If you had to choose one word to describe Sammy Virji, ‘joyful’ would definitely be one of the first ones to roll off your tongue. With his unashamedly fun productions and his bubbly on-stage demeanour, the producer and DJ has gone from Newcastle basements to massive festival stages.

Bringing together the North (bassline) and South (UKG) of the UK in his sets, his formula is deadly simple: bouncy half-step rhythms, heavy bass, infectious vocal hooks that stay in your head for days, and a huge grin. He’s teamed up with his heroes - bassline legend Flava D - and modern icons - Skepta - and shared booths and studios with the likes of Fred Again and Skrillex.

It’s his work as a producer that has received the most attention, winning plaudits from Four Tet and Dan Snaith (Caribou/Daphni). A self-professed ‘producer before DJ’, he packs his sets with his own bright, bold tracks and edits. The perfect recipe for a feel-good set, which is what his headline appearance at Sónar 2026 promises to be.