In late 2019, long before the festival appearances and high-profile support slots, Stello was living with his grandmother and taking his first DJ classes.
Seven years later, the New York-based DJ and producer has performed alongside some of electronic music's most recognizable names and built a growing audience through his original productions and Far From It mix series.
Blending the emotional depth of progressive house with the driving energy of melodic techno, Stello has carved out a sound that feels equally at home on intimate rooftops and major festival stages.
Building From the Ground Up
Stello's journey began just months before the pandemic brought New York City's nightlife to a standstill. As traditional performance opportunities disappeared, he continued developing his skills while finding new ways to connect with the city's electronic music community.
By 2021, those efforts were translating into performances across New York's nightlife circuit, including events featuring Tchami, Malaa, and KC Lights. An important relationship during these formative years was with New York event collective Project 91, whose early support helped open doors.
Rather than waiting for opportunities, Stello also created his own. From underground rooftop gatherings to his Taking You Higher event series, he built a community around the progressive and melodic sounds he loved.
By 2022, his calendar was expanding with appearances at events featuring James Hype, Bakermat, BLOND:ISH, and Amtrac, alongside performances at venues including Avant Gardner and The Surf Lodge.
Finding His Place in the Festival Circuit
In 2023, Stello made an early appearance at We Belong Here Festival, beginning an ongoing relationship with the event brand. That year also included performances at events featuring Le Youth, Elderbrook, Simon Doty, and Nora En Pure.
By 2024, his reach was expanding further, with appearances at We Belong Here in Miami and New York's Central Park, events featuring Miss Monique, Duke Dumont, and Eli Brown, and performances during Amsterdam Dance Event.
In 2025, Stello performed alongside Dirty South, Luttrell, KC Lights, ZHU, Rebūke, and Volaris, while developing headline opportunities in New York, Boston, San Diego, and other markets. His headline performances, including Above(Ten) at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge and Music Is 4 Lovers in San Diego, demonstrated a growing audience around his own musical identity.
One of the year's defining moments came when Stello opened for Tiësto on Brooklyn's Greenpoint waterfront.
A Defining 2026
If 2025 represented a breakthrough, 2026 has been about building on that momentum.
Stello's festival appearances included Why Not Now Festival, where Gorgon City headlined, and We Belong Here Brooklyn, before culminating in a performance at John Summit's Experts Only Festival NYC in September.
In June 2026, Stello delivered a guest mix for Diplo's Revolution on SiriusXM, followed by an appearance on Insomniac's Night Owl Radio in October.
A Sound Built on Emotion and Energy
Drawing inspiration from artists such as Eric Prydz, Cristoph, CamelPhat, Kaskade, and RÜFÜS DU SOL, Stello's productions and DJ sets sit at the intersection of progressive house, melodic house, and techno.
His approach favors emotional melodies and vocals, atmospheric tension, powerful basslines, and carefully constructed moments of release.
That commitment hasn't always followed the most obvious commercial path. In a previous interview with ShoutoutLA, Stello acknowledged that his melodic and progressive style had occasionally been met with skepticism from promoters and bookers. Rather than shifting toward whichever sound was dominating the moment, he continued refining his own.
Independent Releases and the Evolution of Waters
His original releases include First Up, Death Valley, and Everglow, alongside remixes that reinterpret familiar vocals and melodies through his progressive electronic sound.
One of his most significant recent projects is Waters, an independently released collaboration with producer Coff and vocalist Liah Barrett.
Built around Barrett's expressive vocals, the track combines nostalgic trance-inspired textures with contemporary progressive house production.
Rather than pursuing a traditional label release, the collaborators brought Waters to market themselves. The track has since continued to evolve through official remixes, including a reinterpretation from SLAVKO & ARGO, with additional remixes from Coastline and Sonny Noto planned and ready for release.
Far From It: Beyond the Stage
Another important extension of Stello's identity is Far From It, his long-running DJ mix series.
With more than 250,000 cumulative plays, Far From It offers listeners a deeper look into the music that influences his productions and performances, moving through progressive house, melodic textures, and moments of darker, driving energy.
Looking Toward 2027
New York remains central to Stello's story. It's where he built his earliest relationships, organized his own events, and developed the community that supported him long before his appearances at major festivals.
Plans for 2027 include expanding his presence across the United States through headline performances, additional festival opportunities, and continued appearances alongside established touring artists. Equally important is his commitment to new music, with original productions, collaborations, and remixes in development.
The venues may be getting bigger, but Stello's focus remains the same: creating music and experiences that connect people, build emotion, and leave a lasting impression long after the final track.
Book Stello through his press kit.