International DJ Calvin Harris will be providing the soundtrack at Liverpool's Premier League trophy parade - at Reds captain Virgil van Dijk's request.
The Scottish hitmaker is no stranger to spinning the decks at major events around the world, having achieved worldwide fame following a string of global hits. However, the 41-year-old is providing a gig like no other on top of the Liverpool trophy parade bus with what promises to be a unique set.
Arne Slot, Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and the rest of the Reds' triumphant champions prepare to be greeted by hundreds of thousands of supporters on the streets of the city on May 26. They were presented with the trophy at Anfield on the final day of the league campaign as they were crowned in front of fans for the first time in 35 years.
As fans prepare to book-end a landmark campaign by hailing their heroes during the much-anticipated parade, "One Kiss" hitmaker Harris is buzzing ahead of this set of a lifetime. The superstar previously provided the music on the tour bus back in 2022 as the fans celebrated a domestic cup double.
Speaking to Liverpool matchday announcer Peter McDowell on LFCTV, the chart-topper spoke excitedly about soundtracking the day from the open-top bus. Harris said: "I'm well nervous this time actually! I'm excited, I'm excited but yeah it's a big thing isn't it!
"Obviously, I've done it one time before but it's not my ordinary gig, do you know what I mean? It's very long, for a start, but it's not about me! I'm just here, as a little bonus for the lads.
Calvin Harris on the LFC parade bus
Calvin Harris on the LFC parade bus (Image: Iain Watts)
"It's a big, big buzz. When some of the lads come to Ibiza to see me, there's always that mutual buzz going on because they love going to the club and hearing the music and I love getting to hang out with Virgil and that! So yeah it's a nice little mutual buzz.
He revealed that he struck up a friendship with Reds mainstay Andy Robertson back in 2022, while also becoming pals with captain Van Dijk after they met at the 2022 parade. He said: "This started with Andy Robertson and I genuinely can't remember how we first got chatting. It must have been some kind of Instagram thing.
"I probably liked one of his pictures or something like that. Then, it was Liverpool vs. Newcastle at St. James' Park in 2022 and we bumped into each other.
Calvin Harris DJ with Jurgen Klopp manager of Liverpool and Liverpool players
Calvin Harris DJ with Jurgen Klopp manager of Liverpool and Liverpool players (Image: Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
"They were flying back to Liverpool and Andy was like 'do you fancy doing [the music on the bus]' and I was like 'aye, I suppose so' and I think it was just an idea that he had there and then. Then, one of the senior guys sort of took over and contacted me and made it happen.
Speaking about how his involvement came about this time around, he confirmed: "Then, this year Virgil took the reigns, I guess as captain. But he was more just like 'you're doing the bus this year'. I was like 'ok, alright, I'll be there."
As for Liverpool fans adopting his song "One Kiss" - performed alongside Dua Lipa - as an unofficial anthem, Harris added: "It feels like the most unlikely football song, kind of happy and a female vocal. But I love it man, it's amazing! I remember at Wembley, it being blasted out and being like 'oh that's travelled now, it's not just at Anfield'. That's when I knew, it's maybe got some staying power!
Looking back over a memorable set on the parade bus back in 2022, the Scotsman previously told Capital FM: ""It was the most unreal experience, I think, in my entire life.
"Obviously I'm a Liverpool fan, but it [One Kiss] didn't become a football anthem, it became a Liverpool anthem specifically, so that happening was bizarre in itself.
"I got chatting to Andy Robertson and he said, 'If there's anything that you could do, you know we're doing this float sort of thing, maybe you could DJ at Anfield, maybe you could DJ on the bus.' I'm like, 'Mate, get me on that bus!' It was probably the biggest gig of my life."