Tiesto is the stage name of Tijs Michiel Verwest, a renowned Dutch disc jockey and music producer. Tiesto is one of the most popular DJs in the world, and he has put on mind-blowing live performances for his millions of followers. Not unexpectedly, he has frequently appeared on the covers of lavish magazines. Tiesto has been nominated for Grammys and is the owner of a platinum-certified record due to his distinctive approach to electronic dance music. He is the founder of the record company ‘Black Hole Recordings,’ which has provided music enthusiasts with some incredible songs and albums. ‘Magik,’ ‘In Search of Sunrise,’ ‘Silence,’ ‘In My Memory,’ ‘Elements of Life,’ ‘Kaleidoscope,’ and ‘Just Be’ are among Tisto’s most popular songs. The majority of his works have reached the top 30 on Billboard’s Top Electronic Albums chart. Tisto received a Grammy award for his exceptional mixing of John Legend’s “All of Me.” He is also a philanthropist since he has participated in numerous fundraising drives for humanitarian causes. Currently, Tisto is one of the wealthiest disc jockeys in the world.
Youth and Early Life
Tisto was born in Breda, Netherlands, on January 17, 1969 as Tijs Michiel Verwest. When he was only four years old, his parents split up. His mother reared him, his older brother, and his older sister by herself.
During his school years, Tisto was a forward striker in soccer. He previously played for ‘Saint Anna Boys Club’ and afterward for ‘Vesting Boys. After completing his education, he went on a variety of odd jobs to support himself.
Early on, Tisto had a liking for music. He began by randomly combining several musical styles to create new tracks.
Additionally, he was able to sell a handful of these recordings for money. He subsequently spent a few months working in restaurants.
After reaching the age of 14, he became a professional DJ. He began his career by performing at private gatherings. Then he moved on to clubs where he could receive the most attention. Spock was the first club he played for in the Netherlands.
The time he spent at ‘Spock’ was fruitful, since playing the audience’s favorite playlists offered him a profusion of ideas that motivated him to make dramatic changes to his profession.
He began by performing acid house, a style of house music. He later transitioned to gabber, an electronic music genre. During the early phases of his career, he was referred to by aliases such as Da Joker and DJ Limited.
DJ Tiesto’s Career
The turning point in Tisto’s career occurred in 1994 when the general manager of the music label firm ‘Basic Beat Recordings spotted him while he was performing in a club. The management found his music appealing and funky. He obtained a contract with ‘Basic Beat Recordings in no time.
Then, he met the already-established DJ Arny Bink, with whom he recorded a number of singles under Arny’s label, Trashcan Records. Midway through the 1990s, they released four albums on the Guardian Angel Records label.
In the late 1990s, he released many tunes alongside one of his pals, Yves Vandichel. In 1997, he and Arny broke their contract with ‘Basic Beat Recordings’ and founded ‘Black Hole Recordings’, their own record label.
The first album Tisto released under his label was a collection of trance music titled “Magik Series.” Soon thereafter, he established two sub-labels, Song Bird and In Trance We Trust.
Then, he partnered with the Dutch DJ Ferry Corsten on his next compilation of trance music, titled “Gouryella.” The album broke numerous sales records and sold over one million copies in its first week of release. It also remained in the top ten of the UK Singles Chart for an extended period.
Benno De Goeij, the top DJ at the time, teamed with Tisto on his next project, ‘Kamaya Painters’ The first installment of the trance album series, ‘In Search of Sunrise,’ was released at the end of 1999.
He has performed frequently at Gatecrasher, the largest DJ festival in Yorkshire. In Amsterdam, he set a record by playing continuously for 12 hours.
In the United States, he released his album ‘Summerbreeze’ for the first time on October 10, 2000. The album featured a remix of the hit song “Silence” by the renowned electronic music duo Delerium. The song topped the Billboard US chart and propelled him to fame in the United States. Tiesto released the second installment of ‘In Search of Sunrise’ the following month.
In 2001, he founded his next label, Magic Muzik. This label issued his debut solo album, titled “In My Memory.” He performed at one of the largest music festivals, ‘The Area Festival,’ in 2002. He toured the United States for eighteen days and shared the stage with renowned performers like as Moby, David Bowie, and Busta Rhymes.
In 2003, he participated in the PlayStation2 Dual Play tour. Every year, Sony Interactive Entertainment America and House of Blues conduct this tour.
The following year, Tisto released his second studio album, ‘Just Be,’ which earned positive reviews from reviewers and music fans. Following his release, he was made an Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau, which is the formal name for the Netherlands’ order of chivalry.
This drew the attention of the International Olympic Committee. Tiesto was asked to provide special music for the 2004 event. He was the first DJ to ever perform in the Olympics. He performed during the games’ opening ceremony in Athens.
The song he sang at the occasion was then integrated into an album and issued under the name ‘Parade of the Athletes’. In April 2007, Tisto released his third studio album, titled “Elements of Life.” The album topped the Dutch Album Chart and the American Billboard Top Electronic Albums. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2008.
The nonprofit “Dance4Life” appointed him as its new official ambassador. In order to play at the fundraiser for HIV/AIDS awareness, he collaborated with Maxi Jazz of the ‘Faithless’ fame to compose music.
He also attempted his hand at business. He opened his club-restaurant ‘Cineac’ in partnership with a Michelin team of Chinese chefs. The restaurant had the ideal combination of music, live entertainment, and delicious food. The restaurant’s name was later changed to “Mansion.”
Premier sports shoe manufacturer ‘Reebok’ honored Tisto by releasing an exclusive version of shoes bearing his name.
Tiesto released his fourth studio album, ‘Kaleidoscope,’ in October 2009. He devised an original musical style that was quite dissimilar to his conventional style. He also composed music for the Coca-Cola beverage brand.
By cooperating with the luxury brand Armani, he debuted a fashion line under his own name. He has been recognized as the best DJ by DJ Magazine. Every year, this international magazine publishes a list of the top 100 DJs.
On 13 June 2014, he released ‘A Town Called Paradise’ under the labels ‘Musical Freedom,’ ‘PM: AM Recordings,’ and ‘Universal Music.’ The album contained numerous tracks, but ‘Red Lights,’ ‘Wasted,’ and ‘Light Years Away’ achieved worldwide record-breaking success.
Tiesto’s Personal Life
Tiesto and the model Monique Spronk were in a relationship for a few months before breaking up.
It was confirmed on January 10, 2008, that he was dating the model Stacey Blokzijl. On 10 October 2008, they became engaged. A month later, however, they canceled the wedding, citing Tiesto’s disinterest in starting a new life with Stacey.
Estimated Net Worth
DJ Tisto is a Dutch DJ with a $170 million net worth. Tiesto, popularly known as the “Godfather of EDM,” is a globally renowned DJ, producer, and musician who performs in front of large audiences. Seven studio albums have been issued so far, and he earns more than $40 million a year from merchandise, album sales, licensing and touring.