Party animals can rejoice. One of the biggest names in the Belgian electronic music scene, DJ Sem Thomasson is all set to perform in Doha for the first time. The Tomorrowland festival star’s much-awaited gig will be in September, the organisers of the event have confirmed.
Known for his infectious mix of Tech-House and Progressive Techno music, young Belgian DJ-producer Thomasson hit the big league a couple of years back when he grabbed international attention with his cool, remix work for big-ticket artistes such as Flo Rida, Nelly Furtado and Steve Aoki. The curiosity and fame sent Thomasson’s career into electronica stratosphere as he made several appearances in the finest clubs around the world, apart from a few international residencies under his belt and multiple gigs on festivals such as Tomorrowland and TomorrowWorld.
Harry Mann, General Manager and co-founder, Evolve Branding & Events, told Community, “Thomasson will be performing in Doha in September. We are in the process of finalising the date and the venue. This is a special show for Thomasson as he loves the Middle East — he has performed in Muscat and Dubai before — and he is keen to share his music and his craft with the people of Qatar. Given Qatar’s dynamic atmosphere for events and entertainment, getting a top international DJ such as Thomasson is sure to make a splash in the region. He was here for a night and he liked Doha very much.”
Mann, too, is a fan of Thomasson’s music. “He has delivered such amazing shows. Being part of Tomorrowland is certainly a huge thing,” Mann said, adding that Evolve Branding & Events, which has brought to Qatar acts such as Romanian DJ Edward Maya and Pacha Ibiza, will be bringing down Cafe Mambo, a major player in Ibiza’s music and club scene, towards the end of the year.
It was on his 10th birthday that Thomasson, inspired by the musical vibes of his father, started experimenting with digital samplers and synths. The pathway to electronic dance music was already steadily set. At 18, Thomasson released his first record — the fruits of eight years of diligent hard work.
“The deejay bookings followed only a short while after and the start of his rich musical career could not have been better planned. He is now fully prepared to let the world meet with his peculiar sound and natural talent for making greatly accessible dance tracks,” says his biography, “Not only are his productions of high quality, they also seem to have an immense impact on the crowd.”
One of the major testaments to his talent and success is the solid feedback he has received from artistes such as Laidback Luke, Bingo Players, Dj Tiesto, Steve Angello, Davd Guetta, Erick Morillo, David Vendetta, Funkerman, Alex Kenji, Roger Sanchez, Max Vangeli, Kim Fai, Peter Gelderblom, Oliver Lang, Prok & Fitch, Flash Brothers, Tom Novy, Gregor Salto, Joachim Garraud, Stephan Hinz, Pole Folder, Lake & Lys, Andrea Belli among others.
“His music penetrates right through your body to the very core of your dancing nerve centre and that is something not easily achieved. Sem Thomasson is a remarkable talent, someone who knows exactly which way his ship is sailing, without losing the dynamics to steer left or right at a certain point,” the biography points out.
As a music producer, Thomasson has released tracks on labels such as Protocol Recordings, Big Beat Records, Universal Music and Atlantic Records, among others. In the last two years, the DJ has developed his skills as a songwriter and producer by working for and with other artistes like fellow Belgian DJs Regi and Yves V.
In that period, Thomasson wrote and produced several top 10 tracks in the Belgian national charts. Until early 2016, he signed a worldwide deal with Warner Music to focus on releasing music under his own name. Thomasson now has his own weekly radio slot on radio QMusic and was named by Beatport as a future talent to watch.
As for Tomorrowland, it is one of the biggest and most sought-after electronic music festivals in the world. Held in Boom, Belgium, since 2005, it is one of the largest global music festivals featuring the finest DJs in the EDM scene. In 2013, ID&T Belgium and SFX Entertainment announced that it would begin organising an American spin-off of Tomorrowland, known as TomorrowWorld, which is held at the Bouckaert Farm in Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia.
Sem Thomasson in action during one of his gigs.
