Rio Tashan’s bouncy, dancefloor-ready and intuitive style has already impressed many top figures in the industry, cementing himself as one to watch in the coming years. Born into a musical family with roots in the UK Drum & Bass scene, Rio’s influences extend far and wide with no singular genre or inspiration locking down the talented young DJ.
Rio’s passion for live performance was ignited later than he expected - specifically after attending his first festival aged 18. Growing up in East London before moving to Hertfordshire, Rio carved a name for himself in clubs around London, then travelling further afield to major cities in the UK before a memorable performance at Croatia’s Hideout Festival in 2019 put him on many tastemaker’s radars.
In 2022, after a very last-minute submission, Rio was selected as one of seven winners of Defected’s ‘Unsung Heroes’. Following the winner’s showcase, where he caught the attention of founder Simon Dunmore and CEO Wez Saunders, Rio was invited to work with the A&R team at Defected Records - scouting for new talent while strengthening his relationship with the iconic label: “Thanks to Defected and Unsung Heroes, a lot is coming to me all at once - I never expected it but I’m extremely grateful.”
Since then, Rio has performed venues throughout Europe, including Café Mambo in Ibiza alongside Simon Dunmore and The Dunmore brothers, Defected Malta and Defected Croatia. The rising star also hosts a quarterly showcase on Defected Broadcasting House, ‘It’s A Feeling’ celebrates the DJ’s favourite house tracks and the intuitive nature of live performance: “When asked by people how I DJ, I’ve always had the same response – ‘I’m not sure what I’ve done, it’s just a feeling’.”
This approach to DJing is similar to that of legendary DJ and producer Honey Dijon, one of Rio’s inspirations alongside Seth Troxler, Derrick Carter and Kerri Chandler to name a few - citing them as influences due to their extensive knowledge of the art form as opposed to emulating their specific techniques or styles.
With a sold-out show at Printworks already under his belt, Rio returned for the venue’s final season in March of 2023 - a year that defined the young talent with sets at Glastonbury, fabric London, Skepta & Jammer’s debut Mas Tiempo show at Drumsheds, Creamfields’ ARC stage, Tomorrowland, and his first ever Ibiza season with Defected.
Rio promises even more in 2024, teasing new music, another Ibiza season, a BBC Radio 1 residency and new music: “When I perform I just get in the zone, it’s like tunnel vision – just me, the music, and the crowd – that’s the feeling.”
