Darude

Darude is a Finnish DJ and producer whose eternal 1999 trance opus “Sandstorm” soundtracked countless raves at the turn of the millennium. • He got his name after playing Leila K’s “Rude Boy” multiple times in a row while DJing a friend’s party. “Rude Boy” evolved into Darude. • “Sandstorm” charted across Europe and reached No. 3 in the UK. In the US, it spent 10 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at No. 5 on the Dance Club Songs chart. • Over the years, “Sandstorm” has been featured in everything from sports broadcasts to video games to a never-ending string of memes. It remains a signpost of club culture. • In 2000, Darude released his debut album, Before The Storm, which also features the single “Feel the Beat,” his second UK Top 5 hit. That same year, he earned three Finnish Grammy Awards. • Masked superstar DJ deadmau5 aptly credits Darude as being one of the artists “responsible for the influx of electronic music in North America.” • In 2015, Darude returned with Moments, his first full-length project in more than eight years. The album features various styles, including disco, trance, and electro and progressive house.