Six-Year-Old DJ ILLU Becomes Youngest Female Club DJ

Illumi Maeda started DJ lessons at three years old. Three years later, the Japanese six-year-old has a Guinness World Record to show for it. Performing under the name DJ ILLU, she became the world's youngest female club DJ after a set in Yokohama, Kanagawa on March 28, 2026, at 6 years and 99 days old.

Nerves and Equipment Issues Couldn't Stop the Record

The hour-long performance didn't come without challenges. Maeda later recalled dealing with nerves and equipment problems during the set, but she completed it and surpassed the previous record held by fellow Japanese DJ RINOKA.

A Household Steeped in Music

Maeda's mother played a range of genres at home and in the car, while gatherings with friends from different countries introduced her to even more styles early on. She also remembers dancing to classical music with her great-grandparents. Friends of her mother who worked as DJs began showing her the equipment, which led to formal lessons at age three.

As her own tastes developed, Avicii became a touchstone. She listened to his music when she needed a lift, and the experience taught her how deeply a song could affect someone's emotional state. That realization shapes her ambitions behind the decks. "I want to become a DJ who makes music that lifts people's spirits, brings them comfort, and helps them through difficult times, wherever they are in the world," she said.

Festivals and Ice Cream on the Horizon

What Maeda enjoys most is watching people respond to the music—dancing, having fun, expressing themselves—and the moment when different sounds blend together during a mix. She hopes to perform at festivals around the world and attempt another DJ-related Guinness World Records title in the future. She also has a less conventional goal: opening an ice cream shop where she can DJ at the same time.

The record-setting performance took place on March 28, 2026, in Yokohama.