Getting To Know: Daniel Hayes

Meet one of the hottest rising talents in the UK’s house and tech house scene: a 30-year-old DJ and producer from Eastbourne with a knack for creating electrifying vibes that keep dance floors moving. Growing up surrounded by music, it wasn’t long before he found his groove, but it was during his university years that his passion for dance music fully ignited. With an unmatched ability to blend genres and adapt to any crowd, he's brought his signature sound to some of the world’s most iconic stages—from Ibiza’s legendary Eden and Sankeys to Ministry of Sound and We Are Festival.

Winning the Evermix DJ competition in partnership with Toolroom Records and Krafted marked a turning point, launching him into the spotlight. As a producer, he’s made waves with releases on labels like Marylebone Records and Adesso Music, earning top 100 spots on Beatport and Traxsource. His tracks have lit up airwaves on Radio 1, Kiss FM, Toolroom Radio, and Mambo Ibiza, gaining the support of some of the biggest names in the industry. This is just the beginning—get ready to hear a lot more from this unstoppable talent.

1. Your journey into house and tech house music began in your teens and evolved further during your university years. How did this transition shape your sound, and what drew you specifically to the house and tech house genres?

House and Tech House was prevalent in Southampton with weekly parties featuring some of the best DJs playing. There were also regular label showcases which gave me a chance to really immerse myself in the scene. During my time in halls alot of the people I spent time with had similar interests so we would all go to the events together. 

My first taste was a hot creations showcase at Junk with Miguel Campbell and Infinity Ink, from then I was hooked. Being into a more mainstream dance music originally, it was a natural progression. The mixture of groove led beats and vocals really drew me in. After that point, I went down the rabbit hole of listening to mixes of the artists performing and building playlists of tracks and artists I liked. 

 2. You've built a reputation for versatility, whether it's mixing a variety of genres within a set or adapting to different crowds. How do you approach creating a unique atmosphere during your performances, and what role does crowd energy play in your sets? 

During my time playing, I have been a part of a wide variety of events and locations whilst also playing a variety of set times throughout the event so I have had to become versatile to maintain the flow of an event. Crowd energy really plays a big part and I would really feed off that, if i know certain tracks are working then I will lead into that however having a keen love for house, disco and tech and like to break my sets up and keep the audience on their toes.

I also need to have the understanding of where I am placed timings wise aswell as who is playing before and after. I will tend to have multiple playlists for each event as no two crowds will be the same you need to be versatile to keep the crowd on the dancefloor. I will do my research into the headliner so I can match to a similar vibe that they play without compromising the flow of the night. 

 3. Winning the Evermix DJ competition in association with Toolroom Records & Krafted was a significant milestone. How did this achievement impact your career, and what opportunities did it open up for you as a DJ and producer?

It was certainly a great experience which lead to a lot of wonderful opportunities. Mark Knight is an idol of mine and someone who I have looked up to for a long time so it was a complete honour to have him choose my mix out of the hundreds of entries. It lead to getting paid gigs across the south coast which going from playing free gigs to try and build some exposure was great. I had opportunities to do guest mix's for large publications which were covered worldwide. It was a big learning curve as at the time I was still in the early phase of my journey still and was learning how to produce which became a reason I wasnt able to progress more than I did. 

The best opportunity came from being asked to work in Ibiza for Evermix recording events on the island. Being able to mingle with some of my favourite DJs, chat to them around their careers and getting vital tips and tricks which I can then use for my own journey was amazing. 

4. You've performed at iconic venues and festivals, from Ibiza's Eden and Sankeys to Ministry of Sound and Annie Mac's Lost and Found Festival. How have these experiences influenced your growth as an artist, and what have been some of the most memorable moments?

With each set I have played, I like to take something from the experience. I am greatful for each opportunity and getting to play some amazing events and supporting some of my favourite artists is an honour and something when  starting out in my bedroom I thought would never be possible. 

Three moments really spring to mind; I played Soundclash Festival and It was the first time I played at a festival on one of the main stages. On the day I was second on, so the tent only had a few people in. Naturally I was very nervous but as I made my way through the set the nerves went, by the end of the set the tent was nearly full everyone was having a good time and had the promoters come up to me and say it was a great set was a brilliant feeling. 

The 2nd was my first festival playing abroad, I had been booked by Switch in Southampton who were a brand host at Annie Mac's Lost & Found to play at the pre party and the main festival. I was closing the pre party and ended up going b2b with North Base. It was an amazing opportunity to play alongside someone who is big in the industry and we had a great vibe going on, I then had the chance to do an hour solo and the crowd stayed until the venue had to close.

Lastly is supporting Paul Oakenfold in Brighton. I was opening up the event and not being a trance dj and also playing the warm up, I knew I had to be versatile. I played off the crowd as much as I could whilst playing more of a deeper house set which was what I was familiar with and as I was walking around the venue people came up to throughout the night praising the set for being refreshing and well constructed. 

5. 2023 has been a big year for your productions, with support from major names and airplay on platforms like Radio 1 and Kiss FM. How has your approach to music production evolved over the years, and what can we expect from you in terms of new releases and projects?

After switching DAWs during the covid break my music production journey has significantly changed. I embarked on Toolroom Academy's production certificate as well and since then my work flow has significantly improved. I have seen a great yield on being able to get tracks completed and sent over to labels. I can see the evolution of my style from track to track, from where I started and to where I am now. I currently have a track out on DT Weapons called Higher Love which has support on Toolroom Radio. I am currently working on a few projects at the moment so keep your eyes peeled for more new music coming soon.