DJ GUESTLIST: Every Hour of the Night Matters

From the quiet corners of Mainz to the pulsing dancefloors of Berlin, DJ GUESTLIST’s story reads like a chronicle of dedication and reinvention. For more than a decade, he’s navigated the evolving landscape of electronic music with precision and passion, shaping a sound that balances drive with emotion. What began as a teenage hobby behind local decks in Mainz transformed into a full-fledged artistic vision that now echoes across Europe’s most vibrant clubs.

Berlin became the catalyst for his evolution. The city’s endless nights and restless creativity opened new dimensions in his sound and identity. It wasn’t just a move; it was a transformation, one that saw him leave behind the comfort of a 9-to-5 job and fully embrace the uncertainty of a global DJ career.

Today, DJ GUESTLIST stands at a point where artistic maturity meets unfiltered energy. His productions fuse trance euphoria with gritty groove, building a signature tension between euphoria and control. What this article uncovers is more than a biography; it’s the story of an artist who has learned to live within the rhythm he creates, both on and off the dancefloor.

Mainz shaped not only his musical foundation but also his work ethic and perspective. It was where he first understood that DJing could be more than weekend fun; it could be a lifelong pursuit.

“Mainz shaped everything for me; it’s my hometown and where my musical journey truly began. I started DJing at 16, so I’ve been doing this for more than ten years now. Back then, I played groove-based techno music at small local events. After COVID, I shifted towards trance together with a friend, and that change felt like a new era for me. The moment I realized it could be more than a hobby was when bookings started coming from outside Mainz and Frankfurt. From that point on, it wasn’t just passion anymore; it became a real vision I’d been chasing for a decade. Berlin opened the door to international gigs, I quit my 9-5 job to concentrate on my career fully, and so far, this was one of the best choices I made.”

That decision marked the start of a new era. In the studio, DJ GUESTLIST works with intuition and emotional precision, constantly seeking the perfect intersection between feeling and rhythm.

“For me, emotion always comes first; it’s what drives my creativity in the studio. Every track starts with a specific feeling, and from there, I build the rhythm and the arrangement.

Sometimes I have to remind myself not to get too emotional, to keep that raw club energy alive. Revisiting a project the next day often gives me a new perspective and new ideas. My goal is always to make tracks that move both body and mind, hard and emotional at the same time. My sets follow a similar flow: they begin with driving energy and end with a sense of emotional release.”

His latest release, “THE BEAT” with Hurts on Speedmaster, embodies this balance. It’s physical yet melodic, spontaneous yet calculated.

“For me, Hurts is a very exciting upcoming artist and great producer who was based in Berlin at the time. We decided to jump in the studio together, and from there, it all came together really naturally. There wasn’t any big plan behind it; we just went with the flow, bounced ideas back and forth, and ended up with this absolute banger.”

For DJ GUESTLIST, collaboration isn’t about convenience; it’s about chemistry. His ongoing partnership with Mika Heggemann captures that perfectly, blending power and emotion into something greater than the sum of its parts.

“Mika and I have both been around electronic music for many years and share a similar mindset. He started slightly earlier, but we both played a role in reshaping the new trance movement. I’ve always admired him; he’s one of the most inspiring and technically skilled producers in the scene. Our connection was instant, both musically and personally, which made working together feel natural. He brings the club-ready power; I bring the emotional depth.

Together, it just clicked. The result is a powerful blend of our styles, which will be released on December 19 on Hannah Laign’s Label Doof.”

Behind the decks, GUESTLIST constructs his sets like architectural blueprints: arcs of tension and release that make time feel elastic.

“The energy of the crowd always influences how I build my sets; it’s a dialogue. I like to create long arcs: starting with hard, driving energy and ending with an emotional punch. Most of my sets are not pre-planned; I play from instinct and what I feel at the moment. I still pay attention to details like key-mixing and emotional balance. I choose tracks that follow a natural tension curve, avoiding too many long breaks in a row. For me, a good set tells a story that makes sense from the first track to the last.”

At the heart of that story lies his newest creative venture: ALWAYS 3 AM.

“ALWAYS 3 AM is meant to be more than an event; it’s a brand and a creative platform. Together with my partners, I want to build something lasting: events, visual identity, maybe even a label. The idea is to curate line-ups called the GUESTLIST, with a clear artistic vision, not just random bookings. I want to support upcoming artists and producers who share that sense of purpose. The core idea behind ALWAYS 3 AM is that every hour of the night matters; at any time, it can feel like main time.”

Every project GUESTLIST touches carries his sense of authenticity. His collaboration with Berlin-based streetwear brand Kneipensport is proof of how deeply intertwined music and nightlife culture have become.

“The collaboration with Kneipensport happened completely by coincidence, first at an event, then again in a Berlin pub. Max, the founder, and I instantly clicked; we share the same humor, taste, and energy. We came up with the idea for a collab that same night, and it grew naturally from there. The design reflects the nightlife and party culture that both our audiences connect with. I’m super proud of how it turned out. It feels real, authentic, and true to the scene we represent.”

When speaking about trance, his tone becomes almost philosophical. He sees the genre’s revival not as nostalgia but as a process of renewal, an evolution shaped by today’s global soundscape.

“I see the current trance wave as both a rebirth and an evolution of the genre. In the early revival phase, a lot of it was dominated by pop-trance edits; it felt over-commercial. Now it’s becoming deeper and more individual again, with every artist adding their own DNA. I try to respect the old-school roots while still pushing the sound forward. Re-interpreting melodies, synths, and basslines isn’t copying; it’s reinventing with purpose. To me, that’s the essence of keeping trance alive in 2025.”

What makes DJ GUESTLIST stand out in a scene overflowing with image and noise is his presence. He performs with his eyes open, connected, aware, and grateful.

“Touring can be exhausting; there are weekends when I take four flights in three days. But the moment I step on stage and see the crowd’s energy, everything makes sense again. That’s when I remember exactly why I do this, because of that pure connection. You can’t fake a real connection; it has to come naturally through the energy in the room. I’m deeply grateful to live this life, to share music, and to see people losing themselves in it.”

That presence defines his artistic philosophy as much as his future plans.

“Next year is going to be full of releases. I’ve got several collaborations and solo projects lined up. We’re expanding ALWAYS 3 AM into a stronger event brand with more concepts and locations. I’m excited to travel, play in new countries, and maybe even start my own tour soon. For me, success means being happy with what I do, not just doing more. I want to stay balanced, play the right shows, and keep evolving as an artist. The legacy I want to leave is about passion, honesty, and staying true to myself, both on and off stage.”

DJ GUESTLIST’s journey is one of balance: between drive and reflection, crowd energy and inner purpose. His decade-long climb from local decks to international festivals mirrors the evolution of trance itself, a sound that refuses to fade, constantly reshaped by artists who live it as truth. Through his music, his events, and his vision of community, GUESTLIST reminds us that the real magic of the night lies in its timelessness. At 3 AM, or any hour, the beat still matters.