Marshmello Essentials

Anonymous DJ/producer Marshmello got his start with an unlikely fusion of tough-as-nails trap and candied EDM. As early fans debated his identity, a co-sign from Skrillex gave singles like 2016’s trance-laced “Find Me” a viral boost. On Marshmello’s debut album, 2016’s Joytime, his signature qualities began to come into focus—the playful melodies of “Blocks”, the chilled-out cool of “Keep It Mello”—but it was the nostalgic “Alone”, with its twin nods to 2000s emo and ’80s electropop, that solidified his persona. Since then, Marshmello has gone from an EDM curiosity to a ubiquitous fixture in pop, using collaborations with artists like Selena Gomez and Logic to advance his singular brand of fun. And he’s branched out even further, teaming up with Latin stars on 2023’s reggaetón- and trap-inspired Sugar Papi and country singer Kane Brown on “One Thing Right” and “Miles on It”.