Issuu

2026 | AMSTERDAM DANCE EVENT EDITION

L I V E T O D AY LOV E TO M O R ROW UNITE FOREVER

Colophon Tomorrowland Today ADE Edition 2026 Published on the occasion of the Tomorrowland Expo at Amsterdam Dance Event. Publisher We Are One World Kattendijkdok - Westkaai 12 2000 Antwerpen tomorrowland.com Printing Magazine Masters The Tomorrowland Expo Address De Rode Hoed Keizersgracht 102 1015 CV Amsterdam, Nederland Opening Hours 21 October - 24 October, 2026 Wednesday 10:00 - 17:00 Thursday - Saturday 10:00 - 20:00

WE ARE ONE WORLD Since Tomorrowland’s first edition in 2005, one dream has guided its journey: to create

Contact

a global movement and connect with

Email: info@tomorrowland.com

people on a worldwide scale. What started

tiktok.com/@tomorrowland instagram.com/tomorrowland discord.com/invite/tomorrowland

as a single festival in Belgium has grown, step by step, into a community without borders,

built

music,

imagination,

and human connection. Over the years, Tomorrowland

has

found

new

homes

facebook.com/tomorrowland

across the globe. In mountains and cities,

twitter.com/tomorrowland

on dancefloors and in classrooms, its story

youtube.com/tomorrowland

continues to unfold in unexpected ways. Each new place adds a chapter, shaped by local people, cultures, and ideas, but all bound by the same belief in living today,

Special Thanks

loving tomorrow, and uniting forever. Here,

To all the People of Tomorrow, our

find an overview of what’s where – and

partners, contributors, and dreamers.

continue reading to discover more about

Thank you for being part of this journey.

EUROPE

Tomorrowland Belgium, Boom, Belgium Tomorrowland Winter, Alpe d’Huez, France Tomorrowland Presents Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Ibiza, Spain Solo Vida by Tomorrowland × Vallformosa, Penedès, Spain The Tomorrowland Expo, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Love Tomorrow Summit, Boom, Belgium Lab of Tomorrow, Boom, Belgium The Ride to Happiness by Tomorrowland, De Panne, Belgium Symphony of Unity, Antwerp, Belgium Atmosphere Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium Tomorrowland Flagship Store, Ibiza, Spain ZONE6: Run & Rave, Antwerp, Belgium

what, exactly, Tomorrowland is doing in all of those places.

NORTH & SOUTH AMERICA

Tomorrowland Brasil, Itu, São Paulo, Brazil (next edition: 2027) Tomorrowland Presents CORE, Medellín, Colombia Tomorrowland Presents CORE, Los Angeles, USA Tomorrowland Foundation Music & Arts School, Itu, São Paulo, Brazil Tomorrowland Foundation: Support of 4Eskuela, Medellín, Colombia Tomorrowland Foundation: Support of Estrela Nova and P.A.C., São Paulo, Brazil UNITY at Sphere, Las Vegas, USA

A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY Amsterdam Dance Event brings many different perspectives on electronic music into one city. For some, it’s a chance to share what they’ve been working on. For others, it’s a place to listen, exchange ideas and discover where things might go next. What makes the week compelling is the conversation between them: people with different experiences, brought together by a shared interest in music and the connections it enables. It’s in that spirit that we welcome you to this magazine. In the pages ahead, you’ll meet some of the people helping Tomorrowland’s world grow. Artists finding their own sound, makers turning ambitious ideas into experiences, and people opening doors for others through music. We step into studios, look behind the stages and explore the ideas, decisions and collaborations that bring it all together. There are familiar faces to get to know a little better, and new ones whose stories deserve your attention.

ASIA Tomorrowland Thailand, Chonburi, Thailand The Magic of Tomorrowland, Shanghai, China Tomorrowland Foundation Music & Arts School, Kolkata, India Tomorrowland Foundation Music & Arts School, Sekha, Nepal

AFRICA Tomorrowland Foundation Music & Arts School, Langrug, South Africa

OCEANIA Tomorrowland Presents CORE, Melbourne, Australia Acta Non Verba by Tomorrowland × Anvers, Adelaide Hills, Australia

WORLD Tomorrowland Digital: livestreams and the Tomorrowland App, Worldwide Tomorrowland on Roblox: a virtual world to explore, experience the Mainstage and connect with the People of Tomorrow, Worldwide One World Radio, Worldwide Tomorrowland Foundation: Support of Mobile School, Worldwide Tomorrowland Academy: Online DJ & Production Education, Worldwide

Tomorrowland’s roots are in Belgium, but its community reaches around the world. That connection takes many forms: festivals and dancefloors, radio broadcasts and releases, classrooms and creative collaborations. Each brings new people and perspectives into the story. This issue offers a closer look at that exchange, exploring how a shared vision takes on a different character in different places, and how much there is still to discover. Here in Amsterdam, that spirit finds a home at the Tomorrowland Expo in De Rode Hoed. It’s an invitation to explore, meet the people behind the ideas and get a little closer to the work. Whether you know Tomorrowland through its festivals, work somewhere within the wider music community or are discovering it for the first time, it’s good to have you here. We hope these pages introduce you to something you’ll want to hear more about, someone whose work you’ll follow, or a possibility you hadn’t considered. Perhaps they’ll give you a starting point for your next conversation this week. Welcome to Tomorrowland! 5

CONTENTS

A Voyage of Discovery

Table of Contents

A WORLD TAKING SHAPE There’s more to Tomorrowland than the familiar festival picture. Discover the world behind it – and how its different destinations come together under one roof in Amsterdam.

Make Room for a Detour

12 - 15 THE TALE OF CONSCIENCIA Six universal emotions, one physical world

17 & 19 ADE Must-Haves

20 - 23 People of Tomorrow 24

Step inside Tomorrowland’s latest theme, where monumental faces meet familiar feelings.

One World Radio

26 - 31 One World Artists

32 - 39 A WORLD IS BORN Four festivals, countless ways to come together A meeting point in Boom, a mountain stage in the French Alps, a few extra days to explore Brazil before the real festa kicks off... and now, a first full festival weekend in Thailand.

Broos Family Business

42 WE ARE TOMORROW Four lives, and the meaning of finding one another through music. We Are Tomorrow, a new documentary following Miss Monique, Olav, Fahbeer and Luca through four deeply personal journeys.

42 45

The Stories of Tomorrowland

Netsky Behind the Show

48 - 51 WHAT MAKES A BETTER NIGHT? Lab of Tomorrow What should the next generation of live experiences feel like? Six voices explore the possibilities and question what actually makes a difference.

52 - 55 Tomorrowland Foundation 56

Tomorrowland Store

TOMORROWLAND ACADEMY

In conversation with Mike Bond A few questions, a USB and a little patience. Mike Bond shares how an Academy encounter with Lucas & Steve led to something much bigger. Plus, a little extra to get you started. 7

TOMORROWLAND

A WORLD TA K I N G S H A P E From a Belgian summer to the mountains of France, the dancefloors of Brazil and new horizons in Asia, Tomorrowland’s story keeps finding fresh settings. This October, several come together under one roof in Amsterdam: here’s what awaits at the Tomorrowland Expo at Rode Hoed over the coming days. You might know the photograph before you know the festival: an immense stage, a sea of flags, and thousands of faces turned towards the same point. Tomorrowland makes quite a picture. Step outside the frame, though, and there is rather more to discover. There are workshops where those stages begin to take shape. Artists working towards a first release. Classrooms where someone is getting to grips with a pair of decks. And, increasingly, places around the world where Tomorrowland is putting down roots. This year’s Tomorrowland Expo brings that wider view, once again, to Rode Hoed. Its starting point is a simple question: how does a festival born in one Belgian town find a home in such different corners of the world?

BEGINNINGS IN BOOM

An appropriately named place for a music festival, perhaps: Tomorrowland held its first edition in Boom in 2005, and the Belgian town remains its home. Over the years, the festival has developed a particular way of doing things. Music provides the centre of gravity, while the world around it has become increasingly elaborate. A stage could suggest a city, a garden or somewhere that had yet to acquire a name on any map. Elaborate themes give those settings their characters and details – visitors supply the life. There is pleasure in the big reveal of the Mainstage, certainly, but also in the smaller discoveries made while wandering between sets. That attention to the whole experience has become a recognisable part of Tomorrowland, wherever it takes place.

FURTHER AFIELD

The core approach has travelled and packed for colder weather, too. In Alpe d’Huez, Tomorrowland Winter puts mountain stages on the itinerary alongside skiing and snowboarding. In Brazil, the festival finds a different rhythm, shaped by its lush surroundings and the people who fill them. Thailand is next, with its first edition approaching this December. Belgium, Winter, Brazil and Thailand form the focus of this year’s Expo. The family resemblance is there, but each destination brings something of its own, and exploring those differences is part of the point. 9

The exhibition is conceived as a route through these festival worlds, with an entrance passage setting the scene before visitors move around the main hall. Environments evoke the individual destinations, bringing their stories and development into the experience. History has its place along the way, but so does a sense of where things are heading. At the centre, One World Radio, Tomorrowland’s own radio station, is broadcasting live. It’s a fitting arrangement: however far the route takes you, it will always lead back to music.

BETWEEN THE FESTIVALS

The Expo’s itinerary is not just filled with major events, though. Throughout the year, Tomorrowland Academy helps DJs and producers develop their skills, while Tomorrowland Music gives artists a home for their releases. Through the Tomorrowland Foundation, music and arts education reaches children who might otherwise have fewer opportunities to explore their creativity. For anyone working in music, these connections offer plenty to investigate. For visitors discovering Tomorrowland for the first time, they help explain what sits behind the familiar festival image. You can begin with either perspective at Rode Hoed. Follow a destination that catches your eye, spend a little time around the radio studio, or look closer at an idea you had only seen from a distance: the Expo offers plenty to discover for everyone.

MAKE ROOM FOR A DETOUR Four days on the Keizersgracht to explore Tomorrowland’s wider world makes for plenty of reason to find a gap in your ADE diary. A quick coffee, one more meeting, a set someone insists you cannot miss: ADE plans have a habit of multiplying. The Tomorrowland Expo is an easy addition: a free exhibition at Rode Hoed, open from Wednesday 21 to Saturday 24 October. Inside, this year’s exhibition explores Tomorrowland’s festival destinations, with One World Radio set to broadcast from its centre. Come with a particular interest or simply see what catches your attention. You can follow the route at your own pace, the next appointment can have you back afterwards.

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

10:00–17:00 (Opening day)

10:00–20:00

10:00–20:00 (Final day)

Start your ADE week with a look around Tomorrowland’s world. Wednesday has an earlier finish than the other days, so make this a daytime stop: the Expo closes at 17:00.

There is a little more room in the timetable today. Visit in the morning, between afternoon plans, or in the early evening before heading onwards.

Still meaning to drop by? Friday’s opening hours run through to 20:00, leaving time for a visit after the daytime meetings are done.

The Expo’s last day welcomes ADE visitors and anyone spending the weekend in Amsterdam. Take a turn off your usual route along the canals and explore before doors close.

21 OCTOBER

22 OCTOBER

23 OCTOBER

24 OCTOBER

A LITTLE LIVE RADIO

PUT THIS IN YOUR PHONE

One World Radio, Tomorrowland’s own station, is set to make the Expo its Amsterdam broadcasting base. Alongside the exhibition, visitors can get a glimpse of the station at work and hear what is happening on air. The radio programme has its own schedule. If you are hoping to catch a particular broadcast or artist appearance, check the latest information before setting off. Exhibition opening hours do not necessarily match broadcast times.

WHERE Rode Hoed Keizersgracht 102 1015 CV Amsterdam

ENTRY Free admission to the Expo.

GETTING THERE Rode Hoed is within walking distance of Amsterdam Centraal, on the Keizersgracht. Look for number 102.

LATEST INFORMATION Check the website for programme updates and any separate registration or access requirements for individual activities: expo.tomorrowland.com All that remains is finding a little room in your busy diary!

THE TALE OF CONSCIENCIA Six universal emotions, one physical world

“The Mainstage commanded attention from afar while drawing onlookers in with seemingly infinite detail.”

What would a world look like if feelings shaped its landscapes? Tomorrowland’s Consciencia is the answer to that question, coming in physical form. First unveiled in Belgium this summer, its six Provinces invite visitors to ponder the forces that move us and the intricate balance between them.

For a festival built around music, emotion is familiar territory. Consciencia takes that familiarity somewhere unusual, though, into a fictional world where feelings shape the places people inhabit, the choices they make and the stories that follow. Wonder, Love, Anger, Joy, Desire and Sadness each have their own Province here, and together, they form the World of Emotions. It’s a setting whose surreal appearance begins with something thoroughly ordinary: we all know what it is to feel several things at once.

They give the settings encountered at the festival histories of their own. And all of these fictional worlds connect through the Great Library of Tomorrow, a central home to all of Tomorrowland’s records and a gateway between realms. It also gives its name to the opening novel of The Book of Wisdom trilogy, a separate adventure that brings Tomorrowland’s worlds together. While theme books explore individual tales, the trilogy allows the wider universe behind them to be explored.

The story behind the spectacle

Consciencia adds a particularly approachable perspective to that universe. Its subject is the emotional energy behind every adventure: longing for someone, fearing a loss, becoming curious enough to step beyond the familiar. Familiarity with Tomorrowland’s earlier themes is not required to be able to feel the formidable force of this one.

In the novel that records the full story, The Legend of Consciencia, Consciencia is a Soul Painter from the Province of Wonder. Her union with her lover, from the Province of Desire, is interrupted by a violent raid in which he is carried away by a Storm Beast. Finding him means confronting her own painful past and navigating uncertain alliances as a threat grows against their world. The emotional landscape becomes the setting for a very personal search.

From the page to the field In Belgium this summer, that energy acquired considerable physical presence. At the centre of the Consciencia Mainstage stood the Grand Visage of Amutaz, a monumental face containing the full spectrum of human emotion. Staircases and bridges spread out from this central figure, connecting a landscape whose logic seemed to come straight from a dream. Across the Provinces, butterflies expressed the changing nature of Love, while rock and stone gave Anger its raw, rugged character.

In the tale of Consciencia, emotions become forces of physical change, moving between worlds, giving Tomorrowland’s stories their momentum. Desire gives someone a reason to act; Wonder draws them towards the unfamiliar. Love creates something worth protecting, while Anger might reveal what they can no longer accept. That premise gives the theme room for more than happiness. Sadness and Anger belong here just as surely as Love and Joy. Even an uncomfortable feeling can tell us that something matters. The invitation is to recognise the whole range and find a balance within it.

Getting there required patience. More than two years passed between the first sketches and production, followed by 54 days of on-site construction. Tomorrowland’s creative and 3D departments developed the designs, with the Tomorrowland Atelier bringing them to completion through modelling, sculpting and fabrication. The completed stage measured 43 metres high and 140 metres wide, incorporating 38 fountains and two waterfalls.

Another door into Tomorrowland Consciencia also belongs to a larger collection of imagined worlds. In recent years, Tomorrowland has developed the origins of its festival themes through books including The Rise of Adscendo, The Spirit of Life and The Odes of Orbyz.

Beyond the Belgian summer An emotional world is a slippery brief for a construction team, though. It has no obvious dimensions. Turning it into something people can stand before means making thousands of concrete decisions: a surface, an expression, the curve of a staircase. It needed enough detail to reward a closer look while still making sense from the other side of a field. Fortunately, as every visitor to the Belgium edition can attest, the mission was well accomplished, with a creation that commanded attention from afar while drawing onlookers in with seemingly infinite detail. Tears of Joy were shed in abundance in front of this marvellous stage...

Consciencia’s next destinations are Thailand in December 2026 and Brazil in spring 2027. Tomorrowland’s imagined worlds already know something about travel: The Reflection of Love, Adscendo and LIFE all reached Brazil after their Belgian debuts. This time, the three destinations form an announced sequence within one overarching theme. A longer life gives this setting more opportunities to be encountered, understood and remembered. But its ability to connect those audiences rests on the idea itself. The six emotions offer a common starting point, while leaving room for people to bring very different experiences into the picture. 14

“In the tale of Consciencia, emotions become forces of physical change, moving between worlds, giving Tomorrowland’s stories their momentum.”

CONSCIENCIA, ON THE MOVE

A FAMILIAR FEELING In Belgium, the scale and detail of Consciencia could stop visitors in their tracks. But conversations beneath the Mainstage revealed connections that reached well beyond its façade. Wonder meant recognising how far life had travelled from a small hometown. Joy surfaced in university friends coming together

Gratitude for being at Tomorrowland could coexist with Anger that such opportunities were so unevenly shared. The Sadness of an airport goodbye could give way to tears of Joy before the Mainstage. And that overlap gives Consciencia something to carry into its next destinations. Its Provinces may have distinct

again, or a familiar national flag spotted above the crowd. Love brought thoughts of children waiting at home; Desire became the determination to return, keep creating and make connections despite the nerves that sometimes stood in the way.

identities, but the people standing before them bring experiences that rarely divide so neatly. As the setting travels from Belgium to Thailand and Brazil, who knows how many more deeply felt stories will be added to its record?

BELGIUM - THE DEBUT De Schorre, Boom 17–19 and 24–26 July 2026 THAILAND - A NEW DESTINATION Wisdom Valley, Pattaya 11–13 December 2026 BRAZIL - THE FINAL CHAPTER Parque Maeda, Itu, São Paulo 30 April–2 May 2027

ALL SET FOR ANOTHER SET

Some essentials earn their place

ADE MUST-HAVES

Store picks belong on your ADE

on the dancefloor. Others come into their own when you finally get back to your room. From a little shine to a well-deserved lie-down, these Tomorrowland packing list.

WR1 SNEAKER A busy ADE itinerary starts from the ground up. Tomorrowland’s newly released WR1 Sneakers bring a sporty finishing touch to your outfit, with a choice of seven colourways to make them your own. Time to lace up and get going!

SLOGAN RING Wear a few words worth remembering: “Live Today, Love Tomorrow, Unite Forever.” Engraved with Tomorrowland’s signature motto, this shiny, silver-plated ring adds a finishing touch to your outfit. It’s a small statement with plenty of feeling behind it.

LOOP EXPERIENCE 2 CONSCIENCIA BLUE Small enough to slip into your pocket, important enough to check for twice. These Tomorrowland x Loop earplugs reduce sound levels while keeping the music clear, with four ear-tip sizes and a carry case included. The Consciencia Blue finish adds a little colour to a proper dancefloor essential.

SARDA MESH SWIMSUIT

TML X JBL FLIP 7

Who said swimwear needs a pool? This black, figure-hugging one-piece from Tomorrowland x Sarda brings a bold mesh look to your ADE wardrobe. Style it with your favourite trousers and let it take centre stage on the dancefloor.

Your getting-ready playlist deserves its moment, too. The Tomorrowland edition of JBL’s portable Flip 7 speaker brings the soundtrack to your pre-party preparations. Hand over playlist duties to someone you trust, or prepare to start debating next tunes before you’ve even left the hotel room.

Discover the full collection at store.tomorrowland.com. 17

ICON SOCCER CAP Bring a sporting touch to your ADE look with the Icon Soccer Cap. An easy addition for daytime exploring or heading out to the next event, it puts your Tomorrowland allegiance on display. No particular talent for football – or styling your hair – required!

AVICII TRIBUTE T-SHIRT

BOARDING PASS ZIP HOODIE The dancefloor might feel like summer, but Amsterdam in October has other ideas. This black cotton zip hoodie pairs a relaxed fit with “We Are One” boarding-pass artwork on the back. Throw it on between venues and save the goosebumps for your favourite track.

Some tracks take you straight back to the moment you first heard them. Celebrate the artist behind so many of those moments with this relaxed-fit black cotton tee, featuring Tomorrowland x Avicii artwork on the front and back. All proceeds from the collection are donated to the Tim Bergling Foundation.

ANA SUNGLASSES Finish your daytime look with the Ana Sunglasses in Tortoise. An easy companion for a stroll along the canals, coffee with friends or the journey home after a long night, whatever time of the morning it happens to be.

IRIDESCENT BELT BAG Keep your essentials close and give your outfit a little extra flair. With its iridescent finish, zipped compartments and adjustable strap, this belt bag works around the waist or over the shoulder. That’s your belongings organised.

Discover the full collection at store.tomorrowland.com. 19

GROWN ALCHEMIST ELIXIR HYDRATING SKIN MIST A little refreshment between outings goes a long way. This fine facial mist hydrates the skin and carries Tomorrowland’s Elixir of Life fragrance, all in a handy 50ml bottle. Make room for it in your gettingready routine, especially when yesterday and today have started to blur.

‘‘ Tomorrowland feels unrepeatable, like something so amazing that I will never experience again’’ Carolina, Italy

“It’s hard to describe what Tomorrowland does to a person. It’s a feeling that you’ll never regret.” Philipe, Brazil

MEET THE

P E O P L E

O F

TO M O R R OW

What does Tomorrowland feel like? It’s hard to put into words, but you’ll see it in people’s eyes, hear it in their voices. A feeling of belonging. Of wonder. Of being exactly where you’re meant to be. From all walks of life, the People of Tomorrow come chasing the same spark, and find something even greater: each other.

YO U R U S

PA S S I O N A L L

B R I N G S

T O G E T H E R

‘‘ When I’m here, I feel like I’m escaping the world. I can be totally free’’ Gui, Brazil

“ The beauty of being here is seeing something wonderful in someone you have never met, and helping them see it in themselves too.” Amy, Indonesia

THE STORIES BETWEEN THE SETS AS ONE WORLD RADIO RETURNS TO ADE, CAMILLE POLLIE TALKS UNRELEASED DISCOVERIES, INSIDER KNOWLEDGE AND SEEING WHERE THE NIGHT TAKES HER. Camille Pollie

Tomorrowland’s final fireworks don’t mean the music has to stop. Far from it, in fact. Broadcasting around the clock, One World Radio – Tomorrowland’s very own radio station – keeps the People of Tomorrow connected all year through new releases, exclusive mixes, artist interviews and familiar voices. From its regular shows to live broadcasts at Tomorrowland in Belgium, Winter and Brasil, the station brings listeners closer to the music – and the people making it.

from the Tomorrowland Expo at De Rode Hoed, with Camille Pollie, Ben Malone and AdamK behind the microphones. Across three days, expect visiting artists, live mixes and conversations that go beyond the usual introductions. For Camille, ADE offers something particularly welcome: a little more time to see where those conversations lead. Ahead of her return, we caught up with the much-loved host to talk about unexpected discoveries, getting artists chatting and why the best evenings sometimes start without a plan.

This October, that connection moves to Amsterdam. For the second consecutive year, One World Radio will broadcast live

DROP BY OR TUNE IN The Expo is open to the public, with Armin van Buuren, Ely Oaks, Amber Broos, Laidback Luke, Nico Moreno, The Bausa, Alex Wann, Kevin de Vries and Joris Voorn just some of the confirmed studio guests. Expect short interviews, live mixes and a special onehour Friendship Mix LIVE recording. Broadcasts run 21 October, 12:00-18:00, and 22-23 October, 12:00-20:00 (Amsterdam time). Listen through the Tomorrowland App or online, with plenty available on demand afterwards.

WHAT’S ONE MOMENT FROM LAST YEAR’S ADE THAT’S STAYED WITH YOU? Camille: “Kölsch played a track during his set in our studio that immediately caught my attention. The vocals and the storyline really stood out, so I wanted to add it to a playlist, and asked him what it was. He told me it wasn’t out yet; he’d only just made it on the plane on his way to ADE! He’s since finished and released it as ‘Picasso’. Hearing it there first, then seeing it come out this year is something I really cherish.” HOW DOES BROADCASTING AT ADE COMPARE TO BELGIUM OR TOMORROWLAND WINTER? “There’s a different energy because we’re not in the middle of a Tomorrowland festival. Artists aren’t necessarily coming to us just before they have to go and play, so they tend to be more relaxed. You have a little more time to dive into things. The setting changes things too. In Belgium, we could see people arriving, dressed up and ready for the festival. At De Rode Hoed, people are coming to explore the Expo and join us. It’s a slightly easier tempo, which is lovely for having a conversation.” EVEN SO, THE INTERVIEWS ARE SHORT. HOW DO YOU GET PAST THE SMALL TALK? “Seeing the artists regularly really helps. Someone might tell you in the summer that they’re releasing something in two months. When you meet again at ADE, you can pick up that conversation and go straight into the music and its story. There’s also more opportunity to say hello before the interview. At a festival, an artist might arrive with five minutes to spare, and you have to make those minutes count. At ADE, you can often get past the courtesies before the microphone goes on.”

Kölsch

OUT OF YOUR CO-HOSTS BEN AND ADAM, WHO’S MORE LIKELY TO SURPRISE YOU WITH INSIDER INFORMATION? “Definitely Adam! He’s so well informed that sometimes I think, ‘Where did you get that?’ It’s information you wouldn’t find just by following an artist on Instagram. He’s like a little bird that catches everything, then comes out with a great question or something none of us knew.”

WHAT ABOUT WHEN YOU’RE MEETING SOMEONE FOR THE FIRST TIME? “With an established artist, there’s a whole career and back catalogue to explore. With someone starting out, it’s more about discovering who they are, what they’re about and where they see themselves going over the next few years. Sometimes it’s about putting on your big girl pants and going straight into a deeper question.”

WHERE WILL WE FIND YOU ONCE THE MICROPHONES ARE OFF? “Honestly, I don’t know, and that’s the lovely thing about ADE. Last year I hadn’t planned anything and ended up having dinner with Netsky and his team, then going to a bar where some of the Tomorrowland crew were too. It’s like following friends to a festival stage you wouldn’t normally visit and spending the whole night there. You just kind of go where the night takes you. That’s my plan again this year.”

ONE WORLD ARTISTS IN FULL COLOUR

What connects the rush of hard techno, the warmth of Afro house and the sweep of a live orchestra? At One World Artists, they all have a place. Tomorrowland’s artist agency supports emerging talent and established names through management and bookings, bringing the festival’s broad musical curiosity into the work of building careers. Its roster offers plenty of familiar faces, but also good reasons to listen beyond your usual favourites. Across these 27 acts, Belgian talent meets international voices, and the next discovery could be just a few lines away.

4444 OF A KIND Four artists, two celebrated duos, one shared appetite for hard dance. 4444 OF A KIND brings D-Block & S-te-Fan together with Sub Zero Project for a show built around music and striking audiovisual production. Their debut release, ‘Waiting 4’ on Tomorrowland Music, introduces the collective’s sound, combining both acts’ signatures in a new collaborative identity.

4444 OF A KIND

AGENTS OF TIME

MEET THE 29 ACTS MAKING UP THE TOMORROWLAND FAMILY AGENTS OF TIME Italian duo Andrea Di Ceglie and Luigi Tutolo have spent more than a decade developing the sound of Agents Of Time. Releases on Afterlife and their own Time Machine label trace an evolving musical partnership, while appearances from Paris’s Rex Club to Tomorrowland’s Mainstage show how comfortably their studio ideas translate to very different dancefloors. 27

ALT8 Trance euphoria meets tough techno drums in ALT8’s restless take on rave music. The Irish DJ and producer draws on the UK underground and influences from further afield, pairing offbeat basslines with infectious bounce. A Gotec residency and ‘Heaven’, his collaboration with Sara Landry, have helped carry that energetic sound to an increasingly international audience. AMBER BROOS Belgium’s Amber Broos brings an instinct for rave classics to her driving techno sets. Her mix of retro influences and contemporary energy has taken her to Tomorrowland, Pukkelpop and Ushuaïa, with her enthusiasm just as evident behind the decks as on air: radio slots on One World Radio and Studio Brussel disseminate her sound worldwide.

ALT8

ANDROMEDIK Big melodies and propulsive drum and bass are Andromedik’s calling cards. The Belgian producer’s debut album, ‘Ascension’, features Netsky, Kanine, Basstripper and A Little Sound, revealing the breadth of his musical world. Alongside tracks such as ‘Out of Body’, his Andromedik Invites events give that sound a home where he can share the spotlight with fellow artists. ANTDOT Brazilian rhythms run through Antdot’s blend of Afro house and melodic house, giving his productions a strong sense of place. Tracks including ‘Povoada’ and ‘Corpo e Canção’ bring that approach into focus. Through Dawn Patrol, the label and event concept he co-created with Maz, he is also helping bring those sounds to dancefloors around the world. BHASKAR

BART SKILS Bart Skils knows how to make a groove hold an entire room. A mainstay of Adam Beyer’s Drumcode, the Dutch producer favours rolling rhythms, hypnotic detail and carefully controlled power. Tracks including ‘Your Mind’ and ‘Roll the Dice’, alongside remixes for Underworld and Moby, reflect the studio craft behind his reputation as a compelling techno selector. BHASKAR Brazilian DJ and producer Bhaskar grew up surrounded by electronic music, beginning his musical journey alongside twin brother Alok. His own sound explores the emotional possibilities of organic and melodic house and techno. Releases including ‘Fuego’ with Alok and ‘Feeling So High’ with Sevenn offer entry points into a catalogue rooted in melody and dancefloor connection. CAMILA JUN

CALLUSH Berlin’s CALLUSH approaches techno with a raver’s curiosity and a taste for surprise. Industrial textures meet trance, EBM and hardgroove in sets that leave room for both rough edges and playful turns. A former dancefloor regular who taught herself to DJ, she also channels that independent spirit into Riot Tapes, her own label and event series.

and Impressum. His music plays with contrasting moods, building a space where the pull of the dancefloor meets a more inward-looking sense of discovery. ELFIGO Raised in Ibiza, 15-year-old French-Belgian DJ and producer ELFIGO connects the hooks of the 1980s and 1990s with contemporary tech house. His distinctive fourdeck approach has already reached Tomorrowland and the Montreux Jazz Festival. Releases on Spinnin’ Records and Tomorrowland Music take that musical curiosity into the studio, where his fascination with different eras continues to shape his sound.

CAMILA JUN House music sits at the heart of Camila Jun’s world. The Brazilian DJ and producer has released on Nervous and Toolroom, bringing her feel for the dancefloor to clubs and festivals internationally. She also co-created Brasília’s Tônica party brand, extending her passion for selecting music into shaping the spaces where people come together to hear it.

EMILIJA Expect a few sharp turns when EMILIJA takes over. The Lithuanian-born DJ moves between hard house, techno and eurodance, threading acid basslines and mischievous vocals through her selections. Her sets have a playful streak beneath their considerable force, with unexpected combinations keeping the dancefloor alert and familiar sounds finding new company as the night gathers pace.

DA TWEEKAZ Norwegian duo Da Tweekaz bring a sense of fun to hardstyle’s full-force energy. Kenth and Marcus have built their reputation on animated performances and an accessible sound that welcomes newcomers into the harder styles of dance music. Long associated with Dirty Workz, their productions and collaborations carry that same outgoing spirit from clubs to festival stages.

HENRI PFR Classical training gives Henri PFR’s dance-pop a musician’s touch. The Brussels-born pianist, composer, DJ and producer pairs melodic instincts with the energy of a festival set, an approach he has brought to Tomorrowland, Ultra and Lollapalooza. Collaborations with Robin Schulz, Gabry Ponte and Blasterjaxx sit alongside a growing catalogue built around his ear for an immediate hook.

DANNY AVILA Danny Avila takes techno’s driving kicks and basslines to festival scale. The Spanish DJ and producer developed Mainstage Techno as both a sound and a label, drawing on years of international touring. Tracks such as ‘Sagrada Familia’ and ‘The Procedure’ capture his approach, giving the physical intensity of club music the dramatic reach of a headline set.

JOHN NEWMAN You may recognise the voice before the name. John Newman broke through with Rudimental’s ‘Feel the Love’ and his own ‘Love Me Again’, bringing unmistakable soul to dance music. As a singer, songwriter, producer and DJ, he continues to connect those worlds, with 2026 single ‘Merry Go’ adding another bright chapter to his story.

DIMITRI VEGAS & LIKE MIKE Few acts are as closely woven into Tomorrowland’s story as Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike. The Belgian-Greek brothers have grown alongside the festival, bringing their highenergy sound from its stages to dancefloors around the world. Their catalogue spans festival anthems, global hits and collaborations with artists across electronic music and beyond, while their Mainstage performances remain rooted in the shared energy between the duo and the crowd.

LOST FREQUENCIES Lost Frequencies remains one of the easiest artists to recognise by feeling alone. Long before you identify the track, you will have already caught that familiar warmth in it, a softness around the edges, a hook that lands without needing to shove it. Félix De Laet has been carrying that instinct since ‘Are You With Me’ first broke through and made him the first Belgian artist to hit number one in the UK. A decade later, that gift still travels well.

DYZEN As Dyzen, Italian producer Francesco Perrone pairs techno rhythms with melodies that feel psychedelic, nostalgic and sometimes both at once. Since launching the project in 2018, he has released on labels including Afterlife, Oddity

“Seven years ago, MANDY MANDY brings an outgoing, crowd-focused approach to the harder styles. Her sound combines accessible hooks with rave influences, delivered with the energy that has taken her to Tomorrowland, Defqon.1 and EDC. Alongside her original productions, her official hard dance rework of ‘Jackie Chan’ offers a fitting introduction to the way she turns familiar melodies into something fiercer. NETSKY Netsky’s drum and bass has always made room for melody and connection. The Belgian producer’s catalogue stretches from ‘Second Nature’ to ‘Barricades’ with Rita Ora, alongside collaborations with artists including David Guetta and Lil Wayne. His Netsky & Friends concept takes that collaborative instinct onto the stage, bringing fellow artists into the world he has built. NOSI Luxembourg’s NOSI builds his music around the meeting of melody and momentum. Working across Afro house and melodic house, the DJ and producer found a wider audience with his 2025 breakout ‘So Good’. Support from artists including Arodes and John Summit, alongside a Tomorrowland debut, has carried a journey that began with intimate local gigs onto international stages. NOVAH Antwerp’s NOVAH brings an adventurous ear to hard techno, weaving acid, industrial textures and psytrance into her sets. Her breakout ‘Papi’ and follow-up ‘ACID’ on Tomorrowland Music have helped take that sound beyond the underground. Behind the decks, she balances intensity with control, drawing on different styles to keep the dancefloor moving through each change of direction. OSCAR AND THE WOLF Oscar and the Wolf is the musical world of Max Colombie, where pop, R&B and electronic music meet in songs that move between longing and release. Since his debut album ‘Entity’, the Belgian artist has made emotional openness central to his work. Onstage, striking visuals and an expressive presence turn that intimacy into a shared experience.

life knocked me down hard. But if that version of Noa could see me today, she would be so proud of the woman I’ve become.” NOVAH

ROW1 Hard trance and driving percussion define ROW1’s sound. From bedroom beginnings, the 24-year-old DJ has taken his intense sets to clubs across Europe. Rooted in the hard dance underground, his approach celebrates individuality, community and the raw energy of the dancefloor. SAMM Warmth is central to Samm’s sound. The Belgian DJ and producer brings soulful touches to Afro house and melodic techno, drawing on years spent developing his craft before launching his solo project. His debut ‘Does It Matter’ attracted support from CamelPhat, Keinemusik and Adriatique, introducing a musical personality with an inviting feel and a clear instinct for the groove.

OSCAR AND THE WOLF

SUB ZERO PROJECT Sub Zero Project combine hardstyle’s emotional melodies with an appetite for sonic experimentation. The Dutch duo behind ‘Darkest Hour’, ‘Our Church’ and ‘Trip to Mars’ have brought their sound to Tomorrowland, Defqon.1 and EDC. Their productions and elaborate live shows give equal attention to the anticipation of a melody and the force of the drop that follows. SYMPHONY OF UNITY Familiar electronic melodies take on a different scale in the Symphony of Unity. Created by Tomorrowland and first presented in 2015, the project brings around 50 musicians together to reinterpret dance music through orchestral arrangements. Strings, brass and percussion reveal fresh details in beloved tracks, inviting festival audiences to hear the music they know from another perspective.

SUB ZERO PROJECT

YVES V A familiar face on Tomorrowland’s Mainstage, Belgian DJ and producer Yves V moves across house music, from expansive festival tracks to pop-minded collaborations. ‘We Got That Cool’, with Afrojack and Icona Pop, captures his knack for a memorable hook. Years of international performances underpin an approach shaped by both the record and the crowd in front of him.

SYMPHONY OF UNITY

A WORLD OF ITS OWN Four festivals, countless ways to come together

A meeting point in Boom, a mountain stage in the French Alps, a few extra days to explore Brazil before the real festa kicks off... and now, a first full festival weekend in Thailand. Tomorrowland’s world keeps growing, giving the People of Tomorrow all the more places to find each other.

At ADE, that international community is all around us. Artists, organisers and music lovers alike arrive with different stories, often connected by a festival, a specific set or a friendship that started far from home. Tomorrowland’s four main editions give those connections somewhere to grow. Around them, a wider family of events is finding its own audiences, from CORE’s dancefloors to the conversations at Love Tomorrow Summit. This year, there is a particularly tangible connection between three of those destinations. Consciencia, the creative world introduced in Belgium this summer, continues to Thailand in December before reaching its finale in Brazil in 2027. A story that once unfolded over two weekends now has a journey of its own. 33

Tomorrowland Belgium

For all the new destinations on the map, Boom remains Tomorrowland’s point of reference. At De Schorre, the walk between stages is part of the pleasure: following a sound you recognise, taking a detour towards one you don’t, then trying to explain to your friends exactly where you have ended up. Agreeing on a meeting point remains a useful skill.

THE PLACE WE COME BACK TO

Across two weekends this July, Tomorrowland Belgium welcomed 400,000 People of Tomorrow from more than 200 countries. Consciencia gave that gathering a world shaped by six emotions: Wonder, Love, Anger, Joy, Desire and Sadness. Its ideas travelled through the festival’s storytelling and stage design, while the breadth of the music left plenty of room for visitors to make their own discoveries. That freedom to explore is central to Belgium’s appeal. The Mainstage provides the shared moments. Elsewhere, a set can become the personal highlight you keep returning to. DreamVille extends the experience into a temporary neighbourhood, while Global Journey brings people together on the way there. Together, they make the festival feel like a place to inhabit for a few days – somewhere familiar enough to return to, with enough left to discover next time.

FACTS TOMORROWLAND BELGIUM ●

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De Schorre, Boom, Belgium 00,000 People of Tomorrow across two 4 weekends

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Visitors from more than 200 countries

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16 stages

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0,000 Global Journey travellers from 165 5 countries

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38,000 DreamVille guests per weekend

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78 hectares of DreamVille camping grounds

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1 9 DreamVille accommodation package types (excluding hotels)

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72,000 m² of wooden walkways at DreamVille

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50,000 m² of steel road plates at DreamVille

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round 2,500 pre-pitched CAMP2CAMP tents A at DreamVille onsciencia Mainstage: over 43 metres high C and 140 metres wide 56 lasers, 38 fountains and two waterfalls on the Mainstage

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Six monumental heads representing Consciencia’s six emotions

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233 million livestream views across platforms 15,000 crew members per day 1.5 years of Mainstage design, development & fabrication (in-house)

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34 hectares = 340,000 square meters = the size of 63 football fields

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Tomorrowland THAILAND

No one has their usual meeting spot yet, every route through the grounds

MAKE TIME FOR THE JOURNEY

From 11-13 December 2026, Wisdom Valley in Chonburi will become that exciting place for Tomorrowland Thailand, the brand’s first full-scale festival in Asia. Consciencia continues its journey here, with the Mainstage, CORE and Freedom forming part of a festival designed to welcome a new gathering of the People of Tomorrow. The programme also gives Thailand’s own electronic music community a substantial presence. More than 20 local artists are included, with names such as Nakadia, Botcash and Honey Gee appearing alongside an international line-up featuring Martin Garrix and Swedish House Mafia. For visitors, that creates an opportunity to follow familiar favourites while getting to know artists from the host country. Thailand takes its place alongside Belgium, Brasil and Winter with an identity still waiting to be shaped by its first crowd. And who wouldn’t love to do that, being there when a new festival begins to feel like home?

is a discovery, and the crowd gets to establish the traditions that future visitors will inherit: there is a particular excitement around a first edition.

FACTS Announced for the 2026 debut (Sold out) ●

Wisdom Valley, Chonburi, Thailand

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11-13 December 2026: three festival days

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Tomorrowland’s first full-scale festival in Asia Consciencia Mainstage planned at 43 metres high and 140 metres wide

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More than 100 artists on the announced line-up

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Artists representing more than 20 nationalities

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More than 20 local artists

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237-acre festival site (approximately 96 hectares)

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Capacity of more than 50,000 people per day

FACTS Latest edition and next stop ●

Alpe d’Huez, France

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Seventh edition: 20-27 March 2027 More than 22,000 People of Tomorrow in 2026 (Sold out)

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More than 150 artists performed in 2026

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Seven indoor and outdoor stages in 202 6 More than 250 kilometres of slopes across the ski area

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78 ski lifts across the ski area

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La Sarenne: a 16-kilometre ski run starting at Pic Blanc

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Mountain stages accessible to non-skiers too

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Tomorrowland WINTER

In Alpe d’Huez, checking the day’s programme means thinking about the

FOLLOW THE MUSIC UPHILL

Returning from 20-27 March 2027, Tomorrowland Winter combines a stay in the French Alps with stages across the ski area and in the resort below. Skiers and snowboarders have more than 250 kilometres of slopes to explore, while visitors without skis can reach the mountain stages too – you can come for the music and still spend much of the day looking up. The setting changes the rhythm of the experience. There is room for long lunches, another descent or an afternoon spent following the stages across the mountains. Later, the focus moves back into Alpe d’Huez, with the indoor Mainstage opening from Tuesday to Friday. A week here asks for a different kind of festival stamina: save something for the following morning. The mountains will still be waiting.

mountain as well as the music. A morning on the slopes can lead to a set high above the village, with lunch somewhere along the way. The scenery earns its place on the line-up.

Tomorrowland BRASIL

At Parque Maeda in Itu, São Paulo, Tomorrowland has been building its Brazilian story since its first edition in 2015. The setting gives the festival space to create an entire world, with DreamVille offering a home for those who want to stay close to it. For visiting People of Tomorrow, it is also an invitation to get to know the country around the festival.

MAKE TIME FOR THE JOURNEY

That invitation becomes more concrete in 2027. Global Journey’s new Discover Brasil programme brings Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo into the adventure before festivalgoers arrive in Itu. There is time to explore, meet fellow travellers and begin the conversations that will carry on through the weekend. By the time the first festival set begins, the trip already has a story. From 30 April to 2 May, Brasil will host the concluding chapter of Consciencia. After Belgium and Thailand, its arrival at Parque Maeda gives the shared theme a final setting and a new audience. For DreamVille guests, The Gathering starts the celebrations on the Thursday. It’s a good reason to leave a little room on either side of the weekend: some of the moments that make a festival trip begin before its gates open.

FACTS Announced for 2027 ●

Parque Maeda, Itu, São Paulo, Brazil

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30 April-2 May 2027: three festival days

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Six stages planned More than 150 artists for the programme

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Consciencia Mainstage planned at 43 metres high and 140 metres wide

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inal chapter of Consciencia’s journey through F Belgium, Thailand and Brazil Discover Brasil introduces pre-festival travel experiences in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo

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A FEW MORE PLACES TO FIND tomorrow CORE

IBIZA, AND A LITTLE FURTHER AHEAD

With its monumental face towering above the dancefloor, CORE has one of Tomorrowland’s most recognisable stage designs. Created by Tomorrowland’s own creative team, the house and techno concept’s striking visual identity has travelled from the festival’s forests to destinations including Tulum, Medellín and Los Angeles. Next comes its Australian debut at Flemington Racecourse on 28 November. Honey Dijon, Moodymann and TSHA are among the names heading to Melbourne, while a Los Angeles return is already earmarked for 2027.

Tomorrowland’s Ibiza presence stretches from the Ushuaïa residency with Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike to a dedicated Tomorrowland Store on the island, home to the One World Radio studio. Meanwhile, a new project is taking shape with an opening planned for 2027, so stay tuned for more details to emerge.

THE MAGIC OF TOMORROWLAND Shanghai’s HERO DOME provides the perfect canvas: a 99-metre curved screen surrounding an immersive indoor music experience. The 17-18 October 2026 edition of The Magic of Tomorrowland took Planaxis as its inspiration, translating the underwater world into visuals and stage designs with a wealth of artists programmed across the two days.

SYMPHONY OF UNITY Symphony of Unity gives familiar electronic music a fresh life through the overwhelming, emotional sound of a full-size orchestra. Melodies you might know from the dancefloor take on a different texture when played by more than 50 musicians! In 2026, the Symphony of Unity’s Horizon show travelled from Tomorrowland Belgium to Tenerife and Verona’s Roman amphitheatre, with further shows set to be revealed for 2027.

ZONE6 At ZONE6, the finish line leads straight to the dancefloor. A social five-kilometre run flows into a daytime rave with full Tomorrowland production, bringing runners together at their own pace before the DJs take over. Following its Antwerp debut in August, a second edition is already on the horizon.

LOVE TOMORROW SUMMIT At the Love Tomorrow Summit, De Schorre becomes a place to exchange ideas about the future. Its programme brings music into conversation with science, entrepreneurship, technology and wellbeing. Alongside it, The Impact Circle connects entrepreneurs, investors and organisations around opportunities for collaboration. At the Summit, you’ll have discussions that stay with you as long as your favourite set!

UNITY AT SPHERE In 2025, Tomorrowland and Insomniac joined forces for UNITY at Sphere in Las Vegas. The shows brought the imagined worlds of both organisers into the venue’s wraparound visuals, pairing cinematic storytelling with original orchestration before a live guest artist performance closed each night. It was a chance to step inside familiar festival worlds on an entirely different scale, with the scenery reaching far beyond the stage.

TWO GENERATIONS, ONE STORY BEHIND THE DECKS In a mere couple of years, Amber Broos has grown into one of Tomorrowland’s true sweethearts, but this July she returned for a performance unlike any other, as she wasn’t taking to the decks alone. Joining her was her father Joeri Broos, founder of DJ school Begin To DJ and the man who first introduced her to electronic music. Their debut b2b set at the House of Fortune was more than a family affair; it was a meeting of generations, where decades of dance music history met one of techno’s brightest contemporary voices. Named among the festival’s highlights by Belgian newspaper Nieuwsblad, the performance brought a lifelong shared passion to the Tomorrowland stage. We caught up with father and daughter just before the show to talk musical roots, mutual admiration and the excitement of sharing the decks for the very first time.

“We prepared well, but if the audience takes us somewhere else,

TWO GENERATIONS, ONE STORY BEHIND THE DECKS

we'll happily follow in that direction.” Amber, besides sharing your last name, today you’ll also be sharing the DJ booth. What’s the biggest difference between the father and daughter dynamic at home and standing backto-back behind the decks? Amber: "That's a tough question! But come to think of it, they’re not even that different. At home we're always talking about music as well. Music has always been the centre of our family, and even though we don't see each other as often anymore, whenever we do we always end up talking about what matters most to us: music. And that makes it extra special that we now get to share our greatest passion together on stage. I’m also a little nervous, because apart from maybe an intimate family gathering here and there, we've never done this before. This will be our very first b2b in front of an audience, so it's definitely going to be thrilling." Joeri, you made sure Amber was spoon-fed the best dance music in the world since she was a baby. But are there things Amber has taught you in return? Joeri: "What I've learned from Amber is how she tells a story through her music. I really admire how deeply passionate she is, not only about her own music, but about music in general. I'm often in complete awe of how she distils everything – from the influences she got from me to everything she has picked up along the way – into her own unique style. But what I'm perhaps most proud of is how down-to-earth she has remained. I probably wasn't like that at her age. She stays focused and she'll never become too big for her own boots." Does that difference in storytelling perhaps stem from the fact that in your

day, Joeri, DJ sets often lasted for hours, whereas today they’re usually much shorter? Joeri: "Yes, absolutely. Twenty years ago, all-night sets were the rule. You’d have to build up to a peak, bring the energy back down, and start all over again, and rinse and repeat for as long as the night lasted. Your story unfolded over six or seven hours. Today you often have just one hour, and that single hour has to tell your whole story. That's a challenge. As far as I'm concerned, there's no right or wrong approach, but they're completely different skills. You have to train yourself for both if you want the story you're telling to always truly be your own." The difference between a good b2b set and a great one is trust. How much of your set is prepared, and how much will you leave to the moment? Amber: "Because this is our first time doing this on such a big stage, we did prepare quite a large part of the set. It's simply the smart thing to do. And, to be honest, it also gives us a bit of confidence because one of us (points at Joeri) ‘might’ be just a little nervous, haha! But it's only a framework. The most important thing about being a DJ is reading the crowd, so if the audience takes us somewhere else, we'll happily follow in that direction. We can already reveal that it will be a bold mix of brand-new techno, some timeless classics my dad dug up, and a few of my own tracks. But above all, it's about having fun – as it always should be." Joeri: "We'll each bring our own style to the table. I'll stay true to some of the classics I grew up with, and it'll be really interesting to hear how they blend with Amber's fresh sound. That contrast should create some incredible energy." 41

If you had to describe each other's DJ’ing style, what would you say? Are your styles fundamentally different, or more alike than people might think? Amber: "I think they're really two versions of the same story. In the end, I learned everything from my dad. Of course there are some differences. I'm probably a bit rougher in my mixing style – I tend to turn the knobs a little more aggressively. My dad still has that natural flow from playing vinyl back in the day, so I'd describe his style as smoother, slower and full of finesse." Joeri: "That's a very nice way of saying I'm getting old!" (laughs) When the final record fades out and you walk off stage together, what will have made this set a success? Joeri: "For me, it will be a success if we've managed to take the People of Tomorrow on a journey – if we've immersed them in a musical story that stays with them, even if it's only for a little while. That's what makes it magical." Amber: "And let's be honest: it'll be a success either way. Playing b2b with my dad is already a fantastic experience, and doing it at Tomorrowland, surrounded by the People of Tomorrow, is something we'll cherish forever." If you could dedicate one track to each other that perfectly captures both the DJ and the person behind the artist, what would it be? Amber: "For my dad I'd pick 'Rollin' & Scratchin'' by Daft Punk. Or maybe 'Sky and Sand' by Paul Kalkbrenner – that has always been his song." Joeri: "For Amber I'd choose 'Wide Open' by DJ Hyperactive. It reflects the confidence and determination she brings to her DJ sets."

WE ARE TOMORROW Four lives, and the meaning of finding one another through music.

MISS MONIQUE

Miss Monique “Ukraine is still my home and it seems like my heart stayed in Kyiv.” Coming from someone whose life revolves around 200 flights a year, those words carry a particular weight. Miss Monique can travel the world, make music and share in the happiness of an enormous crowd while still longing for the place she left behind. She remembers closing the door to her home and driving away with a single bag. That memory sits alongside the wonder of performing at a festival she could once only hope to visit. And the accompanying emotions all belong to her story: even in a moment of extraordinary joy, there is room for her to be missing home.

Tomorrowland and Amazon Music present

Olav

We Are Tomorrow, the latest episode

Years of travelling left photographer Olav Stubberud thinking about where, and with whom, he spent his time. Touring with artists including Kygo and Justin Bieber, he had built a career around moments worth remembering. Yet eventually, he stopped feeling anything when he pressed the shutter. His father’s sudden death brought painful questions about slowing down and spending time with the people he loved. Analogue photography helped him find his way back. At Tomorrowland, he can spend half an hour making a single photograph, giving himself time to feel the moment he is capturing. There is something moving in watching him rediscover a love that had once seemed so far out of reach, but has now become instinctive once more.

this

documentary

series

following

Miss Monique, Olav, Fahbeer and Luca through four deeply personal journeys. Together, they reveal what the world of Tomorrowland means to people whose lives have taken very different turns – and how much a moment of happiness can hold. There is laughter and pride, alongside memories that remain difficult to speak about. Through music, creativity and the people they meet, each finds something precious: a connection to home, a renewed sense of purpose, the courage to share a passion, or somewhere to belong. These are their stories.

Fahbeer For Fahbeer, that instinctive pleasure is there in the surprise of someone tasting one of her cocktails. At her Bangkok bar, Lost in Thaislation, familiar Thai dishes find unexpected forms in a glass. She learned to cook as a hungry child; as a teenager, she chose bartending because she wanted to know more people. Those beginnings make the invitation to bring her concept to Tomorrowland especially touching. Her first journey to Europe would be to share something she had created, and listening to her pride, you feel the significance of that fact. Flavours she had understood since childhood had found a place in Europe, and so had she.

Luca

Wat c h We A re Tom or row on A m a z on P r i m e a n d A m a z on Mu s i c & You Tu b e .

Luca knows how much a moment of unexpected happiness can mean. Delivering flowers in everyday life, he delights in the surprise on people’s faces when someone sends them a colourful message. That everyday tenderness stays with you as he shares the story of a childhood marked by abandonment and abuse, and of years when he had no one to turn to. Winning Tomorrowland tickets in 2017 opened a door to people who would remain in his life: he says around 80 per cent of his friends now come from the festival. There is so much meaning in that ordinary word, friends. People to share another day with, people who make tomorrow something you can look forward to: that’s what Luca has found at the festival.

THE STORIES OF TOMORROWLAND DISCOVER THEM IN THE GREAT LIBRARY OF TOMORROW volume, The Sky of Sacrifice. As Nu embraces newfound love and her role as the Sage of Truth, fresh nightmares herald darker forces. Secrets arise, friendships are tested, and the Sages must pursue different paths through realms where even the strongest can become undone.

Tomorrowland is unique within the festival scene for setting every edition in a meticulously fleshed-out fantasy world. Every year’s Mainstage is different, a reflection of a story developed years in advance, and brought to life by performances and shows that invite visitors to dive deeper into the underlying mythology.

And now, another portal has opened. The newly launched Tomorrowland Stories platform invites you into this growing fantasy universe, bringing together the festival’s origin stories, the trilogy and The Odes of Orbyz comic. At stories.tomorrowland.com, you can explore the books and read their opening chapters, taking your first steps into worlds both familiar and unknown.

With Tomorrowland’s festival backstory novels, readers can explore the worlds behind the themes, from The Rise of Adscendo and The Spirit of Life to The Odes of Orbyz and The Legend of Consciencia. Meanwhile, the Book of Wisdom trilogy brings these magical realms to the here and now, connecting familiar places in one extraordinary adventure. The first book, The Great Library of Tomorrow, starts with an alarming event: Perennia, the Rose Garden’s mythical dragon, has gone missing, and her natural habitat is on fire. Panic ensues, but there is no need to despair: Helia, the Great Library’s Sage of Hope, and her fellow Sages are determined to protect the realms. Finding the Book of Wisdom that normally guides them eerily silent, they embark on a quest to defeat a dark entity known as the Ash Man.

Follow @tomorrowland.stories on Instagram to venture deeper into these magical worlds, with behind-the-scenes stories, festival Easter eggs, beautiful artwork and exclusive content, plus book news, special activations and competitions.

The adventure continues in the now-released second

BUYING YOUR COPY Explore Tomorrowland’s novels and comics at store. tomorrowland.com/pages/books. The released volumes of the Book of Wisdom trilogy are also available at regular bookstores.

TECHNOLOGY

“For me, making music and building software actually involve the same kind of problem-solving.”

NETSKY BEHIND THE SHOW 46

FROM DJ INSTINCT TO BACKSTAGE INNOVATION:

BORIS DAENEN BEYOND THE BOOTH A room full of stage lights and smoke machines might sound like an unusual setup for a garage. For Boris Daenen aka Netsky, it was a place to test an idea born on the road: what if the technology behind a show could better understand what the DJ was playing? As Boris knows, a drum & bass drop doesn’t always land when you expect it. Sometimes the whole point is to keep the crowd waiting.

Boris, before we get into Timeline, where does your interest in technology come from? “Technology has fascinated me ever since I was a kid. Long before my music career took off, I was already programming computers. For me, making music and building software actually involve the same kind of problem-solving. At Tomorrowland, I spend a lot of time at front of house and around the technical side of the festival because I’m so interested in it. It means a lot to see the people behind the production getting recognition from the crowd.” How did that interest become a project of your own? “A few years ago I built an application purely out of necessity for my own shows. It solved a problem I kept running into while touring. Drum & bass has something we call a fake drop. The whole trick is making people believe the drop is about to happen and then delaying it. Sometimes local lighting operators would trigger the biggest effects too early, completely ruining that moment. Our software understands those musical dynamics much better.”

If the lights announce the big moment too early, part of that surprise is lost. With Time-line, the technology company he co-founded, the Belgian artist is bringing his experience behind the decks together with a fascination for programming that predates his music career. It’s a story with plenty of relevance at ADE, where artists and the people building their shows cross paths. Here’s how musical instinct and creative ambition came together with the challenge of keeping a production in step for this DJ

So how does the software help the technicians at the controls? “Before a DJ even plays a track, Time-line analyses the music, recognises the mood and energy, and helps determine how lighting, visuals and special effects should respond. It’s all built around machine learning, but the goal is never to replace creativity. It’s there to support everyone working behind the scenes. We actually want to shine a light on those people. When people hear AI and music in the same sentence, they immediately think about software creating songs. That’s not what we’re doing at all.”

who can change direction at any moment.

Your own shows range from simple DJ sets to all-in concepts with visuals. What goes into building a performance around a bigger concept? “It’s a much longer creative process because it isn’t just about the music anymore. The visuals, the storytelling and the entire atmosphere all have to come together perfectly.” And what appeals to you about a set where you simply turn up and play? “That’s much more relaxed. I can simply arrive, play records and throw a proper party. I genuinely love both sides of it.” What did testing Time-line look like, from festival stages to your own garage? “We spent months testing it everywhere, including festivals like EDC. Some of my favourite memories are actually from my garage in Los Angeles, where we filled the room with stage lights and smoke machines while testing everything ourselves. Those moments, when you suddenly realise something actually works, give me the same feeling as finishing a great piece of music. The difference is that this project never really ends. We keep building.” After all that work, what tells you that a show has really connected with the crowd? “I remember watching footage of one of my shows and noticing hardly any phones in the front row. People were just enjoying themselves, and the energy was incredible. People come together with their friends and make a whole day of it. However much work goes into the technological side of things, the experience they’re having together is still the most important part.”

WHAT MAKES A BETTER NIGHT? LAB OF TOMORROW From the dancefloor, nobody is counting cables. You probably haven’t given much thought to how the LED panels fit together, either – unless they don’t. But a night that feels effortless depends on people solving unglamorous problems, and on bright minds dreaming up

At Lab of Tomorrow in Boom, Belgium, those people have a place to compare notes. The Tomorrowlandlinked hub brings together companies working across live entertainment, from show production and sound to software and audience services. Through shared workspaces, facilities for experimentation and introductions to fellow specialists, it helps them develop ideas and explore how their work could fit together. In this roundtable discussion, six members of that community came together to discuss what technology should do for live experiences. How does it enhance the show, and when should it get out of the way instead?

novel technological marvels.

Meet the contributors Evelyn Robbrecht Founder, Time-Line Software that helps lighting, visuals and effects follow a live musical performance.

Nathalie Van Damme Staff Planner, LED Technician, LED Visions LED screen rental and installation for events and productions.

Marwin Grundel Co-Founder & CEO, chaanz Event apps combining practical information with tools for audience connection and community.

Vanya Schreuders General Manager Benelux, GET Connected systems for payments, access and event operations.

Linda Holleman Managing Director, Tickets for Good NL+BE A platform connecting eligible audiences with free or discounted event tickets.

Michele Miconi Founder & CEO, AiDefine | Founder, StagePilot An AI festival companion bringing together information, discovery and planning.

PORTEX

What has changed most in what people expect from a live experience? Nathalie: “I’ve worked at LED Visions for four years, and you really see festivals developing. They want bigger screens, more immersive visuals, content that makes people go ‘wow’. And the constructions get more difficult.” What looks simple to the audience but is actually hard to deliver? Nathalie: “Corners! At Kappa FuturFestival, we had a construction with 90-degree corners. Getting the panels to fit takes tubes, screws and a lot of time. Everything has to line up perfectly for the visuals. If there’s a difference of a couple of pixels, you see it in the content. People look at it and say, ‘It’s a nice cube. It looks easy’. No, no!” Marwin: “With apps, people expect everything to work perfectly too. If they buy a ticket, they want it directly in their wallet. They don’t want to click something and suddenly jump into a browser. A timetable or a map is basic now. People want the important information at the right moment. They don’t want to go searching through a FAQ.” Linda: “Can I come back to the question about expectations? For me, it’s almost the other way around. We’re talking about bigger, better, broader experiences – but do people feel welcome? What about someone without such a big wallet, or someone in a wheelchair? Does everyone feel invited?” Evelyn: “I think that’s a great point. People want immersive experiences, but they also want to be among other people. That feeling when the music and everything around it hits just right doesn’t need a huge stage. At Tomorrowland, I remember people seeing the Mainstage, almost with tears in their eyes, then hugging the friend next to them. But I also went to the Rave Cave, where everyone is packed into a tiny featureless box. You see that feeling there too: we’re together, living in the moment.” Vanya: “Visitors don’t think in separate systems like ticketing, access, payments. They just experience the event. Meanwhile, organisers need to understand what’s happening and be able to respond. The challenge is to make the operation smarter without making the experience feel more technological.” How much does getting your part right depend on other teams getting theirs right? Evelyn: “I think the whole festival is like that. You can have a beautiful screen, but the visuals need to respond to the music. Getting the timing right involves a lot of manual work. Our software analyses the music and helps

operators trigger lighting, visuals and effects. We can automate some of those actions, so they have more time to make creative decisions. And the DJ should still be free to change direction and react to the crowd.” Marwin: “We often talk to marketing or sponsorship teams. Sometimes the production team doesn’t even know what it could get from the app, information about how people are moving, for example. Everyone has so much to do in their day-to-day work. Finding time to exchange all those possibilities is a challenge.” Vanya: “Preparation and integration matter as much as the technology. At Defqon.1, the visible change from tokens to wristband payments was how people paid. Underneath that, connecting payments, access and operational information gives organisers the opportunity to learn during the event, not only afterwards. But it also teaches you some humility. Not everything that’s technically possible automatically improves the experience.” Does having a place like Lab of Tomorrow help those conversations happen earlier? Evelyn: “For us, it’s meeting the people who will use the product: operators, lighting designers, VJs. We need their feedback. At the Lab we can talk to companies like Prismax, who make visuals, and have conversations about how our software fits with their work. I’m normally based in LA, but I wish I could roam the hallways and have those coffee chats more often! Every time I’m at the Lab, I meet someone, we exchange ideas, and something makes it onto our roadmap.” Linda: “We’re developing Tickets for Good in Belgium, so introductions are really helpful. People want to know who they’re working with. Being connected to that network helps us build trust.” Marwin: “When I first came from Germany, I didn’t know where to start in Belgium. I saw a Lab of Tomorrow post on LinkedIn, wrote to Joris (General Manager at Lab of Tomorrow), and he said, “That’s a perfect fit. Let’s start from here.” It can be overwhelming entering another country. Having a place where you feel welcome makes all the difference.” Which parts of your work can technology take over, and where do you still need people? Nathalie: “For us, one part is quite simple: we need people to build the screens. You need those human hands. We’re starting to use AI in the office. One of our systems guys is building an app with it to help record people’s hours. So it’s coming into our company too. It just isn’t building the screens.” Evelyn: “AI is core to what we do. We’ve built a machine49

StagePilot by AiDefine

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learning model that can identify important sections of music and give that information to the operator or the show systems. I see it as another tool to help people do their jobs. If you’re less occupied with pressing the right buttons at the right time, you can focus more on what you want to create.” Vanya: “Technology can surface signals much faster than a human team could. But what do those signals mean? What’s the right response in that situation? That still needs context and judgement. Crowd behaviour, atmosphere and guest experience aren’t purely data problems.” Linda: “We need technology as well. Automated processes help us connect event organisers with our members quickly. But we also want to understand what going to an event means to someone. How did it make them feel? Did it help them? You still need to pay attention to the person.” Marwin, you’re developing apps for people attending events. Could success actually mean they spend less time looking at their phones? Marwin: “Yes, 100 per cent. Sometimes it feels a bit paradoxical, but we try to reduce screen time. It’s a digital assistant supporting the experience. We don’t have reels or video formats to keep people scrolling. We want to help them find what they need and connect with others.” Michele: “Our tests at EMF Recanati challenged our assumption that chat would dominate. In July, voting attracted more users. An immediately understandable action mattered more than the novelty of AI. The assistant has to earn people’s attention by helping them do something they care about.” What might that help look like? Michele: “AI is good at connecting information around a situation: ‘I have 40 minutes and want to discover something different nearby.’ Proactive recommendations using live updates are still in development. They depend on reliable event data. And we need to leave room for unexpected choices. Over-personalisation can make a festival smaller by repeatedly suggesting familiar music.” Marwin: “With community matchmaking, we don’t want people spending hours swiping either. The idea could be that someone with shared interests is nearby, and you get the opportunity to meet. You can say yes or no. Of course, it could still be a bad match! We can only support the connection.”

Linda: “I like that for Tickets for Good members: recognising each other at a festival. ‘You’re also working in healthcare.’ That would be great!” Evelyn: “Or finding the right set. Something that goes with your mood, the kind of music and atmosphere you’d love. I would pay for that.” Marwin: “I’ll write it down, haha!” Michele: “What matters is whether someone discovered an artist or found a stage more easily. Understanding that requires visitor feedback alongside usage data. More messages alone cannot establish a better experience.” Looking three years ahead, what would you most like to change? Nathalie: “I hope we’ll have more lasting partnerships. There’s a lot of competition on price. Sometimes a show is confirmed only a month beforehand, and then we have to start planning our people and everything else. Once you’ve found a good partner, you can keep working together. More preparation time makes our work a lot easier.” Vanya: “I think the relationship with an event will feel more continuous. Preferences, wallets or rewards could travel with visitors, rather than everyone starting from zero each time. That’s a possibility, not a reason to activate every use of data. Privacy, transparency and trust matter.” Evelyn: “I’m very optimistic. I can imagine a production assistant where an operator says, ‘There’s a drop coming. I want to go all in. Get the scene I prepared ready.’ Then they can concentrate on the experience they want to create. Those possibilities give me a lot of energy.” Marwin: “Alongside the technology, I hope we have more physical places where people in the industry feel at home. Somewhere to start, meet people and exchange ideas, wherever you come from.” Linda: “I’d love for it to become normal to give people working in healthcare that extra recognition. We can start with festivals and experiences. But my dream is that they feel appreciated much more widely for the work they do.” Michele: “The festival companion should understand context, know when to stay quiet and leave decisions to visitors. Our ambition is an almost invisible layer that helps people enjoy the event.”

Find out more at laboftomorrow.com

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TOMORROWLAND FOUNDATION A PLACE TO FIND YOUR SOUND

Think back to when music first meant something to you. Perhaps there was a song you played over and over, someone who introduced you to a completely different sound, or a moment when you wanted to try making music yourself. At that tender age, having somewhere to explore creativity safely can make all the difference. The Tomorrowland Foundation supports children and young people around the world through projects that encourage creativity, selfexpression and confidence. Working with local partners, its Music & Arts Schools give students access to music, dance and art, with room to discover their interests and develop at their own pace. DJ education is becoming an increasingly important part of that work. Across projects in India, Brazil and South Africa, dedicated DJ rooms are opening or taking shape, giving young people access to equipment, teachers and time to practise. Each offers a starting point, with space for students to discover where their curiosity might lead.

FIRST BEATS IN KOLKATA At the Music & Arts School in Kolkata, India, the Tomorrowland Foundation and Ek Tara opened a new DJ room in 2026. The school gives more than 1,500 girls from disadvantaged communities the opportunity to explore music, dance and art. Now, professional DJ equipment offers another way to express themselves. Students can experiment with their first beats and gradually work towards building their own sets. Learning to use the equipment is part of the process, but so is discovering their own taste and gaining confidence in the choices they make. There is value in being given the time to try something unfamiliar, with someone nearby to help. One of those people is DJ Roop, who teaches at the school. His own musical journey has taken him from teaching in Kolkata to performing at Tomorrowland, bringing an experience once seemingly faraway into the classroom. DJ Roop: “The purpose of Ek Tara is to give children who are less privileged a starting point, and guide them on their first steps.” DJ Roop

That sense of possibility runs through his teaching. Roop sees learning as something that continues throughout a DJ’s life, and wants his students to feel that they, too, have somewhere to begin. “We’re showing them a dream of Tomorrowland and are trying hard to fulfill it,” he says. “That thought itself gives inspiration.” The NERVO sisters are also due to visit later this year to officially inaugurate the room, giving students another opportunity to meet artists from the world they are beginning to explore.

SPACE TO KEEP LEARNING At Estrela Nova in São Paulo, Brazil, children and teenagers have already been taking DJ lessons for the past year. The programme involves 80 young people, with around 15 students per class and six hours of DJ education each week. Those regular lessons give an initial interest time to grow. Students can return to what they have learned, practise and gradually become more familiar with the possibilities of DJing. A dedicated, fully equipped DJ room is now being created here

too, with renovations underway ahead of a planned opening in 2027. In Langrug, South Africa, a new chapter is also taking shape. On April 29, 2026, the Foundation opened its fourth Music & Arts School in collaboration with the Langrug Community Centre. More than 600 children and young people will be able to use the centre and explore their creativity. Here, too, a dedicated DJ room is planned for 2027, adding DJ’ing and music production to the school’s wider music, dance and arts activities. It will give students another way to discover what interests them, in a setting created to welcome and encourage them.

THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE MUSIC Alongside the lessons, visits from artists can bring a different kind of encouragement. Meeting someone whose music you know offers the chance to ask questions, hear their story and see a little of the person behind the performance. Martin Garrix and Armin van Buuren visited the Kolkata school in 2023, followed by Alan Walker in 2024. Lost Frequencies visited the Music & Arts School in Sekha, Nepal, in 2018 and a Mobile School project in Mexico in 2019. Mandy, Amber Broos, Zerb and Carola visited the Music & Arts School in Itu, Brazil, in 2024.

Every child will take something different from the experience. Some may want to keep learning to DJ. Others may discover the pleasure of making something themselves, or feel a little more comfortable sharing an idea. The Foundation’s work makes room for those possibilities, beginning with the belief that their creativity deserves time and attention.

Wear your support

Piece together something meaningful

Give opportunities to grow

The Tomorrowland Store’s Foundation Collection carries children’s creativity beyond the classroom. Its latest chapter was developed with Estrela Nova in Brazil, with around 100 drawings by the children providing the starting point for the designs. Discover clothing and accessories, including T-shirts, hoodies and a headscarf. All proceeds from the Foundation collections are donated to the Foundation’s projects.

The 500-piece LIVE LOVE UNITE Puzzle combines a Tomorrowland festival illustration with an educational game inspired by the toolkit developed with Mobile School. Through activities and contributions from DJs, young people explore self-expression, respect and working together. All proceeds are donated to the Tomorrowland Foundation’s projects.

You can also support the Tomorrowland Foundation with a direct donation. Contributions help support its work, from providing musical materials to building Music & Arts Schools, giving more children the opportunity to learn and express themselves.

TOMORROWLAND STORE A NEW CHAPTER IN YOUR WARDROBE

WELL READ, WELL DRESSED A book club with excellent taste in music would feel quite at home here. The Library of Tomorrow, Tomorrowland’s new Fall/Winter Collection, draws on college prep, modern book clubs and the romance of vintage literature. Classic academic style meets contemporary youth culture, with familiar silhouettes, thoughtful details and botanical motifs inspired by Art Nouveau. There’s a sense of discovery running through the collection, like picking up a book on a whim and finding yourself three chapters in before you know it. Curiosity is the dress code; what you’re currently reading is entirely your business. Discover the new Tomorrowland Fall/Winter Collection at store.tomorrowland.com.

FIND YOUR FEET ADE involves a remarkable amount of walking for an event devoted to dancing. A fitting moment, then, to meet the Tomorrowland WR1 Sneaker. Tomorrowland’s first sneaker takes its flowing lines and sculpted sole from the intricate structures of dragonfly wings and mushroom gills. Subtle branding lets the shape do the talking. Three colourways are available to try on in the Store during ADE. All colours are available online.

TOMORROWLAND STORE

A LITTLE CHANGE OF ATMOSPHERE For a brief escape from Amsterdam’s busy streets, follow your nose to Silvyra, the imaginary realm of nature behind Tomorrowland’s Elixir of Life perfume. Pear, cassis and fresh grass open the fragrance, followed by green leaves, gardenia and lily of the valley. Moss and musk give it a warm, earthy finish. Think of a quiet patch of forest tucked into a very busy week. Test the fragrance in the Store during ADE and let it accompany you to your next stop.

Keep Tomorrowland close Once the week’s wristbands come off and the suitcase is unpacked, the Tomorrowland Store remains within reach. Fashion, accessories and lifestyle pieces are available all year round, with the online store open 24/7. There is always time for another look at store.tomorrowland.com

TOMORROWLAND ACADEMY A G O O D P L A C E T O S TA RT S O M E T H I N G ou’ve spent enough time watching the DJ to start wondering what you might play yourself. Or perhaps you’re already making tracks, with a folder full of ideas and questions about where to take them. Tomorrowland Academy helps music lovers take those next steps, with online courses to follow from home and bootcamps where students learn together in person. Sometimes, the connections you make can take you quite a way — just ask alumnus Mike Bond.

Learning to DJ or produce comes with plenty of questions. How do you get that transition right? Why doesn’t your track sound quite like the one in your head? And once you’ve made something you’re proud of, how do you get people to listen? Through its bootcamps and online courses, Tomorrowland Academy helps students work through all of this, with teaching that stretches from the decks and production software to the business of building an artist career. There’s room for different starting points, too. Beginners can find their feet, while experienced DJs and producers work on what they need next. As Academy project manager Chesney Wielemans explains: “As the week progresses, individual students let us know what they want to focus on, and we always make sure to cater to their specific needs.” Then there are the people you meet along the way. Tutors, guest artists and fellow students bring their own experience, questions and ideas into the mix. For Academy alumnus Mike Bond, one particularly animated discussion with Lucas & Steve led to a shared record, ‘Be Like Bob’. It was released on Tomorrowland Music and earned Mike an appearance alongside his collaborators on the Tomorrowland Mainstage. Not a bad place to end up after a bit of studying, right?

Your next chapter starts here Explore Tomorrowland Academy’s online DJ and production courses and get 20% off all courses with code: ADE-2026 academy.tomorrowland.com

MIKE BOND’S ACADEMY JOURNEY

You already had plenty of experience when you joined the Academy. What brought value to it for you? Mike: “I’d had releases on Smash the House and Revealed, toured the world with Fatman Scoop and worked in some of the best clubs in the world. I was already very advanced in my DJ journey, and my production journey was pretty decent. But the Academy opened so many doors. It was a place where I could also contribute, meeting students with similar backgrounds and some fresh faces to mentor. A lot of us are like family now. Some of the younger guys I still support through my DJ and club networks.” Let’s get to that meeting with Lucas & Steve. How did you get to talking? Mike: “They were special guests one afternoon, giving an interview followed by a Q&A. I asked specific questions about a few of their drops and their sound design. I hugely admired their work and made that very clear. Ultimately, the Q&A became more of a Lucas & Steve and Mike Bond discussion, haha! Afterwards, they both came over and thanked me for the love I was showing them. We started talking, and I told them I had a few tracks I thought they would like. I’d been DJing for years, I was pretty sure these ideas were fire, and I’d appreciate their feedback. To be really honest, I manifested it.” So they had your music. Were you checking your messages every five minutes? Mike: “I didn’t hear from them for two months, but that’s very normal for busy artists. Suddenly, they sent an Instagram message saying the

‘nineteen’ song was really amazing. They’d been listening to it for an hour in the car on the way to a show and asked whether I’d send the stems, because they felt they could contribute. Hell yeah! I was hoping that would happen, and it did. I didn’t need to worry about what they would change, because every song they put out is a DJ cheat code. So I sent them the stems!”

one! – randomly handed me the microphone while the track was playing. I’d spent years with Fatman Scoop, so I’m naturally comfortable on the mic. I thought, ‘It’s my time to shine,’ stood up and did my thing. The crowd went crazy. Afterwards, Steve Aoki told me he liked my style and said we should work together. Now we’re working on some ideas together.”

And then you had a collaboration? Mike: “The funny thing is, they took about six months to send something back. I was pretty patient, so I let it ride out and hoped they would reply. Thank God they did! The version they sent was very much like the track you hear today. They had a show in Chengdu, China, where I have an apartment, and we met there, discussed the track and tweaked a couple of things. I also told them I thought Tomorrowland Music would be a great fit, since we’d met at the Academy.

What stays with you from the Academy beyond this particular story? Mike: “The friendships. I met like-minded people who were really genuine, and we support each other. My business partner Jo and I have clubs in Thailand, and sometimes we bring DJs from the Academy over to play.”

How did joining them on stage enter the picture? Mike: “I’d always wanted to join them, but out of respect I didn’t want to ask. When we signed the record, we had a call with the Tomorrowland, label, Academy and Lucas & Steve teams to discuss promotion. To my surprise, their team suggested having me on stage. It showed me how incredible they are. From that day, I was proud to call Lucas and Steve my brothers. Real friends.” You joined them on the DIM MAK stage, too. Sounds like that was quite a moment… Mike: “Steve Aoki was behind us, which was really special for me. Then Steve – not Aoki, the other

And where will your story take you after this? “The Mainstage was a dream come true, but it’s still only a chapter in my journey. In my heart, I believe I’ll go back one day and play my own show as Mike Bond.” Any words of advice for newcomers to the DJ game, or people about to embark on their own Academy journey? “You might get rejected, or someone might not connect with your music. That’s part of the journey. Keep learning, keep working and keep putting yourself out there. Surround yourself with friends who share your drive, and help each other grow. You can’t control when an opportunity will come, but you can keep improving and be ready when it does.”

TOMORROWLAND TODAY | ADE 2026