W&W

Willem van Hanegem Jr. and Wardt van der Harst, born in Breda and Dongen, Netherlands, respectively, formed the Dutch DJ and record production duo W&W in 2007. Both developed an early interest in electronic music, with Willem beginning to DJ at 14 and produce at 16, and Wardt starting production at 14, securing his first recording contracts at 17 with labels like Armin van Buuren’s Armada Music. Their initial collaboration was facilitated through Windows Live Messenger, where they exchanged song productions. The duo’s track “Mustang,” released in 2008, gained early recognition, being played by prominent DJs such as Armin van Buuren and Tiësto. This led to their debut appearance on DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs list in 2011 at 36th place.

Over their career, W&W made significant contributions to trance music before transitioning to big room house. They released their debut album, *Impact*, in 2011. In April 2012, they established their record label, Mainstage Music, a sub-label of Armada Music, named after one of their successful tracks. This label not only released their own work but also featured artists like Armin van Buuren and Andrew Rayel. A notable milestone from this period was the release of “Invasion” in 2012, which became the A State of Trance 550 Anthem. Their shift towards big room house became evident with the 2012 single “Lift Off!”, blending trance and electro house elements. This change attracted the attention of Hardwell, leading to releases on his Revealed Recordings label, including “Trigger” and “The Code” (with Ummet Ozcan), with “The Code” achieving a number one spot on Beatport charts.

The duo’s commercial breakthrough arrived in 2014 with “Bigfoot,” a track that solidified their presence in the big room house scene and charted in Germany, Switzerland, and France. They consistently performed at major festivals globally, including Electric Daisy Carnival, Ultra Music Festival, and Tomorrowland. In 2017, they launched their NWYR project, returning to their trance roots, further diversifying their musical output. Their Mainstage Music label was rebranded to Rave Culture in 2018 to embrace a broader spectrum of electronic dance music genres. W&W have maintained a consistent presence in the DJ Mag Top 100, reaching their highest position of 13th in 2016 and continuously featuring among the top DJs globally.