Deborah De Luca

From:Naples, Italy

Style:Techno

Best known for: “I hope for my music, and maybe because I am from Naples and I love it.”

Italian producer, DJ, and Solamente Records boss Deborah De Luca rises up the poll this year, following her position at the halfway point in 2022. Starting out as a waitress and a dancer in the ‘00s before progressing to the internationally renowned electronic music artist she is today, De Luca maintains the same grounded attitude across her long-running trajectory and refuses to play the game.

When the Scampia-born artist isn’t at home tending to her beloved dogs or enjoying the food and palpable energy that permeates her native city of Naples, De Luca is on the road touring and headlining some of the most influential clubs and festivals worldwide. This year alone saw De Luca lap the globe, playing in Amnesia, fabric, Watergate, Awakenings, Zurich Street Parade, Space Miami and many more. On her label, Solamente, De Luca released a slew of productions laced with her signature emotive yet driving sounds. Tracks like ‘Scema’ featuring Veronica Simioli and ‘Finire’ feat. Valeria Mancini showcased De Luca’s penchant for rolling techno paired with strong vocals, while her single ‘Awake’ conveyed her knack for blending ethereal textures with a hard-edged tip. It’s one of the reasons why she maintains a loyal fanbase in the millions.

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Le Shuuk

From: Stuttgart, Germany

DJ style:“Hard dance / electro / hardstyle / techno / EDM.”

Best known for: “The tracks ‘Sandmann’, ‘Toast Hawaii’ and ‘Konje’, as well as being a resident and face of WORLD CLUB DOME Festival.”

A mainstay of the electronic scene for almost 20 years now, Stuttgart native Le Shuuk is no stranger to the rigours of touring. In the last 12 months, he decided to overhaul his lifestyle, committing to exercising regularly and abstaining from drinking during his shows. As a result, the DJ and producer, who is a favourite of the German festival circuit, says that he is having more fun on stage than ever. He credits these changes with allowing him to connect on a deeper level with his audiences, as well as redefine his career goals and look with renewed focus to the future.

The new healthy habits clearly agree with him. As well as recently performing at festivals and clubs across Europe, and holding his own Le Shuuk & Friends parties in his home city, he continues to build on the momentum of tracks like 2020’s peak-rave, German language tune ‘Sandmann’ and 2021’s hypnotic ‘Goodbye’ (featuring Xillions). This year he had another star turn with the explosive ‘Konje’, a collaboration with B-Stylezz that combined modern techno and EDM with the traditional elements of Bulgarian folk songs, with the track receiving big support from the likes of Armin van Buuren, Amelie Lens, and Joyhauser.