Darude
Darude, the stage name of Finnish DJ and producer Ville Virtanen from Eura, Satakunta, whose 1999 single "Sandstorm" became one of the best-selling instrumental dance tracks of all time and remains a staple across trance, EDM and internet-meme culture. Virtanen's music is defined by an uplifting, progressive trance and house style, and "Sandstorm"'s crossover success carried into a UK and European chart run in 2000 that established him internationally.
His debut album, "Before the Storm," released later that year, reportedly sold around 800,000 copies worldwide and earned him three Finnish Grammy awards, cementing his standing in Finland's electronic music scene. Since then he has continued to release music and perform internationally as a touring DJ, carrying "Sandstorm" as an enduring anchor of his live sets while also building a catalogue of other productions across trance, house and electro house styles.
Darude has recorded for labels including Vibing Out, EnMass, Warner Finland, Helsinki and Sony Music, reflecting a career that has spanned major and independent dance imprints since his 1997 start. He continues to be active as a performing DJ, appearing at festivals and clubs that regularly feature his catalogue of uplifting trance productions.