Biography
There’s no arguing about the leading role that Dutch producer, DJ and label owner Headhunterz has had and has in the massive, worldwide growth in Hardstyle. The world is dancing to his many productions, remixes and sets since kicking off his career in 2007.
Headhunterz, Willem Rebergen in real life, fell madly in love with Hardstyle in 2003, when he visited one of the first Hardstyle parties in history: Qlimax. That night he decided to dedicate himself to becoming the best producer in hardstyle. That dedication brought him his first record deal in 2006, along with gigs at various hardstyle parties. ‘The Power of The Mind’, the official anthem of Qlimax 2007, changed his game and gave him the stage he’d been seeking. In 2008, he joined forces with good friend and colleague Wildstylez, and Project One was born. ‘The Album’, including tracks like ‘Life Beyond Earth’, ‘The Story Unfolds’ and ‘Rate Reducer’, became an instant classic, redefining the hardstyle sound and making Project One a leading act in Hardstyle. In 2009, Headhunterz’ powerful ‘Scrap Attack’ became the official anthem of DEFQON.1 – and the world called out for more. Each and every Hardstyle fan knew his name, but no one could have guessed the massive impact Headhunterz would have on the international dance music scene.
With a completely unique, melodic sound, Headhunterz’ sound became a new standard. More and more people fell in love with the genre and Hardstyle grew into an international phenomenon. Willem had worked himself up to be the ambassador of the worldwide Hardstyle movement, attracting artists and fans outside the genre as well. The Headhunterz touch resulted in remixes for Hardwell and Kaskade, and his collab with Krewella (2014) was the first Hardstyle track to find its home on Ultra Records.
After many years of success, something dared Headhunterz to try something new and completely reinvent himself. It was 2014, when he astonished everyone by branching away from Hardstyle. But Willem soon found himself homesick, eagerly longing for the scene that made him into the man he’d become. With new stories to share, lessons learned and a heart filled with yearning, he made his comeback. In the summer, 2017, Headhunterz’ announced his comeback to Hardstyle at Defqon.1. His show at the Ziggo Dome, to celebrate his return, sold out in a mere 30 minutes!
From there on, Headhunterz dedicated himself to the Hardstyle scene once more, rocking crowds of old and new fans in no less than 34 countries, clocking up no less than 125 gigs in 2018. In his brand new studio, Willem created ‘The Return of Headhunterz’, a mini-album with 7 incredible productions and collaborations, that so many Hardstyle fans had been waiting for.
