Darude facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Darude
Darude in 2014
Background information
Birth name	Toni-Ville Henrik Virtanen
Also known as	Rude Boy Da Rude
Born	(1975-07-17) 17 July 1975 (age 50) Eura, Satakunta, Finland
Origin	Turku, Finland
Genres	EDM trance house
Occupation(s)	DJ record producer
Years active	1997–present
Labels	Vibing Out EnMass Warner Finland Helsinki 16 Inch Robbins Sony Music
Associated acts	JS16

Toni-Ville Henrik Virtanen (born July 17, 1975), known as Darude, is a Finnish DJ and music producer. He creates electronic dance music, especially a style called trance. Darude became famous in 1999 with his huge hit song "Sandstorm". This song sold millions of copies around the world.

His first album, Before the Storm, came out in 2000. It sold 800,000 copies globally and won him three Finnish Grammy Awards. The album reached number one in Finland and was very popular in the United States. Darude's second album, Rush, also did well on music charts in 2003. He has continued to release music and perform at big festivals like Tomorrowland. In 2019, Darude represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 with the song "Look Away".

Darude's Music Journey

How Darude Started

Toni-Ville Henrik Virtanen was born in a Finnish village called Hinnerjoki in Eura. He began making music in 1995 while studying at Turku Polytechnic. He used computer software to create his first songs. His interest in music grew quickly, and he started using more advanced ways to produce tracks.

At a party, Toni-Ville played a song called "Rude Boy" many times. This led to his friends calling him "Rude Boy," which later changed to "Da Rude," and then finally to "Darude." He was active in the Finnish trance and house music scene from 1995. By 1997, he started sending his demo songs to radio stations. He also shared his music online on MP3.com, which was a new way to promote music back then.

The "Sandstorm" Sensation

In 1999, Darude gave a demo of his song "Sandstorm" to his producer, JS16. Darude then signed with JS16's record label, 16 Inch Records. Soon after, "Sandstorm" was released as a single.

"Sandstorm" became a massive international hit. It sold millions of copies and stayed at number one on the Finnish Dance Chart for 17 weeks. It even reached number 3 in the United Kingdom, which was a first for a Finnish artist. The song sold 2 million copies worldwide and was the best-selling 12-inch single in 2000. "Sandstorm" became famous for being played at sports events, in video games, and on TV shows. By 2015, the song had sold over 600,000 copies in the UK, earning platinum status. Darude's first live performance was on December 5, 1999, in Tampere, Finland.

First Albums: Before the Storm and Rush

Darude performing in 2004

Darude's first album, Before the Storm, was released on September 5, 2000. It was produced by JS16 and included "Sandstorm" and other popular songs. The second single from the album, "Feel the Beat", was also very successful. It reached number one in Finland and number 5 in the UK.

Before the Storm sold 800,000 copies globally and won Darude three Finnish Grammy Awards. It topped the charts in Finland and reached number 6 on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart in the US. After the album came out, Darude released a new version of "Out of Control" called "Out of Control (Back for More)". This song also charted well in many countries.

In 2001, Darude started a world tour. He released special versions of Before the Storm for his tours. In 2003, he released his second album, Rush. This album included the singles "Music" and "Next to You". Rush reached number 11 on the Billboard Top Electronic Albums chart and number 4 in Finland. Critics noted that Darude kept the energy high throughout the album. After Rush, Darude toured a lot, especially in the United States and Eastern Europe.

Label This! and New Music

Darude in Toronto, 2007

Darude's third album, Label This!, was released in 2007. It included singles like "Tell Me" and "My Game." The American version of the album also featured "I Ran (So Far Away)" with singer Blake Lewis. While this album did not chart as high as his first two, the song "In the Darkness" was praised. It was described as a "floating, gossamer piece of trance music" with a "soaring, undeniable hook."

In 2011, Darude helped start a record label called EnMass Music. Through this label, he released a DJ mix album called Salmiakki Sessions Vol. 1. This album featured his own remixes and tracks by other Finnish artists. He continued to perform, including a label showcase in Amsterdam in 2012.

Touring and Moments Album

Darude kept touring in 2013, playing at events like the Groove Cruise. In July 2014, he performed at Tomorrowland in Belgium. In March 2015, he played at the Future Music Festival in Australia, performing in several cities.

Darude performing at Future Music Festival in Perth in 2015

Darude's most recent album, Moments, was released on August 14, 2015. It was his first full album in eight years. The album featured other artists like Caater and the string band Apocalyptica. The first song from the album, "Beautiful Alien," reached number one on the Finnish iTunes charts.

Moments mixes different styles of electronic music, like electro, progressive house, and even dubstep. Critics liked how the album blended these genres. One review said Darude "steps outside the proverbial EDM box by toying around with a multitude of different styles." Another called the album "gorgeous" with "great production, atmospheres, and melodies."

After the album's release, Darude toured the United States and Canada in September 2015. He was the main DJ at the official afterparty for TwitchCon, a big gaming convention in San Francisco. He even appeared in a video series with famous DJ deadmau5, who said that Darude and "Sandstorm" helped bring electronic music to North America.

Eurovision Song Contest 2019

On January 29, 2019, it was announced that Darude would represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019. He performed with singer Sebastian Rejman. Their song, "Look Away", was chosen in a special Finnish TV show. They performed in the first semi-final of Eurovision in Tel Aviv, Israel. However, they did not get enough votes to move on to the grand final.

Awards and Recognitions

Darude has won several awards for his music.

Darude's Albums

Studio albums

• Before the Storm (2000)
• Rush (2003)
• Label This! (2007)
• Moments (2015)
• Together (2023)

Personal Life

Darude is married and has a son (born in 2009) and a daughter (born in 2017). He lived in Atlanta, in the United States, for several years. Since 2013, Darude has lived in Salo, Finland, with his family.

See also

In Spanish: Darude para niños