Get the latest gossip

John Summit Breaks Down His DJ Hustle and Why Touring Is Like ‘Lord of the Rings’


John Summit talks about the tour lifestyle, DJ hustle and Timothee Chalamet, 'Lord of the Rings' and more.

Through an alchemy of talent, will, hard work and smart decision-making, Summit and his team have pulled off one of dance music’s rarest feats: becoming a hard-ticket juggernaut with a signature sound, big-ass hits and intergenerational appeal. Since his first release in 2017, he has steadily attracted other believers, with his sprawling business now populated by managers, agents, accountants, label operators, radio pluggers, marketers, production designers, social media experts and the videographer who silently and ceaselessly captures footage as Summit shows me around Miami, a city where he has not only made it, but where he now avoids “super-glamorous spots where I feel like people are just staring at me the whole time.” He recalls firing off “hypercritical” tweets at main-stage dance giants back in the EDM era; he preferred the heady vibes of Michigan’s beloved dance/jam festival Electric Forest and deep cuts like Shiba San’s 2014 house classic, “Okay.” “Now I’m here in those same shoes getting as much s–t talked about me.

Get the Android app

Or read this on Billboard

Read more on:

Photo of John Summit

John Summit

Related news:

News photo

Friday Dance Music Guide: The Week’s Best New Tracks From John Summit, 2hollis, Carlita & More

News photo

Billboard 2025 The Stage at SXSW Announces Opening Acts For Koe Wetzel, Grupo Frontera, John Summit Shows

News photo

Grupo Frontera, Koe Wetzel, John Summit, Chelsea Handler, Auli’i Cravalho Part of PMC’s 2025 SXSW Lineup