We’re happy for this chat with Belgian talent HOAX (BE), electronic music producer and DJ at his debut at Tomorrowland Belgium!
His sound is focused on energy, emotions and melodies and we dived into his path asking about his feelings, style and projects!
Matteo: Hey Hoax, I’m Matteo from YouBeat, nice to meet you!
HOAX: Nice to meet you!
Matteo: The pleasure is ours, really. Let’s start from the beginning: “Hoax” means prank, trick, deception… Can you tell us a bit about the story behind your stage name? Why “Hoax”?
HOAX (BE): Well, I might disappoint you… there’s no deep meaning behind it! Before starting the HOAX project, I was part of a DJ duo — I was a bit scared to get on stage alone. Then I decided to go solo and was looking for a new name.
One night we were watching a series on Netflix, and suddenly the word “Hoax” popped up.
I immediately liked how it sounded, and the aesthetic of the word. It was short, impactful… and I said to myself: “Okay, I’m keeping it.”
Matteo: Funny story! Let’s talk about your set at the Crystal Garden. Performing at Tomorrowland as a Belgian talent must be something special for you.
HOAX (BE): Absolutely. It’s my very first Tomorrowland ever. I had made myself a promise: I wouldn’t go to the festival unless I was playing as an artist. I’m 26 now, so I could’ve gone for the past 8 years… but I waited. And today, I finally made it.
Matteo: A promise kept — and a big milestone!
HOAX (BE): Yes, and on one of my favorite stages! The Crystal Garden is beautiful — with the roof, the hanging plants… the atmosphere is amazing. Opening the stage isn’t easy though — it’s big, and people are constantly coming and going. It takes time to build a vibe, but I think I managed it.
Matteo: How did you prepare your set?
HOAX (BE): Well, even though Tomorrowland is such a high-energy festival, I knew I had to start gradually.
You can’t just drop all the hits right away.
So I took playlists from other sets of mine, selected the right tracks, and adapted them for this occasion.
Matteo: Smart approach. Congrats again on your debut!
Let’s talk a bit about your music now. You’ve worked with Luminae — we know them well, they’re Italian — LaLisa is doing great, and Desire and Silafa with BOM and Elyon are really powerful too.
We’ve even added them to our Spotify playlist!
HOAX (BE): Thanks so much, I really appreciate that!
Matteo: How would you describe the HOAX sound to someone who’s never heard your music? And how do you see it evolving?
HOAX (BE): It’s hard to define. I produce deep house, Afro house, sometimes a bit more tech sounds.
But whatever the genre, energy is key for me. Whether it’s a deep or Afro track, it has to make people dance.
When I play, I want people moving — not just standing still. So: energy, tension, good vibes.
Matteo: When did you realize music was your path? Was there a defining moment?
HOAX (BE): It all started here in Belgium. As a kid, the third weekend of July meant one thing: Tomorrowland. It was everywhere — in the news, live on YouTube… I’d watch those DJs and think: “One guy pressing buttons and thousands of people dancing. I want to do that too!”
Then my dad gave me my first controller, I started playing for friends — the sound was terrible, but they always supported me. Then came the duo, because I wanted to perform live but not alone.
Being two gives you confidence — if you mess up, you laugh and move on. Now that I’m solo, the responsibility is all mine. But after almost 10 years in the game… if something goes wrong, so be it. It’s part of the journey.
Matteo: And today is definitely a big turning point in your solo journey. What are your next musical steps? Future collabs, sounds you want to explore?
HOAX (BE): It depends. I don’t want to be one of those people chasing trends just to follow the crowd.
But if there’s a new, fresh trend, maybe I’ll pick some elements I like. I don’t know exactly where I’m headed, but as long as I’m having fun, it’s all good. I like finding a balance between underground and more accessible music.
Remixes, edits, original tracks… a bit of everything.
Matteo: You’re right — balance is key.
We’re really happy to have chatted with a Belgian talent here at Tomorrowland, and we hope to see you in Italy soon!
HOAX: I’d absolutely love that! Where are you based?
Matteo: Close to Milan!
HOAX (BE): Perfect — bring me over! Feel free to talk to some promoters, let’s make something happen!
Matteo: We’d love to! With YouBeat, we’ll do our best to share your music with our audience.
You’re really making us have a great time!
HOAX (BE): Thank you so much, really.
Matteo: Now you can finally enjoy the festival experience too, since you had promised to only come as an artist…
And you nailed it! Thanks again — goodbye!
HOAX (BE): Thanks to you. Bye!
*Thanks to HOAX and Tomorrowland teams for the opportunity!
28y passionate guy about music, social media, digital marketing and infographics!
I founded youBEAT in 2012 as manifesto of my passion for electronic music, with the aim of promoting artists and events.
Graduated in Media Languages at UCSC in Milan (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore) with a thesis on the revolution of daily life with the streaming in entertainment and information.
Everyday more passionate and keen about data, tools and music insights and their connection in this everyday faster social connected world.
From 2017-2023 A&R, Marketing and International Manager at EGO Music (www.egomusic.net).
In 2024 I founded MAVIL, my artists&labels mgmt and promotion solo company!