RIP Jake Hall @jakehall - I cannot believe it.
Jake, from the moment we first met backstage at Ministry through to the many many laughs we shared, you were an honourable man, a true gentleman, and one of the funniest people to be around.
You will be sorely missed. Sorely, sorely missed.
My thoughts are with River, Sonny, your Mum & Dad, and the whole family during this incredibly tragic time.
From everyone at Defected Records - both personally and professionally - rest in peace, my friend. I’ll miss your dancing & your voice notes. Love you x
@beatport Best Selling Label of the Year 🏆
Last night we were honoured to receive Beatport’s Best Selling Label Award - a huge honour for Defected still after 27 years in the game.
“To be recognised for this award after 27 years is humbling. A testament to the great music signed & worked by our team, created by our talented artists and supported by our community. Beatport is a true barometer of what’s being played in clubs worldwide, so this one means a lot.” - @wezsaunders
“Proud of the whole Defected team (past & present), and all the artists, managers & collaborators who have trusted us with their music. Thank you to Beatport & the global dance music community for sharing our enthusiasm for the music we release.” - Andy Daniell
An award voted for by music sales. A reflection of what is connecting across the globe 🌍
This is for everyone involved. ❤️
Happy Mother’s Day to three incredible Mums who mean the world to us.
To my Wife, Paula, the heart of our family, the best mum to Chloe and Henry, and the person who always helps us all keep everything together even when things get chaotic. We’re so lucky & grateful to have you.
To my Mum, Joy. Thank you for the values you taught me. I wouldn’t be who I am without you.
And to my mother-in-Law, Lyn - an amazing mum to Paula & her Sisters, and such an important part of the family.
Chloe, Henry & I are lucky to have these three strong, caring mums in my life ❤️
Happy Mother’s Day to them, to all our family & friends, to all the Mums out there and those no longer with us. Love you x
I’m not quite sure who decided it, how it happened, or why my name ended up on this year’s Billboard Dance Power Players list but I’m genuinely humbled and grateful to be included alongside so many friends, peers and people I respect in our scene.
Congratulations to everyone who made the list, to all the teams working behind the scenes to support the vision, and to the global dance music community who keep the culture alive every day.
Just this week I was speaking to the company and reminding some of the newer faces of the one rule I’ve always tried to live by; treat people how you want to be treated. Defected has always felt bigger than a company to me. Both @defectedrecords and @glitterboxibiza are true brands, Defected is a cultural institution, and with that comes responsibility that I never take lightly.
We’re living through a time of huge change in the world, and it’s going to take a new generation of leaders to guide, educate, inspire and, in our case, keep people dancing through it all. If this list is anything to go by, the future is in very safe hands 😉
Thank you, and congratulations to everyone involved ❤️🫶🏻
#BillboardPowerPlayers #HouseMusicAllLifeLong #DanceMusic #MusicIndustry #Culture
2026 marks 10 years of dancing in Tisno, and our final dance on the shores that shaped so many memories.
One community. One legacy.
Big Defected Croatia news coming tomorrow, stay tuned.
📽️: @maik_diederen
Japan - what a beautiful, respectful, disciplined, wild dream.
A trip planned over a year ago, gone in the blink of an eye. Two weeks of Tokyo’s chaos, Kyoto’s temples, Osaka’s madness, Nara’s spirituality, bullet trains, theme parks, Wagyu, Kobe, Sanrio, sumo, samurai, Geishas, deer, Pokémon, gacha, matcha and the cleanest, safest streets I’m sure we’ve ever experienced.
From wandering across the Shibuya Crossing, to losing yourself in the torii gates of Fushimi Inari, frozen at Mount Fuji, discovering Japan time waits for no one, learning Ninja greetings, riding the Melody Road, meeting robot security guards, record shopping and so much more. Japan is the perfect mix of pop culture & ancient history, madness & mindfulness, discipline & creativity. And everything just works exactly how you think it should.
The people? The most honourable and respectful I’ve ever met.
We came, we explored, we walked 25k steps a day, and we fell in love with this place. I can’t recommend it enough ❤️🇯🇵
#Japan #Tokyo #Kyoto #Osaka #Nara #MountFuji #TeamLab #Shibuya #GionDistrict #Dotonbori #FushimiInari #BulletTrain #TravelJapan #FamilyTravel #ExploreJapan #Wagyu #KobeBeef #Gacha #Samurai #Geisha #JapaneseCulture #FamilyAdventures
INTRODUCING NICOLE BLAKK
Some exciting news to share; @santandave ’s third album ‘The Boy Who Played the Harp’ is out today, and it features Nicole Blakk @nonelikebee on the track “Fairchild.”
I first met Nicole at the @djagonline x @tiktok x @defectedrecords@defectedmusicuk event in our basement back in December 2024. I offered to help her finish a couple of records and the journey since has taken on a life of its own.
Since then, Nicole has:
🎥 Featured in @imladyleshurr music video and touring activity
⚡️ Landed digital activations with @udmusicldn@balamii , @redbullgmt , @ontheradarradio , @steeze_factory_@toddlat , @ameliapoamz podcast and more
🎤 Performed at @glastofest@katiemarsh82 (@shangagram Main Stage, after @pa_salieu ) and @sxswlondon (for @trenchtrenchtrench & @notion ) @chantellefiddy
🎶 Written the theme tune for a forthcoming TV show
🎮 Secured record placements in GTA6
💿 Signed a non-exclusive 3-single deal with @secondphaserecords (@yourarmy_ )
📝 Signed to Defected Music for Publishing Administration and Neighbouring Rights
✨ And now appeared on Dave’s already critically acclaimed new album
Nicole’s next single, “Let Go,” drops 21st November on Second Phase.
It’s a rare and proud moment when an ecosystem so deeply rooted in house music finds success in another genre. After Honey Dijon, Luke Solomon & Chris Penny’s Grammy wins with Beyoncé, Purple Disco Machine’s remix for Lizzo, Melé’s nominations, and even a sample on Elton John & Dua Lipa’s “Cold Heart”, to now represent an artist featured on one of 2025’s most anticipated albums is something truly special.
Moments like this show how, through reach and reputation, we can transcend genre - and how backing the right artists early helps us continue to protect, celebrate, and modernise the culture in new and unexpected ways.
Two things satisfy me more than anything:
💽 Working great records
🌱 Helping talent at the early stages of their career
Wishing Dave, Nicole, and everyone involved with The Boy Who Played the Harp the very best. It’s a proper masterpiece. Bravo 👏
Thank you to everyone who has supported Nicole on her journey to date. Her story is just beginning….
As we conclude this year’s Defected Malta festival, I want to say the biggest thank you to each and every one of you - our community, our DJs, our dancers, our crew, and everyone who brought their energy across the weekend. You are the heartbeat of these events, and it’s your passion that makes Defected what it is.
Malta has become such an important part of our journey, and this year was no exception. Unforgettable sets, stunning locations, and a dancefloor filled with love and unity. Seeing our global family come together here, from so many different countries, is a reminder of why we do this: to protect, celebrate, and modernise the culture of House Music.
We never take your support for granted; your commitment, your smiles, your voices on the dancefloor are what drive us forward. Thank you for sharing these moments with us, and for making Defected Malta 2025 one for the books.
Until the next time… see you soon on a dancefloor. ❤️
Today I wanted to shine a light on Oden & Fatzo @oden.music@fatzo_music
Ever since I heard Lauren back in 2021, I became a fan of the guys and what they were about musically. They had the perfect balance of french touch, with those classic vocal & deep house elements running through everything they do.
We worked together for the first time on ‘Lady Love’ with @camdencoxmusic in 2023, and last year released the amazing ‘Tell Me What You Want’ by @poppybaskcomb , which is a record that has just gone certified silver in the UK.
We’ve released other records with the guys over the past few years clocking up untold dance site charting and hundreds of millions of streams, which is all working towards a special album project that will be dropping early next year.
Defected @defectedrecords is a label whose foundations are built on supporting and nuturing upcoming talent, especially those who have a passion for writing and producing new & original house music.
I’m very proud of the work we’ve done together, and can’t wait for the world to hear what they’ve been working on in the studio.
For now, here are some of moments from the past few years… respect & congrats to @oden.music@fatzo_music & @poppybaskcomb
House Music All Life Long 🫶🏻
Freak Like Me, another very special record to me.
Rewind to 2016, I was still working in the marketing team at @defectedrecords back then, promoting & plugging - I saw a video on Facebook of Marco Carola playing a new version of Freak Like Me by DJ Deeon. I found out that it was by my young friend, Lee Walker @leewalkermusic , who I had released music from before my time at Defected, and had even played B2B with before.
I reached out to Lee and pretty quickly we’d picked up the record. Not long after, it was Beatport #1 within 24 hours, and then we released a vocal version with MNEK and Katy B, which charted in the UK and helped the record go on to become certified Gold. This record may have given me my first ever plaque in the music industry (certainly one of the first), so will always hold an important place in my heart!
Now, we have a new version from Ben Kim @benkim_music , which has also been championed by Marco Carola… making it a very full circle moment.
RIP DJ Deeon. Big up to Lee Walker each and every time. Thank you to Marco Carola for supporting both versions so heavily. And finally, welcome to the Defected family, Ben! We tried once before, but now you’re here 😊
The story continues…..
8 years of ‘Cola’ 🫶🏻
Ahead of the new ARTBAT Remix @artbatmusic dropping on Friday, @andydaniell & I wanted to tell a bit of the story of how ‘Cola’ became the monster it now is.
Shoutout to @camelphatmusic & @elderbrook for creating a dance music classic that changed A LOT when it dropped back in 2017.
