To listen to Billy Gillies is to capture true joy, because every song he produces and DJ set he performs radiates pure passion and vibrant spirit.

 

The Northern Irishman’s blend of quirky Eurodance synths, uplifting trance grandeur and hard-hitting bass rhythms goes beyond catchy melodies and expert timing, as breakout hits “Lagoon” and “Youth” tap into the very essence of what makes a night spent on the dancefloor with your best mates such a special experience.

 

That’s why he’s earned more than 145 million views on TikTok, filled a Creamfields tent with thousands of ravers at 1 p.m. on a Sunday, and why he’s managed to get an official remix of Madison Avenue’s 1999 hit “Don’t Call Me Baby” after ripping the iconic vocal off the internet.

 

Crowds chant his name from Taiwan to Texas because Billy Gillies dares to do something different; something unique to himself. Now, Billy Gillies is the next superstar-DJ-in-the-making, poised to take over the world.

 

Billy’s musical obsession started in the 2000s when his older sister started buying Clubland compilation CDs and dating a local DJ. One night, the boyfriend came over and brought his decks, but when the couple left to go dancing, 11-year-old Billy snuck into his sister’s room and started playing with the turntables.

 

“I was like, ‘what is this music? I love this,’” he laughs. “On the Christmas list for that year was a set of decks.”

 

His mom delivered with his first set of Kam belt drives, and Billy’s been mad for mixing ever since. Each Saturday, he’d head out of the house with a five Pound note and spend it on a new record (Tiesto’s Traffic being particularly influential). In turn, he’d spend the next week learning to mix that record in and out of his steadily growing collection.

 

When he was 17, he got his first taste of true Clubland. A year underaged, he caught an hour-long bus from Belfast to Banbridge and talked his way into a club called Coach. Japanese DJ Yoji Biomehanika and the UK’s own Lisa Lashes dropped heavy hard-house records all night, and Billy started dreaming of his own chance to rock a crowd, proper.

 

He knew that if he wanted to be an in-demand DJ, he’d have to come up with some original songs. In 2011, he locked himself in his bedroom with a copy of Ableton Live and didn’t come out until he’d mastered the basic trance sound.

 

He fell in love with music production and started sending his tracks to BBC Radio 1 DJ Judge Jules, who played them on his show every Friday night. For 19-year-old Billy, there was nothing better.

 

After spending much of his 20s as a self-described “party animal,” 28-year-old Billy once again locked himself inside his bedroom and churned out a ton of original tunes. The result? A spot on the lineup of Luminosity 2019 alongside major trance legends Paul Van Dyk, Ferry Corsten, Gareth Emery and more. He played a set of all-original material, and when a recording was posted to Soundcloud, it earned more plays than any of the headliners.

 

“I’d brung a fresh sound into the trance scene,” Gillies says. “Everyone was making the same type of thing, where I just look back at my influences growing up and crammed it into the main trance style.”

 

International booking requests flooded in, sending him to Argentina to Australia—and then COVID struck. Many of his peers saw no point releasing music to a locked-down crowd, but Billy saw a chance to experiment.

 

“People need music in hard times, not just for clubs,” he says. “The music I was making around that time was proper emotional melodies, and it was resonating with everyone.”

 

He’d share each tune in a rough clip to Facebook or TikTok, and every post brought shares in the thousands. His fan base wasn’t just growing, it was ballooning, due in part not only to his masterful skills in the studio but also his effervescent personality that spills into each tune.

Johnny O'Neill is a name synonymous with the commercial dance / club scene in Ireland.

While attracting an ever growing audience across the UK & Ireland, Johnny is especially known & celebrated in & around his home city of Derry and across county Donegal for his master delivery of the cheesetastic beats, club classics and euphoric bounce bangers!

The 28 year old DJ / Producer / Promoter and father of three has gained an army of loyal fans & followers since he broke onto the scene as a teenager with his floor filling selections, always playing to the crowd while bringing his own infectious energy to every show whether at gigs, radio shows or live DJ streams.

Johnny's DJ sets, productions & reworks are earning him regular appearances in some of the hottest venues across the commercial dance scene, already having played for the iconic Clubland , I Am A Raver & Belfast's legendary Energy 106 just to name some of the big brands.

The BBC had also shown an interest in Johnny's career from a young age, with him appearing on BBC NI’s Music City & CBBC’s Hit The Stage TV shows. He also featured on Danny Howard’s Dance Anthems show live on BBC Radio 1 mixing to over 6 million listeners & also performed at the BBC Radio 1 Introducing Stage for Radio 1's Big Weekend in Derry 2013.

Lining up alongside famous acts is the norm for Johnny, having shared the stage with DJ Fresh & Professor Green as well as the trance superstar Simon Patterson , Also & most proudly for Johnny, spinning with a long list of commercial dance pioneers & bounce legends such as Darren Styles, Ultrabeat, Ian Van Dahl, Love Inc, Special D, Micky Modelle, Dee Dee, Love Inc , Kelly LLorena , JESSY ,  Jesse Bloch, Paul Gannon, DJ Rankin, DJ Cammy just to name a few.

From 6 hour foam party sets on the Spanish island of Menorca, guest appearances in Ibiza to supplying the musical backdrop for a host of reality TV appearances from cast members of Geordie Shore, Love Island, Ex On The Beach, to sold out shows at  Clubs & Venues to playing Outdoor Festivals, the Juggernaut that is Johnny O'Neill keeps his foot firmly to the floor!

On the promoting front, AUDIO PROJECT is Johnny's own club night showcasing local DJ's & international guests.

This ever evolving artist & fan favourite continues his rise and is a must see act on a commercial dance floor near you!

Johnny says" I've been doing this for a while now & i still buzz as much as i did when I first started out , Making & playing the music i love is what drives me in life & to have so many supporters from all over the world now is a real blessing. As I'm getting a bit older and being a dad with bills to pay, my focus is also on the business side, promoting, brand building & creating something special for the next generation, kids who are just getting into the scene.

Make sure to keep an eye & ear on all Johnnys socials and especially AUDIO PROJECT which is all set to return bigger & bolder than ever before in the coming months.

Craig Button is following