John Summit Responds to Backlash Over Shortened Argentina Set – EDM House Network

Armin van Buuren appears as drag queen Daisy Belle on Make Up Your Mind while speaking about LGBTQ+ acceptance and inclusivity in dance music

Armin van Buuren surprised viewers after appearing in drag on the Dutch television show Make Up Your Mind as mystery queen Daisy Bell. The RTL 4 program transforms well-known Dutch personalities into drag queens, while its panel tries to work out who is behind each character. During the latest episode, Armin van Buuren kept his identity hidden until host Carlo Boszhard announced his name. The panel and audience then gave him a standing ovation.

Armin van Buuren Revealed as Daisy Bell

Panel members Fred van Leer, Nikkie de Jager and Francis van Broekhuizen all reacted with surprise when Armin van Buuren revealed his identity. Fred van Leer was particularly surprised that an internationally established DJ had agreed to take part in the show. Nikkie de Jager also praised his transformation after he stepped out of character.

Preparing to become Daisy Bell required around five hours in makeup. Performing in heels also gave Armin van Buuren an entirely new challenge. After the reveal, he joked that he was happy to still be standing and described the experience as fantastic. Speaking about drag itself, he said, “It’s simply art.”

Why Armin van Buuren Chose to Take Part

Armin van Buuren explained that he does not normally agree quickly to television appearances. However, the message behind Make Up Your Mind convinced him to make an exception. He also connected his decision to the events he organizes and the people who attend them.

“I organize events myself and I want everyone at my events to be able to be themselves, because unfortunately that is not possible everywhere,” he said following the reveal. His comments reflect the wider message behind Make Up Your Mind, which regularly promotes acceptance and freedom of self-expression. Previous participants and panel members have also discussed the importance of allowing people to express themselves without facing judgement for being different.

For Armin van Buuren, appearing as Daisy Bell therefore carried a purpose beyond surprising viewers with an unexpected television appearance. His participation connected the message of Make Up Your Mind directly to what he wants people to experience at his electronic dance music events. He wants attendees to feel comfortable being themselves without feeling pressure to hide who they are.

Calvin Harris becomes the first DJ to headline Rock in Rio’s Palco Mundo, marking a major first for electronic music in the festival’s 41-year history

Calvin Harris made Rock in Rio history on September 6, 2026, becoming the first DJ to close Palco Mundo as the day’s headliner. The milestone came during his first appearance at the festival, exactly 25 years after electronic music was first given a dedicated area at Rock in Rio. What started as a separate electronic space inside Cidade do Rock in 2001 has grown steadily across later editions. By 2026, that history had reached the festival’s biggest stage.

Electronic Music’s 25-Year History at Rock in Rio

Back in 2001, Rock in Rio introduced a dedicated electronic music tent as part of that year’s festival. It gave DJs and electronic artists their own place within Cidade do Rock, while the wider event continued expanding beyond the rock acts associated with its early years. Electronic music kept returning in later editions, eventually leading to New Dance Order, which became the festival’s dedicated electronic stage.

The difference between that early tent and the scale of New Dance Order in 2026 shows how much has changed. This year’s stage measures 56.5 metres wide and 22.5 metres high, with more than 500 square metres of LED panels. Across the festival, electronic artists also appear well beyond that stage, with DJs playing throughout the wider lineup and Alok appearing on Palco Mundo.

Years before Calvin Harris received the closing slot, names such as David Guetta, Alok and Marshmello had already performed on Palco Mundo. Those appearances helped bring DJs onto the festival’s main stage, but another artist still followed them at the end of the night. In 2026, Calvin Harris became the first DJ trusted with that final headline position.

That booking also fit naturally within the wider mix of artists appearing at Rock in Rio. The 2026 edition brought together rock, pop, hip-hop, K-pop and electronic music across its seven days. Headliners included Foo Fighters, Avenged Sevenfold, Elton John, Maroon 5, Stray Kids and Twenty One Pilots. Within that lineup, Calvin Harris gave electronic music its first closing headline slot on Palco Mundo.

Calvin Harris’ First Rock in Rio Headline Set

For his first Rock in Rio appearance, Calvin Harris brought a catalogue closely tied to both electronic music and global pop. His work with Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Ellie Goulding and The Weeknd has produced some of the biggest dance releases of the past two decades. Many of those tracks have remained regular parts of clubs and festival sets while also reaching mainstream audiences.

That history came through during the set itself, with “One Kiss,” “This Is What You Came For” and “How Deep Is Your Love” among the tracks played on Palco Mundo. Those songs have followed Calvin Harris through different stages of his career, while continuing to connect strongly with both festival crowds and wider listeners.

Twenty-five years after Rock in Rio first created a dedicated space for electronic music, the genre reached a new point in its history at the festival. Calvin Harris closing Palco Mundo as the day’s headliner connected that early 2001 chapter with the scale electronic music now holds at Rock in Rio.

Anyma responds after Istanbul show cancellation over alleged satanic imagery as ÆDEN artist claims AI-manipulated visuals fueled controversy

Anyma has responded after his ÆDEN show in Istanbul, Turkey, was cancelled following accusations surrounding imagery used in his audiovisual performances. The decision came after a social media campaign called for the event to be stopped over alleged “satanic” elements, while Anyma has since rejected those interpretations and claimed that some of the material circulated online had been manipulated using AI.

Anyma’s Istanbul Show Cancelled Following Online Campaign

The ÆDEN show was scheduled for September 12 at Ataköy Marina Arena as part of Anyma’s 2026 ÆDEN Global Tour. Ahead of the event, clips and images taken from his previous performances circulated across Turkish social media, with some accounts claiming that elements of the visuals represented “satanic rituals” or symbols and calling for the Istanbul date to be cancelled.

The Istanbul Governor’s Office later withdrew permission for the show. No formal explanation was initially published by the authority, but Emin Gökçegözoğlu, Provincial Press and Public Relations Director for the Istanbul Governor’s Office, confirmed to Turkish fact-checking organisation Teyit that the cancellation was connected to alleged “satanic elements.”

Promoter Only You Live officially confirmed the cancellation on September 4, with refunds through Passo beginning on September 7. The decision brought the Istanbul stop to an end less than two weeks before Anyma was due to perform.

Anyma Responds To Claims And Alleges AI Manipulation

On September 6, Anyma, the project of Matteo Milleri, issued a lengthy response through Instagram Stories. He described ÆDEN as a science-fiction story dealing with darkness and light, destruction and creation, fear and hope, arguing that individual scenes from the production had been presented without the context of the full story.

He also rejected the religious meaning being attributed to the visuals, explaining that the production draws references from art history, mythology and ancient literature, but does not directly depict religious figures or intend to disrespect any religion or culture.

Anyma then addressed the material being circulated online, alleging that selected darker scenes had been taken from the show, manipulated using AI, combined with different music and shared in a way that created what he described as a false interpretation of the project. He also stressed that his original visuals were not AI-generated, saying the technology had instead been used by others to alter his work.

The artist also criticised the process leading to the cancellation, stating that neither he, his team nor Only You Live received a meaningful warning or an opportunity to explain the production before permission was withdrawn. Anyma confirmed that he intends to appeal the decision and remains open to speaking with local authorities, while expressing hope that ÆDEN can eventually be presented in Istanbul.