The following year saw the release of studio album #2, Just Be. In addition to the title track, Adagio for Strings, Love Comes Again and Traffic quickly became global hits. After Just Be’s release, Tiesto was asked to perform at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. His 90 minute set, during the introductory Parade of Nations march, marked the first time a DJ played at the world’s most prestigious sporting event; an honor held for 12 years after Kygo closed out last year’s Olympic Games in Brazil.
As EDM continued to evolve in the 2000s, so did Tiesto’s sound. He began to incorporate other genres of music into his arsenal, which lead to hits like In the Dark, Sweet Things and I Will Be Here. Also featured during this time were collaborations with non-EDM artists, like Nelly Furtado. His collab with Three 6 Mafia, Sean Kingston and Flo Rida, titled Feel It, released in 2009, is the reason why I got into EDM just four years ago. Growing up as a big hip-hop fan, I accidentally discovered the track on YouTube and found it to be…different; so full of energy. This progressive trance sound- all new to me. After listening to this song, the rest is history as electronic dance has become my musical genre of choice. And it’s all thanks, in part, to Trance Tiesto.
By the late 2000s, Trance Tiesto was gone- citing the need to connect with younger, emerging artists, amongst other reasons. After shaping the trance scene, he went on to help take EDM into the global mainstream- his sound evolving with the times. It’s hard to say where EDM would be without Tiesto, now age 47, but the future is bright. And who knows, if trance continues its scorching-hot comeback, maybe DJ Tiesto will come back too. At Tomorrowland this year, he DID play a few of the trance hits that helped make him famous (albeit, he turned each one into a big room remix. But still). Never say never y’all!
What are your favorite Trance Tiesto songs? Do you see him ever coming back to trance? Let us know in the comments below!
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