Debut Acts - Malta 2024 Artist Spotlight Series

We are thrilled to launch a new multi-part series for the third edition of our weekend festival, shining a spotlight on just some of the incredible electronic music artists heading to Defected Malta in 2024.

Defected Malta will take place from 4th – 6th October 2024. Tickets are available now for the October getaway you’ve been waiting for.

Kicking off this series, we know these acts making their debut will bring in a new wave of hype…

DANNY KRIVIT

NYC legend and seminal house music icon Danny Krivit (aka Mr. K) will make his way to our Malta Festival in 2024. Part of an elite group of esteemed selectors, Danny’s production capabilities have touched hundreds of records with his signature flare shaping the New York City sound ever since the 70s. Back in 2005, the prolific remixer appeared on Defected’s In The House series - providing listeners with a definitive guide to upfront and classic house that helped define the genre.

Throughout his illustrious career, the New York native and vinyl junkie has produced for the likes of James Brown and Gloria Gaynor, then editing tracks for Bob Marley, Chaka Khan, Sade, Marvin Gaye, Thelma Houston, Blaze, Aretha Franklin, The Salsoul Orchestra, Kings Of Tomorrow and over 500 others earning him the title of ‘King Of The Edit’. The magnitude of Danny Krivit’s influence on house music is still felt to this day, appearing more recently in 2019 to edit The Vision’s ‘Heaven’ on Defected while maintaining a busy touring schedule. This is sure to be a monumental, defining set at for the Malta history books.

TSHA

TSHA’s reputation as an electronic maverick is well documented, from numerous ‘Breakthrough Act’ awards in her early career to gracing the covers of MixMag and DJ Mag, features in Billboard, NME, Crack and a recent spotlight from mega-club Hï Ibiza. The 2020s saw TSHA make the leap from promising young talent to certified electronic tour de force, and now four years later TSHA is making her debut at Defected Malta with her genre-transcendent, atmospheric and explosively intelligent dance sound.

Flash forward to 2024, TSHA’s immense, international touring schedule continues to attract global crowds who come in droves for her flourishing sound, as heard in her long-awaited debut album ‘Capricorn Sun’, always ambitious, filled with emotion and challenging the genre norms. Zane Lowe described the artist as “an absolute club superstar… one of the most exciting voices making club records”, with the London-born multi-instrumentalist also receiving support from a huge variety of tastemakers including Annie Mac and Pete Tong and more throughout her career. With more to come from Defected and TSHA to come throughout the year, TSHA’s Malta set is sure to draw in the house heads in the know. 

ELIZA ROSE

British underground selector turned chart-topping sensation Eliza Rose makes her Malta debut in 2024, coming in hot after a killer Miami Music Week set for Defected in March. Bursting onto the scene in 2022 alongside Interplanetary Criminal with the viral smash hit ‘B.O.T.A. (Baddest Of Them All)’, Eliza Rose has since established herself as one of the UK’s hottest DJs, dominating the festival circuit with sets at Glastonbury, Parklife, Sonar and Creamfields to name a small few, also receiving two Brit Award nominations in 2023 for British Dance Act and Song Of The Year.

Recent single ‘Take You There’, and fresh collaboration with Calvin Harris ‘Body Moving’ which also saw chart success in the UK, signalled the coming of her studio album (TBA). Managing to straddle mainstream success and underground repute while setting crowds alight on a major international touring schedule, Eliza Rose is certainly one to look out for at our weekend festival.

CINTHIE

Berlin-based DJ, label boss and self-proclaimed ‘vinyl princess’ Cinthie is known for her analogue approach to modern electronic music. Catching the house bug early in her career, inspired by the grooves of Frankie Knuckles, Kerri Chandler and Marshall Jefferson (who would later become her peers) Cinthie’s sound has since expanded into a brand with the launch acclaimed label 803 Crystal Grooves and sub-label Collective Cuts and her Berlin record store Elevate, proving that her love for house music is more than a look, it’s a lifestyle.

Cinthie’s creative and forward-thinking releases, including striking originals and remixes of underground staples from the likes of Turntable Orchestra, Dam Swindle, Seth Troxler and more saw has seen her demand rise globally throughout 2022, then returning to her custom built studio and collection of vintage hardware to create even more music in 2023. Having just delivered a knockout DJ set at Snowbombing 2024, expect big things from Cinthie’s set at our Malta festival 2024.

HONEYLUV

Los Angeles-based HoneyLuv is an essential figure in the next generation of BIPOC music, known for her engaging live sets that defy genre expectations at every turn. Hailing from Cleveland, a city steeped in house music history, 2023 saw the burgeoning selector bring her unique brand of grooving house excellence to a wider audience than ever before.

Outside of her busy touring schedule, HoneyLuv has curated her own radio show ‘House Of Honey’ and released music with the likes of NEZ, Cakes da Killa, Seth Troxler and more. Her output has grabbed the attention of house icons Dennis Ferrer and MK, receiving remixes for her defining house output since bursting onto the radars of tastemakers everywhere. With these huge names on her side, HoneyLuv is all set to dominate Malta with her irresistible grooves and impeccable taste.

MAKÈZ

Dutch duo Makèz quickly made an impression on key players in the house scene early in their career, from the likes of Chez Damier and Seth Troxler to Dan Swindle - with their releases on the latters’ Heist Recordings showcasing a knowledge of electronic music that was well beyond their years and earning them a place representing The Remedy Project at the global music event ADE in 2022.

Today, Makèz’s penchant for crate-digging has served them well, especially in their live sets that combine their own genre-bending originals with choice cuts from a variety of genres and eras. Their quirky style has seen releases on The Remedy Project with ‘Phases’, ANOTR’s No Art, and their own label launched in 2023; Sonic Soil being the perfect place to cultivate their unique sound and pave the way for fresh artists to experiment with freedom. Catch Makèz and a plethora of young artists paving the way at our Maltese festival in 2024.

As far as festivals in Europe go, the plethora of house music talent heading to the island festival is unmatched, set against a backdrop of crystalline waters, sandy beaches and clear blue skies. Get your tickets using the links above!