In Celebration Of Ultra Music Festival’s 25th Anniversary, DJs Reflect On Their Favorite Dance Floor Memories

For 25 years, Ultra Music Festival has been the beating heart of Miami’s electronic music scene, bringing together some of the world’s biggest DJs and most passionate fans for a weekend of pure dancefloor euphoria. As Miami Music Week takes over the city with poolside parties and after-hours club takeovers, the grand finale at Bayfront Park promises to be its most legendary yet. If you don’t have your hotel booked yet, time is running out!

From March 28th-30th, Ultra will celebrate its milestone 25th edition with a stacked lineup featuring more than 170 artists from across the electronic spectrum. Attendees can expect a weekend of history-making performances, including the world-exclusive Anyma B2B Solomun set, the global debut of Carl Cox’s ‘Evolution’ live show, the first-ever deadmau5 b2b Pendulum DJ set, the Miami debut of Dom Dolla and John Summit’s ‘Everything Always’ superduo, the world debut NGHTMRE b2b Sullivan King set, and the U.S. debut of Chase & Status’ new live show, among a slew of others.

But Ultra isn’t just about the music, it’s about the moments. Over the past two and a half decades, the festival has been home to career-defining sets, surprise B2Bs, and unforgettable fan experiences. To honor Ultra’s legacy, we asked some of this year’s returning artists–Hardwell, Sam Feldt, KASIA, Flux Pavilion, and Doctor P–to reflect on their most memorable moments at the festival. Let’s take a trip down memory lane with the artists who have helped shape Ultra’s legacy to prepare for this year’s landmark edition.

Hardwell (@hardwell)

What was your first time playing Ultra like? Any standout memories from that set?

Playing the mainstage for first time in 2012 was such a “wow” moment. It was a dream come true. I remember playing “Spaceman” and seeing the entire crowd lose their minds. I realized in that moment that things would be different from there onwards. It was my first real introduction to the American festival scene, and that set truly changed my career.

What’s your most unforgettable Ultra moment from past years?

My return in 2022 is a moment I’ll never forget! The anticipation, the emotion, the crowd going insane, it was unreal energy! It was an insanely nervous moment for me, going out there with a completely new sound, playing music, no one had heard yet, but dropping my REBELS NEVER DIE sound for the first time was also a statement. I wanted to come back with something fresh, something harder, and something with a different sense of emotion behind it. That whole set still gives me chills! Incredible!

What’s one track (yours or someone else’s) that defines Ultra’s energy for you?

The combination of “Spaceman” and Ultra will always be special for me, just because of what it represents – pure festival euphoria. The energy from the crowd around that track is simply something else. It has become such an anthem for the Ultra crowd. It’s mindblowing.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen or experienced at Ultra?

Ultra is full of crazy moments but one that stands out was seeing people climb trees just to get a better view of the Mainstage. Ultra just brings that level of passion where people will do anything to feel part of the moment.

If you could go B2B with any artist from Ultra’s past 25 years, who would it be and why?

Great question! Given his impact and how much of an incredible talent he was, not just for me, but also the Ultra fans, it has to be Avicii. His music changed the game, and his melodies were on another level. Going B2B with him at Ultra would have been something truly magical. He was a genius, and his legacy will always live on in dance music.

If you had to describe Ultra in just one word, what would it be?

Limitless! My reason is because every year, Ultra proves that there are no boundaries to how far dance music can go.

Sam Feldt (@samfeldt)

What was your first time playing Ultra like? Any standout memories from that set?

My first Ultra set was a milestone moment in my career. Getting to share my signature tropical house sound on one of dance music’s biggest stages was surreal. The way the crowd embraced that fresh, melodic sound in that massive festival setting showed me I was on the right path.

What’s your most unforgettable Ultra moment from past years?

Returning to the Ultra mainstage in 2022 after five years away was incredibly special. The energy was electric, and it kicked off an amazing new chapter – leading to my return in 2023 for an unforgettable Endless Summer set with Jonas Blue, and now my upcoming 2025 performance where I’ll be premiering tracks from my new album “Time After Time.”

What’s one track (yours or someone else’s) that defines Ultra’s energy for you?

“Crying On The Dancefloor” with Jonas Blue has become my Ultra anthem. When we dropped it during our 2023 mainstage set, the reaction was incredible. It perfectly captures that blend of emotional melody and festival energy that Ultra is known for.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen or experienced at Ultra?

The evolution of the festival’s production over the years has been mind-blowing. Going from performing with basic visuals to now having full synchronized production, timecoded visuals, and SFX has transformed how we can create moments for the crowd.

If you could go B2B with any artist from Ultra’s past 25 years, who would it be and why?

Jonas Blue – we’ve already proven our chemistry with Endless Summer and our mainstage B2B in 2023, and then again in Japan and Bali too! Our styles complement each other perfectly, blending melodic elements with high energy drops that Ultra’s crowd loves.

If you had to describe Ultra in just one word, what would it be?

Milestone. Every Ultra performance has marked a significant moment in my career – from my debut, to my 2022 return, to this year’s album premiere. It’s where dance music history is made.

KASIA (@kasia.music_)

What was your first time playing Ultra like? Any standout memories from that set?

I played Ultra for the first time three years ago at the Miami edition, on the Cove stage for Resistance. About ten years ago, before I lived in Miami, I used to fly to the city just for the festival—so being booked as a DJ and stepping onto that stage was a full-circle moment. It was an incredible feeling to finally be part of something that had meant so much to me for years. Performing in my own city made it even more special. At first, the pressure was high, and I was definitely nervous, but the moment I started playing, everything felt right. I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

What’s your most unforgettable Ultra moment from past years?

Being a part of Ultra for the past few years, both in Miami and Europe, has been an incredible journey. One of the standout moments was last year at Ultra Miami, playing the Megastructure stage for Resistance. That stage has always been one of my favorites, so stepping onto it felt just right.

Playing Ultra Europe in Croatia last summer was also special—the energy was out of this world, and the crowd was incredible. Everyone was so happy, and I could truly feel their energy. On top of that, my whole family flew in for the event, which made it even more meaningful to have them there with me. I also played the official afterparty on the island, which was the perfect way to close out an unforgettable experience. Moments like that remind me why I do this.

What’s one track (yours or someone else’s) that defines Ultra’s energy for you?

If I had to choose one track that defines the energy of Ultra, it would be my remix of Ferry Corsten’s “Punk.” The original is a trance classic, but my version brings it into the melodic techno realm while keeping that high-energy, peak-time spirit alive. It’s a track that blends intensity with moments of love, creating pure adrenaline and a deep connection with the crowd. I’ll definitely be serving it in my set this year, so stay tuned.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen or experienced at Ultra?

One of the craziest things I’ve experienced at Ultra was last year in Miami. It was pouring rain the entire day, but what surprised me the most was that no one cared—people were dancing in the mud, completely unfazed, as if the weather didn’t matter. The energy was unreal, and if anything, the rain only made the crowd wilder. No one was leaving until they had no choice when the festival had to be shut down. Seeing that kind of dedication and pure joy, despite the conditions, was something I’ll never forget.

If you could go B2B with any artist from Ultra’s past 25 years, who would it be and why?

If I could go back-to-back with any artist from Ultra’s past 25 years, it would have to be a true pioneer—someone who has shaped the sound of electronic music and continues to push boundaries. Carl Cox, Adam Beyer, or Amelie Lens would be my top choices. Each of them brings a different kind of energy to the decks, but what they all have in common is their ability to create a deep, driving, and relentless journey that completely locks in the crowd. The best back-to-back sets aren’t just about playing tracks—they’re about reading each other’s energy, building tension, and creating a moment that people will never forget. That’s the kind of memory I’d want to make at Ultra.

If you had to describe Ultra in just one word, what would it be?

Electrifying!

Flux Pavilion (@fluxpavilion)

What was your first time playing Ultra like? Any standout memories from that set?

I was so young!! That’s the main thing that I think whenever I see videos. I remember just bringing the best of what I could do and the crowd was electric, it was at Ultra when I first realized how big this music was going to be.

What’s your most unforgettable Ultra moment from past years?

Realizing that the entire backstage is a boat definitely blew my mind, I’m not sure if it is anymore but that really made me feel like the festival was something else.

What’s one track (yours or someone else’s) that defines Ultra’s energy for you?

It’s hard not to choose “I Can’t Stop” because it ultimately defined the era for me that Ultra played a massive part in.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen or experienced at Ultra?

I remembered looking over to the side of stage when I was playing the world stage more recently and Slash from Guns n’ Roses was there just casually watching my set, that felt pretty surreal! He came up after and apparently was loving it!

If you could go B2B with any artist from Ultra’s past 25 years, who would it be and why?

Honestly the ideal b2b for me is always gonna be Doctor P. We are brothers and our styles magnify each others in a way that feels like magic. Absolutely can’t wait to do it again.

Doctor P (@doctorpcircus)

What was your first time playing Ultra like? Any standout memories from that set?

It was in 2012, I feel like the strongest memory is that this was we all realized how big dubstep had become in North America. Ultra is an iconic moment in every year, and we were in the middle of all that.

What’s your most unforgettable Ultra moment from past years?

Dropping the “Louder VIP” in 2013 on the main stage, without doubt one of the most mind blowing moments of my career.

What’s one track (yours or someone else’s) that defines Ultra’s energy for you?

Probably “Sweet Shop,” it ended up in the hands of so many different DJ’s in so many different genres. It’s a record that became a big electronic record, genre breaking. Which defines what Ultra is.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen or experienced at Ultra?

There is a more distinct heat in Miami when there’s no wind. Probably quite a British thing to say, but that shit’s crazy to me.

If you could go B2B with any artist from Ultra’s past 25 years, who would it be and why?

Flux Pavilion, obviously. We’re lucky to have found each other, we’re so close but so different, it works so well. It has been so much fun building up to it this year, I can’t wait for our fans to get to enjoy it again.