Sam Feldt
Sam Feldt (born Sammy Renders; August 1, 1993) is a Dutch DJ, record producer, and entrepreneur based in Boxtel, Netherlands, recognized for his contributions to the tropical house genre and producing melodic electronic dance music that emphasizes uplifting, summer-inspired vibes.[1][2] Feldt gained international prominence in 2015 with his viral tropical house remake of Robin S.'s 1993 classic "Show Me Love," which amassed millions of streams and established his signature sound blending deep house with feel-good melodies.[2][3] His breakthrough continued with platinum-certified hits like "Summer on You" (with Lucas & Steve), which won the 2017 Dutch "Hit of the Year" award, and collaborations including "Stronger" with Kesha, "Follow Me" with Rita Ora, and "Till the End" with Jonas Blue.[4][5] By 2019, Feldt had surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify, with standout tracks like "Post Malone" (featuring RANI) exceeding 500 million streams and earning multiple platinum and gold certifications across Europe.[6][7] He has headlined major festivals such as Ultra Music Festival, Coachella, Tomorrowland, and Electric Daisy Carnival, and in 2023 signed a global deal with Sony Music to expand his catalog.[2] Recent releases include the 2025 album "Time After Time," the single "Runaway Train" with RuthAnne, and contributions to reimagined tracks like a version of Diana Ross's "I'm Coming Out" alongside Steve Aoki and Nile Rodgers.[8][9][10] Beyond music, Feldt is a serial entrepreneur who founded Heartfeldt Records in 2020 as an independent label focused on melodic house releases, alongside Heartfeldt Publishing, Heartfeldt Radio (a weekly show), and Heartfeldt Events.[11] He previously co-founded Fangage, a fan engagement platform sold in 2022, and launched the Heartfeldt Foundation to promote sustainability by donating 1% of his music streams to environmental projects supporting conscious living and community impact.[5][11] In 2025, Feldt released his sophomore studio album "Time After Time" and expanded foundation initiatives, while continuing to tour globally with dozens of shows annually, including appearances at events like Waterbomb Bali and Scream Or Dance.[12][13][14]Early life
Family and childhood
Sam Feldt, born Sammy Boeddha Renders on August 1, 1993, in Boxtel, Netherlands, grew up in a household deeply rooted in environmental consciousness.[15][16] As the only child of two self-described "hippie" parents, Feldt was raised with a strong emphasis on nature, sustainability, and eco-friendly living from an early age.[17] His parents instilled these values by maintaining a vegetarian lifestyle and regularly tending to a communal garden where the family grew their own fruits and vegetables, fostering a hands-on appreciation for the environment.[17] This upbringing, characterized by earth-loving principles and a commitment to harmony with nature, shaped Feldt's worldview and later motivated his philanthropic efforts toward sustainability.[18]Education and musical beginnings
Feldt began his musical journey at the age of eight when he started taking piano lessons, which sparked his interest in composition rather than merely performing existing pieces.[19] By age 12, he had transitioned to creating his own music using digital audio workstations like FL Studio, marking the start of his self-taught production efforts.[20] This early experimentation was influenced by house music genres, particularly 1990s tracks that emphasized melodic energy and rhythmic drive, shaping his foundational skills in electronic music production.[21] At age 11, Feldt began DJing as a hobby, initially organizing small drive-in shows with assistance from his father, which allowed him to explore mixing and performance in a low-pressure environment.[22] He taught himself the technical aspects of DJing and production through trial and error, honing his abilities behind the scenes without formal training beyond his initial piano instruction.[23] Growing up in a family environment that valued diverse musical tastes subtly encouraged his budding passion, providing a supportive backdrop for these pursuits.[24] During his college years, Feldt majored in marketing and sales, which equipped him with essential business knowledge that would later inform his career decisions.[25] Around 2009-2010, at the age of 16-17, he shifted from casual experimentation to launching the Sam Feldt project as a dedicated alias, focusing on deeper house sounds and moving away from earlier eclectic styles like hip-hop and hardstyle.[25] This transition represented a pivotal step from hobbyist production to a more professional orientation, setting the stage for his future endeavors in the music industry.[19]Career
Rise to fame
Sam Feldt entered the professional music scene in 2014, signing with Spinnin' Records' sublabel Spinnin' Deep and releasing his debut singles that showcased his emerging deep house sound. Notable early tracks included "Bloesem," a collaboration with De Hofnar that blended melodic elements with tropical influences, and "Hot Skin," produced alongside Kav Verhouzer, both of which gained traction in the Dutch electronic music circuit.[26][27] His international breakthrough arrived in 2015 with a remix of Robin S.'s 1993 classic "Show Me Love," featuring vocals by Kimberly Anne. The track, released on Spinnin' Records and Polydor, peaked at number 4 on the UK Singles Chart, marking his first major commercial success and drawing widespread attention across Europe and beyond.[28] This release not only highlighted Feldt's ability to modernize house anthems but also earned him a nomination for Best Chill-Out/Lounge Track at the 2016 International Dance Music Awards (IDMA).[29] Building on this momentum, Feldt scored another hit in 2016 with "Summer on You," a collaboration with Lucas & Steve featuring rapper Wulf. The uplifting track was certified Platinum in the Netherlands shortly after its release, reflecting strong domestic support and radio play.[30] That year, he also received a nomination for Best Dutch Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA), underscoring his rising profile in the global dance music landscape.[31] In 2017, Feldt released his debut studio album Sunrise on Spinnin' Records, a 12-track collection that emphasized his signature tropical house style with breezy, summery vibes and collaborations including Akon and INNA. The album played a key role in establishing his foothold in the genre, blending pop accessibility with electronic production. Later that year, he rose to number 75 on DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs list (up from #87 in his debut year of 2016), affirming his breakthrough status among international peers.[32][33][34]Musical style and evolution
Sam Feldt's early musical style was rooted in tropical house, characterized by upbeat, melodic remixes of classic tracks that infused electronic production with sunny, feel-good vibes and light percussion.[35] His breakthrough remix of Robin S.'s "Show Me Love" exemplified this approach, blending nostalgic soul elements with breezy synths to create accessible, dancefloor-ready anthems.[35] Over time, Feldt evolved his sound into what he terms "Future Tropical," a genre that expands tropical house by incorporating live instrumentation, organic textures, and influences from Afro house, deep house, and progressive elements, while emphasizing emotional depth and cinematic storytelling.[12] This shift began prominently after 2017, as seen in key releases like the 2019 single "Post Malone" featuring RANI, which garnered a nomination for Best Song Dance at the 2020 International Dance Music Awards and has amassed over 625 million streams on Spotify.[36][37] The 2024 single "The Confession" further highlighted this maturation, featuring Phil Plested's vocals in a track that merges melodic introspection with pulsating rhythms.[38] This evolution continued with the 2024 reimagining of Diana Ross's "I'm Coming Out" (as "I'm Going Out") alongside Steve Aoki, Nile Rodgers, XANDRA, and Zak Abel, blending disco heritage with modern electronic production.[10] In 2025, the single "Runaway Train" featuring RuthAnne further showcased organic textures and emotional narratives.[9] Feldt's collaborations have been instrumental in this evolution, partnering with artists such as Akon on the 2017 track "Yes," Kesha for the 2021 release "Stronger," Jonas Blue under the Endless Summer moniker for songs like 2022's "Till The End," and Sam Fischer on 2021's "Pick Me Up."[39][27][40] These works showcase his ability to fuse pop sensibilities with electronic innovation. In parallel, he launched the Sam Feldt Live format, integrating live instruments like trumpet and percussion to deliver immersive, band-driven performances that enhance the organic feel of Future Tropical.[41] His most recent project, the 2025 album Time After Time—released on May 23—represents a pinnacle of this evolution, described as an ambitious collection of 11 tracks exploring themes of fatherhood, personal growth, and legacy through emotionally resonant narratives.[42][8] Featuring collaborations with Anitta, JVKE, Justin Jesso, and Parson James, the album balances euphoric energy with vulnerable introspection, as Feldt noted it reflects his experiences as a father, inviting listeners to contemplate time and connection.[43]Tours and live performances
Following the breakthrough success of his 2014 remake of "Show Me Love," Sam Feldt rapidly expanded his live performances, starting with club gigs in Europe and progressing to international festivals that helped cultivate a global fanbase. Early appearances included sets at major events such as Ultra Music Festival, Coachella, Tomorrowland, and Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), where he showcased his tropical house sound to large audiences and established himself as a rising figure in electronic music.[2] In the 2020s, Feldt evolved his shows from traditional DJ sets to hybrid live-DJ formats, incorporating live instrumentation and band elements to create more dynamic and engaging experiences. This shift was notably featured in his "Endless Summer" project with Jonas Blue, which included live performances at festivals like Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), EDC, and Ultra Music Festival, blending pre-recorded tracks with on-stage improvisation for enhanced stage presence.[2] A highlight of 2024 was Feldt's 13-date residency at LIV Nightclub and LIV Beach within the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, marking a significant milestone in his North American touring presence. That year, he also headlined prominent festivals including Tomorrowland in Boom, Belgium, and Ultra Music Festival in Miami, delivering high-energy sets that drew tens of thousands of attendees.[44][45] Supporting his 2025 album Time After Time, Feldt embarked on an extensive world tour with dates across North America, Europe, Asia, and beyond, emphasizing interactive elements like fan-voted setlists and sustainable stage setups through partnerships with the Heartfeldt Foundation. These efforts included measuring and offsetting the carbon footprint of flights and productions, as well as using eco-friendly materials for visuals and equipment to promote environmental responsibility in live events.[2][44]Business and philanthropy
Entrepreneurial ventures
Sam Feldt's entrepreneurial journey began early, as at the age of thirteen he registered his own company, engaging in small-scale business ventures that sparked his interest in commerce.[19] During college, he pursued a degree in marketing and sales, which laid the foundation for his later professional endeavors in the music industry.[19] In 2016, Feldt co-founded Fangage, a creator services platform designed to empower artists and other content creators by enabling them to own, manage, and monetize direct relationships with their fans through tools like subscriptions, paid livestreams, and community-building features.[46][47] The platform addressed frustrations Feldt encountered in fan engagement within his own music career, allowing independent creators to retain control over their audience data and revenue streams outside traditional social media dependencies.[48] Fangage raised $2.5 million in funding in 2021 to expand its offerings and was acquired by Triller in October 2025.[46][47] Building on his rising success as a DJ and producer, Feldt launched Heartfeldt Records in March 2020 as an independent imprint under Spinnin' Records, focused on releasing electronic music that emphasizes uplifting, vocal-driven tracks aligned with his artistic vision.[49] The label serves as a platform for emerging talent in the dance music space, integrating Feldt's commitment to innovative and positive industry practices.[50] Feldt has expanded the Heartfeldt brand into a broader ecosystem, including Heartfeldt Publishing to support songwriters, Heartfeldt Radio as a weekly dance music show hosted by Feldt, and Heartfeldt Events for organizing parties and experiences.[11] Feldt has extended his entrepreneurial influence through speaking engagements on music industry topics, including keynotes at the Winter Music Conference, where he has discussed fan engagement, influencer marketing, and sustainable business models since 2019.[51][52]Heartfeldt Foundation
The Heartfeldt Foundation was established by Dutch DJ and producer Sam Feldt in 2018 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about global warming and fostering environmental sustainability through the influence of music and public figures.[53] The foundation's mission centers on advocating conscious lifestyles and supporting local sustainability projects worldwide via a "Give/Do/Inspire/Empower" model, leveraging the universal appeal of music to drive positive change and empower communities against climate degradation.[54] The foundation is supported by donations, including 1% of net royalties from releases on Heartfeldt Records.[11] This initiative reflects Feldt's commitment to using his platform in the entertainment industry to address pressing environmental issues, with a particular emphasis on inspiring influencers and fans to adopt greener habits.[18] Key activities include partnerships with fellow DJs such as Goldfish, Jay Hardway, and Blond:ish to host events and campaigns that amplify sustainability messages within the music community.[55] The foundation promotes initiatives tailored to the dance music industry, such as encouraging eco-friendly tours and event production—like carbon-neutral staging during festivals—to reduce the sector's environmental footprint, educating fans on climate change impacts through social media and live activations, and advocating for the adoption of clean energy sources in music operations.[56] These efforts overlap briefly with Feldt's tours by incorporating sustainable staging practices to minimize waste and emissions.[17] The foundation's origins are tied to Feldt's personal upbringing in a nature-loving family of activists, where he was raised as an only child by "hippie" parents who emphasized environmental care and time spent outdoors, instilling a lifelong dedication to planetary well-being.[17][57] In 2025, the organization's efforts have expanded through collaborations with the United Nations on Sustainable Development Goals, integrating themes of fatherhood into its messaging to underscore the importance of building a sustainable legacy for future generations, as Feldt has noted how becoming a parent has intensified his focus on purposeful environmental action.[12][8]Personal life
Marriage and family
Sam Feldt married Michelle Renders in June 2022 during a wedding ceremony held in Piedmont, Italy.[58] Feldt became a father to a son named Florian in early 2024, an experience that profoundly shaped his personal and artistic outlook.[59] In interviews, he has described fatherhood as a transformative event that heightened his awareness of time, legacy, and emotional vulnerability, directly influencing the themes of growth, reflection, and meaningful connections in his 2025 album Time After Time.[12] The album's cover features Florian, symbolizing Feldt's evolving priorities and a shift toward deeper, more introspective songwriting.[43] Feldt has publicly noted that this new role inspired not only his music but also a renewed commitment to sustainability, aiming to create a better world for his child's future through initiatives like the Heartfeldt Foundation.[60] To balance his demanding touring schedule with family life, Feldt has adopted a more intentional approach to his career, incorporating creative retreats for focused work and prioritizing private family time amid travels.[43] Despite a packed 2025 festival lineup promoting Time After Time, he emphasizes maintaining family bonds through low-key excursions that allow for quality moments away from the spotlight.[12]Discography
Studio albums
Sam Feldt's debut studio album, Sunrise, was released on October 6, 2017, through Spinnin' Records. The project embodies his signature tropical house sound, drawing from upbeat, summery vibes with collaborations that extend his early hits like "Show Me Love." Key tracks include "YES" featuring Akon, which blends infectious hooks and positive lyrics, and "Fade Away" with INNA and Lush & Simon, highlighting melodic drops and vocal-driven production.[61][62] The album has accumulated over 171 million streams on Spotify, establishing Feldt's presence in the electronic dance music scene during the tropical house boom.[63] Feldt's second major studio album, Time After Time, arrived on May 23, 2025, via SF Music BV and Epic Records. This 11-track release evolves his sound into "Future Tropical," fusing tropical house with melodic house and pop influences, deeply inspired by his experiences as a father. Standout tracks include the titular "Time After Time," a reflective anthem about enduring love, and "Lonely Tonight" featuring Justin Jesso and [Parson James](/page/Parson James), which captures themes of isolation amid joy. The album represents his return to long-form releases after nearly eight years, emphasizing personal growth and genre innovation.[64][8]Compilation and remix albums
Sam Feldt's first compilation album, Sunrise to Sunset, was released on November 24, 2017, by Spinnin' Records.[65] This double-disc collection aggregates 24 tracks spanning his early career, including hits like "Show Me Love" alongside selected remixes and collaborations, showcasing the evolution of his tropical house sound from sunrise anthems to sunset vibes.[66] The album served as a curated retrospective of his breakthrough period, integrating fan-favorite singles with newly arranged material to highlight his broad stylistic range.[67] Following the success of Sunrise to Sunset, Feldt issued his dedicated remix album After the Sunset on February 19, 2018, also through Spinnin' Records.[68] Comprising 16 tracks, it features reworkings of songs from the prior compilation by prominent electronic producers such as Zonderling, Breathe Carolina, and Calvo, transforming originals into high-energy future house and dance variants.[69] Notable inclusions like "Alive (DJ Licious Remix)" and "Carry Me Home (Joe Stone Remix)" emphasize Feldt's collaborative remix ethos, extending the thematic journey from dawn to dusk while boosting playlist compatibility on platforms like Spotify.[70] These releases, both under Spinnin' Records before Feldt's shift to his Heartfeldt Records label in 2020, underscore his early focus on remixing classics and compiling hits to build a cohesive discographic narrative, with After the Sunset particularly noted for its role in bridging his tropical roots to more club-oriented evolutions.[71] No further dedicated compilation or remix albums have been released as of 2025.[35]Extended plays
Sam Feldt's extended plays represent key milestones in his evolution from tropical house roots to broader electronic explorations, often bundling collaborative tracks with thematic cohesion around uplifting, melodic vibes. His early EP, Been A While (2016), marked a breakthrough in the deep house scene, featuring six tracks that blended tropical elements with pop sensibilities, including collaborations with Milow and DubCat. Released on Spinnin' Deep, it showcased Feldt's signature warm productions and garnered significant streaming traction, contributing to his rising profile pre-album era.[72][73] In 2019, Magnets EP expanded Feldt's sound with five tracks on Spinnin' Records, emphasizing emotional, magnet-like attractions in lyrics and beats, featuring artists like Sophie Simmons, Sam Martin, and RANI on the hit "Post Malone." This release highlighted his shift toward more vocal-driven dance-pop, amassing over 665 million Spotify streams collectively and peaking in global charts.[74][75][63] The 2020 Home Sweet Home EP, issued via Heartfeldt Records, comprised three introspective tracks reflecting pandemic-era themes of comfort and resilience, with features from ALMA, Digital Farm Animals, and Tabitha Nauser. Clocking in at eight minutes, it underscored Feldt's entrepreneurial label launch and focus on heartfelt narratives.[76] Most recently, Time After Time (Future Tropical EP) (2025), a two-track follow-up to his album Time After Time, experiments with future tropical mixes on SF Music BV and Epic Amsterdam, featuring reimagined versions of "Time After Time" and "Lonely Tonight" with Justin Jesso and Parson James. Released digitally on July 4, this concise EP (six minutes total) explores experimental sonic layers, blending nostalgic melodies with forward-thinking production for streaming platforms.[77][78]Singles as lead artist
Sam Feldt's career as a lead artist began with tropical house-influenced tracks that gained international traction through Spinnin' Records. His early singles emphasized uplifting melodies and collaborations with vocalists, helping establish him in the EDM scene. Notable releases include remakes and originals that charted in Europe and beyond, often blending pop and dance elements. One of his breakthrough tracks, "Show Me Love" featuring Kimberly Anne, was released in 2015 and peaked at number 4 on the UK Singles Chart, spending 21 weeks in the Top 75. It also reached number 21 on the Dutch Top 40. The single was certified gold in Australia by ARIA for sales exceeding 35,000 units. Released via Spinnin' Deep, it marked Feldt's rising profile with over 100 million streams on Spotify by 2020. In 2016, "Summer on You" with Lucas & Steve featuring Wulf became a summer anthem, earning platinum certification in the Netherlands for 40,000 units sold. Issued on Spinnin' Records, the track highlighted Feldt's collaborative style and won "Hit of the Year" at the Radio 100% NL Awards. It amassed significant radio play and contributed to his inclusion on DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs list that year. "Post Malone" featuring RANI, released in 2019 as part of the Magnets EP on Spinnin' Records, peaked at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart with 25 weeks on the chart. The single received an International Dance Music Award nomination for Best Song (Dance) in 2020. It explored themes of fleeting relationships and garnered over 530 million streams on Spotify as of 2025, solidifying Feldt's shift toward deeper emotional lyrics.[2] More recent efforts include "Pick Me Up" with Sam Fischer in 2021 via Heartfeldt Records, a feel-good collaboration emphasizing resilience that achieved moderate streaming success without major chart peaks. In 2024, Feldt released "The Confession," exploring personal themes of vulnerability and relationships with introspective lyrics co-written with Phil Plested, marking a shift toward more emotional storytelling in his catalog.[79][80] Also in 2024, Feldt collaborated on "Sleep Tonight (This Is The Life)" with Switch Disco and R3HAB, released through One Seven Music, blending house grooves with nostalgic vocals for festival appeal. Singles tied to his 2025 album Time After Time (Epic Amsterdam) include "Mi Amor" with Anitta and JVKE, which peaked at number 28 on the Dutch Top 40 in 2024, and "Heart Like Mine" featuring Rosa Linn, focusing on introspective pop-dance fusion. In 2025, "Runaway Train" featuring RuthAnne was released as a single, continuing his melodic electronic style.[9] These tracks reflect Feldt's evolution toward album-oriented releases while maintaining chart presence in the Netherlands.| Year | Title (featuring) | Peak UK | Peak NL | Certifications | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Show Me Love (Kimberly Anne) | 4 | 21 | Gold (Australia) | Spinnin' Deep |
| 2016 | Summer on You (Lucas & Steve feat. Wulf) | — | — | Platinum (Netherlands) | Spinnin' Records |
| 2019 | Post Malone (RANI) | 10 | — | — | Spinnin' Records |
| 2021 | Pick Me Up (Sam Fischer) | — | — | — | Heartfeldt Records |
| 2024 | Sleep Tonight (This Is The Life) (Switch Disco, R3HAB) | — | — | — | One Seven Music |
| 2024 | Mi Amor (Anitta, JVKE) | — | 28 | — | Epic Amsterdam |
| 2024 | The Confession | — | — | — | Heartfeldt / One Seven Music |
| 2025 | Runaway Train (RuthAnne) | — | — | — | SF Music BV / Epic |
Other charted songs and remixes
In addition to his lead singles, Sam Feldt has made significant contributions as a collaborator and remixer, with several tracks achieving notable chart success and streaming milestones on dance and electronic charts. A prominent example is the 2024 collaborative reworking "I'm Going Out," produced alongside Steve Aoki and XANDRA, featuring Nile Rodgers and Zak Abel. This uplifting electronic reinterpretation of Diana Ross's 1980 classic "I'm Coming Out" was released on November 22, 2024, via Deja Vu Records, blending disco elements with modern house beats to create a party anthem that emphasizes celebration and self-expression. The track debuted on various dance charts and amassed millions of streams within its first year, highlighting Feldt's role in bridging classic soul with contemporary EDM.[81] Feldt's remix catalog includes reworkings of both established hits and emerging tracks, often infusing tropical and deep house influences to enhance their dancefloor appeal. Notable examples outside dedicated remix albums encompass:| Original Artist(s) | Song Title | Remix Details | Release Year | Key Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sean Paul feat. Dua Lipa | No Lie | Sam Feldt Remix | 2017 | Added summery percussion and melodic drops; over 62 million Spotify streams, contributing to the original's extended chart run on Billboard's Dance/Electronic Songs. |
| A R I Z O N A | Oceans Away | Sam Feldt Remix | 2017 | Transformed the indie pop track into a chilled house version; released via Atlantic Records, boosting its electronic playlist placements.[82] |
| SYML | Where's My Love | Sam Feldt Edit | 2018 | Softened the folk original with ambient electronic layers; issued by Spinnin' Records, it gained traction in lounge and chill playlists.[83] |
| Fleetwood Mac | Big Love | De Hofnar & Sam Feldt Remix | 2022 | Updated the 1987 rock hit with vibrant synths and groovy basslines; featured in Billboard's Top 50 Dance Remixes of Classic Hits for revitalizing legacy tracks.[84] |
| ILLENIUM & iann dior | First Time | Sam Feldt Remix | 2023 | Infused future bass elements into the melodic dubstep original; released via Warner Bros., enhancing its crossover appeal on streaming platforms. |