Before making her US debut at Basscon Bullseye!, MANDY sat down with us to discuss her backstory, aspirations, and more!
Belgian hardstyle artist MANDY has made waves throughout the industry ever since she signed to the prestigious Dirty Workz label in 2015. She’s come a long way since then, making a name for herself in euphoric hardstyle and captivating audiences worldwide with her hypnotizing sounds.
In more recent memory, MANDY has achieved milestones like playing the main stage of Tomorrowland Brasil and the Q-dance stage of the flagship edition of Tomorrowland in Belgium. To end one of her biggest years yet, she came through to the first edition of Basscon Bullseye! to deliver a special set for fans old and new.
I’m really looking forward to playing here because I’ve heard America is crazy when they’re partying. I’m always building up, so I’ll try to play all of my tracks — old and new.
MANDY
Once MANDY took the stage at Basscon Bullseye!, dedicated fans created an electric atmosphere that could be felt from the front to the back. MANDY dropped tons of fan favorites and showcased a different style with “Get Stompin,” which just landed on Tomorrowland Music. “The track is different because it’s more like techno rave, but it’s still hardstyle, in my opinion,” MANDY said. Highlighting a brand-new direction for her, this track is the perfect party starter for any event!
I wanted to create my own sound to be unique in the scene. On the other side, I’m still doing official remixes and those need to be more hardstyle [oriented], so I’m trying to find a way to do both sounds. It’s still MANDY, but a bit different. I think it’s important to be creative in the scene.
MANDY
Even with all of her accomplishments this year, MANDY still has many more aspirations in the music industry.
As she continues to build up her identity across the music scene, she’s aiming to finally play mainstage at the leading EDM festival in her home country of Belgium. “My main goal is to play the main stage of Tomorrowland,” she said. “Also, I want to go to more places in the world — New Zealand and Guatemala, for example. Australia is on my bucket list, too.”
With incredible sets at all editions of Tomorrowland this year, there’s no doubt we’ll see her performing a solo set on the mainstage soon. Just this year, she got a glimpse of this dream as she took the decks with Steve Aoki to play a brand-new remix she’s been teasing all over Instagram. Luckily, fans won’t have to wait much longer to get their hands on it.
I’m doing a remix for Steve Aoki, which is coming out in January. We played it at Tomorrowland Brazil, so it was obvious. I think everyone knows [that’s coming next].
MANDY
While more singles are coming soon, many of MANDY’s fans have always longed for an album that represents her style and project in one cohesive body of work. Although MANDY eventually wants to work on an album, she’s currently devoting her time to other projects that will expand her sound and footprint on the scene. “I’m focusing on other stuff, so I think an album needs to come to mind first,” she said. “I want to focus fully on an album but now is not the time. Maybe in the future!“
Before taking the stage at Basscon Bullseye!, MANDY reflected on the time she was scouted by Dirty Workz up until her US debut in the present day.
“I was 14 years old when I started DJing, and now I’m playing in LA,” she said. This didn’t happen overnight, however. MANDY has been rising through the ranks in the scene, facing adversity and doubt from every corner. She never lost hope and always knew that she could carve her path in the hardstyle scene, and now she encourages other women to do the same.
Never give up because everything takes time. Don’t take anything for granted, and always feel blessed because your dreams are coming true. Whatever it is, go for it, and don’t listen to what anyone is saying.
MANDY
Today, MANDY has proved to be one of the brightest minds in the industry with a passion for this music unlike any other. Her drive for success shines brightly through every release and every performance, paying off with every milestone she checks off her bucket list. If you’re not familiar with her yet, keep an eye out, stream her newest track on your preferred platform, and stay tuned as MANDY continues to dominate the hardstyle scene and beyond!
