Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike are a Belgian–Greek DJ duo composed of brothers Dimitri Thivaios and Michael Thivaios. They were ranked No. 1 on DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs list in 2015 and 2019, and No. 2 in 2014, 2016 through 2018, 2020 and 2023.[1]
Known by their stage names, Dimitri Vegas (Dimitri Thivaios) and Like Mike (Michael Thivaios) were born on (1982-05-16) 16 May 1982 (age 42) and (1985-12-03) 3 December 1985 (age 38) respectively, in Belgium. Dimitri and Michael Thivaios are of Greek origin.[2] The brothers grew up in the Flemishmunicipality of Willebroek. They began to make their first steps as DJs reportedly at a young age.[3] Very quickly, they made several appearances in small clubs and were resident BeatFM radio DJs. Dimitri then left Belgium in 1999 and began touring Europe. He lived in Mallorca and then in Halkidiki, Greece, before moving to Ibiza in 2003, where he was a resident in major clubs such as Privilege and Space.[4]
2009–present: Breakthrough and success
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Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike released their first single in 2009, "Liquid Skies" under the alias DNM.[5] In 2010, after founding their own record label Smash the House, they were tasked with writing the official anthem for the 2010 edition of Tomorrowland, "Tomorrow (Give in to the Night)".[6] This song was their first top 20 hit, peaking at number 16 in Belgium. The duo continued to write the Tomorrowland anthems up to the 2014 edition,[6] this included the 2013 anthem "Chattahoochee" which peaked at number two in the Belgian charts. 2014 also saw the release of "Tremor" with Dutch DJ Martin Garrix which, in 2018, Billboard named their best song.[7]
2017 saw the release of their platinum selling single "Complicated", certifying in both Belgium[13] and The Netherlands,[14] in addition to their long-awaited festivals gimmick "Crowd Control".[15] They also released a rendition of "He's a Pirate" with Hans Zimmer for the Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales movie that same year.[16] At Tomorrowland, the duo debuted their "Garden of Madness" stage at the festival which has been a part of the event ever since.[17]
On 22 June 2018, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike released the single "When I Grow Up",[18] with American rapper Wiz Khalifa.[19] The music video for "When I Grow Up" was directed by Belgian directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who had recently cast Dimitri & Mike for an acting role in their Belgian movie Gangsta.[20] On 28 September the duo released the song "Bounce" featuring Bassjackers, Julian Banks and Snoop Dogg.[21]
On 5 February 2021, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike released a remixed version of "Hwaa" by (G)I-dle, a South Korean kpop girl group.
On 24 July 2020, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike along with DJ Regard released a dance cover of Destiny's Child "Say My Name".[28] The following day the duo played the closing set for the first virtual festival held by Tomorrowland. The event named "Tomorrowland Around the World" took place on 25 July and 26 July as a replacement for the usual festival which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[29][30]
In August 2021, the duo collabed with mobile battle royale game "Garena Free Fire", under the collab game has released playable characters based on the duo in-game, official announcement was made by Garena Free Fire's official social media handles on 4 August 2021.[31]
Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike had also previously released track for in-game event "Rampage" of Garena Free Fire in July 2021.[32] On 20 August 2021, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike along with Alok and KSHMR released collaboration song for the Garena Free Fire's 4th anniversary.[33]
On 3 March 2023, the duo released their second collaboration with Ne-Yo, "Mexico", along the Mexican singer Danna Paola. In July 2023, the duo announced the forthcoming release of their debut studio album Rewind + Repeat, which will feature the single "She Knows" with David Guetta, Afro Bros and Akon.[34]
Like Mike, in addition to his music career, also writes, produces and raps under the same name. In February 2020 Mike announced the launch of his own record label Green Room for his solo music projects. Also, he releases singles under the alter-ego Hereon, a project dedicated for Melodic Techno genre in collaboration with Tomorrowland Music. The first album of this project will be released in 2024. He is in a relationship with Gemma Winterrose of 3 years.[40]
For a tour of Scandinavia in 2020, the duo used BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupés as their tour vehicles as part of a promotional endeavour with the car company.[41][42]
A Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike concert at the Veltins Arena in Germany
On 19 and 20 December 2014, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike hosted their first concert at Antwerp's Sportpaleis with the event concept "Bringing the World the Madness", which saw 40,000 fans joining them over the two day event.[43] The following year they announced the 2016 edition of the arena show at Antwerp's Sportpaleis increasing the run of dates to four nights (16, 17, 18, 19 December).[43] Tomorrowland founder Michiel Beers[44] The duo's manager, Nick Royaards, help produce and manage the annual event concepts, with Tomorrowland providing production behind all of the shows.[45]
In November 2016, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike played a "Bringing Germany the Madness" concert, in association with World Club Dome Winter Edition show, at the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.[46] The concert entered the German history books following a record-breaking show that saw Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike play to a crowd of 45,000 people — the biggest solo DJ show in Germany ever.[47]
For 2019, Vegas & Mike rebranded their annual concert at Antwerp's Sportpaleis as "Tomorrowland Presents Garden of Madness". The line-up for the 2019 edition featured guests DJs Armin van Buuren, Netsky, Nicky Romero and Lil Kleine. In the build up to the homecoming show in Belgium, Vegas & Mike also toured the Garden of Madness show in Liverpool and New York.[48]
^No award ceremony was held in 2017. In 2018 winners were chosen by the Winter Music Conference themselves. 2019 marks the first year of public voting since the Winter Music Conference's restructure.[58]
References
^"DJ Mag", Wikipedia, 19 October 2024, retrieved 29 October 2024
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