Belgian drum and bass star Netsky says he's honoured to give up-and-coming New Zealand artists a platform to succeed.
He's back in Aotearoa selling out shows as most of the world's biggest festivals are canned due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After surprising fans at Rhythm and Vines, he's now taking his Glasshouse tour across the country.
"I'm eternally grateful to be entering this country again and to be playing all these shows," he told Newshub.
The DJ and producer launched his 'Netsky And Friends' brand after hosting a stage at Tomorrowland in 2017. It sees him handpicking his support acts and at the New Zealand gigs he's giving up-and-coming Kiwi producers like Poris and Azifm a huge opportunity.
"I think it's really important to support some local acts and some young acts. I mean Poris is definitely one of them, she's been blowing up this year," he said.
Netsky's considered something of an honorary Kiwi by many having visited New Zealand every year over the past decade.
"People here are incredible, so friendly and welcoming, and I feel at home," he said.
He's also regarded as a Rhythm and Vines legend. This year he surprised fans at the Gisborne festival at the strike of midnight on New Year's Eve after quarantining for two weeks to be there.
"Keeping the whole set a secret until the last moment was nuts, it was so crazy," he said.
His seven-date tour around New Zealand will entertain tens of thousands. The first night in Auckland is said to have sold in just four minutes, so he added a second Spark Arena show - an accomplishment that meant a lot to him both personally and professionally.
"We kept looking at this building on my left, just hoping and dreaming that we'd one day make it and it's amazing we can do it this year," he said.
The show will boast an immersive 360-degree stage set-up with Netsky centred in the middle of the audience.
"I think it's one of the first times, or the first time ever that a DJ performs in the middle of a crowd," he said.
He's backed by an all-Kiwi team working on production elements like lighting genuis Ben Dalgleish. Knowing very well the impact COVID-19 has had on a touring musician's livelihood, there's no place he'd rather be.
"There's quite a contrast between Europe and New Zealand right now. If I learned one lesson last year, being stuck in Europe and seeing all our plans and tours fall away, it is just don't take anything for granted," he said.
"We should work as hard as we can and enjoy every moment that we can as well."
Netsky kicks off his Glasshouse tour on Friday night in Napier.
