where he performed mainstage sets over two weekends. Additional shows spanned Asia, Europe, a homecoming gig at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome, and North American arenas including UBS Arena (New York), Bill Graham Civic Auditorium (San Francisco), and Tradex (Canada).
REBELS NEVER DIE, consisting entirely of solo material, ushered in a new era for Hardwell. Inspired by revisiting the music of his youth and his vinyl collection, the album combines early hard trance riffs with his signature big room energy within a techno-inspired framework. Tracks like 'BROKEN MIRROR,' 'INTO THE UNKNOWN,' and 'I FEEL LIKE DANCING' evoke powerful emotions, while club bangers like 'GODD,' 'LASER,' and 'PACMAN' deliver high-octane energy, offering fans deep insight into Hardwell’s creative vision.
To mark the next leg of the REBELS NEVER DIE tour, Hardwell closed 2022 with a DELUXE EDITION of the album, featuring reworks of classics like 'SPACEMAN,' 'RETROGRADE,' and 'BIG ROOM NEVER DIES'—his collaboration with Blasterjaxx and Mitch Crown. The edition also includes a new track, 'OH GOSH,' and an epic mashup of 'F*CKING SOCIETY' versus Metallica’s 'NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.'
In 2023, Hardwell continued evolving his sound with a series of dynamic releases. He reimagined David Guetta’s cover of Benny Benassi’s 'Satisfaction' alongside Maddix, injecting it with raw energy and powerful bass. The duo also remixed 4Strings’ 'Take Me Away Again.' Collaborations flourished with Brazilian talent VINNE, Will Sparks, Sub Zero Project, Olly James, and Timmy Trumpet. Among his standout releases were a remix of Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding’s 'Miracle,' the hardstyle anthem 'Judgement Day' with Sub Zero Project, the acid-infused big-room techno track 'ACID' with Maddix and Luciana, and 'Anybody Out There' with Azteck and Alex Hepburn, which gained significant radio play. A major collaboration with techno star Space 92 produced 'The Abyss,' released on Oliver Heldens’ HILOMATIK label. He also reworked Tomcraft’s 2002 hit 'Loneliness' with DJs From Mars and Tomcraft, and reunited with Afrojack for 'Push It' featuring MERYLL.
The 2024 campaign began with the release of the big room anthem 'Oldskool Sound,' followed by an energetic collaboration with Bassjackers titled 'Energy.' Hardwell partnered with Apple to launch an innovative Producer Pack offering sounds, presets, and tools for emerging and established artists. He teamed up with Blasterjaxx and Maddix on the powerful single '16' and co-produced a remix of David Guetta & OneRepublic’s 'I Don’t Wanna Wait' with Olly James through Warner Music. On Revealed Recordings, Hardwell released a high-energy edit of Nifra and 2 Unlimited’s 'Control Your Body,' with more releases scheduled for the coming weeks.
Touring extensively in 2023, Hardwell performed at Ultra Music Festival in Miami and Melbourne, shows in Thailand and Bali, and a headline slot at the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku. His North American tour included venues such as The Brooklyn Mirage (New York), The Harbour Convention Centre (Vancouver), and TAO nightclub (Chicago). Festival appearances featured headline sets at Parookaville, Balaton Sounds, Dreambeach, Mysteryland, and Tomorrowland. He concluded the year with performances at Thailand’s Neon Countdown Festival, India’s Sunburn Festival, and China’s Storm Festival on New Year’s Eve.
Continuing his momentum into 2024, Hardwell has already performed at Ultra Music Festival Miami, Ultra Peru and Chile, Untold Dubai, and Don’t Let Daddy Know at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome. Upcoming appearances include Ikarus Festival, Vibiscum Festival, Nameless Festival, Heide Park Festival, Nova Era’s Beach Party, Ultra Europe, Parookaville, Medusa Festival, Creamfields, and two mainstage sets at Tomorrowland.
