Taking the Number 8 spot on Forbes highest paid DJ List is independent artist Marshmello. The anonymous white helmeted artist is estimated to earn $21 Million a year, which is quite a feat for an artist that has no major label backing him.
What is also impressive about Marshmello is his quick rise to fame. Back in 2015 the DJ gained support of high profile DJ’s such as Skrillex, Diplo, and Zedd after releasing authorized remixes of their songs. His bubbly musical style mixed with a dash of trap influence took off quickly as the artist began performing as a mid level artist and skipping bottom tier performance opportunities. After two years he is now headlining major festivals.
Several rumors have emerged over the past two years of Marshmello’s identity. Photo leaks have emerged over the past two years of the man behind the mask but nothing has been confirmed. Back in 2015 Skrillex referred to Marshmello as “Chris” which created the assumption that he was referring to Chris Comstock who is also known as Dotcom. It is important to note that both Skrillex, Dotcom, AND Marshmello are managed by Moe Shalizi giving it high chance that Marshmello is actually Dotcom’s alternate persona.
After raking in 512 Million views on his Monstercat Label song ‘Alone’ Marshmello proves to be a top contender for one of the most successful DJ acts in the past two years. Shalizi has stated that the Marshmello’s hidden identity has helped develop a brand that focuses more on the artist’s music than who he actually is. In an interview with Forbes Shalizi explained,
“The brand is so recognizable that you just need to see Marshmello one time, but you look at a traditional DJ, the average person is not going to recognize them.”
Shalizi goes on to say Marshmello’s brand is not gimmick because a gimmick would not have lasted this long.
Topping Marshmello on the highest paid DJ list was Chainsmokers at No. 3. Taking the No. 1 spot was none other than Calvin Harris who earned $48.5 million, an amount that is almost as much as the Chainsmokers and Marshmello combined. Marshmello’s success can be attributed to his widely accepted musical style which served as a breathe of fresh air in today’s EDM scene. After a quick trajectory toward success, let’s see if he will continue to hold his ranking for the next year.
Source: Forbes
