TEDDY-O IS COMING TO CAVO THIS SATURDAY

1. Tell us a bit about yourself.

When I look back today, it’s honestly crazy where music has taken me. It all started with hip-hop, cassette tapes, and being curious about why some productions instantly grabbed me while others didn’t. That curiosity has never left me.

I’m Teddy O, a DJ and producer from Germany with Greek roots, and music has been my life for over 30 years. My journey started in hip-hop, where I learned the importance of groove, rhythm, and, most importantly, how to connect with a crowd. Those roots are still a huge part of who I am as an artist.

Over the years, my sound naturally evolved from hip-hop into house music, and eventually into Afro House, Afro Tech, Melodic House and Indie Dance. I believe music evolves just like we do. As you grow, your experiences, influences and taste change—and so does your sound.

I’ve been fortunate enough to perform all over the world and experience so many different cultures. Every place I’ve played has influenced me in some way and helped shape the music I make today.

At the end of the day, my goal has always been simple: bringing people together through music and creating moments they’ll remember long after the night is over.

2. How would you describe your current sound and artistic identity?

I genuinely love electronic music in all its different forms. Afro House, Afro Tech, Melodic House, Indie Dance and Tech House are the genres I feel most connected to. What fascinates me about them is their ability to create huge energy on the dancefloor while still carrying real emotion.

At the same time, I always try to keep a little bit of my hip-hop DNA in my productions—whether that’s through the drums, the groove or the way I work with vocals. Those influences will probably always be part of my music.

I’ve never been someone who simply follows the latest trend. Trends come and go. What really inspires me is making music people can still connect with years from now. Of course my sound keeps evolving because I’m evolving as a person too. But no matter where it goes, I always want people to recognize my signature.

3. What inspired you to start your journey as a DJ and producer?

As a teenager, I was completely obsessed with hip-hop and R&B. Producers like Pharrell, Timbaland, Swizz Beatz, Jermaine Dupri and Darkchild completely blew my mind. I didn’t just listen to their records—I wanted to understand why they sounded so good. I spent hours breaking down their productions, and that’s probably what made me want to start making music myself.

As time went on, electronic music became a bigger and bigger part of my life. House music fascinated me because it could create emotion and energy in a completely different way.

Today I try to combine both worlds. You’ll probably always hear my hip-hop roots somewhere in my music, even though I’m producing electronic music now. Maybe it’s the groove, maybe it’s the drums, maybe it’s just a vocal idea. That’s simply who I am.

I believe every producer carries their musical background with them forever. Mine just happens to start with hip-hop, and I think those influences will always be part of my sound.

4. What is your usual approach when producing a new track?

I honestly don’t have a fixed formula, and I never sit down trying to chase trends.

Most of my music comes directly from whatever I’m feeling at that moment. Some days I want to create something emotional that tells a story and really connects with people. Other days I just want to make a powerful club record that hits hard and creates pure energy on the dancefloor. I love both sides equally, and that’s what keeps making music exciting for me.

A track usually starts with a melody, a vocal idea or simply a groove. Sometimes I can already hear the entire record in my head before I even switch my computer on. And sometimes I can actually see it—I picture the song being played in a club or on a festival stage, and I can almost see how the crowd is going to react. That instinct has honestly never let me down. After that, it’s all about turning that vision into reality.

I also listen to my own productions an insane number of times. Honestly, they should probably annoy me at some point. But if I still love a track after hearing it hundreds of times, that’s usually when I know it has something special.

At the end of the day, I don’t make music for algorithms or trends. I make music for that moment when thousands of people share exactly the same emotion.

5. Which artists have influenced your sound the most?

That’s probably one of the hardest questions because I’ve never limited myself to just one genre.

Everything started with hip-hop. Artists like Ice-T, Public Enemy, Run-D.M.C. and the Beastie Boys had a huge impact on me growing up. Later on, I got into artists like Aaliyah and Mary J. Blige, while producers such as The Neptunes, Timbaland, Swizz Beatz, Jermaine Dupri and Darkchild became massive inspirations.

At the same time, I fell in love with house music. I used to listen to Sven Väth DJ sets on cassette, and later I became obsessed with classic vocal house records by Robin S., Nightcrawlers and Armand Van Helden. Armand was someone who perfectly blended house, groove and hip-hop, and I always admired that. I was also lucky enough to spend time talking with Frankie Knuckles. Our conversations and friendship had a real impact on me, both musically and personally.

When it came to sampling and creative production, Bob Sinclar was another huge inspiration.

Outside of electronic music, I’ve always loved rock and crossover bands like Rage Against The Machine.

The truth is, I never really listen to music thinking, “Do I like this or not?” I usually ask myself, “Why does this work?” I think staying curious and learning from every genre is what has shaped my own sound more than anything else.

6. What has been the standout moment of your career so far?

There have honestly been so many unforgettable moments that it’s difficult to pick just one.

From around 2005, I had the privilege of playing regularly at Pacha Ibiza for almost 15 years. For me, Pacha was much more than just another club. It was where I built my deepest connection with the electronic music world. Watching Ibiza evolve from the early 2000s until today has had a huge influence on me, and I still carry that inspiration into my productions.

One particularly special milestone was playing at David Guetta’s “F* Me I’m Famous” vs. Eric Morillo’s “Subliminal Sessions”** at Pacha. At that time, it was a dream come true. I still have the original event poster hanging in my studio as a daily reminder of why I fell in love with music in the first place.

Another unforgettable experience was performing in front of around 800,000 people at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, as well as being the official DJ for the German National Football Team at major international tournaments, including the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Receiving international recognition for my productions has also been one of the biggest highlights of my career. In 2025, I won the EDM Award for Best Afro House Remix of the Year for my remix of Daddy Yankee’s “Yo Voy.” A year later, I received the same award again for my remix of Axwell’s “Watch The Sunrise.”

That second award means a lot to me because Axwell has been one of the artists I’ve looked up to for many years, both as a producer and as a DJ. Being asked to create an official remix for someone who has inspired you for so long—and then receiving an award for it—is something truly special.

But in the end, it’s often not the biggest stages that stay with you the longest. Sometimes it’s the smaller nights where everything just clicks—the music, the crowd and the atmosphere. Those are the moments that make this job so special.

7. What’s next for Teddy O? Any upcoming releases or goals you’re working towards?

Right now I’m working on a lot of new music, exciting remixes and international collaborations. A lot of it is already finished and will be released very soon. I love pushing my sound forward and constantly exploring new musical directions.

My goal is to keep performing around the world, reach new audiences through my music, and stay true to my artistic identity. As long as I keep growing creatively, I know I’m exactly where I want to be.

8. Are you looking forward to playing in the UAE? Have you played here before?

Absolutely. It’s one of my favourite places in the world.

I’ve been performing regularly in Dubai and across the UAE for almost 15 years now, and I genuinely look forward to coming back every single time. For me, Dubai has become one of the most exciting electronic music destinations anywhere in the world.

It’s been amazing to watch the scene grow over the years. The crowd is incredibly international, open-minded and always brings such an incredible energy.

I’m really excited to be back this weekend and share another unforgettable night with everyone in Dubai.