Spiller

Italian DJ and producer Cristiano Spiller — better known simply as Spiller — sat down to compose his very first tune in 1995, using a home PC and sampler. Barely two years later, the 6'9" Venetian was making a big noise around the world with a single, Laguna's "Spiller From Rio." The Latin-flavored house track swiftly became a club anthem and made it into the top ten on the Billboard dance charts. Not long after, Spiller applied his golden touch as a producer to tunes by high-profile artists such as Bob Sinclar ("I Feel for You"), Gloria Gaynor ("Reunion"), Run-D.M.C. ("My Funky Valentine"), and Smoke City ("Numbers"). In 1999 he again set the clubs alight with another house single, "Batacuda" — a new take on Marcos Valle's original. The following year he became one of the best-known Italian musicians thanks to his next single "Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)." Named after a Miami nightclub, the widely acclaimed disco house track was initially a moderately successful instrumental, but exploded in popularity after injected it with the vocals of the U.K.'s Sophie Ellis-Bextor (formerly of the alternative group the Audience). Along with "Modjo's Lady," "Groovejet" was arguably the biggest club tune of the year and won the top spot on singles and dance charts in many countries.