KAAZE
A Stockholm demo that reached Tiësto, then a long run on Hardwell’s Revealed Recordings: how Mick Kastenholt became KAAZE and entered DJ Mag’s Top 100.
- Swedish DJ and producer Mick Kastenholt, born in Stockholm on 30 January 1989.
- Discovered by Tiësto through a demo, then signed to Hardwell’s Revealed Recordings, where his solo single “Tell Me” came out in 2016.
- Entered DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs at No. 83 in 2021; albums Dreamchild (2019) and MICK (2023).
KAAZE is the project of Mick Kastenholt, a Stockholm producer who went from an unheard demo to festival main stages. His records pair big-room drops with a melodic, progressive streak, and most of them have come out on Hardwell’s label, Revealed Recordings.
A demo that reached Tiësto
Kastenholt started on piano and drums as a child and grew up on unusually broad tastes, from Whitesnake to Earth, Wind & Fire. After moving to Stockholm he left school and spent about a year and a half in his studio, producing every day and playing his music to nobody.
One demo from that period reached Tiësto, his idol. According to one biography, the two met in Stockholm about two weeks later, and KAAZE followed him to his set at Summerburst festival; DJ Mag dates that first connection to 2012. A summer of daily demos followed, then an offer to sign with Tiësto’s Red Light Management. He went on to tour New York and joined Tiësto’s Hakkasan residency in Las Vegas. His sound from those years mixed melodic progressive house with influences from 1980s disco and glam rock.
Revealed Recordings and the Hardwell years
In 2016 KAAZE remixed Hardwell’s “Echo” and released his solo single “Tell Me” on Revealed. It was the start of a long partnership. The label put out “End of the World” with Jonathan Mendelsohn (2017), “We Are Legends” with Hardwell himself, “Sweet Mistake” with MARF (2020) and “Erase You” with Millenial.
His debut album, Dreamchild, followed on Revealed in February 2019, with singles such as “I Should Have Walked Away” featuring Nino Lucarelli. The second album, MICK — simply his first name — came out in 2023.
Top 100 and beyond Revealed
KAAZE entered DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs poll at No. 83 in 2021 and was ranked No. 59 in 2023. Since then he has spread his releases across labels: “In the Dark” with Maria Mathea on Dim Mak in 2024, a run of singles on Smash The House (“Papi”, “Faded”, “Maneater”), and “On the Floor” with Ceres on Spinnin’ Records in October 2025. He has worked with Steve Aoki on “Head Rush” and remixed David Guetta and Sia’s “Beautiful People”.
Where to start
“Tell Me”, “We Are Legends” and the Dreamchild singles are the obvious starting points. For the mentor’s side of the story, read our profile of Tiësto; for the Guetta and Sia partnership KAAZE later remixed, see the story of “Titanium”.
FAQ
Who is KAAZE?
KAAZE is the stage name of Mick Kastenholt, a Swedish DJ, producer and songwriter born in Stockholm on 30 January 1989.
How was KAAZE discovered?
One of his demos reached Tiësto. The two met in Stockholm, KAAZE joined him at his Summerburst festival set, and he later signed with Tiësto’s Red Light Management.
Which label is KAAZE signed to?
Most of his catalogue came out on Hardwell’s Revealed Recordings, including the albums Dreamchild (2019) and MICK (2023). Recent singles have also appeared on Dim Mak, Smash The House and Spinnin’ Records.
