Hardwell is officially back.
The Dutch dance music icon, whose abrupt 2018 retirement shook the EDM community to its core, has been confirmed as the secretive closing artist of Ultra Music Festival 2022. Prior to the announcement, organizers had been heavily teasing a Sunday performance from "one of the most iconic artists in electronic music history."
Billboard reports that Hardwell will debut new music at Ultra's 2022 edition, describing his revamped sound as "a departure—or evolution—from his previous, commercially focused work." The story also alludes to an album in the works, which Laidback Luke—a chart-topping dance music veteran and one of Hardwell's many collaborators—reportedly said "is going to be incredible."
Hardwell performed at Ultra every year from 2012 to 2018, when he shockingly stepped away from the electronic music industry at the age of 30. Earlier this year, the storied DJ celebrated the 10-year anniversary of "Spaceman," the generational dance anthem he released just two months prior to his Ultra debut in 2012.
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Hardwell is set to close the Main Stage on March 27th after David Guetta and Armin van Buuren, among others. Whether or not his performance will herald a comeback tour remains to be seen.
Ultra Music Festival will return to its longtime home of Bayfront Park March 25-27. You can check out the festival's set times and schedule here.
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