Calvin Harris News
6 EDM DJs Who Had Regular Jobs Before Becoming Superstars
Behind every superstar is a story of humble beginnings, and for some of the biggest names in EDM, their journey to stardom started with regular jobs like everyone else. From grocery stores to classrooms, these six EDM DJs hustled in everyday professions before making it big on the global stage. Here’s a look at their surprising backgrounds and the paths they took to become some of the most influential figures in electronic music.
1) Calvin Harris: Grocery Store Worker
Before topping charts with hits like ‘Summer’ and ‘Feel So Close’, Calvin Harris was stocking shelves and scanning groceries. The Scottish DJ, born Adam Richard Wiles, worked in a local grocery store during his early years, earning just enough to scrape by while he continued to work on his music. Harris would spend his nights honing his production skills and uploading tracks to MySpace, which eventually led to his breakthrough. Today, Calvin Harris is a global phenomenon, with multiple Grammy Awards and residencies in Las Vegas. But it wasn’t always glitz and glamor—he started out like many of us, bagging groceries for minimum wage.
2) Steve Aoki: Waiter
Steve Aoki, known for his high-energy performances and crowd-surfing antics, wasn’t always at the center of the EDM universe. Before headlining festivals and running his own record label, Dim Mak, Aoki worked as a waiter in Los Angeles. Juggling his job with his passion for music, he put in hours at the restaurant to make ends meet. Aoki‘s experience as a waiter likely helped him develop the strong work ethic that propelled him to success. His persistence paid off, and he eventually went on to become one of the most prominent DJs in the world, known for collaborations with artists like BTS and Kid Cudi.
3) Diplo: School Teacher
Long before Diplo was playing packed venues and producing tracks for artists like Beyoncé and Major Lazer, he was teaching history to middle school students. The Grammy-winning producer, whose real name is Thomas Wesley Pentz, worked as a school teacher in Philadelphia. While teaching, Diplo was also dabbling in DJing and producing music on the side. Eventually, his passion for music won out, and he left the classroom behind to focus on his career full-time. Despite the career change, Diplo has often spoken fondly of his time as a teacher, crediting the experience with helping him develop patience and creativity, both of which have served him well in his music career.
4) John Summit: Accountant
John Summit, one of the rising stars in the house and techno scene, didn’t always have his sights set on DJing. Before his music took off, Summit worked as an accountant in Chicago. His nine-to-five job involved balancing books and crunching numbers, but his passion for music never waned. After spending his weekends performing at local clubs and producing tracks, Summit decided to take a leap of faith and focus on his music career full-time. That decision paid off, as he quickly rose through the ranks with chart-topping tracks like ‘Deep End’, earning him a spot among the industry’s elite.
5) Kaskade: Mormon Missionary
Before becoming one of the most respected names in electronic music, Kaskade, born Ryan Raddon, lived a very different life. He spent two years as a Mormon missionary in Japan, spreading the teachings of his faith. Kaskade‘s experience abroad helped shape his worldview and build his discipline, traits that have been instrumental in his music career. Upon returning to the United States, he pursued his passion for DJing and producing, eventually becoming a staple in the EDM scene. Known for his melodic sound and deep emotional connection to his music, Kaskade has since won multiple awards and performed at some of the world’s biggest music festivals.
6) deadmau5: Factory Worker
Joel Zimmerman, better known as deadmau5, wasn’t always performing in front of massive LED screens with his iconic mouse head. Before his rise to fame, deadmau5 worked as a factory worker in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The monotony of factory life gave him the motivation to dive deeper into his passion for music production. Zimmerman spent his free time experimenting with electronic music and developing the sound that would later define his career. His perseverance paid off when his unique production style and innovative sound design earned him recognition in the global electronic music scene. Today, deadmau5 is a household name in EDM, known for his experimental approach and boundary-pushing performances.
The paths to success for these EDM superstars were far from glamorous at first. They worked regular jobs, just like millions of people around the world, using those experiences as stepping stones toward their dreams. Their stories serve as a reminder that perseverance, passion, and a little bit of hustle can go a long way—even from the grocery store, the classroom, or the factory floor to the biggest stages in the world.
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Calvin Harris and Florence Welch’s ‘Sweet Nothing’ celebrates 14 years after becoming a UK No. 1 and one of the biggest singles from the album ‘18 Months’
Fourteen years after Calvin Harris and Florence Welch released ‘Sweet Nothing’, the collaboration remains one of the most remembered songs from the 18 Months era. Released in 2012, it brought together two artists who were already having very different but highly successful years in music, with Calvin Harris also working with Florence + The Machine around the same period. What followed gave ‘Sweet Nothing’ a much bigger story than its original release, from how the collaboration happened to the success that followed on both sides of the Atlantic.
The Story Behind ‘Sweet Nothing’
Before ‘Sweet Nothing’ became one of the most beloved songs from Calvin Harris’ 18 Months era, he and Florence Welch already had history together. Earlier in 2012, Calvin Harris remixed Florence + The Machine’s ‘Spectrum (Say My Name)’, which went on to reach No. 1 in the UK. That connection later led to an original collaboration, with Kid Harpoon joining Calvin Harris and Florence Welch as a co-writer on ‘Sweet Nothing’.
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The song placed Florence Welch’s vocal in a more electronic setting than much of her work with Florence + The Machine at the time, while fitting naturally into the sound Calvin Harris was developing across 18 Months. It became part of an album that also featured collaborations with Rihanna, Ellie Goulding, Example, Kelis and Ne-Yo, helping place ‘Sweet Nothing’ within one of the most successful periods of his career.
From UK No. 1 To The Billboard Hot 100
Once ‘Sweet Nothing’ was released, the collaboration quickly became much more than another single from 18 Months. It reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart in October 2012, giving Calvin Harris another chart-topper only months after his remix of ‘Spectrum (Say My Name)’. The song also crossed over strongly in the United States, where it reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 and gave Florence Welch her first top 10 hit on the chart.
The success continued beyond its original chart run. ‘Sweet Nothing’ later earned a nomination for Best Dance Recording at the 2014 Grammy Awards, while 18 Months was nominated for Best Dance/Electronica Album the same year. Its music video, directed by Vincent Haycock, also became an important part of the release, pairing Florence Welch’s performance with a darker storyline that contrasted with the track’s club-focused production.
Fourteen years later, ‘Sweet Nothing’ remains closely tied to a period when Calvin Harris was becoming one of the biggest names in electronic dance music, while Florence Welch was bringing her voice into collaborations far outside Florence + The Machine. Between the story behind the record, its success in both the UK and the United States, and its place within 18 Months, the song has lasted far beyond its original 2012 chart run.
From UK No. 1 To The Billboard Hot 100
Once ‘Sweet Nothing’ was released, the collaboration became much more than another single from 18 Months. It reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart in October 2012 and gave Calvin Harris another chart-topper that year. The song also found major success in the United States, reaching the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. It became Florence Welch’s first top 10 hit on the chart.
The success continued after its original chart run, with ‘Sweet Nothing’ earning a Best Dance Recording nomination at the 2014 Grammy Awards. 18 Months also received a nomination for Best Dance/Electronica Album that year. The Vincent Haycock-directed music video added another part to the release, following Florence Welch through a nightclub performance alongside a darker relationship storyline.
Fourteen years later, ‘Sweet Nothing’ remains closely connected to one of the most successful periods of Calvin Harris’ career. It also gave Florence Welch one of her biggest collaborations outside Florence + The Machine. Its UK No. 1, U.S. top 10 and Grammy nomination all followed a partnership that had started only months earlier with ‘Spectrum (Say My Name)’.
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Calvin Harris sells out entire 2027 Australian tour as 10-show run becomes the country’s largest electronic headline tour
After years of playing major Australian festivals, Calvin Harris is finally bringing a full headline tour to the country in 2027. What started with four dates has since expanded to 10 sold-out shows across Perth, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. More than 330,000 tickets have been sold, making it the largest electronic headline tour in Australian history.
From Australian Festivals to His First Headline Tour
Long before planning a tour of his own, Calvin Harris had already performed at some of Australia’s biggest dance festivals. He first appeared at Big Day Out in 2010 before returning for Stereosonic in 2011, 2012 and 2014. Years later, Festival X brought him back in 2019 and 2022, keeping his Australian appearances largely tied to major festival events.
When the 2027 tour was first announced, Calvin Harris was set to play just one show per city. Langley Park in Perth would open the run before stops at RNA Showgrounds in Brisbane and The Domain in Sydney. The original schedule would then finish at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne.
As demand increased in Sydney, Calvin Harris added more nights at The Domain, eventually taking the city to five consecutive shows from February 20 to 24. More than 150,000 tickets have been sold across those dates alone. No other headline act has previously played as many shows during one run at the venue.
Strong demand also brought two additional Melbourne dates at Flemington Racecourse, while Perth received a second show at Langley Park. Those additions took the original four-date tour to 10 shows, with Melbourne hosting the final night on February 28.
Calvin Harris Continues a Record-Breaking Year
The Australian response comes during a year in which Calvin Harris has already broken another major live record. In February 2026, an estimated 1.6 million people attended his Bloco Skol performance in São Paulo. Guinness World Records later recognised the event as the largest attendance for a DJ set by a single artist.
More than two decades into his career, Calvin Harris is now drawing audiences on a very different scale from his earlier Australian appearances. His previous visits placed him on festival lineups alongside dozens of other artists, while 2027 will mark the first time he has taken his own headline show across the country.
When the tour begins in February, it will also bring his relationship with Australian audiences into a new chapter. From Big Day Out and Stereosonic to Festival X, they have followed his career through some of the country’s biggest dance events. In 2027, they will finally experience Calvin Harris across a full Australian headline tour of his own.
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Calvin Harris sets a Guinness World Record after performing to 1.6 million people at Bloco Skol in São Paulo, marking the largest attendance for a DJ set by a single artist
Few artists have had the kind of long-term impact on the electronic dance music scene that Calvin Harris has, with a career that has included major festival appearances at Coachella, Tomorrowland, Ultra Music Festival and Creamfields, as well as collaborations with Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Ellie Goulding and Sam Smith. His work has crossed electronic music and mainstream charts for years, but his latest achievement takes that success in a completely different direction. After performing to an estimated 1.6 million people at Bloco Skol in São Paulo, Harris has now officially earned a Guinness World Record for the largest attendance for a DJ set by a single artist.
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Inside Calvin Harris’ Record-Breaking São Paulo Set
The performance took place on February 8, 2026, when Calvin Harris joined Bloco Skol during São Paulo’s pre-Carnival celebrations. The free event took over Rua da Consolação, where Calvin Harris performed from a traditional Brazilian trio elétrico near Avenida Paulista. It marked his first time performing on a trio elétrico and brought him back to Brazil after around a decade, alongside Brazilian artists Nattan, Xand Avião, Zé Vaqueiro and Felipe Amorim.
During the set, Calvin Harris wore a Brazil football shirt with “Calvinho” and the number 00 printed across the back while playing music from across his career. Guinness World Records lists This Is What You Came For, One Kiss, I Need Your Love and We Found Love among the tracks heard during the performance, as an estimated 1.6 million people gathered in central São Paulo. The Carnival setting also gave the Scottish producer a very different format from the festivals, arenas and residencies that have featured throughout his career.
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A New Guinness World Record For Calvin Harris
That 1.6 million-person attendance is officially listed by Guinness World Records as the largest attendance for a DJ set by a single artist. The record page names Calvin Harris as the holder, with São Paulo, Brazil and February 8, 2026 recorded as the location and date of the achievement. The category applies specifically to a DJ set by one artist, giving the Bloco Skol performance its own place in the organization’s record database.
For additional context, Guinness World Records also notes that Madonna’s free Celebration Tour concert at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro attracted an estimated 1.6 million people on May 4, 2024. Reaching the same estimated attendance for a single DJ set puts the scale of Calvin Harris’ performance far beyond the audience size normally associated with festivals or stadium shows. Celebrating the recognition on social media, Calvin Harris wrote that he now held the world record for the category before adding, “only in Brazil!!!”
More than two decades into his career, the record gives Calvin Harris another major achievement alongside his international festival appearances, chart success and collaborations with some of the biggest names in music. His Bloco Skol performance will now be remembered not only for bringing him back to Brazil, but for attracting an audience large enough to earn a place in Guinness World Records.
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