Darryl Rees

Eighteen years ago, I found myself stepping up as a DJ for a friend’s 18th birthday when their booked DJ canceled at the last minute. Armed with my mum’s CDs (*Now That’s What I Call Music 64* and ABBA’s Greatest Hits), a pair of bedroom decks, and our living room speakers, I gave it a go. To be honest, I had no idea what I was doing, but everyone seemed to love it, and that was enough for me.

That one gig turned into a string of 16th birthday parties for my mates, and soon enough, my dad, Dave London, landed me some gigs in small clubs and bars around Swansea and Cardiff. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t even legally allowed in at the time, but hey, we all have to start somewhere!

Back then, music downloading was an extreme sport. I’d fire up LimeWire on the family PC, slowing down the internet for the whole house. A single song would take about two working days to download, but it was worth it. Once I had enough tracks, I burned a demo CD and handed it out to bars around Swansea.

Not long after, I got a call from Bruno and Mike at @Peppermint, asking me to start a new Sunday night. Two years later, I was playing there three nights a week, headlining Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Those were some of the best times, and I’ll always be grateful to Bruno and Mike for giving me a shot.

That experience laid the foundation for my move to Dubai in 2012. Over the last 12 years, I’ve had the chance to DJ everywhere—from bars and beach clubs to festivals and even the Asia Football Cup in front of 40,000+ people.

I’ve warmed up for some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Dash Berlin, R3hab, and Bassjackers, and supported acts like Rudimental and Fatboy Slim. I’ve also had the privilege of being Flash Entertainment’s go-to DJ, performing alongside legends like Lionel Richie, Pitbull, Mumford and Sons, Calvin Harris, and P!nk at the Abu Dhabi F1 after-race concerts.

Along the way, I’ve been nominated for Timeout’s Best DJ Award and even snagged runner-up (out of 250 DJs) in the Pioneer Middle East DJ competition. Holding residencies at award-winning venues like Zero Gravity, Barasti, and Bla Bla has been an amazing ride and cemented my place as a well-respected DJ in the region.

From borrowing mum’s CDs and hogging the family internet to warming up for global superstars, it’s been one incredible journey—and this is only the beginning. I'm beyond excited for what comes next! ☝️

As a wedding celebrant in Dubai, I’m part feelings expert, part hype-person, and part professional smile-maker. My job? To create ceremonies where love takes center stage, laughter sneaks in at the perfect time, and everyone leaves with memories they’ll be talking about for years.

No two weddings are the same, and that’s exactly how I like it!

You can book the best venue and hire the best caterers, but if the energy flops, people remember that.

A skilled emcee knows when to fire up the crowd and when to let a moment breathe so your event never stalls. Whether you’re hosting a luxury Dubai gala or an intimate UAE wedding, you want someone who gets it and gets you. If that sounds right then yep, I’m your guy!

Think of me as your professional crowd-warmer, vibe-keeper, and master of smooth transitions. Curious what that looks like? Feel free to swipe through the shots and feel it for yourself.