Oliver Heldens returns to Ultra Music Festival with three different sets as he kicks off festival season with a bang.

PHOTO BY KRIJN VAN NOORDWIJK

Dutch DJ Oliver Heldens (@oliverheldens) recalls that his love of music began as early as his preschool years.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to absorb all sorts of [dance] music since I was very young,” he recalls. “One of my very first memories is dancing to 2Unlimited’s ‘No Limit’ during pre-school. That might have sparked my love for Euro-Dance as a kid.”

Since those early years, Heldens’ passion for music has continued to grow, and in the years 2013 and 2014, he entered the scene in a big way, making his debut with “Gecko,” thanks to legendary DJ and one of Heldens’ mentors, Tiësto.

“Tiësto definitely played an important role when he released my track ‘Gecko’ through his label Musical Freedom back in 2013. At that time it was very odd for a house track like this to be released on a big commercial/ EDM label,” he shares. “During those Big Room EDM heydays, most of the DJs were not playing music like ‘Gecko’ at all, but everything has changed since then. I’m so grateful to be a part of that wave of modern house music that took the world by storm, and I’m thankful for all the artists who have paved the way before me.”

Oliver Heldens performing at a previous Ultra Music Festival on the Main Stage. PHOTO: BY RUDGR.COM/ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL

Another iconic moment in Heldens’ career was performing at the Ultra Main Stage in Miami for the first time. Returning to the festival is always a special time for the DJ, and he credits it to helping him gain traction in the industry.

“My first time on the Ultra Miami Main Stage in 2015 is still the most special for me. I remember dancing in the rain together with the crowd, which was pretty epic,” he says. “That set ended up becoming one of my ‘breakthrough’ sets that put me on the map as a festival DJ, racking up more than 10 million plays on YouTube. It’s crazy to look back at that time, considering that I was only 20 years old back then, and I still had a lot of experience to gain as a performer.”

Now, Heldens notes that he has much more confidence on stage, and this year at Ultra Music Festival, he’ll be returning for three different sets. From his solo set on the main stage to back-to-back collaborations with trance icon Armin van Buuren at the ASOT stage and techno rising star Eli Brown at RESISTANCE under his techno alias HI-LO, Heldens plans to showcase his versatility across house, techno and beyond. And of course, he plans to cater to the setting with a little Latin flair.

PHOTO: BY &C7 BEELD

“Miami has a very buzzing nightlife, and I think the diversity of the people makes it more unique. The Latin influences are very present in Miami. Dance plays an important role in Latin American cultures, and I definitely notice that on the dance floors during my shows in Miami,” he says. “I love to bring some musical elements from the Latin world into my sets when I play here. For example, I must’ve played the iconic ‘Mas Que Nada’ in six or seven mashups in my sets, and recently, I was fortunate enough to do an official rework of it together with Ian Asher and the legend himself, Sergio Mendes.”

In preparing for the upcoming showcase, Heldens notes that he keeps building on prior sets to fine-tune and improve for future shows.

PHOTO: BY &C7 BEELD

“It’s a challenging balance of trying new things by surprising people with new music, but also making sure it works well,” he explains. “I’ve always been a bit of a bridge between the ‘Main Stage’ and the ‘underground,’ but I really like taking on this challenge on the main stage.”

And Ultra is just the start of more to come from Heldens this year, he teases.

“There’s a lot of new music coming out that I’m super excited about like my latest HI-LO release with Green Velvet and Dajae ‘LIFT ME UP.’ A remix I did for the classic Mason ‘Exceeder’ is coming later this month. I’ve also got several collaborations coming with Armin van Buuren and Eli Brown. There’s also a massive collaboration with a pop star, but I can’t announce that one yet. Some upcoming shows in the U.S. that I’m looking forward to most, besides Ultra and my Heldeep Pool party in Miami, are EDC Las Vegas, Bonnaroo, Beyond Wonderland Chicago, and my own HI-LO show at The Great Hall in Brooklyn.”