Tijs Michiel Verwest (Dutch pronunciation: [ t s mi xi vr st] ii ,[4] born 17 January 1969[5]),

better known by his stage name Tisto (/ti s to / tee-ES-toh; Dutch pronunciation: [ c sto ] ), is a
Dutch DJ and record producer[6] [7] !ormer"y known asDJ Tisto, he is now known simp"y as
#$i%sto#,[8] an artist name which is a twist o& his chi"dhood nickname[9]
'n 1997, he &ounded the "abe" Black Hole Recordins with (rny )ink, where he re"eased
the Magik and In Search of Sunrise *D series $i%sto met producer Dennis +aakop ,ei-ers in 199.,
and the two ha/e worked together e0tensi/e"y since then[!"] 'n 1999 and 1222 $i%sto
co""aborated with #err$ %orsten to create &our$ella 3is 1222 remi0 o& 'elerium4s #(ilence#
&eaturing (ara) *c+ac)lan e0posed him to more mainstream audiences 'n 1221, he re"eased his
5rst so"o a"bum, In My Memory, the tit"e track a remi0 o& an origina" song written by and
&eaturing ,icola Hitc)cock, this a"bum ga/e him se/era" ma-or hits that "aunched his career 3e
ranked at 61 on '- *aa.ine4s annua" $op 122 DJs 7o"" consecuti/e"y &or three years &rom 1221
to 1228
Just a&ter re"easing his second studio a"bum Just Be he per&ormed "i/e at the /""4 (ummer
0l$mpics openin ceremon$in 1t)ens, the 5rst DJ to p"ay "i/e on stage at an 9"ympics 'n (pri" 1227
$i%sto "aunched his radio show Tisto's Club Lifeon Radio 528 in the :ether"ands and re"eased his
third studio a"bum Elements of Life $he a"bum reached number one on the Dutch a"bum chart as
we"" on #)i""board $op ;"ectronic ("bums# in the <= and recei/ed a nomination &or a &ramm$
13ard in 122.[!!] $i%sto re"eased his &ourth studio a"bum alei!osco"e in 9ctober 1229
Contents
>)ide?
! +i4e and musical career
!5! 6arl$ li4e and career
!5/ In My Memory 7/""!8/""49
!52 Just Be 7/""48/""79
!54 Elements of Life 7/""78/""99
!55 alei!osco"e 7/""98/"!"9
!56 Club Life 7/"!!8present9
/ :)ilant)rop$
2 :ersonal li4e
4 'iscorap)$
5 (ee also
6 Re4erences
7 6xternal links
Life and musical career[edit]
Early life and career[edit]
$i-s @ichie" Aerwest was born in Breda, :ether"ands on 17 January 1969[!/]
'n 1998, he began re"easing materia" on :ocu"an ,ecords4 subB"abe"s *hemo and *oo"man
During these years, he produced )ardcoreCa;;er tracks under a"iases such as Da Joker and DJ
Dimited 3e was "ater disco/ered by the eneral manaer o& RotterdamBbased )asic )eat
,ecordings[!2] 'n "ate 1998, he signed to )asic )eat where he met (rny )ink !rom 199E to
1996 he re"eased &our e0tended p"ays on )onFai Jumps and G$*, subB"abe"s o& Dightning
,ecords 'n 1997, $i%sto -oined his &riend H/es Aandiche" on his subB"abe", DJ H/es, a di/ision o&
the now de&unct 3uman ,esource "abe" G=A @usic 'n the &a"" o& 1997, both (rny and $i%sto
decided to "ea/e )asic )eat and create their own parent "abe", now known as Black Hole
Recordins, $rashcan was discontinued and Iuardian (nge" continued re"easing music unti"
1221 $hrough )"ack 3o"e, $i%sto re"eased the Magik series and a"so created two ma-or subB
"abe"s in 199.; <n =rance >e =rust and (onBird
!rom 199. to 1999, $i%sto re"eased music on 7"anetary *onsciousness where he
met 1?R 3ardy 3e""er and in/ited him to re"ease some records on )"ack 3o"e $i%sto "ater
inc"uded the In Search of Sunrise series on =ong)ird 'n 1999, $i%sto -oined &orces with &e""ow Dutch
dee-ay #err$ %orsten to create the trance based duo o&&our$ella[!4] 3e a"so co""aborated
with Benno de &oei@ &rom 199. to 1222 under the name Aama$a :ainters =ince :o/ember 1999,
he per&ormed month"y as a resident at &atecras)er in ()e44ield, and p"ayed a 11Bhour set, his
"ongest, in 1msterdam[!5]
Date in 1222, $i%sto decided to concentrate on his persona" work and "e&t *orsten to write and
produce Iourye""a4s ne0t sing"e with -o)n 63;ank[!4] $i%sto introduced1rmin van Buuren, -o)an
&ielen and !erry *orsten to the mainstream with his 5rst compi"ations and the In Trance We
Trust series Summerbree#e became $i%sto4s debut DJ mi0 a"bum in the <=
[!2] Summerbreeze &eatured his remi0 o& 'elerium4s #(ilence#, which spent &our weeks in the <J4s
$op $en chart and reached number three in the Billboar! dance chart[!2] In Search of Sunrise $ was
re"eased in 1222 $i%sto decided to create a subB"abe", known as *aik *u.ik $he "abe" began
re"easing $i%sto4s own re"eases, but it has a"so re"eased tracks &or the #ilter)ead., 0liver
+ie;, *ark ,orman, @o-ado, :)$nn and -6(
In My Memory (2001200!"[edit]
$i%sto4s popu"arity started to rise in the ear"y 1222s>citation nee!e!? a&ter his set at the
5rst <'?= 'nnercity party (Li%e at Innercity& 'mster!am ('I), and the re"ease o& In My Memory, his 5rst
so"o a"bum re"eased in 1221 which contained 12 sing"es and E ma-or hits; $he sing"es &rom
the a"bum were: #+et)al <ndustr$# which was actua""y produced in 1999 and had on"y K copies
re"eased at that time, the track was oLcia""y re"eased in 1221 which was remi0ed by Ric)ard
'urand in 1226 a"ong with #!"ight 68K# which was another "eading sing"e that was "ater
adapted with /oca"s by (u.anne :almer and re"eased as #642 7+oveBs on #ire9# 9ther tracks were
#0;session# in which $i%sto worked a"ongside -unkie C+, the instrumenta" tracks #Da""as 87@#
and #(u;ur;an =rain# with #Dr;an =rain# as its )B=ide which contained some /oca"s $he "ast
sing"es to be re"eased were #<n *$ *emor$# which is the tit"e track &or the a"bum as it on"y
recei/ed high ratings in the <nited =tates and the opening track #@agik Journey# which
opened =iEsto in %oncert (122K) 9n !ebruary 1, 1221 $i%sto p"ayed nine consecuti/e hours
during the second edition o& the Dutch Dimension &esti/a" 9n !ebruary 17 he was awarded a
Mi"/eren (4=i"/er4) 3arp music award $he same year he a"so recei/ed a Ducky =trike Dance
(ward in the category )est DJ $ranceC7rogressi/e 'n (ugust he became part o& @oby4s 1rea/
=our !or eighteen days he tra/e""ed through the <nited =tates with artists such
as *o;$ himse"&, but a"so 'avid Bo3ie and Busta R)$mes[!6] 'n January 122K, $i%sto recei/ed the
annua" Dutch 7oppri-s (47op (ward4) during the :oorders"ag &esti/a" (&ter touring with @oby,
$i%sto remi0ed two songs &rom him, #>e 1re 1ll *ade o4 (tars# and #6xtreme >a$s# in the same
year, ha/ing #+e (re ("" @ade o& =tars# reach number 1K in the Hot 'ance %lu; :la$ 'n 1221 he
re"eased his 5rst In Search of Sunrise mi0 to &eature a p"ace on its name, In Search of Sunrise )&
*anama 9n @arch 1., 122K; $i%sto, 'iesel;o$, Bad Bo$ Bill, and ,oel (aner -oined
the :la$(tation/ Dua" 7"ay tour $i%sto and :oe"4s appearance began on (pri" 1K and ended on
June 6[!7]
3is &ame continued to increase &or then known he has in the ear"y 1222s, &o""owing his si0B
hour #$i%sto =o"o# sets which he per&ormed without other DJs or opening acts $his idea, o&
one DJ p"aying a"one to a "arge crowd was new $i%sto was the 5rst DJ to ho"d a so"o concert in
a stadium; on @ay 12, 122K, he per&ormed &or 1E,222 peop"e in 1rn)em4s &elre'ome[!6] $his
concert was "ater ca""ed Tisto in Concert 3e repeated the same type o& concert the &o""owing
year during two consecuti/e nights in "ate 9ctober[!8] 'n addition to ho"ding these two
concerts &or KE,222 o& his &ans, he he"d another concert &or a crowd o& 12,222 in HasseltF
Beliumthe &o""owing week[!8] 'G's o& both his @ay 12, 122K and 9ctober K2, 1228 concerts
ha/e been re"eased, ha/ing the other DAD tit"ed Tisto in Concert $ $he DAD4s show the -ourney
&rom the 5rst idea to the main e/ent, it &eatures "i/e per&ormances by 1ndain, 'inand >oest)o44,
and -an -o)nston $he e/ent inc"udes "i/e music and dancers per&orming at diNerent times
throughout the set $he theme o& the e/ent is a mystica", musica" -ourney around the wor"d
based on the theme o& Magik[!9] 't consists o& 122O minutes o& per&ormances with a second
disc with specia" &eatures, 't inc"udes a behindBtheBscenes "ooking at The Making Of the event,
the music /ideo &or his song #=ra44ic# and $A *ommercia"s &or the e/ent $he second DAD has
per&ormances &rom 1Hualun and /io"in p"ayer DJ *ason, @icha J"ein and the )u"garian *hi"dren
o& 9rpheus choir During this period, he attained the 61 po"" position in the '- *aa.ine (<J)
$op 122 popu"arity po"" in 1221, 122K, and 1228[/"]
Just Be (200!200#"[edit]
'n 1228, he re"eased his second artist a"bum Just Be, which &eatured his 5rst sing"e #$raLc#
which is the 5rst nonB/oca" track to reach number one spot in the Dutch nationa" charts &or 1K
years[/!] $he track #=weet @isery# was origina""y written &or 6vanescence but it did not meet the
dead"ine &or the re"ease o& their a"bum 'n support to his Just Be a"bum, he p"ayed
at Breda, 6ind)oven, Dtrec)t, and 1msterdam; these stops were "ater named -ust BeI =rain =our 9n
@ay 12, 1228 he was appointed 9Lcer o& the 0rder o4 0raneJ,assau by 3er @a-esty Kueen
Beatrix o& the :ether"ands

$he 9"ympic !"ame at the 1228 =ummer 9"ympics opening ceremony
$he (thens 9rganiFing *ommittee &or the 9"ympic Iames (($39*) asked $i%sto to per&orm at
the 9"ympic Iames, making him the 5rst DJ to p"ay "i/e on stage at an 0l$mpic &ames at
the /""4 (ummer 0l$mpics openin ceremon$ in 1t)ens, where he p"ayed &or 92 minutes[//] $i%sto
Pew to (thens in January 1228 to ha/e a meeting with the ($39* 3is Tisto in ConcertDAD
caught their attention, a&ter which he was asked to write more tracks based on his opening
tune #1daio 4or (trins# which cou"d 5t in with the 9"ympic spirit and combine the c"assica" with
the modern age $he 5rst rehearsa" was on =aturday (ugust, 7, &or an empty stadium; the
second rehearsa" was on =unday (ugust . with KE,222 /o"unteers $he "ast rehearsa" inc"uded
a"most 62,222 peop"e in the stadium which was on $uesday (ugust 12, and there were some
technica" prob"ems
During the course o& his per&ormance at the 9"ympics, the Dutch ath"etes started dancing in
&ront o& the DJ booth and had to be mo/ed on by oLcia"s $he per&ormance inc"uded new
tracks produced especia""y &or the 9pening *eremony and songs that were created to
comp"ement the spirit and theme o& the ceremony ( condensed studioBrecorded a"bum o& the
songs p"ayed on the 9"ympic set was "ater re"eased, inc"uding new songs specia""y composed
&or the occasion, entit"ed *ara!e of the 'thletes in 9ctober 1228[/2] 'n the "iner notes, he noted
the '9* reQuested that the music not contain any "yrics as they cou"d be inad/ertent"y
misinterpreted
'n "ate 1228, he began his touring across +atin 1merica, with his re"ease o& In Search of Sunrise )&
*anama in which he gained inPuence &rom the sun and sand in summer 1221 $he tour
continued in 122E, and $i%sto per&ormed "i/e at Bra.il, 1rentina, %)ile, :anama, :eru, %osta
Rica, Druua$, :araua$, 6cuador, Gene.uelaand %olom;ia !o""owing the tours, In Search of Sunrise +&
Latin 'merica was re"eased in 122E, &eaturing a second *D &or the 5rst time in the In Search of
Sunriseseries[/4]
'n 122E, his *erfect (emi,es -ol. ) compi"ation was re"eased through +ar"ock ,ecords, containing
ten tracks which were created during the beginning o& his career, between those is -unkie
C+, *auro :icotto and =)e Roc :ro@ect 9n (ugust 12, 122E, Aerwest took Tisto in Concert to
the D( when he p"ayed to 16,222 at the +os 1neles *emorial (ports 1rena with %irHue du
(oleil dancers[/5] !or the second year in a row he per&ormed "i/e at a :ew Hear4s ;/eC:ew
Hear4s concert in +as GeasF ,evada at the 0rleans 1rena to a se""Bout crowd 3is &ourBcity D( tour
was postponed due to the hurricane damage in ,e3 0rleans and *iami B:* maa.inehas an
annua" po"" in the <= which is un/ei"ed in the >*%, in 122E $i%sto took the :o 1 spot[/6] $he
inPuences o& +os 1neles remained with him and wou"d "ater inPuence his In Search of
Sunrise compi"ation

$i%sto at DushR in 7ortrush,:orthern 're"and on @arch E, 122E
( wa0 scu"pture o& $i%sto was p"aced behind a turntab"e at *adame =ussauds in (msterdam
where /isitors can mi0 $i%sto4s music together[/7] [/8] =tops were made
in Dkraine, (lovakia, (er;ia, *acedonia, Romania, Hunar$, the %.ec)
Repu;lic,=urke$, %roatia, :oland and (out) 14rica $he <nited =tates tour that was part o& Tisto in
Concert was dwar&ed by his appearance at (ensation >)ite in 1226 where he per&ormed to o/er
8E,222 peop"e in 1msterdam[/9]
$he compi"ation was "aunched in the >inter *usic %on4erence at @ansion in (out) Beac) *iami to
support his re"ease, $i%sto went on his <n (earc) o4 (unrise 5 1sia =our &or more than three weeks
[2"]
'n =eptember 1226, $i%sto was admitted to hospita" a&ter e0periencing pain in his chest 3e
was diagnosed with pericarditisand subseQuent"y had to cance" a number o& shows[2!] +ith the
diagnosis, he was in/ited to support 'ance4+i4e to he"p teens who are not aware o& the risks
o& H<G/1<'(
9n (pri" 6, 1227, $i%sto began presenting a new week"y twoBhour radio show ca""ed Tisto's
Club Life on Dutch radio stationRadio 528 Dater in the summer o& 1227, he p"ayed at the "arge
=outh (merican beach ra/e where thousands danced on <panema )each, Bra.il
Elements of Life (200#200$"[edit]

$i%sto per&orming on his ;"ements o& Di&e +or"d $our in (msterdam on @arch 16, 1227
9n (pri" 16, 1227, $i%sto re"eased his third studio a"bum Elements of Life, the a"bum mo/ed
7K,222 units in its (pri" re"ease, according to ,ielsen (ound(can[/6] [/6] During the production o&
the a"bum $i%sto in se/era" cases sent a demo with the music to certain artists, and they
rep"ied back with the "yrics and /oca"s and other duration times 'n the case o& %)ristian
Burns &romBB*ak, $i%sto met him through *$(pace and got in contact with him and the
production o& the sing"e #<n t)e 'ark#[2/] $he a"bum consists o& rock, trance and experimental music,
which shows the sty"e $i%sto has grown throughout the years since his pre/ious a"bums which
contained "yrics, In My Memory and Just Be 7roducer Brian =ranseau co""aborated with $i%sto in
three tracks, he composed #)right @orningstar# and #(3eet =)ins#, he a"so per&ormed the
/oca"s in the sing"e #Break *$ #all# $ogether, they produced more tracks which were not
re"eased in the a"bum, $i%sto has mentioned they wou"d work again during the coming
summer[2/] 'n December 1227 it was announced that the a"bum was nominated &or a &ramm$
13ard, in the category #)est ;"ectronicCDance ("bum#[!!] $he a"bum a"so recei/ed go"d
certi5cations in )e"gium, 3ungary, :ether"ands, and ,omania 'n support o& the a"bum, he
embarked on the wor"dwide 6lements o4 +i4e >orld =our, and re"eased the Co"enhagen& Elements of Life
/orl! Tour DAD in 122.
$i%sto announced his residence at :rivilee 3e p"ayed in <;i.a e/ery @onday, &rom Ju"y 7 unti"
=eptember 11 $he gigs consisted o& sets in the sty"e o& his In Search of Sunrise series 'n 1227, he
had re"eased In Search of Sunrise 0& Ibi#a which was inspired by the is"and[22]
9n (pri" 1., $i%sto re"eased Elements of Life& (emi,e!, a recompi"ation o& the Elements of
ife a"bum with a"" remi0ed /ersions 'n midB122., $i%sto announced his <n (earc) o4 (unriseI
(ummer =our /""8, which was presented by 1rmani 6xc)ane in @ay in support o& his <n (earc) o4
(unrise 7I 1sia compi"ation[24] and the pre/ious"y re"eased In Search of Sunrise !" Ibiza
Kaleidoscope (200$2010"[edit]
9n 9ctober 6, 1229, $i%sto re"eased his &ourth studio a"bum alei!osco"e, which &eatured artists
such as :riscilla 1)n, %alvin Harris, =ean ? (ara and ,ell$ #urtado <n"ike his ear"ier a"bums, which
were a"" most"y trance, Ja"eidoscope e0p"ores other e"ectronic genres, and is considered
$iesto4s most e0perimenta" a"bum $he 5rst sing"e #< >ill Be Here# &eaturing (neak$ (ound
($stem being re"eased in Ju"y 1229 't reached number three on the much acc"aimed Drisco"" E,
and "asted there &or 18 weeks in the beginning o& 1211[25] [26] [27] 'n its 5rst week, the a"bum
reached the $op 12 chart on i=unes[28]
$o re"ease the a"bum he has set up a new record "abe" ca""ed @usica" !reedom a&ter parting
ways with )"ack 3o"e ,ecordings $i%sto &e"t that his music was e/o"/ing in a new direction
and his &ocus as an artist was mo/ing away &rom what )"ack 3o"e was set up to support
[29] 3is new tour, sharing the name o& his new a"bum, ca""edAaleidoscope >orld =our commenced
in "ate =eptember[4"]
$i%sto contributed songs to both the 1J 2ero and 1J 2ero $ /ideo games and is a p"ayab"e
character in the second game[4!] [4/] 3e contributed two e0c"usi/e mi0es to the second game,
and used content &rom #J $ero % to create the oLcia" /ideo &or his sing"e #=peed ,ai"#, the
wor"d4s 5rst music /ideo to be created entire"y using inBgame &ootage[42]
$i%sto has produced a tranceBPa/ored song &or @emphis rap duo =)ree 6 *a4ia4s upcoming
a"bum ca""ed ##eel <t,# which &eatures #lo Rida and (ean Ainston[44]
9n @arch 16, 1212, $i%sto re"eased his greatest hits a"bum ca""ed Magikal Journey& The 2its
Collection 34456$775, a two disc a"bum &ocusing on his most &amous songs and remi0es o& his
songs
9n (pri" 7, 1212, $i%sto announced that he wou"d start a new compi"ation series ca""ed & 'e(
#a(n with his own "abe" @usica" !reedom 'n his inter/iew $i%sto &urthermore con5rmed that
he wou"d no "onger ha/e any more in/o"/ement with Black Hole Recordins[45]
9n (ugust K1, 1212, alei!osco"e& (emi,e! was re"eased, a remi0 a"bum o& his
a"bum )alei*osco+e
9n December 11, 1212, $i%sto was one o& the head"ining acts at Mouk9ut 1212,[46] which was
he"d in (inapore at =i"oso )each, (entosa 's"and
Club Life (2011%resent"[edit]
9n (pri" 8, 1211, his mi0 compi"ation Club Life& -olume 8ne Las -egas was re"eased[47] [48]
9n June 1K, his studio a"bum iss from the *ast was re"eased under his a"ias (""ure, and
&eatured %)ristian Burns, -6(, and 6mma He3itt[49]
Club Life& -olume Three Stockholm was re"eased wor"dwide physica""y on June 1E, 121K, and it hit
616 on the )i""board $op 122 *hart>citation nee!e!?
Philanthropy[edit]
9n January 6, 122E, $i%sto per&ormed in an outdoor &undraiser in De Dam, (msterdam $he
&ree e/ent in/o"/ed Dutch artists "ike 'inand >oest)o44, B+L#, 1cda ? 'e *unnik, 'iJrect, and =ri@nt@e
0oster)uis were in/o"/ed in it to pro/ide 5nancia" aid to the peop"e who suNered &rom the /""4
<ndian 0cean eart)Huake and tsunami in(out)ern and (out)eastern 1sia[!6] [5"]
'n (pri" 1226, $i%sto was named the oLcia" wor"dwide ambassador &or
the 'ance4+i4e &oundation promoting awareness o& H<G/1<'(, as the &oundation4s ambassador
he has he"ped the organisation with &undraising a"ong with recording the track #'ance4li4e# that
he recorded with *axi -a.. &rom #ait)less $he &oundation consists on a better way o& "i/ing with
sa&e se0 in e0change o& entertainment to the young crowd[5!] $he song was a huge success,
peaking &or 5/e weeks in number K and e"e/en consecuti/e weeks in the $op 12 o& the 'utc)
(inles %)art, it a"so reached number E in Belium, number 6 in #inland and a"so charting in
the DA and &erman$ +ith the success&u" re"ease o& Elements of Life, $i%sto and &ashion
designer &iorio 1rmani co""aborated on a "imited edition $i%sto $Bshirt a/ai"ab"e at (rmani
;0change stores 3is sing"e #(3eet =)ins# comes with the shirt inc"uding an e0c"usi/e #(SG
,emi0# by $om *"oud which shows the great inPuence $i%sto has in &ashion cu"ture[5/] $he
charity raised o/er <=TK22,222[24]
'n :o/ember 1211, $i%sto re"eased a compi"ation a"bum #ance ,-E#. Save ives in
co""aboration with :roduct Red, with the aim o& donating any proceeds &rom the a"bum to the
5ght against ('D=[52]
Personal life[edit]
9n January 12, 122., Dutch newspaper 1e Telegraaf announced that $i%sto and his gir"&riend
=tacey )"okFi-" were going to get married on 9ctober 12, 122. in%artaena, %olom;ia 3e
proposed to her in December 1227 whi"e they were /isiting *auritius[54] $i%sto cance""ed his
wedding &or 9ctober 12, because he c"aimed to ha/e a busy schedu"e and too "itt"e time &or
the preparations[55] During *hristmas 122., )"okFi-" broke oN the engagement owing to the
constant de"ays to their wedding[56]