DJ & Producer · Amsterdam, Netherlands
Sara Landry
Sara Landry, the US-born hard techno DJ and founder of Hekate Records, was named World's No. 1 Hard DJ in DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs 2026.
Sara Landry has turned hard techno into something close to a liturgy, with a label named after a goddess of witchcraft and a nickname, High Priestess of Hard Techno, that she has fully embraced. The American producer built that identity from a self-taught start in Austin, and in October 2026 DJ Mag named her The World's No. 1 Hard DJ in its Top 100 DJs poll.
From California and Austin to New York
Landry was born on 22 September 1993 in Sausalito, California, and moved to Boulder, Colorado at age three, then to Austin, Texas after her parents divorced. At 17 she went to New York City to study and started DJing there while working as a promoter. After her studies she returned to Austin, where she played rooms including Kingdom, Plush, Parish and the Vulcan Gas Company. She is self-taught as a producer and audio engineer.
Mau5trap, Hekate and the Move to Europe
Her debut single, "Chasm", came out in 2018. In 2019 she signed with Mau5trap, which released her Wait EP on 17 May, followed by the Signal EP on PinkStar Black that November. In July 2021 she founded Hekate Records, named after the Greek goddess of witchcraft, as a home for her own material and for a growing roster that includes Nico Moreno, Shlømo, Charlie Sparks and blk. Her single "Incoming" was released on the label on 30 July 2021.
In 2022 she relocated to Amsterdam and, with Don Woezik, released the techno album Delirium on Hekate on 20 May. Her 2023 Boiler Room debut reportedly became the platform's third most-streamed set of the year, with more than six million views.
Sound and Aesthetic
Her press material describes a dark, driving and divinely feminine brand of industrial techno, with warped sound design and distorted elements as the signature. The label name, Hekate, carries the same occult and feminine-power theme into the packaging. Beatport has recognised her as the top-selling female producer in the genre, according to her Wikipedia biography. RTS.FM's report on the American hard techno boom places her among the artists credited with pulling a US audience toward the sound.
Albums, Tomorrowland and Touring
Her debut album, Spiritual Driveby, appeared on Hekate Records in 2024, with singles including "Heaven" with Alt8 and "Prisoner" with Alex Farell. That summer, on 27 July, she became the first hard techno DJ to play Tomorrowland's main stage, and she also played EDC Las Vegas in 2024 and 2025. In June 2025 she announced Eternalism, her largest headline shows to date, with a stop in Austin on 8 August. In the DJ Mag poll she debuted at No. 75 in 2024 and rose to No. 62 in 2025.
2026: Hard Techno's Biggest American Name
The year opened with a run of milestones. On 29 March she closed the Resistance stage at Ultra Miami in a back-to-back with Amelie Lens, and on 10 April Hekate issued her Hekataia EP. She was a headliner at Movement in Detroit alongside Carl Cox and Dom Dolla, a bill RTS.FM covered in its Movement 20th anniversary report.
On 6 October, at the DJ Mag LIVE event at [UNVRS] Ibiza, the Top 100 DJs 2026 results placed her at No. 64 overall, two places below 2025, and DJ Mag named her The World's No. 1 Hard DJ, according to EDMTunes' report on the results. Her second album, Divine Intervention, is scheduled for release on Hekate Records on 16 October 2026, led by singles including "Angel Dust" with Alex Farell.
FAQ
Who is Sara Landry?
Sara Landry is an American hard techno DJ and producer, born on 22 September 1993 in Sausalito, California. She grew up in Colorado and Texas, built her early career in Austin and has been based in Amsterdam since 2022.
What is Hekate Records?
Hekate Records is Sara Landry's own label, founded in July 2021 and named after the Greek goddess of witchcraft. It has released her albums and EPs as well as records by artists including Nico Moreno, Shlømo and Charlie Sparks.
What is Sara Landry's best-known album?
Her debut album Spiritual Driveby was released on Hekate Records in 2024. Her second album, Divine Intervention, is due on 16 October 2026.
Where did Sara Landry place in DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs 2026?
She placed No. 64 overall and was named The World's No. 1 Hard DJ when results were revealed on 6 October 2026 at [UNVRS] Ibiza. She had debuted in the poll at No. 75 in 2024 and ranked No. 62 in 2025.
What was Sara Landry's Tomorrowland milestone?
On 27 July 2024 she became the first hard techno DJ to play Tomorrowland's main stage.
What does Sara Landry's music sound like?
Her sound is dark, driving industrial and hard techno with heavily distorted, warped sound design. She describes it as a divinely feminine take on industrial techno.