Darude facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Darude
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Darude in 2014
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Toni-Ville Henrik Virtanen |
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| Born | 17 July 1975 Eura, Satakunta, Finland |
| Origin | Turku, Finland |
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| Years active | 1997–present |
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| Associated acts | JS16 |
Toni-Ville Henrik Virtanen (born July 17, 1975), known as Darude, is a famous Finnish DJ and music producer. He is known for his energetic electronic dance music. He started making music in 1995.
Darude became very famous in 1999 with his hit song "Sandstorm". This song sold millions of copies worldwide. His first album, Before the Storm, came out in 2000. It sold 800,000 copies and won him three Finnish Grammy Awards. His music has topped charts in Finland and the United States.
In 2019, Darude represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019. He performed with singer Sebastian Rejman.
Contents
Darude's Music Journey
Early Days and "Sandstorm"
Toni-Ville Henrik Virtanen was born in Hinnerjoki, Finland. He started making music on his computer in 1995. He used special software to create electronic sounds. His interest in music grew quickly.
He got his stage name "Darude" from a nickname. At a party, he played a song called "Rude Boy" many times. Friends started calling him "Rude Boy," which changed to "Da Rude," and then "Darude."
In 1999, he shared a demo of his song "Sandstorm" with producer JS16. Darude signed with JS16's record label. "Sandstorm" was released as a single and became a huge international hit. It was number one on the Finnish Dance Chart for 17 weeks. The song also reached number 3 in the United Kingdom.
"Sandstorm" sold 2 million copies around the world. It was the best-selling 12-inch single in 2000. The song is still very popular today. You can often hear it at sports events and in video games. His first live show was on December 5, 1999, in Tampere, Finland.
Albums and Tours
Darude's first album, Before the Storm, was released in 2000. It included "Sandstorm" and another hit single, "Feel the Beat." "Feel the Beat" also reached number one in Finland. The album sold 800,000 copies globally. It won Darude three Finnish Grammy Awards.
In 2001, Darude started a world tour. He released special versions of his album for different countries. In 2003, he released his second album, Rush. This album also did well on music charts. It reached number 4 in Finland and number 11 on the US Billboard electronic charts.
His third album, Label This!, came out in 2007. One song from this album, "In the Darkness," was praised for its strong melody and danceable beat. Darude also started his own record label, EnMass Music, in 2011. He released a mix album called Salmiakki Sessions Vol. 1 through his label.
Recent Music and Eurovision
Darude continued to tour around the world. He played at big music festivals like Tomorrowland in Belgium in 2014. He also performed at the Future Music Festival in Australia in 2015.
His most recent album, Moments, was released in 2015. It was his first album in eight years. The album featured other artists and mixed different electronic music styles. The first song from the album, "Beautiful Alien," was number one on the Finnish iTunes charts.
After the album came out, Darude toured the United States and Canada. He was the main DJ at TwitchCon in San Francisco in 2015. Another famous DJ, deadmau5, said that Darude's song "Sandstorm" helped bring electronic music to North America.
In 2019, Darude was chosen to represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019. He performed the song "Look Away" with singer Sebastian Rejman. They performed in the semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel. Unfortunately, they did not make it to the grand final.
Awards and Recognitions
| Year | Award | Nominated work | Category | Result |
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| 2000 | Finnish Grammy Awards | Darude | Best Dance / Hip Hop Newcomer | Won |
| Before the Storm | Best Debut Album | Won | ||
| "Sandstorm" | Song of the Year | Won | ||
| NRJ Radio Award (Sweden) | Best Dance Track of the Year | Won | ||
| German Dance Awards | Dance Hit of the Year | Won | ||
| Darude | Best International Single Act | Won | ||
| 2001 | Dance Star (UK) | Breakthrough Act of the Year | Won | |
| 2002 | Golden Turntable DJ Awards | "Sandstorm" | Best Single | Won |
Darude's Albums
- Studio albums
- Before the Storm (2000)
- Rush (2003)
- Label This! (2007)
- Moments (2015)
- Together (2023)
About Darude's Life
Darude is married to his American wife, Michelle. They have a son, born in 2009, and a daughter, born in 2017. He lived in Atlanta, United States, for several years. Since 2013, Darude has lived with his family in Salo, Finland.
