Darude

Toni-Ville Henrik Virtanen, known to the world as Darude, was born on July 17, 1975, in Eura, Satakunta, Finland. He is a prominent DJ and record producer whose music is celebrated for its progressive and uplifting style. Darude embarked on his musical journey in 1995, and by late 1999, he had released the iconic single 'Sandstorm,' which quickly became a platinum-selling hit.

His debut studio album, 'Before the Storm,' launched on September 18, 2000, achieved remarkable success, selling eight hundred thousand copies globally. The album not only topped Finland's Official List but also reached number six on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart in the United States, earning Darude three Finnish Grammy Awards in the process.

Following this success, Darude released his second studio album, 'Rush,' in 2003, which peaked at number eleven on the Billboard dance chart and number four on Finland's weekly album chart. His third album, 'Label This!', came out in 2007, and although it did not achieve the same chart success, it received praise for its single 'In the Darkness,' described by Gawker as a beautifully composed piece of trance music.

In 2011, Darude co-founded EnMass Music, a record label that has facilitated the release of various mix compilations tied to his radio show, 'Salmiakki Sessions.' He has performed at major festivals, including Tomorrowland's tenth anniversary in 2014 and the Future Music Festival in 2015. His latest studio album, 'Moments,' was released on August 14, 2015, followed by a tour across the United States and Canada. In 2019, he represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest alongside singer Sebastian Rejman with the song 'Look Away.'