It might feel like Chris Stussy emerged from nowhere, but in reality the Dutch DJ and producer’s ascent to the very highest echelons of house music has been a winding path. 

Although he grew up listening to jazz, trance and 90s house with his parents, he initially pursued a career as a professional footballer. At 19, he decided to focus on DJing, playing local festivals and holding down a residency at a bar in his hometown of Leiden, switching between hip-hop and house. You can still hear the influence of those formative years: his mixing is technically perfect, seamless transition after seamless transition.

Now one of the biggest names in global house music, he’s released tracks on legendary New York imprint Nervous Records, prestigious Parisian label Yoyaku and Kerri Chandler’s Kaoz Theory, as well as his own Up The Stuss. Applying the crisp, bright sound of minimal to the classic, pumping grooves of 90s house, his tracks echo his sets: deceptively simple, yet full of depth and intricate detail. Come dance the night away with him at Sónar 2026.