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2025 is here, and the new year brings a fresh list of talented DJs to watch. Whether you’re into house, techno, bass, drum and bass, or hip hop, our list of the top DJs to look out for in 2025 that will inspire you. These DJs have the potential to reach the masses with their releases, and break out on the international festival and club scene. You can support these rising DJ stars by following them on socials, and catch their sets when they play out in your area.

Our list of top DJs to look out for in 2025 appears in alphabetical order. Jump to these DJs:

• A Hundred Drums
• Austin Millz
• DJ Miss Milan
• Flight School
• HNTR
• Mary Droppinz
• me n ü
• Raid Kyu
• Shay De Castro
• Siobhan Bell

Follow along with this tutorial using Traktor Pro 4.

Learn More about Traktor Pro 4

1. A Hundred Drums

Thunderous bass and pulsating rhythms embody the music of A Hundred Drums. Gabrielle Watson cultivates a sound that encapsulates experimental hip hop, psychedelic bass, and indigenous hand drums. In early summer 2021, A Hundred Drums released a politically potent EP, Enough Is Enough, on ZEDS DEAD’s Deadbeats label. A Hundred Drums chose to use her music to deliver substance alongside sound, and this release outlines the struggles of being Black in America. Since then, she’s continued to release a steady stream of tracks, singles and EPs.

Watson cut her teeth in dark and sweaty basements showcasing icons of the UK dubstep and drum & bass scenes, and has traveled to festivals far and wide to hone her mixing skills. A Hundred Drums now shares lineups with some of the biggest acts in electronic music and collaborates with producers and vocalists across a multitude of genres.

2. Austin Millz

Austin Millz is an American DJ, producer, and songwriter from Harlem, New York. He’s established himself as a genre-bending icon. Austin is a trailblazer who has performed with artists like Quincy Jones and Beyoncé; his music is a deeply textured fusion of soul and dance-floor euphoria. With his unparalleled mastery in the intersection of hip hop and dance music, Austin has a special gift for producing an extraordinary blend of music styles, pulling influences from different genres.

The boundless energy in his live performances challenges the status quo and invites the crowd into a new space that questions conventional notions of music and culture. He’s best known for his remix, “Feeling Good – Austin Millz Remix” and his single “Bad Behavior” which features Remi Wolf. His 2023 EP, “breathwork’ collaborates with Alina Baraz, Sabrina Claudio, and Justine Skye.

On Austin Millz’s Instagram account, he frequently posts reels that feature his live remixes using Maschine.

3. DJ Miss Milan

DJ Miss Milan, also known as ‘The Fairy Vibemother’ has developed a promising career from her passion for music and entertainment. Hailing from New York City, she built her brand organically from humble beginnings to the rising star she is today. She’s been the DJ and hype girl for acts such as Justine Sky, Saweetie, and is now the official DJ to Doechii. Recent successes in her career include performing for Beyonce’s Renaissance tour, BET Awards, and Coachella Festival to open up for Doja Cat on her sold-out tour.

Her work ethic and impact has captured the eyes of publications like Rolling Stone where she has been featured in their Icon & Influencers campaign proving that “The Fairy VibeMother” is a brand that provides the vibes worldwide. Miss Milan’s belief in being limitless has led her to expand from DJ to producer as she plans to create music and work with artists to release future projects.

4. Flight School

Flight School is the merging of Canadian battle DJ turned producer Conor Cutz and L.A. based open format DJ Guillaume Viau. The duo is newly signed to Kygo’s Palm Tree Records, a worldwide venture with Sony Music. With their newly inked deal, Flight School plans to rollout a fresh sound that combines drum and bass and breakbeat, and highlights globally renowned songwriters and vocalists.

Flight School received early support on their remixes from The Chainsmokers and The Lost Kings, which lead to producing official remixes for The Chainsmokers. Conor and Gui have a history of producing genre-blending hits, and were named iHeartRadio’s ‘Future Stars’  early in their career. Flight School’s debut single ‘Figure It Out’ ft. CVBZ was a Canadian radio Top 20 charting single, and their 2023 release “Undertow” w/ XIRA went viral on TikTok.

In the studio, Flight School uses Monark for its heavy analog low end, Session Guitarist Electric Sunburst for amazing guitar riffs, and Hybrid Keys for washed out piano sounds.

5. HNTR

HNTR is the Juno award winning producer, DJ, event curator and label head at No Neon who’s shaping the scene with his sound. His music is a heavy-hitting and dark blend of techno, rap, and house. HNTR positioned himself for early successes with releases on Factory 93 and Mau5trap. He went on to make history by winning the first Underground Dance Music Juno Award – The Juno Awards are akin to the Grammys in Canada.

In 2024 HNTR’s viral hit “Yes B!tch,” a collaboration with Danny Avila, Sam Wolfe, and vocalist Rome Fortune, gained international attention, reaching millions of streams and becoming a Beatport #1 record worldwide. With the success of “Yes B!tch”, HNTR received support from heavyweights like John Summit, Dom Dolla, Adam Beyer and more. In the studio, HNTR uses Native Instruments’s iZotope plugins to finesse his productions. With a slew of releases slated for 2025, HNTR is an artist you’ll definitely want to keep an eye out for.

6. Mary Droppinz

Mary Droppinz provides an eclectic sound that travels all over the dance spectrum and takes listeners on a journey across genres, seamlessly blending electro, breaks, house, acid, techno, UKG, speed garage, minimal dubstep, drum and bass, and hip hop all in one set. Her technical skill as a DJ has turned her into one of the top DJs in the dance music scene.

Over the last year alone, Mary has played across the US and internationally taking on major stages including Spybar, Amnesia Ibiza, Mission Ballroom, Greek Theater Berkeley, Elsewhere NYC, Brooklyn Mirage, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Coachella, EDC LV, Dirtybird Campout, Seismic, Groove Cruise, Desert Hearts, and held a residency at Discopussy in Las Vegas.

Additionally, she’s released exclusive mixes for Diplo’s Revolution on Sirius XM and the infamous Cutsnake + Mates radio show. Mary’s productions are as versatile as her DJ sets. Her combination of breakbeats and acid-driven tracks have become recognizable to listeners. Her discography includes 2x EP’s on Zeds Dead’s Altered States, remixes for Justin Martin and LP Giobbi, and her productions have received support from the likes of Steve Aoki, Destructo, BLOND:ISH, REZZ, Claude Vonstroke, Mikey Lion, Anabel Englund, Sofi Tukker and Lee Foss.

Mary Droppinz’s mission is to educate her audience about different sounds in electronic music, and truly connect those experiencing it to each other and the music.

7. me n ü

me n ü is a female DJ, production, and writing duo. Originally from Chicago, the duo are currently based in Calgary, Canada. me n ü started their socials at the end of November 2023 and built a large fanbase.

After coining the term “hope house” to describe their style of music, their debut single “JUMP” has garnered over six million streams across all platforms. It’s also gotten editorial love on Spotify’s “Created by Women,” “Fresh Finds Dance,” Apple Music’s “Chill House” and “Breaking Dance”, Pandora’s “Pandora Chill”, and more.

Since the release of their first single, me n ü have been getting regular rotation and organic support on all singles, including their newest release “WONDER” from Sirius XM and Sirius XM Chill. Tiësto and Galantis have supported their productions, and an official Galantis x me n ü remix was released in early August. Most recently, they had their main stage festival debut in October at Breakaway in Nashville. Whether it’s their pulsating beats or heartfelt lyrics that draw you in, you might just fall in love with me n ü at first listen.

8. Raid Kyu

Raid Kyu is a composer and turntablist/DJ whose musical style combines piano compositions with electronic, hip hop and jazz. Raid has composed several soundtracks for theatre plays and instrumentals for hip hop artists, but he is also known for his incredible Scratch skills which have allowed him to collaborate with some of the world’s greatest DJs. Raid uses Native Instruments hardware in his sessions and live sets, including Kontrol Keyboards and Traktor Pro 4.

Raid’s a musical genius; on his latest release Stray Cats & Sunsets, he plays the piano, drums and scratches on the decks. Be sure to check out Raid’s unique releases, video performances and live shows in 2025.

9. Shay De Castro

Shay De Castro is a thrilling techno talent from the United States. Her commitment to studio artistry has landed her on a selection of the techno scene’s most iconic labels such as Factory 93, mau5trap, and Kraftek. Her distinctive sound quickly caught the attention of techno’s elite, and Shay’s productions have received support from industry heavyweights like Adam Beyer, Amelie Lens, ANNA, Nicole Moudaber, Richie Hawtin and more.

This LA-based artist now performs on global stages, delivering high-octane concerts that captivate dancefloors.

As a performer, she’s played at some of the most notable venues and festivals across the globe, with bookings at hot spots like Exchange LA, Superior Ingredients NYC, Sisyphos Berlin, and Beyond Wonderland. Shay recently joined Eli Brown for a sold-out West Coast tour, further cementing her reputation as a must-see live act. With her passion for techno and powerful sound, you can be sure to see more of Shay in 2025.

10. Siobhan Bell

Siobhan Bell, a London-born and raised DJ, producer, artist and tastemaker, has become one of the most in-demand talents on the international circuit. Bell began DJing in the East London Scene, launching her DJ career by performing Boiler Room sets, and holding a DJ residency on London’s NTS Radio. From opening up for Lil Nas X, Megan Thee Stallion, Summer Walker, Skepta and Wizkid to DJing and collaborating with Versace, Vogue, Christian Dior, Amiri, ComplexCon, Karl Lagerfeld, and Fendi, Siobhan proves the sky’s the limit when it comes to doing what you love.

In addition to Djing and producing, Siobhan has been featured in campaigns for Nike, Revlon and Dr. Martens and in the pages of i-D, Highsnobiety, Wonderland, Notion, Dazed and British Vogue. Siobhan has amassed a strong online presence that spans the globe, and her superstar status can be attributed to her propensity for navigating the ever-evolving spaces where music and fashion collide.

Get inspired by these up-and-coming DJs

Are you inspired by this list DJs, and want to start DJing yourself? Get started DJing with Traktor Pro 4, it’s the best way to learn to DJ.

Traktor Pro 4 allows you to create and organize your music library, mix together tracks and add effects. Download a copy of Traktor Pro 4, and check out more of our articles online about how to DJ. Make 2025 the year to start DJing, and get out there yourself on the scene. Maybe next year we’ll feature you on our list of top DJs to look out for!

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Often beginner producers are advised to keep their bass lines in mono, and while having a mono low end certainly has its advantages (not least because it will sound tighter and punchier), there are ways that you can add a touch of stereo width to your bass sounds and achieve the best of both worlds.

In this guide to creating wide bass lines we’ll show you how to make your bass more prominent and get a fuller bass sound using mid/side processing techniques. We’ll also explain what mid/side is and how it works, giving you a helpful insight into how to improve not just your bass lines, but your mixes overall.

Here are before and after examples of a mono, and widened bass line:

Jump to these sections:

• How to make your bass sound wider
• What is mid/side?
• Why is mid/side useful for producers?
• Mono compatibility
• Use Ozone Imager 2 with a bass line
• Quicker results with Ozone 11

To follow along with this walkthrough you’ll need this sample pack and a DAW, we’re going to use Ableton Live, plus the free iZotope Ozone Imager 2 plugin. We’ll also show you how to achieve the same effect more quickly with the full version of iZotope Ozone 11.

Get iZotope Ozone Imager 2 free

How to make your bass sound wider

You can make your bass sound wider using the Haas effect or a dedicated stereo widening plugins. However, the Haas effect and many stereo widening plugins have the same issue: they’re not mono compatible. We’ll discuss the importance of mono compatibility and show you how to achieve a mono compatible result in this guide.

1. What is mid/side?

Mid/side, sometimes known as (M-S), is an audio processing and recording technique that separates a stereo signal into two components, the mid and the side. These are derived from the stereo left and right signals that you’re probably already familiar with, and the mathematical method by which these are derived is simple enough to explain in this article.

Let’s cover the mid signal first. The mid signal represents the mono or center information of the mix, and this is the sum of the left and right signals.

left + right = mid 

Most DAWs have a tool for “monoizing” an audio signal, for example Ableton Live’s Utility audio effect.

Here the Utility effect is in its default state, with the Mono button deactivated.

Here’s an example stereo audio signal running through the effect:

When the Mono button is activated, the stereo signal is converted to mono by summing the left and right channels together.

So, when the Mono button is activated we hear just the mid signal, like so:

Certain audio playback systems such as some Bluetooth speakers only have a single speaker and are therefore unable to reproduce a stereo signal. As such, it’s common for such devices to sum a stereo signal to mono so that it can be reproduced via a single speaker.

In this case, the signal’s side information is lost. Side is the other component of a stereo signal, and this is the difference between the left and right signals.

The Side signal is derived by subtracting the right channel from the left channel.

Any sounds identical in both channels (the mid signal) will cancel out, leaving only the differences, which are the stereo panned elements.

left – right = Side

Ableton Live’s Utility effect can also be used to hear the side signal. If we deactivate the Mono button, then right-click the Width knob and select mid/side Mode, we can use the Width knob to control the amount of mid and side signal in the output.

Turning the Width knob up to 100s gives us just the pure side signal.

Here’s how just the side signal of our audio example sounds:

You’ve probably heard of mid/side EQ. So, what is mid/side EQ? It’s simply an EQ effect that uses mid/side processing techniques to allow the user to affect just the mid or side signal, in addition to regular stereo processing.

2. Why is mid/side useful for producers?

Thinking about, and processing a mix in terms of mid and side signals can be useful because it provides a new dimension of control over your mix’s stereo image.

Instead of treating left and right channels as fixed entities, mid/side allows you to focus on what’s in the mid versus what’s in the side, offering numerous practical and creative benefits.

For example, you can make the sides wider and more immersive while keeping the center tight and focused. Bass frequencies are typically mono to avoid phase issues, especially on club systems or vinyl. Mid/side EQ allows you to roll off low frequencies in the side channel, ensuring that the bass stays mono, and retain the stereo information in the higher frequencies, preserving the spaciousness of synths, pads, or reverb.

Mid/side processing gives you a toolkit to shape your mix in ways that wouldn’t be possible with traditional left-right stereo processing. By thinking in terms of mid and side, you can address mix challenges more efficiently, improve stereo width and depth, and craft a professional-sounding track that translates well across all playback systems.

3. Mono compatibility

Mono compatibility refers to how well the audible information and level balances of a stereo mix will be maintained when the left and right channels are combined and reproduced in mono.

For example, let’s imagine that we have a signal that’s the same in the left and right speakers, except their polarity is inverted. When these signals are summed to mono, giving us the mid signal, they will be canceled out entirely! Naturally, this is something to be avoided, especially if you’d like your music to sound right on a small playback device or club system that might be summing the left and right signals.

Many effects offer the ability to widen a stereo signal using the Haas effect, which involves applying a small delay to the left or right signal, therefore creating a bigger difference between these signals, and making the Side signal more dramatic.

The catch is that this change in phase can cause destructive interference. So, when the signals are added together they cancel each other out to some extent, resulting in a weakened signal.

Thankfully there’s a solution to this in the form of iZotope’s Ozone Imager 2, a free effect that has the ability to widen a stereo signal while maintaining mono compatibility. Naturally, this can be an extremely powerful mixing tool.

4. Using Ozone Imager 2 with a bass line

Let’s explore how to make your bass sound better with Ozone Imager 2. Begin by downloading this sample pack, and dragging the files it contains into an audio track in your DAW.

As you can hear (as long as you’re using a stereo playback device!) the keys are stereo, but the bass line is stuck firmly in the center of the mix. So, how to get a fuller bass sound? Well, let’s split the bass into three signals, one for the lows, one for the mids, and another for the highs. In Ableton Live we can use the Multiband Dynamics plugin to do this. In its default state the Multiband Dynamics plugin doesn’t actually affect the dynamics of the signal, so we can use its band-splitting capabilities for other purposes relatively easily.

First, add an Audio Effects Rack onto the audio track.and drop a Multiband Dynamics effect into it.

Then, click the Show/Hide Chain List button. This will allow us to create a parallel effects chain.

Now right-click the existing effects chain and select Duplicate. Do this twice to give us three effects

Now we have three effects chains. Let’s rename them by right-clicking on each chain and selecting Rename. We’ll call them High, Mid, and Low.

Now select the High band, and click the Solo button on the high band of the Multiband Dynamics’ Split Freq section.

Now on the Mid band, solo the mid band.

Now solo the Low band.

Now, we’ve split the bass line signal into three bands, and we can hear the individual bands by clicking their corresponding Chain Solo buttons in the Audio Effects Rack.

Let’s hear how those bands sound.

The High band contains very little audio information, but it’s still very much audible.

The Mid band contains a lot of audio information, but it doesn’t contain any sub bass.

The Low band contains just the sub bass.

Now un-solo any soloed bands.

We’re going to keep the Low band mono, and just widen the Mid and High bands. The Mid band is the easiest to hear, so let’s work on that first. Add an Ozone Imager 2 effect to the Mid Band. If you play back the bass line you can see from Imager 2’s Polar Sample display that the audio signal is purely mono, indicated by the perfectly straight line at the center.

Activate the Stereoize button, and bring the Width knob up to 100%.

You’ll hear that this adds stereo to the sound, but it feels like it’s panned to the left.

We can remedy this by changing the Mode from II to I.

This gives us a result that fills the whole stereo panorama.

Duplicate Imager 2 onto the High band, you can do this by holding Option on MacOS or Alt on Windows, and dragging it onto the High band.

This gives us a signal that’s very wide everywhere but the Low band

Now we have our promised wide bass sound. Now let’s see how we can more quickly get the same effect with the full version of Ozone 11.

5. Quicker results with Ozone 11

Starting with the unprocessed sample pack audio, add Ozone 11 Imager onto the bass track.

Now click the Crossover Spectrum at 120Hz and 2.5kHz to create three band splits.

Activate the Stereoizer button, and turn the band 2 and band 3 vertical faders up to 100.

Both Ozone Imager 2 and Ozone 11 Imager give you mono-compatible results, and you can confirm this by clicking the Mono button, which sums the left and right signals to mono.

As you can hear, when the Mono button is activated this bass line returns to mono, without any phase cancellation adversely affecting it.

So, getting the same result is much quicker with Ozone 11 Imager, and it offers many more features.

Make your bass sounds wider today with Ozone

Here we’ve seen how you can get wider, more prominent bass sounds using the free Ozone Imager 2, or Ozone 11 Imager.

Ozone 11 is available as part of Komplete 15 Standard, Ultimate and Collector’s Edition. Komplete 15 is a comprehensive collection of virtual instruments, effects and sounds that gives you everything you need to bring your musical ideas to life.

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