Misja Helsloot

Back in the days, when 12 inch was the norm, he stood up and organized his own events, spending all of his money on albums and DJ gear – and became a respected member of the Dutch dance community. With an extensive network and the right stamina, he got the chance to make a quick rise to fame with the first ever 'In Trance We Trust' compilation. Having been invited by his friend, a certain DJ Tiësto, to compile and mix it, and have it released on Black Hole Recordings, was the first step to years of touring, travelling from mainstage to prime time, at massive events like Trance Energy, Impulz and Dance Valley, Nature One, Zurich's Street Parade, Hyperstate and Rotterdam's Fast Forward Parade. Misja became one of the banner names of trance, flying the flag alongside Tiësto, Ferry Corsten and Armin van Buuren – touching down for gigs in Australia, Asia, the Middle East and all across Europe. The inner music junkie fueling Misja's passion roared, as the crowds screamed for more.

He never let it get to his head though. Anyone who's ever met the guy in person will agree; Misja's a level-headed guy, social and open – always up for a good laugh. When it comes to music, he's sure to do some serious business. In the past 2 decades, he's owned three different record labels – Gesture Music, First Second and Create Records. His first solo single 'First Second' was heavily supported by guys like Paul van Dyk – followed by sure-shots 'Blue Monkey', 'Back Tracking' and 'Back From Your Past'. Releases on GO On Air Recordings, Defqon Records, Black Hole and Cloud 9 Recordings kept his name in demand, with worldwide promoters eager to book him. However, it was 2006 when Misja decided to revive his skills as an event promoter, organizing his very own and beloved Create events – sure to bring up some fond memories for several generations of trance lovers. In 2009, he finally found the time to focus on his studio work – with his debut album 'All Inclusive' brought to life – including collabs with Signum, Sied van Riel and Leon Bolier.

In the past 5 years, Misja has kept the trance flame going through releases on labels like Future Sound of Egypt, Universal Nation, In Trance We Trust and Armada Music, earning him a stage at massive shows like A State of Trance, Electronic Family and Luminosity Beach Festival. Looking back, it all led to the launch of his Open To Close concept – kicking off in Amsterdam's Dhoem Dhaam in 2017, followed by editions in The Hague, Prague and Bergen . Next up for Misja's Open To Close is November 8, at Paard, The Hague. His unique way of musical storytelling – travelling from the deep, heavy bass of progressive to a ballsy techno outburst, all the way on to a wondrous, uplifting trance melody – makes a Misja Helsloot set best enjoyed from start to end.

Currently in the final stages of creating his second artist album - the aptly named 'What The Helsloot' which will be out on Black Hole Recordings in November 2019 - Misja shows to ever follow the unstoppable drive that guides him in his career. Taken by an energy that's relentless, you won't be seeing Misja resting on his laurels anytime soon. Our advice? Keep an eye out, you never know when the next #whatthehelsloot surprise hits in.