NAVIGATE IN THE ARTWORK
AND DISCOVER 10 YEARS
OF MAJOR LAZER.
Reanno Devon Gordon formerly Glendale Goshia Gordon, better known by his stage name Busy Signal, is a Jamaican dancehall reggae artist. Known as one of the artists leading the contemporary dancehall movement, Busy Signal has been a large part of the scene since 2003. His first hit single, "Step Out", was one of the most popular dancehall songs in 2005. He appears on Major Lazer's second album Free the Universe, in the hit track "Watch Out For This (Bumaye)".
"Light It Up" was originally a collaboration between Major Lazer & Nyla released on November 5, 2015. The song was later remixed and reinvigorated when vocals from Afrobeats heavy-hitter Fuse ODG were added to create a new electrifying version of the original.
Fuse ODG was born in London but holds a deep appreciation for his Ghanaian roots. Nyla, on the other hand, was born and raised in the reggae capital of the world - Kingston, Jamaica. The cultural fusion from these artists helps to create sonically diverse and unique record.
The remix, streamed more than 1 billion times globally, secured campaigns for Old Navy, Pepsi and more around the world, becoming of Major Lazer's biggest hits.
On Jaylene’s 13th birthday, her parents took her to the Scream Tour. Instead of watching the musicians, she was unable to take her eyes off of the backup dancers. The next day she enrolled in dance classes and by high school was in the midst of a successful competitive career. After moving to Las Vegas for a few years training, she made the move to LA to pursue dance full time. Jaylene has starred in many Major Lazer videos over the years including "Know No Better", "Run Up", and "Let Me Live".
When Sara was just 3 years old, her parents enrolled her in dance lessons. At first just a hobby, she continued dancing throughout high school and began falling in love with the idea of pursuing dance at a professional level. Shortly after moving to Los Angeles from her hometown of Inwood, West Virginia, she received her big break - Out of nearly 1,000 women, Sara was one of those selected to tour as a backup dancer with Nicki Minaj. She has appeared in the Major Lazer music videos for "Let Me Live", "Cold Water", "Run Up", and many others.
"Study your craft, take classes, and be versatile." This is Helen’s constant reminder to herself to keep growing in the professional dance space. Originally from Seattle, WA, she made the move to Los Angeles at 19 after being signed by a prominent talent agency. Since then she has toured with Chris Brown, starred in Ciara’s "Like A Boy" music video, and traveled the world with Major Lazer.
Andranita has quite the resume. Pharrell, Kendrick Lamar, Luis Fonsi, PARTYNEXTDOOR, and the list goes on. Raised in Davenport, IA, she has now made a name for herself in the professional dance community. In 2016, Essence Magazine named her one of 15 Female Dancers & Choreographers Who Are Killing The Game. Andranita has been a Lazer Gyal for the past few years and has appeared in music videos for "Loyal", "Tied Up", "Cold Water", and more.
For their latest, Major Lazer have collaborated with the chart-topping Swedish songstress Tove Lo. Released on October 17, 2018, "Blow That Smoke" is a left-of-center pop track that finds Tove Lo’s vocals floating atop upbeat dancehall drums and African-inspired guitar riffs.
Pabllo Vittar, is a Brazilian singer, songwriter and drag queen. Pabllo caught Major Lazer's attention in 2015 due the success of the music video "Open Bar", a Portuguese language version of "Lean On" using original lyrics. Next came "Sua Cara", a collaboration with Major Lazer and Anitta which exploded on Youtube and has over 800 Million views to date.
Anitta, is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and businesswoman. In 2017, she was chosen by Billboard as of the Top 15 most influential artists in the world on social media. Diplo and Anitta met in 2016 during Lollapalooza Brazil where he sent her a demo of what would later become their collaboration record with Pabllo Vittar "Sua Cara". The video was shot in Morrocco and became a massive hit! It is the fastest video on Youtube to reach 1 million likes in just a few hours.
Jacques Berman Webster II known professionally as Travis Scott, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. In 2012, Scott signed his first major-label deal with Epic Records. The collaboration with Major Lazer "Know No Better" also features Cuban-American singer Camila Cabello and Quavo. The song won Best Electronic/Dance Song at the Teen Choice Awards in 2017 and was featured in a large Google Home commercial.
Santi White aka Santigold, is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. Her debut studio album, "Stantogold" came out in 2008 and recieved critical acclaim. Both Santigold and Diplo are from Philadelphia and have been friends for a decade. Their relationship goes all the way back to 2008 when Santigold released "Top Ranking: A Diplo Dub" mixtape with Diplo. The two also collaborated on Major Lazer's album "Gun's Don't Kill People....Lazer's Do" in 2009.
Tauheed Epps known professionally as 2 Chainz, is an American rapper, born and raised in College Park, Georgia. He is a featured artists on the Major Lazer track "Night Riders" along with Pusha T and Travi$ Scott, as well as the remix of "Bubble Butt" with Bruno Mars, Tyga, and Mystic.
Nina Sky is an American duo composed of identical twins Nicole and Natalie Albino. Their debut single "Move Ya Body", released from their self-titled debut album in 2004 reaching number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Nina Sky appeared on Major Lazer's album, Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do with the track "Keep It Goin' Louder" with Ricky Blaze.
Nina Sky is an American duo composed of identical twins Nicole and Natalie Albino. Their debut single "Move Ya Body", released from their self-titled debut album in 2004 reaching number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Nina Sky appeared on Major Lazer's album, Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do with the track "Keep It Goin' Louder" with Ricky Blaze.
Burna Boy, is a Nigerian Afrofusion singer and songwriter. He is the grandson of Benson Idonije (popularly known for being the first band manager of Afrobeats musician Fela Kuti). Burna Boy has consistently wowed fans with his original and unpredictable style and energetic performances. The video, shot in Lagos, features Burna Boy and was directed by South African filmmaker Adriaan Louw.
Machel Montano is a Trinidadian soca singer, actor, record producer and songwriter. He appears on the Major Lazer track "All My Love" featuring Ariana Grande.
DJ Snake, is a French DJ and grammy-nominated record producer. Diplo and DJ Snake's relationship goes back to 2013 when Snake's single "Bird Machine" was picked up by Mad Decent, a Los Angeles-based record label run by Diplo. They would eventually go onto collaborate together on Major Lazer's break out hit single "Lean On" with MØ.
"Lean On" is on the most successful songs of all time. The song was released in March of 2015 when Major Lazer, DJ Snake and MØ were rising stars. That summer, the song took the world by storm and catapulted the artists to global fame. An underdog record in many ways, "Lean On" quickly became one of the biggest songs in the world, at one point becoming Spotify's most-streamed song ever (and remaining in the Top 10 to this day), amassing over 1 Billion Spotify streams and 2 Billion YouTube views. The song was certified multi-platinum in dozens of countries around the world and was the first full independent record to go number one on American Top 40 Radio.
Ellie Goulding is an English singer and songwriter. She appeared on Major Lazer's album "Peace is the Mission" on the track "Powerful" alongside Tarrus Riley. The song was deemed at the time a musical departure from Major Lazer's dancehall-inspired signature sound, having this song dubbed as a ballad by many reporters. The music video features both Goulding and Riley performing their parts using telekinetic powers and ruining a small diner. The video's theme is "supernatural" and was directed by James Slater.
Walshy Fire is a Jamaican American DJ, MC, and producer. He began touring in 2004 with Black Chiney Sound System which deeply influenced the evolution of what would become Major Lazer. Walshy Fire also has his own global event series called Rum & Bass where he showcases some of the best talent emerging globally.
The Essentials includes tracks featuring Justin Bieber, MØ, Travis Scott, Ariana Grande, Quavo, Nicki Minaj, Sean Paul and many more. The Essentials highlights Major Lazer’s reach across the globe, and the vast range of their influences and influence to date. The album showcases Major Lazer’s unique positioning and singular talent for transcending borders and genre.
Diplo is one the most prolific music producers over the last decade. He initially founded Major Lazer with electronic producer Switch in 2008, just two years after launching his own label, Mad Decent. The duo released their first studio album in 2009 before parting ways. In 2012 Walshy Fire and Jillionaire joined him to become the new face of Major Lazer.
Major Lazer’s mission—to make the world smaller by making the party bigger—continues to grow worldwide. A highly anticipated fourth album is on the way, with much more to come from Major Lazer in 2019
Jillionaire, is a Trinidadian DJ, music producer, Feel Up Records label boss and member of Major Lazer. He is credited with creating a unique mix of dance and big room house together with the Caribbean rhythms of dancehall and soca. Jillionaire is also a partner in Caribbean restaurant, Pearl's in Brooklyn, NY.
With three albums under their belt—2009’s "Guns Don’t Kill People...Lazers Do", 2013’s "Free The Universeand" 2015’s "Peace is the Mission"— the band continues to tour the world over, including a groundbreaking 400,000 person show in Havana, Cuba as chronicled in the 2017 documentary Give Me Future, multiple trips to Pakistan, a just-wrapped tour of Africa and beyond.
Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao is a Cuban-American singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence as a member of the girl group Fifth Harmony. She collaborated with Major Lazer on the song "Know No Better" with Travis Scott and Quavo. The video follows a young aspiring dancer who is going through everyday life but dreams of being part of Major Lazer. It features cameos by Cabello, Scott, Diplo and Walshy Fire. There is also an interactive version of this video, where viewers can switch between the dream and reality"storylines".
Quavious Keyate Marshall (born April 2, 1991), known professionally as Quavo, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as a member of the hip hop trio Migos. Quavo is related to his fellow Migos members, being Takeoff's uncle and Offset's cousin. He collaborated with Major Lazer on "Know No Better" which also features Camila Cabello and Travis Scott. The song went platinum in France and Italy and Gold in UK, Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand and Spain.
Mr. Lexx, also known as Lexxus or simply The Prince, is a Jamaican dancehall artist from East Kingston, Jamaica. He was once signed to VP Records and had a string of hits, including "Hold the line" featuring Santigold produced by Diplo/Switch as Major Lazer. The song was nominated for MTV's "Best Breakthru" Video Music Award in 2009.
Flux Pavilion, is an English EDM producer, DJ, singer-songwriter and label owner who has been performing since 2008. He has headlined three US tours, two UK tours, and several festival DJ sets, including Glastonbury, Reading, Coachella, and EDC Vegas. "Jah No Partial" contains excerpts of the Johnny Osbourne song "Mr. Marshall" (from his 1980s reggae album "Folly Ranking"), which the song is based on. It also contains a drum sample from James Brown's live cover of the Archie Bell & the Drells song "Tighten Up".
Sean Paul is a Jamaican dancehall rapper, singer and record producer. His musical career spans the last 20 years and includes seven studio albums and countless collaborations ranging from Beyonce to Blue Cantrell, Keyisha Cole and mulitple collabs with Major Lazer. Sean Paul appeared on Major Lazer's Apocalypse Soon EP in 2014 featuring the track "Come On to Me". The single became a hit in Europe. The song samples the Trombone line from "La Murge de Panama", written by Willie Colon with the original sang by Hector Lavoe.
MØ is a Danish singer, songwriter and record producer who just recently released her long awaited second album. MØ and Diplo are long time buds and have collaborated together on several tracks over the years both as Major Lazer and Diplo.
"Lean On" is on the most successful songs of all time. The song was released in March of 2015 when Major Lazer, DJ Snake and MØ were rising stars. That summer, the song took the world by storm and catapulted the artists to global fame. An underdog record in many ways, Lean On quickly became one of the biggest songs in the world, at one point becoming Spotify's most-streamed song ever (and remaining in the Top 10 to this day), amassing over 1 Billion Spotify streams and 2 Billion YouTube views. The song was certified multi-platinum in dozens of countries around the world and was the first full independent record to go number one on American Top 40 Radio.
Switch, is an English DJ, songwriter, sound engineer, and record producer. He has produced tracks for artists like Christina Aguilera, Santigold, Amanda Blank, Brandy, Nicola Roberts and Beyoncé. In 2009 Switch collaborated with fellow producer Diplo (whom he met through artist M.I.A.) to create the album "Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do" under the name Major Lazer. In 2012 Switch departed the group and has since pursued his own solo endeavors.
Skerrit was originally Major Lazer's hypeman, although he left the group in 2012 to pursue theology. Skerrit's live performances and vibrant energy, to this day, influences Major Lazer shows around the globe.
Kemar Donaldson popularly known as Kranium, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall singer known for his 2013 hit single "Nobody Has To Know" which gave him an international recognition and led him to the Atlantic Records record label. He's worked with Major Lazer on a number of projects including "Boom" with Ty Dolla $ign and Wizkid, and most recently, "Loyal" with Kizz Daniel.
Tarrus Riley (born Omar Riley) is a Jamaican-American reggae singer and member of the Rastafari movement. He, along with English singer Ellie Goulding, is featured on the Major Lazer track "Powerful" from the album Peace Is the Mission.
Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun known professionally as Wizkid, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. He started recording music at age 11. He's worked with Major Lazer on a number of projects including "Boom" with Ty Dolla $ign and Kranium.
Micheal Ray Stevenson was born in Compton, California, on November 19, 1989. He is of Vietnamese and Jamaican descent. He is featured on the song "Bubble Butt" from Major Lazer's second studio album, "Free the Universe" (2013). The track also features singer-songwriter Bruno Mars and rapper Mystic. The song spent a total of nine weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Major Lazer's first song to reach the Hot 100, and their first track to enter the top ten on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs chart.
Mandolyn Wind Ludlum, better known by her stage name Mystic, is an American hip hop artist from the San Francisco Bay Area. The collab with Major Lazer "Bubble Butt" was nominated for Best Song and Best Video of the year at the World Music Awards in 2014. Several publications dubbed the video for Bubble Butt as NSFW (not safe for work). Consequence of Sound called the video a "sensational" and "bizarre masterpiece"
Nicki Minaj is a Trinidadian-American rapper, singer, songwriter and entrepreneur. Nicki collaborated with Major Lazer on "Run Up" along with Canadian musician PartyNextDoor. "Run Up" is a dancehall song and both PartyNextDoor and Minaj sing using the Jamaican Patois accent. Nicki even samples Beenie Man in "Run Up." The video features Nicki, PartyNextDoor as well as all 3 members of Major Lazer.
Inspired by his trips to Africa and deep admiration of African music, Diplo began collaborating some of his friends and inspirations from the continent earlier this year to incorporate new African sounds and genres into Major Lazer's music. In the course of these sessions he brought in Nigerian superstar Mr Eazi and English singer RAYE to create "Tied Up". Rolling Stone praised the "breezy" track, continuing, "The featured artists trade hooks throughout the minimal, low-key track, which weaves fingerpicked acoustic guitars with dancehall-flavored rhythms and hummed backing vocals."
"Cold Water" is a collaboration between Major Lazer, MØ, and Justin Bieber released on July 22, 2016. The song came a little over a year after another Diplo/Bieber collab, the 2015 smash hit "Where Are U Now" from Jack Ü (Skrillex and Diplo).
Diplo was initially reluctant to bring Cold Water to Bieber thinking it wouldn't work trying to recreate past success. Cold Water peaked at #1 on 25 Weekly Country Charts, debuted #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was ranked #56 on Billboard's 100 Best Pop Songs of 2016 List.
Ariana Grande began her career in 2008's Broadway musical 13 before playing the role of Cat Valentine in the Nickelodeon TV Series Victorious. Her first studio album "Yours Truly" hit the Billboard Top 200 with the lead single "The Way" debuting Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Grande was featured in Major Lazer's song "All My Love", which was released as the fourth single from the soundtrack album for the film "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1."
Coffman is best known as a former guitarist and vocalist for the indie rock band Dirty Projectors. She collaborated with Major Lazer on the 2012 fan favorite track "Get Free" from their second Studio album "Free the Universe" (2013). The video was filmed in Kingston, Jamaica, and takes the viewer on a candid journey of Jamaican culture. Both Coffman and Diplo make appearances.
Produced with ❤ by DIGIZIK
Based on illustration work by Ferry Gouw
Direction by Gregory Lefillatre, Valentin Mazzara & François Charles,
Executive production by Fabrice Starzinskas,creative direction by Max Vedel,
Interactive development by Lost Mechanics (Alexis Benoit & Nicolas Petremann).