MANILA, Philippines - Tom Taus is now a bona fide international DJ.
The Viva Artists Agency star recently performed at ULTRA Japan, the Japanese edition of the world’s biggest electronic music festival. The event was held in Tokyo last September and featured a stellar line-up of headliners including superstar DJs David Guetta, Skrillex, Alesso, Dash Berlin and Armin Van Buuren.
It was Tom’s first appearance at a major international music festival in Asia, but the organizers saw him worthy of the main stage on the final day. In fact, he was the first act to take the stage that later on hosted the one-two-three punch of Dash Berlin, Alesso and closing act David Guetta.
“I still could not believe I played on the same stage as all these artists that are some of the biggest names in electronic music today,” Tom says. The former child star is the first Philippine-born and -raised DJ to perform at ULTRA.
The festival originated in Miami Beach, Florida in 1999. Over the past 16 years, literally thousands of the world’s most iconic DJs, producers and live acts have mesmerized audiences with awe-inspiring sets at ULTRA festivals in many countries around the world including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ibiza, Korea and South Africa.
It was the main organizer of ULTRA Japan that personally invited Tom to perform at the festival after he saw one of his local gigs in Manila. Tom was also invited to the Road to ULTRA: Manila, one of the satellite events of the festival, that was held at the MOA Arena a week after the Tokyo event.
Tom got interested in DJ-ing almost 10 years ago after trying it out at a private party for a friend in Manila. He then pursued it when he went back to the US, where he had been based since migrating in 2001 when he was 13 years old. He successfully carved out a name for himself in Hollywood where he was known as DJ TommyT.
Now performing as DJ Tom Taus, he has been touring the Philippines since he returned to the country last year. After a successful stint at ULTRA Japan, he is now tapping into the dance scene in Asia. Thus, it’s only a matter of time until he reaches the other parts of the globe.