'Our country is strong in electronic music': Flemish culture prize awarded to Netsky

Time marches on, and proof is that the government of Flanders has awarded its annual Culture Prize for Music to a DJ and producer, the first time the region’s official prize for music has gone to someone from the dance scene.

Netsky, 26, was born Boris Daenen in Edegem, Antwerp province. He studied digital media production at Lessius University College in Antwerp, dropping out after two years, having already begun work on what would be his first album, also called Netsky. The name, incidentally, refers to the computer virus or to the malign computer network Skynet from the Terminator movie franchise.

A number of singles brought Daenen to the attention of fans of drum’n’bass and electronic dance music. In 2010, he released the single “Moving With You”, featuring Jenna G, which was the hit of the summer and one of the first drum’n’bass number to be played on a Flemish radio station. Soon after, the listeners of Q Music voted him Best Belgian DJ.

Since then he has been transformed into an international phenomenon, producing recordings for Rusko, Swedish House Mafia, Pendulum and Jessie J. He has also made appearances to great reviews at festivals including Tomorrowland, Dour, Lowlands and Pukkelpop. At Rock Werchter in 2012, he was accompanied by Selah Sue, and in the same year he appeared at Sziget in Hungary and toured the UK.

“Our country is traditionally strong in electronic music, and the jury considers this prize as recognition of the importance of dance in the nation’s pop music scene,” Flemish culture minister Sven Gatz said in a statement. “Boris Daenen, or Netsky, is a phenomenon on the dance scene.”

The award carries a cash prize of €12,500, but Netsky will have to wait for it. Because of last weekend’s heightened terror alert, the event at which it should have been handed over at the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels was cancelled. A replacement date will be announced.

Photo courtesy Sony Music