The Near-Death Experience that Gave Darius Syrossian His Thick Skin

Whether for his music or bold personality, Darius Syrossian commands an imposing presence in the dance music ecosystem. It’s easy to see why when you consider the adversity he faced in his upbringing.

Darius was born in Iran in the 1970s to a doctor father and teacher mother. Mixmag notes that he and his three brothers grew up during the Iraq-Iran war, whose casualties would eventually number in the millions.

In the later years of his time living in Tehran, a bomb even landed next to his house during an air raid. It failed to detonate. To a young Darius, this could only have felt like a brand-new lease on life.

When his family relocated to Manchester, he decided quickly that dance music was what he wanted to pursue—fifteen years of hard work made his full-time career as a DJ and producer a reality. Far be it from him to use the second chance he’d been given to do anything short of making his dreams come to life.

All the while, Darius remained fearless and outspoken regarding matters of personal principle. Sometimes, it’s burned bridges. However, his tenacity always helps him get where he’s going in the long run.

Take, for instance, Darius Syrossian’s well-publicized falling out with Sankeys in 2015. According to Vice, he tweeted that they “continue to oversell tickets and continue to abuse and turn away fans who have traveled for miles,” which led to Sankeys owner David Vincent firing him for “bringing the club and brand into disrepute.”

To Darius, this was but a minor setback. “I’ve had a lot more shit than the Sankeys thing,” he told Mixmag. “When you look at it against the fact that a bomb should have killed me, it’s just not important.”

Bearing this in mind, it becomes clear that no small obstacle can keep Darius Syrossian from success in electronic music. Nor can industry politics dissuade him from speaking his mind openly and honestly.