Headhunters

Biography

Willem Rebergen, known professionally as Headhunterz, was born on September 12, 1985, in the Netherlands. His passion for hardstyle ignited in 2003 when a friend gave him a ticket to Qlimax, one of the genre's earliest events, inspiring him to dedicate himself to becoming the top hardstyle producer. He began his music career around 2005, initially as part of a duo that signed with Hardcontrol Records before catching the attention of Dov Elkabas (The Prophet), founder of Scantraxx, who signed them and prompted the name change to Headhunterz. His breakthrough came in 2007 with 'The Power of The Mind,' the official Qlimax anthem, securing his first major record deal and gigs at hardstyle parties.[1][3][4][6]

In 2008, Headhunterz teamed up with friend and fellow producer Wildstylez to form the supergroup Project One, releasing the seminal album 'The Album' featuring tracks like 'Life Beyond Earth,' 'The Story Unfolds,' and 'Rate Reducer,' which redefined the hardstyle sound and propelled them to international prominence. By 2010, he was a dominant force, remixing for EDM artists like Hardwell, Kaskade, and Zedd, and collaborating with Krewella on Ultra Records. In 2013, he founded his own label, Art of Creation (initially HARD with STYLE), and briefly explored big room house and other EDM styles, performing at festivals with W&W, Steve Aoki, and R3hab from 2014 to 2017.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Headhunterz made a highly anticipated return to hardstyle in 2017, announced at Defqon.1, where he declared his surrender to his true roots, followed by a sold-out Ziggo Dome show and a massive world tour with 125 performances across 34 countries in 2018. His melodic, energetic style has made hardstyle a global phenomenon, earning him a permanent spot in DJ Mag's Top 100 since 2010, peaking at #28, and solidifying his legacy as the genre's leading figure through over 150 releases, iconic anthems for events like Defqon.1 and Qlimax, and his influential podcast HARD with STYLE.[2][3][5][6][7]

Fun Facts

• Headhunterz sold out Amsterdam's Ziggo Dome twice, including in 30 minutes for his 2017 'Return of Headhunterz' show.
• He is the highest-ranked hardstyle DJ in DJ Mag Top 100 history, entering in 2010 and never exiting, peaking at #28.
• His 2018 comeback tour featured 125 gigs across 34 countries, reigniting global hardstyle fandom.
• Headhunterz produced anthems for major events like Qlimax 2007, Defqon.1, and Hard Bass.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• The Prophet (Dov Elkabas) - Label founder who recognized talent and signed him to Scantraxx (Early releases on Scantraxx) [2005-2006]

Key Collaborators

• Wildstylez - Lifelong friend and co-founder of supergroup Project One (Project One album including 'Life Beyond Earth', 'The Story Unfolds') [2008 onwards]
• Krewella - Collaboration on first hardstyle track released on Ultra Records (Hardstyle track on Ultra Records) [2010s]
• W&W, Steve Aoki, R3hab - EDM collaborations during exploration phase (Remixes and festival performances) [2014-2017]

External Links

• Spotify