From: Portugal

DJ style: House

Best known for: “My energetic sets.”

Fave tune of 2022: “Drake ‘Massive (KURA Dark Room remix)’.”

Rising star DJ/producer of 2022: “Wade.”

“This was one of the best seasons we’ve had in a long time,” says Portuguese DJ/producer KURA. After the pandemic, he’s been happy to get back out there doing what he does best for big crowds. The summer of 2022 has seen him touring heavily, travelling over 150,000km, touching down in over 10 different countries and smashing all of the world’s major EDM festivals. 

With such an intense touring schedule it’s surprising that KURA had room for much else, but after two years of disruption this new run of gigs left him bursting with inspiration. Away from the club and festival circuit he’s been getting down in the studio. His releases have come equally thick and fast this year and include collaborations with Afrojack on his label, Wall Recordings, and with the Portuguese singer Diogo Piçarra on Universal Music Portugal. But perhaps what’s most exciting about KURA’s 2022 is his signing to Armada Music. To round off the year he has more music coming via Armada and also Tchami’s Confession label.

What’s the best DJ set you’ve seen this year?

“Fred again.. (Boiler Room)."

Name one great festival you played for the first time this year… 

“Not the first time I played it, but RFM SOMNII, one of the best in Europe, a sunset for 50k people at the beach.”

What’s the longest DJ set you’ve ever played? 

“In the beginning I used to be a resident DJ at a club, so I played sets up to six or seven hours.”

What’s one piece of studio hardware you wish you owned? 

“Maybe an SSL BUS, or the Manley Eq.”

What’s the last tune you bought? 

“Mat.Joe, Ninetoes ‘Clove’.”

What’s the next big sound? 

“I think a mix between tech-house and some industrial ravey old school sounds, something that bridges the festival scene with the club scene again — energetic but cool, no corny stuff.”