As June involves an in depth and the summer season solstice greets us with its long-awaited heat, the nation’s observance of Delight Month ends on a somber word.
This half-century-old custom took on a extra solemn tone this yr, due to an more and more hostile political regime. Nonetheless, even by way of these turbulent instances, main cities from throughout the nation rallied for the LGBT group to honor its contributions within the type of ecstatic parades and festivals.
From the East Coast to the West, Delight occasions illuminated the darkened skies, however none shone brighter than Washington, DC’s World Pride Music Festival.
Jordan Sabillo for World Delight Music Pageant
Serving because the host metropolis for this yr’s festivities, our nation’s capital was chosen to anchor the worldwide occasion sequence with occasions scattered all through DC. The principle celebration comprised a two-day music competition held throughout the Pageant Grounds At RFK Campus.
Co-produced by Insomniac Events, Capital Delight and Jake Resnicow, the multi-stage competition featured a group of artists from throughout varied genres and featured a major variety of dance music artists.
All through the weekend, dance music illustration was entrance and heart with performances by Zedd, Galantis, LP Giobbi, Purple Disco Machine, Spencer Brown, Kaleena Zanders, Patrick Mason and Dombresky’s Disco Dom alias.
EDM.com was in attendance at World Delight 2025, the place we sat down with 5 of dance music’s best to rejoice this monumental occasion and focus on its implications.
Rita Ora
“It will get me emotional,” stated Rita Ora as we requested about her World Delight efficiency.
“My single got here out right this moment, and while you launch one thing for the primary time, each time you do it, you get this concern in your abdomen,” she continues. “However to carry out at one thing like World Delight, the place you’re reminded that you simply’re cherished and appreciated—and likewise the group is all about acceptance—it is among the best launch dates of my life to have that help. It is simply priceless and grateful.”
Tania Hauyon for World Delight Music Pageant
Ora was referencing her newest single, “Heat,” which she carried out dwell to an adoring crowd mere minutes earlier than speaking with us. The English famous person, who was influenced by the UK rave scene, proudly embraces her love of dance music after having collaborated with the likes of Tiësto, Kygo, David Guetta and extra.
“I all the time need to respect the dance group, particularly as a result of it made my profession,” she stated. “The DJs have all the time had my again, so I’m all the time going to make time for dance music.”
When requested about her favourite dance music monitor, Ora lit up and stated: “Something with Avicii. I miss him a lot, and I feel he was a genius.”
HAYLA
As a current winner of the Electronic Dance Music Award for Dance Music of the Yr, HAYLA‘s look at World Delight solely strengthened her status.
“The vibe and the vitality within the crowd was completely unbelievable,” HAYLA gushed as she recalled her sweltering daytime efficiency. “World Delight being in DC is extraordinarily necessary, and I feel the gang exhibits robust unity and group. I feel this vitality must be unfold throughout the nation. It was actually necessary for me to be right here and present solidarity.”
Jordan Sabillo for World Delight Music Pageant
The British powerhouse vocalist, whose whirlwind of a yr contains a number of high-profile performances and her debut album, made it some extent to lend her abilities to the occasion in hopes of being a ray of hope to the LGBT group.
“To be invited to come back to this competition and to have the ability to communicate to individuals by way of music is highly effective, and the truth that I will be right here exhibiting my help and love for the viewers is one thing I’m actually grateful for,” HAYLA stated.
As one of the vital recognizable voices in EDM, her foray into the dance music world is pretty current. She spoke extremely in regards to the style’s hovering vocals and melodies, which she leaned into as her profession blossomed.
“I am from a band background,” she says when requested about her begin within the music trade. “I have been in many alternative bands, many alternative genres, however I’ve all the time cherished dance music. It is all the time been there, effervescent within the background.”
HAYLA says she hopes her music generally is a supply of inspiration for not solely the LGBT group, but in addition for anybody struggling to seek out themselves.
“After I write one thing, I hope that it is gonna resonate with somebody, and anybody who listens to my music appears like they’ve a house… If it appears like there’s one thing you are going by way of, they know another person has gone by way of it too, so you do not really feel remoted,” she defined. The facility of music can convey pleasure and convey individuals collectively, and if I’ve managed to create one thing like that, I really feel extremely proud.”
SOFI TUKKER
Driving excessive off back-to-back album releases (Bread and Butter, respectively), SOFI TUKKER took to the stage at World Delight to showcase their newest bangers alongside nostalgic homosexual anthems, together with a mixture of Shania Twain’s “Man I Really feel Like A Girl.”
“I made that remix for Stagecoach,” Tucker Halpern stated of his rework of Twain’s 1997 smash hit. “We considered including it proper earlier than we went on, and thought that it might be excellent right here. In order that was actually enjoyable seeing their response.”
“We all the time love doing the pleasure stuff,” added Halpern, who spoke on behalf of SOFI TUKKER as a consequence of bandmate Sophie Hawley-Weld’s want for vocal relaxation. “We have finished a ton of occasions with Jake Resnicow earlier than. I really grew up with Jake in Boston, so I felt proper at residence.”
The duo’s World Delight efficiency landed in the midst of their busy tour schedule, which features a Las Vegas residency with Wynn Nightlife. It additionally included a choreographed dance routine by members of the California-based dance group Bob’s Dance Store, with whom SOFI TUKKER have collaborated extensively on tour.
Tania Hauyon for World Delight Music Pageant
“We love Bob’s Dance Store,” Halpern says. “Since popping out of the pandemic, we have been touring with them they usually’ve grow to be a extremely enjoyable a part of our present. They’re such a enjoyable vibe to be round.”
When requested about what we may count on out of SOFI TUKKER within the coming months, Halpern excitedly stated: “Truthfully, we’re ending up a number of the greatest music I feel we have made. These are full-on bangers and we’re actually enthusiastic about that.”
Anabel Englund
Not one to be shy, Anabel Englund absolutely embraced her individuality when talking in regards to the significance of pleasure festivities.
“I am pansexual and I really feel that now greater than ever we have to present who we’re and be happy with it,” Englund informed us. “I see so many individuals shining their mild, and what makes individuals afraid is after we gays are genuine. The world wants genuine people who find themselves true to themselves and may go exterior on daily basis and be themselves.”
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The chart-topping artist delivered a standout showcase of her newest and best to the legions of followers she had within the viewers at World Delight.
“I really feel like at pleasure occasions we get our alternatives to shine, and I really like bringing dance music to the individuals as a result of it is actually what speaks to my soul,” she stated. “It simply makes me really feel so good, and that most likely interprets to different individuals as nicely.”
The Southern California native, who hopes to begin engaged on an album within the close to future, expressed her love and appreciation for dance music tradition, which she says started to form her style in music when she was a teen.
“I discovered EDM after I turned 18 and was going to the golf equipment in Hollywood. I keep in mind the music being so good, prefer it was chatting with me,” she recalled. “I simply actually wish to blast dance music in my automobile. Whether or not I am feeling unhappy or excited, it simply feels so good.”
Tinashe
Tinashe’s musical trajectory has crossed genres a number of instances all through her profession, and her foray into the digital dance music area has been a very long time coming.
“Dancing basically is such an enormous a part of what I do and what I really like and why I make music, so I feel EDM matches into that so completely,” she says. “I like to play with completely different genres. I by no means like to stay to 1 vibe or fashion.”
Tinashe’s appreciation for dance tradition stems from its diverse sounds and rule-breaking method to music.
“I like to see EDM come up within the mainstream,” she says. “When it first obtained large, it felt like a homogenized model of what EDM feels like. Now there are such a lot of completely different kinds, and as an artist, that is so thrilling to me.”
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Tinashe admitted to not attending too many festivals as a fan, however she did point out the enjoyable instances she’s had inside Coachella’s storied Yuma tent. As for her efficiency at World Delight Pageant, her presence was a major one.
“I really like being part of the queer group and I really like the queer group,” she stated. “They’re such an enormous a part of my fan base and I wanna help them anyway I can. This yr, of all years with this administration, we want as a lot pleasure as we probably can. We gotta present out, so I am excited to be right here supporting this yr in our nation’s capital.”
World Delight Music Pageant is scheduled to happen in Amsterdam for its 2026 run. Yow will discover tickets extra data here.
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