10 fierce talents you shouldn't miss at HARD Summer

The California heat may be sweltering this summer, but it's not the only thing that is heating up the season. HARD Summer, which celebrates its monumental 10th year this year, is around the corner and as usual, is bringing along with it a massive roster of some of the most eclectic talents from across the board of electronic and hip-hop.

With headliners locked in like Justice, Boys Noize and Skrillex as Dog Blood, Snoop Dogg and Bassnectar, there's no discussion about plentiful acts to mark on your must-see itinerary for the fest, but for those looking to dive a little deeper, explore and take advantage of some of the most promising rising DJs and beloved producers booked this year at HARD Summer, look no further.

HARD Summer takes place on August 5 and 6. Find more information here

It's no secret that we here at Mixmag are supporters of the ferociously talented Madam X, a hotshot who honed her craft on the Manchester circuit has quickly become a rising star of bass scene with her dark and thundering sound. Listen to her tunes (we recommend her Impact mix) and it might come as a total shock that Crissi Vassilakis is only 24 years old.

Time and time again, talents like Madam X are proving that age is but a number. There's no limiting the power in her sets, and she's guaranteed to bring the fire to her upcoming HARD Summer set too.

Watch Madam X on the decks for Mixmag and Superdry's event at fabric here

UNIIQU3, born Cherise Gary, is another fantastically explosive talent that caught our eye back in 2015 when we had her on for an In Session mix. It's quite literally impossible to ignore her Jersey Club sound and the genre has gladly handed the wunderkind the reigns to lead and champion the bumping sound into its next chapter.

It's been an exciting handful of years for UNIIQU3 since she first picked up an interest in producing and DJing less than five years ago. Overseeing her #135 party in Newark, becoming a beacon of refreshing sound alongside DJ Sliink and R3ll, UNIIQU3 is also prepping for an anticipated debut EP is coming sometime this year on NLV Records.

Though Hawaii-born, Kim Ann Foxman is undoubtedly a staple of New York's bustling scene as a DJ, producer and vocalist too. She also launched her own Brooklyn-inspired label called Firehouse Recordings in 2014 (named after her former firehouse-turned-studio) and is a rising face and figure in the fashion realm as well, making her an infinite threat on all creative fronts.

Channeling a sound found in iconic venues like Panorama Bar and Good Room, Foxman will bring the hypnotic and haunting house and techno vibes to the HARD Summer stage, guaranteed.

Jubilee aptly named her musical alter-ego after the X-Men namesake, who was "known for prowling around the mall with neon shades on, breezing by with an effortless cool". The Miami native rose out of the South Florida scene, dominating with her fearless take on drum 'n' bass and has never looked back since.

Now adopted into the Mixpak family with the release of her debut album 'After Hours' late last year and moving to the label's home base in New York, Jubilee continues to bring that Miami, breezy vibe to gigs all around the world. Next up: HARD Summer.

Watch Jubilee in The Lab LA with Kingdom here

Like many others, Louisa Pillot sparked her love of music exploring the club scene in New York at an early age before moving over to Los Angeles to pursue a singing, songwriting and producing career. Shortly after, she rightfully impressed none other than Bromance boss Brodinski with her talents, packed up, moved to Paris and released her first EP with the label.

Safe to say she's a certified badass, now as the head of her own label RAAR with Maelstrom and as a powerful force to be reckoned with behind the decks with an eloquent, but bumping take on techno and house.

It might be cheating considering two incredible talents in their own individual rights to be one act, but the Chicago duo were deemed some of the most notable leaders of the city's iconic house music genre long ago and remain unstoppable together.

Dishing it out starting back in the sweatiest of Chi-town nightclubs back in the 90s alongside the likes of Mark Farina and Felix Da Housecat, DJ Heather and Colettewere championing house music, and additionally, women in house music, long before it was a talking point when they founded the US' first all-women DJ group called Superjane in 1997.

Of course, with the revival of underground music for the masses, it's no doubt that the timeless duo of DJ Heather and Colette have to take to the stage and shine once again.

You'd be hard-pressed to find someone as dedicated to the burgeoning Los Angeles underground as Masha, a Serbian-born talent who has all hands on deck when it comes to the city she now resides in. A talented selector of house and disco-leaning tunes, Masha is also a co-founder and resident of Dig Deeper, a cherished party brand in the City of Angels.

Most tend to roll their eyes when the hear the words "model" and "DJ" paired anywhere near each other, but the one deserving exception is Sita Abellán. After rising into recognition as Rihanna's accomplice in her 'Bitch Better Have My Money' music video, Sita launched out of the gate in both her fashion and music careers.

Shockingly bold in her own style, Sita has been deemed a fashion icon in the pages of Vogue, Nylon and the like while effortlessly balancing a roaring and dark techno sound as a DJ. Hand-picked by Gary Richards himself, Sita also joined him on his recent Renegade tour and will return again to the stage of HARD Summer this year.

It would take a persona and a sound as aggressive and forthcoming as Lauren Abedini's, who is known more widely as Kittens, to break through and help champion the sound of Los Angeles alongside her collective Athletixx with fellow producers Promnite, Hoodboi and Falcons.

Coming from time spent in the studio under the guidance of iconic artists like Usher and Kid Cudi, Fool's Gold was quick to snatch Kittens up, making a perfect home for the hip hop-inspired DJ to flourish. Beyond music, she's also become a rising figure for both the LGBT and female communities, speaking publicly about her own identity and also heading her own Girls Only DJ workshops too.

As an avid and established gamer, it's no surprise that Cheney Ray - who flies under the alias Cray - was quick to turn her back on a nine-to-five job and dive head first into electronic music. Her sound leans heavy into the trap realm, but never fails to remind listeners of the power of a feminine touch with sharply placed melodies and feathery vocals that beckon to a very different and refreshing take on bass music.

Valerie Lee is Mixmag's US Digital Editor. Follow her on Twitter here