Zhu (musician)

Zhu
Zhu performing in 2018
Background information
Birth name	Steven Zhu
Born	1989 (age 28–29)
Genres	Electronic[1] house[2]
Occupation(s)	Musician singer
Instruments	Synthesizer piano horns vocals
Years active	2014–present
Labels	Mind of a Genius Columbia Spinnin'
Associated acts	A-Trak, Skrillex, AlunaGeorge, Gallant, Vancouver Sleep Clinic
Website	www.zhumusic.com

Steven Zhu (born 1989) (/dʒuː/or /tʃuː/) is an American musician and singer who has been active since the beginning of 2014, signed to Mind of a Genius Records.^[3] Until mid-2014, Zhu remained anonymous, asking to be judged by his music alone. His debut album, Generationwhy, was released on July 29, 2016.^[4]

Career

After being discovered by David Dann (founder of Mind of a Genius Records), Zhu's first track "Moves Like Ms Jackson",^[5] a mashup of several songs by Outkast, was released anonymously in February 2014 and was positively received by blogs and reviewers covering electronic music.^[6] Other tracks appeared on the music streaming site Soundcloud throughout February and March,^[7] followed by an EP titled The Nightday in April 2014,^[8][9] which earned a number 1 play of the week on Triple J.^[10] The first single from the EP, titled "Faded", drew support from Pete Tong, who named it an "Essential New Tune" on his radio show on BBC Radio 1.^[11] "Faded" was released in March 2014.^[12]

"Faded" quickly climbed the global charts, peaking at number 3 in Australia and the UK, and number 12 on the US Dance/Electronic chart. "Faded" was certified platinum in Australia in 2014.^[13] As "Faded" was nominated for a Grammy, Zhu stated in an interview that "the project [Zhu] is all about art, and we try to make it about the songs and the response."^[14] On May 15, 2015, Zhu appeared on Pete Tong's "After Hours" show and performed a 40-minute DJ mix, mostly consisting of unreleased remixes, and also announced the Nightday Collection clothing line.^[15][16]

In 2015, Zhu released a collaborative EP titled Genesis Series.^[17] It featured appearances from Skrillex, AlunaGeorge, A-Trak, and Bone Thugs N Harmony, among others. The EP received critical acclaim for its diverse sound and diverse range of talent. "Working for It", the lead collaboration with Skrillex and THEY.,^[18] reached the top 40 and was certified platinum in Australia.^[19] It also charted on the US Dance/Electronic chart.

In 2016, the single "In the Morning" was released. After his Neon City Tour, he announced that his debut album, Generationwhy, would be released on July 29, 2016 and that "In the Morning" was the first single from the album. On June 13, 2016, Zhu released the title track, "Generationwhy", as the second single from the album. He first premiered the record at Coachella 2016 during his closing set in the Sahara Tent. Zhu's Coachella performance was praised, with a writer for the New York Observer suggesting that he could be "the next Daft Punk".^[20]

Zhu's success carried over into 2017, where he was a featured performer in Ultra Music Festival 2017 in Miami on the live stage on March 24, 2017. His performance was positively received. Also in March, he released the single "Nightcrawler", which was followed by a second single "Intoxicate". Additionally, Zhu provided remixes of "Andromeda" by Gorillaz,^[21] "Bad and Boujee" by Migos,^[22] and "Feel It Still" by Portugal. The Man.^[23] That same year, he released his third EP, titled Stardustexhalemarrakechdreams, on August 18.^[24] The EP's lead single, titled "Dreams", is a collaboration with electronic music trio Nero. The EP's single Chasing Marrakech was featured by Apple in an ad for the iPhone XS and XS Max on September 14.^[25]

On April 26, 2018, Zhu released the first installament of his second studio album, Ringos Desert, as an extended play.^[26] The full album was made available five months later on September 7, comprising 14 tracks.^[27]

Discography

References