The Night I Fell in Love With Dance Music: Headliner Edition

It seems that most everyone who truly loves electronic music has a story of one transcendent night on the dancefloor when everything—the music, the people, the environment—all clicked, and nothing was ever the same again.

In this ongoing series, industry professionals share such stories. Now it’s your turn. Here, Headliners share their tales of the night they fell in love with dance music.

Patrizia, 20

Miami, FL

Dance music constantly reminds me of my dad, who loves all things about electronic dance music and introduced me to it when I was seven years old. We were on our way to the movies, and he had a mashup CD with “Castles in the Sky” by Ian Van Dahl. The moment I heard it, I instantly realized how different dance music made me feel compared to other types of music I was listening to. When the song started playing, I watched my dad raise the volume, and I began soaking in the music, even though I hardly understood the message of the song at the time. This was my dad’s favorite song, and seeing him enjoy the moment made me enjoy it too.

Since then, I’ve used dance music as a medium to connect me to my childhood and my dad. Today, my dad and I often attend dance music festivals together, and we always show each other new songs or DJs we can relate to. When I show him a new track, I get a thrill similar to the day he played me “Castles in the Sky.” My dad’s love for dance music has become a staple of our father-daughter relationship, and every time I listen to dance music I think about my father’s face lighting up to his favorite song.

Kamil, 28

Winnipeg, Canada

After my father was killed in 2009, it took me a while to regain control of my life. When I finally did, I adopted a “live life to the fullest” approach. Of course, this meant trying entirely new things and exploring life without fear or bashfulness—much easier said than done. Having always enjoyed “techno” (without fully appreciating or understanding the term), I attended my first rave in 2013 with two best friends. It was a Halloween massive called Scream 2013, and MAKJ was headlining. It was a world unlike any other I’d seen. It became immediately apparent that these people were not there to judge others, but to connect with new people. They were there to dance and enjoy life, and it made the night that much more special. The “PLUR” atmosphere was unmistakable, and the drops were so intense that it was impossible not to participate, and before long I found myself dancing for the first time in a long time.

At that moment, an internal dialogue began: “Did I really just come to a rave with two other guys to dance? I don’t even know how to dance! I probably look ridiculous. Why does that matter, though? Why should it matter? There’s no prejudice here, and everyone’s having a blast!” Ultimately, this was the defining moment of my love of dance music, and when I heard DVBBS’ and Borgeous’ “Tsunami,” I completely let go and lost myself in the music. The visceral relationship that I formed with dance music that night will last a lifetime. EDM, dancing, and the whole rave culture have helped me deal with my grief in a way that no other outlets or years of therapy ever could.

Jean, 35

Bridgewater, NJ

My love of dance music didn’t begin in a festival or a club; it actually happened at a hospital, almost six years ago, on September 11. I had met this amazing guy the day before, and we had a blast at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. I had a heart attack the next day and ended up in the ICU. Kyle was by my side through it all. When the doctor showed up, he told us that I needed to have heart surgery. I was just trying to be strong, but I was so scared.

Kyle held my hand and suggested that maybe some music would relax me, and it did. He played “The World Is Mine” by David Guetta, but instead of “mine,” he replace it with “ours” while he was singing it to me.

I don’t really know how to explain how he and that song made me feel; the only thing that I can say is in the moment, I felt strong and was reassured that everything was going to be okay. The surgery ended up going very well, and when I came home, I didn’t remember how scared I was. Instead, I just remembered the song and Kyle holding my hand while he sang it.

How did EDM change my life? That’s an easy answer: It gave me my life back. It saved me. It made me strong, and it allowed me to be positive about the future. It also gave me the most amazing boyfriend in the whole world—what more could I ask for? EDM didn’t just change me, it saved me from falling into a dark hole. It empowered me, it made all of my body and soul vibrate like nothing else, and it gave me the love of my life, who has been with me since that day. I refuse to see that September 11 as a sad day, because for me, it was the day that I actually started to feel alive.

Konstantin, 28

San Jose, CA

When I was eight years old, I attended a summer camp located on the shore of the Black Sea in Odessa, Ukraine. That place is known for its hot weather, beautiful beaches, and countless nightclubs along the coast. The music was so loud that I could hear it from miles away. Back then, a typical nightclub playlist would include a couple dozen pop hits, and both new and classic tracks that played on repeat all night long. Robert Miles’ “Children” was the only tune that sounded unlike any other track. Its dream-like sound, piano riff and 4/4 bass drum pattern instilled my interest in electronic dance music. Over the years, I’ve heard this track an infinite number of times, yet it never gets old. Even now, almost 20 years later, I still think that this is one of the greatest tunes ever composed, and one that really evokes the meaning of PLUR.

By the way, here’s a fun fact: This version of “Children” was created by Robert Miles in response to the growing trend of tragic car accidents involving clubbers who were falling asleep while driving home from clubs due to fatigue from dancing all night or being under the influence. Miles closed his sets with “Children” to allow the audience to calm down and get ready before hitting the road. The track addresses issues such as reckless driving and driving under the influence that still exist today. Just like any other classical masterpiece, “Children” by Robert Miles is timeless!

Benny, 22

Oceanside, CA

I first heard “Sandstorm” by Darude in 2004. I was in middle school at the time, and this was when we still called it “techno” instead of “EDM.” In 2007, I saw a Melbourne shuffle video by a kid named Moonboy, and the track that was playing got me going; it was so much fun. This was the beginning of my hardstyle days. I was craving more techno when I heard “Superstar DJ” by Dark Oscillators, Patrick Bunton and Headhunterz with Scantraxx Rootz.

But just when all this wonderful music came to me, I left it. I went through a phase of reggae, rap, bachata, and other genres. In 2010, however, my first musical love came back to me—or rather, I went back to it. This moment happened when I heard Calvin Harris, David Guetta and others on the radio without realizing that I was listening to dance music.

That same day, I grabbed my old MP3 player and played “Superstar DJ” over and over. That’s when I realized I was back into techno. In 2011, I bought a ticket to EDC Las Vegas. I did more research and discovered Kaskade, Tiësto, Nicky Romero and others. When EDC ended, all I did was talk about the scene and all of the DJs I had seen. I remember those nights in Vegas as the most wonderful nights—ones that put me back into that magical place that made me realize I was once again in love with dance music. I might have discovered the music alone and gone to my first EDC alone, but I will never forget how I came to this scene. I am 22 years old; I am a sober raver and always will be. This is my music, and this is my home.

Nancy, 22

Orange County, CA

It all began at Electric Daisy Carnival 2009 at the L.A. Coliseum—after that night, music was never the same for me. My best friends at the time surprised me with a ticket to EDC day two. It only took those 12 hours to create an experience I will never forget. The moment you step into an event, the moment the drop takes you away, the moment you close your eyes and everything around you syncs and you become one with the music—those are moments I will never forget. I left my heart at EDC 2009, but I never left trance. Cosmic Gate gave me such feels, especially when they dropped “Not Enough Time” with Emma Hewitt. I can remember standing in the middle of circuitGROUNDS, watching the sunset as they played that song. Have you ever just been at the right place with the right people at the right time, and everything felt perfect? That was that moment for me.

Remember when Kaskade wasn’t that big yet? I do. I was his biggest fan, and he was one of the reasons why I wanted to go to EDC so badly. I was so lucky to witness his 2009 set; it literally left me crying. From opening with “Move for Me,” to “Angel on My Shoulder” to “4AM,” Kaskade proved himself to be my favorite that night. Benny Benassi was also one of the reasons why that night was so special to me, since he was the very first artist I wanted to see live. Even though he had us waiting for 30 minutes before he came on, once he played, it was breathtaking. When Benny dropped “Otherside,” I wasn’t even upset that he came on late.

I went to EDC 2009 with five of my best friends, and it was my sweet 16, my first rave and the best birthday anyone could have asked for. I want to give a shout out to them for making it happen, and for being a part of it. Music had always been a part of my life, but once I was introduced to dance music, everything changed. Dance music became an essential daily part of my life. I’d never felt united with millions of people until I discovered this scene. Just thinking about EDC 2009 brings back so many memories, and I can honestly say that it changed my life forever.

Caitlyn, 22

Marble Falls, TX

It was March 2012, and I was attending Ultimate Music Experience with my best friend in South Padre Island, Texas. She had invited me along, and even though I had never been to any sort of event before, I decided to give it a chance.

Once we actually reached the festival, it was everything but fun for me. I felt awkward and kept to myself. I saw all of the people around me having fun, and I was just on the sidelines watching. I had also lost my friend about midway through the show, so I was feeling even more alone.

Around midnight, I decided to look for her because I was ready to go home. I eventually found her in the middle of this huge crowd. So there I am, just standing there in this huge crowd of dancing people, looking and feeling completely out of place. But then Tiësto came on and started his set, and it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever heard. Something had taken over me, and I was finding out who I was meant to be. For those last two hours, I forgot about everything. I no longer cared how people saw me. My mind went blank, and all I heard and saw was the music.

Now, when I’m at a festival, I feel at home. These festivals are about a crowd of people coming together, united by music. And for those last few hours, I knew this was something I wanted to be involved in. That night is when I fell head-over-heels in love with dance music, and it has changed my life in so many ways. Because of EDM, I’ve met so many amazing people and learned so many new things, and honestly, I’ve become a better person. I can truthfully say that dance music will always be my first love.
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