French DJ Michael Calfan produces an energetic mix of propulsive EDM and emotionally charged house music, designed to raise spirits and move bodies. His best-known songs, including the 2015 international hit "Treasured Soul," are built around expressive vocals, warm piano chords, and driving beats.

Calfan emerged in Paris in 2008, spinning hard-hitting electro-house influenced by Daft Punk and Modjo. His first tracks, such as "Twisted Bitch" and "The Bomb," were aggressive party-starters. In 2011, he employed more EDM buildups on songs like "Black Rave" and "Resurrection," creating a vibe similar to Swedish House Mafia. By 2014, he started to incorporate soulful R&B and gospel samples, much like Avicii and Moby before him. In a steady series of singles that began with "Prelude," Calfan aimed to uplift the spirits of his audience while still inspiring them to move. He followed with his 2015 hit "Treasured Soul," which reached the Top 20 of the U.K. singles chart. "Mercy" and "Breaking the Doors" followed, showcasing his evolved sound, which he carried into 2016's "Nobody Does It Better." More well-received singles followed in 2018, including "On You" and "Got You." Subsequent singles focused more on guest singers than sampled vocals, including 2019's "Wild Game" (with Monique Lawz) and 2020's "No Lie," a Martin Solveig co-production sung by Iman Conta Hulten. ~ Neil Z. Yeung & Paul Simpson

Before she topped the dance charts with the group iiO and their club hit "Rapture," singer/songwriter Nadia Ali was discovered by singing at the office Christmas party. The office just happened to be Versace's New York City headquarters, where a colleague introduced her to producer Markus Moser, with whom she formed iiO in 2001. "Rapture" would be released that same year, with a series of follow-up singles taking the group to 2005 and their debut album, Poetica. Ali officially left the group immediately after the album landed, although with plenty of unreleased material recorded, Moser would continue to release new iiO tracks featuring Ali's vocals, including the 2006 club hit "Is This Love?" Her solo career would officially launch in 2005 with an appearance on Armin van Buuren's album Shivers, while 2006 saw her working for John Creamer & Stephane K, recording the duet "Something to Lose" for the production duo along with singer Rosko. In 2008 she released the solo single "Crash and Burn," with "Love Story" following in 2009. Her debut album, Embers, also arrived in 2009, with the remix collection Queen of Clubs landing a year later. In 2012 she was featured on Starkillers' hit track "Keep It Coming," while 2013 saw her join Arty and BT on the single "Must Be the Love." A year later she returned to her career as a lead artist and released an acoustic version of the Police's "Roxanne." ~ David Jeffries