Four days at Shift Miami and a week around Ultra gave us a lot to take in. Here are the artists and moments that stayed with us.
Laidback Luke and James Brown
I Got Soul (Super Bad) was the first official collaboration between James Brown and an electronic artist ever. Released on Dim Mak Records, Laidback Luke described it as the biggest collaboration of his career. He has worked with Daft Punk, Madonna, and Donna Summer. So that is saying a lot.
We caught up with Laidback Luke at Shift Miami and his energy said everything. He is at a point in his career where he is doing exactly what he wants and it shows. His CODE/RED EP was a full reinvention and the James Brown collaboration was the centerpiece of it.
Linney at Ultra
Linney had one of the biggest weeks of any artist at Miami Music Week. She performed Heaven live with Steve Aoki during the Dim Mak 30th Anniversary Stage Takeover at Ultra, and the mainstage crowd went with her the whole way through. She also featured on Layton Giordani's Act of God which won House Song of the Year at the EDMAs. She is building real momentum and Miami 2026 put a lot of eyes on her.
Anaya (Esther Anaya): the violin finds its voice
We sat down with Anaya at Shift Miami for the Redefining Music podcast and she was locked in. Writing, producing, mixing, and mastering every track entirely by herself. She is doing something genuinely different in dance music right now, using the violin as a lead voice and making it work on the dancefloor. Inspired by the nostalgia of Avicii, driven by a mission to uplift others. Her 2026 is already a big one.
Her full episode is out now on Redefining Music. Go listen.
The one panel I got to sit in on during the four days was Changing the Tempo and honestly it was the right one to catch. Rach Brosman from Support Women DJs, Elaine Huang of Neon Owl, Paulette Varelas of MLENNIAL, and artists Wenzday and JVNA were all on stage and the conversation was real from the start.
The thread running through everything was simple: there is enough room for all of us. Women in dance music are not competing with each other the way the industry has historically tried to make them. They are building community, sharing platforms, passing the mic to the next generation, and calling on the men in the industry to show up as allies. And a lot of them are doing exactly that.
I got a few minutes with both Wenzday and Rach after the panel. I asked Wenzday how we can actually amplify women in dance music as a community.
Benny Benassi: Male Icon
We were on the red carpet when Benny Benassi received his Male Icon award at the EDMAs.
He also played a surprise set at the Moxy Hotel later in the week that nobody was ready for. Pool deck packed. Everyone locked in. That is Benny Benassi. The recognition is well earned and the performances back it up every time.
MEDUZA
We caught up with MEDUZA at Shift Miami and asked them about the week. Their answer was the kind of thing you write down.
"Every time is like the first time, with new music and old friends. The best thing is the music that connects everything. This is the best moment from the year for me." — MEDUZA
We asked about their biggest accomplishment this year. They talked about playing together as a trio, the crowd singing every word back, the live instrumentation doing something none of them expected. The reaction was bigger than they saw coming.
"We weren't expecting something big like that. We are so lucky." — MEDUZA
They are genuinely passionate about what they do and every bit of that comes through when you talk to them. Catch the full conversation on the Redefining Music Podcast.
Miami Music Week 2026 was a big one for us. Nearly 40 conversations recorded. Artists at every stage of their career being real about what it takes. All of it is coming to the Redefining Music podcast and we cannot wait for you to hear it. Subscribe now so you do not miss a single episode.
