Breakthrough artist of the year 2025: KETTAMA

Across 2025, few artists embodied the momentum, creativity, and cultural energy of the modern electronic scene quite like Evan Campbell, better known as KETTAMA. It was a year where he fully stepped out from the underground and into the global spotlight not by chasing trends, but by sharpening a sound rooted in raw club power, rave nostalgia, and forward driven production. This recognition reflects not only his artistic achievements, but also the strong support he received from our dancetoday community, where KETTAMA consistently emerged as one of the most mentioned and celebrated names of the year.

Originating from Ireland’s underground club circuit, KETTAMA first built his reputation through energetic, rave influenced sets and a production style rooted in raw club power, euphoric melodies, and punchy, high impact rhythms. His sound has since traveled far beyond dancefloor origins, yet he has retained the same identity and authenticity that defined his early work a balance of grit, emotion, and immediacy that continues to resonate deeply with listeners around the world.

From Rising Underground Force to Global Breakthrough

While KETTAMA has been steadily ascending through the European club scene over recent years, 2025 marked the point where his reputation truly crystallised on a global level. His music began moving beyond scene based recognition and into broader cultural spaces appearing across festival mainstages, major club tours, and key collaborative moments that positioned him at the forefront of a new wave of rave driven electronic artists.

A central milestone in this progression was the release of his debut album ''Archangel'', a project that showcased his evolution as both a producer and storyteller. Rather than serving purely as a club functional record, the album expanded his sonic palette, blending house, techno, trance influenced emotion, and big room energy while retaining the immediacy that defines his sound. ''Archangel'' demonstrated that KETTAMA is no longer just a high impact club artist but a fully realised creative voice within contemporary dance music.

Collaboration, Creative Chemistry & a Breakthrough Year with Fred again..

A key element of KETTAMA’s 2025 story was his growing creative connection with Fred again.. a collaboration that unfolded across multiple releases and live moments, and played a significant role in expanding his profile to a wider global audience.

Rather than being part of the conceptual or developmental process behind USB002, KETTAMA’s involvement came through their shared track “Hardstyle,” which was featured by Fred again.. during the USB002 era and across various live performances throughout the year. The track became a standout moment within Fred’s sets and acted as one of the clearest points where KETTAMA’s club-driven intensity intersected with Fred’s emotional, widescreen sound.

Their creative partnership had already taken shape earlier in 2025 with “Air Maxes,” a collaboration that further showcased the strong musical chemistry between the two artists. The track blended KETTAMA’s rave rooted power and rhythmic urgency with Fred again..’s melodic sensibility, resulting in one of the most talked about crossover releases of the year.

Beyond their official releases, the pair continued to work together behind the scenes, with several unreleased ideas, in progress tracks, and live tested versions appearing in sets throughout the year. This sense of ongoing creative dialogue rather than a one off collaboration has positioned their partnership as something still evolving, and one that feels likely to play an influential role in the next chapter of both artists’ musical journeys. An official Rmx of ''Solo'', a track on USB002 album, has already been confirmed by Kettama.

Standout Releases, Global Support & “It Gets Better”

On the release front, 2025 also saw KETTAMA deliver one of the year’s most impactful records with “It Gets Better.” The track became a defining anthem across festival and club circuits, earning heavy rotation and support from industry heavyweights including Swedish House Mafia and Tiësto. Its uplifting lead motifs and high intensity structure allowed it to cross boundaries between underground sets and large-scale mainstages a rare quality that helped cement its place as one of the standout electronic releases of the year.

The success of “It Gets Better,” alongside key album highlights and collaborative works, signalled KETTAMA’s ability to produce music that feels both emotionally resonant and structurally powerful built for dancefloors, yet capable of reaching far wider audiences. Also he did an official Rmx for ''Blessings'' by Calvin Harris & Clementine Douglas.

Live Momentum, Festival Presence & A Defining B2B Moment

KETTAMA’s global touring schedule in 2025 further reinforced his breakthrough status. His appearances across major festivals such as Creamfields, Awakenings and headline club shows reflected a growing demand from promoters and audiences alike, with his sets characterised by intensity, pacing, and a strong emotional through line that connects deeply with crowds.

Among the most memorable moments of the year was his back to back performance with Tiësto at Factory Town a symbolic intersection between legacy and new generation talent. The set served as both a celebration of his rapid ascent and a statement of how widely his sound now resonates across different layers of the global electronic scene.

Why KETTAMA is Our Breakthrough Artist of the Year

At dancetoday, our goal is not only to recognise artists who are already dominating the global spotlight, but to highlight those who we believe are shaping the future of dance music artists whose talent, artistic vision, and creative momentum signal where the culture is heading next. KETTAMA represents exactly that spirit: a producer and performer whose music bridges underground authenticity with broad emotional impact, and whose artistic trajectory continues to evolve beyond fixed genre boundaries.

Having followed his journey closely throughout 2025 from album milestones to collaborative moments and unforgettable live performances it is clear that his breakthrough this year was not accidental. It was the result of consistent artistic development, a strong creative identity, and a growing connection with audiences around the world.

Equally important, our decision reflects our own community. Across our Instagram and Discord platforms, KETTAMA was one of the artists most frequently mentioned when we asked our audience who defined 2025 for them. His name appeared again and again in conversations, set highlights, and release discussions not simply as a trending figure, but as an artist whose music genuinely shaped people’s experiences on the dancefloor

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