Skip to main content
DJ Mag Top100 DJs
10
Timmy Trumpet
3
Timothy Jude Smith, the Australian DJ, producer and musician better known as Timmy Trumpet has finally cracked the top ten in 2020’s Top 100 DJs poll. He's been on an upward trajectory for a few years now, steadily moving up each year from No.75 in 2016 to this year’s top ten rankings. In that time, he’s become infamous for his full-on, no-holds-barred performances, high-energy delivery and of course for his live trumpet skills – he’s actually an accomplished musician who has been playing his instrument since he was four and was Australian Young Musician of the Year at the age of 13.
 
Timmy Trumpet first broke big with his twelfth release, the luminescent ear-worm ‘Freaks’ featuring rapper Savage in 2015. ‘Freaks’ went on to blow up internationally, garnering hundreds of millions of streams and going multi-platinum, propelling Mr Trumpet into the upper echelons of the global EDM high rollers and massive-festival circuit.
 
He’s since maintained a prolific recorded output on labels like Spinnin’, Armada, Ultra Music and Ministry Of Sound including collaboration with the likes of Carnage, KSHMR and Hardwell. Timmy can turn his hand to a number of styles and although he is best known for boshing electro-house and hardstyle, he’s also successfully dabbled with psytrance and hip-hop too. 
 
Pre pandemic, Timmy maintained a crazy global tour schedule and had spent much of last year on his 60-date ‘World At Our Feet' tour, taking in clubs, festivals and events in North and South America, Europe and all over Asia. As a DJ, he’s played main stage sets at pretty much every large EDM event you can name including Electric Love, Creamfields, Airbeat One, Tomorrowland, Electric Daisy Carnival, Rio Music Carnival and many more. 
 
However, 2020 for Timmy Trumpet has been all about production as he’s continued to turn out banger after banger, including collabs with Charlott Boss, Ghost, STARX, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike with ’The Anthem’, and with The Toneshifterz on ‘Fuck Yeah’. He’s also released a series of originals and remixes too, including a few tracks with lyrics that reflect the current global situation: “This year has been about making music that speaks to and for my fans, who I call family, who I’ve become closer to more than ever before. Tracks like ‘Mars’, ‘Diamonds’, and ‘The Prayer’ all relate to what we were going through.”
It’s clearly been a productive time for Timmy as come the end of the year, he’ll be delivering his fans a Christmas present in the shape of his first-ever full-length album: “I’m about to drop my debut artist album ‘Mad World’ this December as an ode to this year and the crazy rollercoaster that is 2020,” he says.
 

 
What three things have most helped you through Coronavirus Lockdown? 
 
“My friends and family, the connection I have with my fans, and the amazing gift of gratitude that my parents instilled in me. So many people are suffering and unable to escape the effects of the pandemic. My heart goes out to the heroes of 2020.”
 
 
What lessons should the industry learn from this crisis?
 
“That playing music for a living is a privilege and should always be respected and NEVER taken for granted. We have the best job in the world and not just because we play music — because we travel the world and connect with people.”
 
 
What steps need to be taken to address the racism in the dance music scene? 
 
“Listen, learn and try to understand how we got here and where we need to be. Music has the ability to bring people together and unite people of all cultures.”
 
 
What industry changes are you personally pushing for to make the dance music scene more inclusive?
 
“One thing this pandemic and technology has taught us is that the entire world is one live stream or video call away from connecting on a deeper level through music. We need to continue to find new ways to bridge the gap between our cultures and make dance music available to everyone, not just the people who can afford to buy tickets.”
 
 
What’s the greatest dance music track of all time? 
 
“Robert Miles ‘Children’.”