We sat down with Rhys Sfyrios, ahead of his forthcoming shows, and discussed a variety of topics – from his upbringing to his studio process to his career dreams.
Breakout DJ/producer Restricted has been on an accelerated rise to the top of the electronic-music circuit recently. Born Rhys Sfyrios in from Adelaide, Australia, Restricted, 25, has wowed the EDM world with a steady stream of hard-hitting productions, crafty remixes and high-profile gigs, all of which have been amplified by his considerable efforts on socials like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
Over the course of the past five years, Restricted has performed globally at top nightclubs, Ultra Music Festival Australia, and Germany’s Parookaville and Airbeat One. Next on the calendar: May 17 at EDC Vegas ’25. Not bad.
And it’s already been a huge year so far, as he reached the No. 1 spot on Beatport’s Hardcore/Neo Rave chart with “WTF?,” his collab with Anderex, which was followed by “FACE 2 FACE,” his banging pairing with Rebelion. Sfyrios has also been spending his time focusing on his newly launched label, Revive Records.
Boasting 2.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify, over 500 million views on his social-media platforms, and more than 100 million streams on DSPs, Restricted is a powerhouse in the making. As his journey unfolds, his tunes have already been championed by the likes of Sara Landry, Azyr, Dimitri Vegas, Clara Curve, NOVAH, BYORN, and WINSON. Restricted has been called upon for remixing duties for the likes of Switch Disco & Ella Henderson (“REACT”), Öwnboss & Sevek (“Move Your Body”), Oliver Tree & Robin Schulz (“Miss You”), and Day1 (“MBAPPÉ”).
We sat down with Rhys Sfyrios, ahead of his forthcoming shows, and discussed a variety of topics – from his upbringing to his studio process to his career dreams. It all went like this:
DJ LIFE: When did you begin exploring dance music? Which artists sparked your interest?
Rhys Sfyrios: I was about 12 or 13 when I started listening to dance music. My older brothers always had friends over on the weekends for pre-drinks and they would play big-room/Melbourne Bounce tracks from Martin Garrix, Will Sparks, Showtek. When they left one time, I took their playlist and put it on a USB and then started DJing with that.
DJ LIFE: Did you begin as a DJ or producer? Do you prefer one to the other?
Sfyrios: I started as a DJ first and then I started producing music about a year later. I love performing and making music, I feel like it’s good to have both to balance things out. I usually make music during the week and then, on the weekends, test out tracks that I’ve been working on. It’s a good way to gauge if the tracks work well live or not.
DJ LIFE: Did your upbringing influence your decision to pursue music?
Sfyrios: My mum would always listen to ’90s music around the house or in the car when she would take us places, and my older brothers would play dance music when their friends would come over for pre-drinks. I come from a loud Greek family, and I’d say music is a big part of our lives. Maybe that influenced me subconsciously to get into the music industry.
DJ LIFE: What was your initial DJ set-up? How about your current DJ setup?
Sfyrios: Honestly, I can’t really remember. I think it might have been Pioneer DJ CDJ-1000s. I currently use a club standard set-up, which is usually Pioneer DJ CDJ-3000s and Pioneer DJ DJM-A9 mixer.
DJ LIFE: Tell us about some of your early DJ experiences.
Sfyrios: I started DJing when I was about 14 or 15, just at small parties and private events. By the time I turned 18, I had multiple club residencies in my home city, and then I would play private functions every weekend, then I’d go straight to my club residency after.
DJ LIFE: Are the sets different now? If so, how?
Sfyrios: The music style is much different; the Boiler Room/360 style wasn’t as common back then, as well. I’d say the shows are more intimate and the crow connection is so much better.
DJ LIFE: What are five tracks you always have on hand for DJ sets, things that you think will almost always make the crowd go crazy?
Sfyrios: “Tunnel Vision” by Restricted & Nik Sitz, “Ha Ha” by Onlynumbers, “Hard Beat” by Darren Styles & TNT, “FCKN LOUD” by Restricted & Vorteks, and “WTF?” by Restricted & Anderex.
DJ LIFE: In terms of music production, how did you begin and with what software?
Sfyrios: I actually downloaded FL Studio during my home economics class when I was in Grade 9.
DJ LIFE: What’s your current studio like, in terms of DAW and plug-ins?
Sfyrios: My current setup is quite basic, as I just moved to Amsterdam. But for me, it’s not so much about the gear as it’s more about the idea. [Kilohearts] KH plug-ins are great and new [Xfer Records] Serum 2 is awesome. Favorite DAW is FL Studio overall, but Ableton Live is better for workflow.
DJ LIFE: Do you have any studio routines/rituals that might be unique to you?
Sfyrios: Currently, I’m using a standing desk, so producing while standing up.
DJ LIFE: You’re already having a busy year on the new music front. What can you share with us about your recently released music and what’s upcoming?
Sfyrios: Just released “FACE 2 FACE” with Rebelion, a mix between raw and hard elements, a track that I’m loving at the moment. The structure of my live sets usually moves between different genres hard-techno/rawstyle/hardstyle. I’d like to be able to create an entire set that transitions through the genres, but it all has to be originals.
DJ LIFE: Fill us in on what’s been going down for you on the live performance front. What’s coming up?
Sfyrios: Currently touring Europe and playing some really cool new venues. Really loving the intimate ones, always makes such a sick vibe. We have a great run of shows in the U.S. coming up, including EDC in May – I’m looking forward to that!
DJ LIFE: In a perfect world, what does the next five years look like for Restricted?
Sfyrios: Establish my label Revive, knock off some bucket-list venues around the world, make some good music, work with some really cool artists – and maybe even break a Guinness World Record.