Artist of the Year 2025: KI/KI

In a year defined by breakthrough performances, influential releases, and growing global recognition, KI/KI stands out as our Electronic Dance Music Artist of the Year for 2025. Her rise this year has been both organic and undeniable, driven by sold out shows, chart topping records, and a deep connection with the dance music community. This recognition is not only based on industry milestones, but also on the strong support she received from our audience who have voted KI/KI as their Artist of the Year.

Born Kiki Wesselo in the Netherlands, KI/KI first emerged from Amsterdam’s underground rave and queer club scene in 2018, where she built her reputation through late night residencies, risk taking selections, and a sound rooted in nostalgia driven trance, techno, and acid influences. Her career has grown steadily from intimate basement dancefloors to some of the world’s largest festival stages, yet she has maintained the same identity and artistic vision that defined her early years

From Breakthrough Recognition in 2024 to Cultural Impact in 2025

A key turning point in KI/KI’s trajectory arrived in 2024, when she appeared on the cover of DJ Mag. That feature marked a moment of wider international recognition elevating her from a rapidly rising underground name to a defining voice within the global electronic landscape. The cover did more than celebrate where she was at that moment; it helped position her for the explosive momentum that would follow in 2025, introducing her sound and artistic vision to a much broader audience.

Carrying that momentum forward, 2025 became the year where her reputation fully crystallised. She was selected as Spotify’s Women of Electronic Global EQUAL Ambassador, a milestone that further amplified her presence across global platforms and highlighted the cultural relevance of her work beyond the club environment. Besides that she launched her new label Slash, a platform for bold, high energy club music that has already delivered a wave of standout releases and further defined her creative direction as both producer and curator.

Chart Success and Standout Releases

On the release front, KI/KI became the number #1 best selling trance artists on Beatport in 2025, a significant achievement in a genre experiencing renewed global attention. Her track “What a Girl to Do” & ''5 Minutes Acid'', along with her Rmx ''Don't You Want Me'' climbed charts internationally and received strong support across festivals and club circuits worldwide. Her collaboration with Marlon Hoffstadt, “Lose Control,” also gained massive support and became a key track in many peak-time sets throughout the year.

Another defining milestone was her collaboration with Armin van Buuren on “Put Your Bassline,” the official anthem for Amsterdam Music Festival 2025. Their B2B performance at the Johan Cruijff ArenA during ADE was one of the standout moments of the season, symbolising the meeting point between trance heritage and the new wave of rave driven electronic artists.

Sold Out Shows and Marathon Performances

Her global touring schedule in 2025 further underlined her impact. KI/KI’s solo headline shows sold out across multiple continents, with fans drawn to the intensity and immersion of her extended sets. Her 5 hours marathon performances became a defining element of her live identity long form, atmospheric and emotionally charged, reflecting both technical precision and narrative driven storytelling across genres. All of her official shows for 2026 are already sold out!

Why KI/KI is Our Artist of the Year

While artists such as Fred again.., Anyma or Martin Garrix could easily have taken this title based on their global impact and continued dominance, our intention at dancetoday is also to highlight the new generation of artists who we believe are going to shape and influence the scene in the years ahead. KI/KI represents that future an artist who is pushing boundaries while staying true to her roots, and whose presence feels both fresh and essential to where electronic music is heading.

Having experienced her live twice, I can confidently say that what she delivers behind the decks is genuinely rare: immersive, emotional, high intensity performances that feel deeply connected to rave culture yet completely contemporary. That uniqueness, combined with her artistic growth throughout 2025, played a major role in our decision.

Equally important, this choice reflects our community as well. Across our Instagram and Discord dancefriends, KI/KI was consistently one of the most voted and most mentioned names when we asked our audience who defined this year for them. Her impact wasn’t just industry recognized,it resonated directly with the people on the dancefloor.

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