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DJ Mag Top100 DJs
51
Diego Miranda
4

Portuguese DJ Diego Miranda has been in a mainstay in this poll since 2013. And while 2020 is a very different year for all of us, when it comes to the Top 100, it’s business as usual for the Ushuaïa DJ. After an incredible run of Beatport chart smashers and an NYE set in Thailand to over a million ravers in 2019, Diego has spent the year refocusing on his family, his dogs, his label LESS IS MORE Records, his studio and a whole wealth of collaborations.

As always with Diego, we should expect the unexpected. With a sound that touches on everything from dreamy EDM (‘Next Step’ with Mazza on Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike’s Generation Smash imprint) to pumping string-laced hard trance (‘Techno Guitar’) by way of the best cover version of Yello’s iconic funk runner ‘The Race’ we’ve heard in years, Diego’s accessible, versatile style remains just as vibe-some as it did pre-pandemic. Now focusing on bookings in 2021, he’s looking forward to being the first Portuguese DJ to headline Tomorrowland next year. Bring it on! 

What three things have most helped you through Coronavirus Lockdown? 

“For someone who spent most of the time travelling around the globe, it was very hard to cope with being in the same place all the time. On the other hand, it was great to be able to spend more time with my family in Portugal, and I also spent more time in the studio producing new tracks.” 

What lessons should the industry learn from this crisis? 

“We all tried to do our best at keeping the interaction with audiences but let’s face it, streaming and broadcasted DJ sets are not an option because there is no building of memories through a screen. People need to be together to do that. I believe that society, in general, is now more aware that social dancing, DJs and partying has an important role in the livelihood of so many people around the world.”

What steps need to be taken to address the racism in the dance music scene?

“Telling the history of dance music and the importance that, for example, Black communities had in the development and promotion of dance music globally might be a way to help with this issue.”

What industry changes are you personally pushing for to make the dance music scene more inclusive?

“I do a lot of collaborations with artists and producers from different countries, backgrounds, genders and ideologies. Right now I’m working on a huge project with an amazing singer called Wuant and my partner WAO.”

What’s the greatest dance music track of all time? 

“DJ Rolando 'Knights Of The Jaguar’.”