Ryan Raddon (born February 25, 1971), better known by his stage name Kaskade, is an American DJ and record producer. On October 20, 2011, DJ Magazine announced the results of their annual Top 100 DJ Poll, with Ultra Records, Kaskade placed at #30.^[1] On September 9, 2011, a DJ Times poll voted Kaskade "America's Best DJ 2011".^[2]

Biography[link]

Early life[link]

Kaskade was born in Evanston, Illinois. He grew up in nearby Northbrook and attended Glenbrook North High School. He is the brother of Rich Raddon, an entrepreneur and film producer. He attended Brigham Young University in Provo, UT from 1989-1990 honing his DJ skills in his dorm room. At age 19, Raddon served a two year full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Japan. Following his mission, in 1992, he moved to Salt Lake City to attend the University of Utah. During this time he owned and operated a local record store, Mechanized Records. In May 2000, Kaskade moved to San Francisco and began working as an A&R assistant for Om Records.

Musical Career[link]

Releasing his first single "What I Say" on the label in 2001.^[3] In the Moment saw Kaskade's first top 10 single with "Steppin' Out" reaching #5 on Billboard Magazine’s Hot Dance Club Play chart and #6 on Dance Radio Airplay.^[4] The fourth single to be released from the album, "Everything," reached #1 on Billboard Magazine’s Hot Dance Club Play.^[4]

Kaskade's fourth solo album Love Mysterious was released in September 2006. The first single from the album, "Be Still", reached #4 on Billboard Magazine’s Hot Dance Club Play.^[4] The single features vocalist Sunsun, and includes remixes by Jay-J and Robbie Rivera. Follow up single "Stars Align" hit number #8 on "Billboard Magazine" Hot Dance Airplay chart and just missed the top ten, #11, on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. His third single released from "Love Mysterious", "Sorry", was his third consecutive top ten hit on Billboard's Hot Dance Airplay Chart, at #9. Dirty South provided a remix for "Sorry." The remix was nominated for a 2008 Grammy for Best Remixed Recording.

Kaskade took his stage name from a nature book when he saw a picture of a waterfall and a co-worker agreed "cascade" was a good choice, but he then changed the spelling.^[5]

Upon signing with Ultra Records in late 2006, Kaskade left Om Records and now only releases with the former.

Kaskade worked with Canadian house/electronic DJ/artist deadmau5 to produce tracks on Strobelite Seduction, including the first single (released as an EP) Move For Me. The single became his fifth top ten hit on Billboard's Hot Dance Airplay Chart, reaching the number one position in its September 6, 2008 issue.^[6] It also gave Kaskade his first number one single on this chart. The dance single has become a crossover hit, managing to reach number 71 on the Canadian Hot 100 as of February 14, 2009. The follow-up single, "Angel On My Shoulder", also found success on the dance chart, placing at number 5 on Billboard's Hot Dance Airplay Chart. "I Remember", another collaboration with Deadmau5, became his first UK hit, peaking inside the top 15 on the Uk Singles Chart. The video-clip which accompanied "I Remember" was filmed in Manchester, England. The single became his second chart topper on the Billboard dance chart.

In 2010, he added another number one Billboard Hot Dance Airplay track to his credit with "Dynasty", featuring Haley Gibby on vocals.

In March 2012, Kaskade headlined at Ultra Music Festival in Miami, Florida, coming on before Armin van Buuren Sunday night. In April 2012, Kaskade took to Indio, California to headline opposite Radiohead two weekends at Coachella Valley Music Festival to a packed crowd.^[7] The American House producer is slated to headline at Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas, Nevada June of this year.^[8]

Other projects[link]

Kaskade is also an active member of Summer Of Space, Late Night Alumni and The Sellars. Remixed Late Night Alumni's "Empty Streets", which is found on Tiësto's "In Search of Sunrise 5" mix. Late Night Alumni released their third album in February 2011 titled "Haunted".

Kaskade is one of 9 artists who participated in thetruth.com’s Remix Project, where he remixed the Sunny Side song “Smaller Babies”.

Kaskade also had a comprehensive video outlining his creative process and musical background created about him. It was featured on an online television show called The Craft [1].

On May 30, 2010 Kaskade became a resident DJ for daytime pool parties at the Encore Beach Club in Las Vegas, NV. The parties are entitled "Kaskade Sundays." [2][3]

Kaskade's song "I Remember" with deadmau5 is played on a level of Golden Eye for the Wii. On the level, you are at a night club in Europe. "I Remember" and "Move For Me" were also featured in DJ Hero 2 and are credited as being performed by deadmau5 & Kaskade

Kaskade also produced Haley's album All This Love released by Ultra Records.

Personal life[link]

Raddon is fluent in Japanese, and is married to Naomi Raddon. ^[9]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Singles and EPs[link]

• "What I Say" (2001)
• "Gonna Make It" (2001)
• "I Feel Like" (2002)
• "True" (2004)
• "Keep On" (2004)
• "Steppin' Out" (2004)
• "Soundtrack to the Soul" (2004)
• "The Gift" (2004)
• "To Do" (2004)
• "Sweet Love" (2004)
• "Everything" (2005)
• "Safe" (2005)
• "Be Still" (feat. Sunsun) (2006)
• "Stars Align" (2006)
• "In This Life" (2007)
• "Let's Begin" (2007)
• "Sorry" (2007)
• "Sometimes" (2007)
• "4 AM" (2008)
• "Move for Me" (with Deadmau5) (2008)
• "I Remember" (with Deadmau5) (2008)
• "Angel On My Shoulder" (2008)
• "Step One Two" (2008)
• "I Remember" (Remixes) (with Deadmau5) (2009)
• "So Far Away" (with Seamus Haji & Haley)(2009)
• "All You" (2010)
• "Dynasty" (feat. Haley) (2010)
• "Fire In Your New Shoes" (feat. Dragonette) (2010)
• "Don't Stop Dancing" (with EDX feat. Haley) (2010)
• "Raining" (with Adam K feat. Sunsun) (2010)
• "Only You" (with Tiesto feat. Haley) (2011)
• "All That You Give" (with Mindy Gledhill) (2011)
• "Call Out" (with Mindy Gledhill) (2011)
• "Eyes" (Featuring Mindy Gledhill) (2011)
• "Turn It Down" (with Rebecca & Fiona) (2011)
• "How Long" (with Late Night Alumini) (2011)
• "Room for Happiness" (with Skylar Grey) (2012)
• "Lick It" (with Skrillex) (2012)

Mixes[link]

• Sounds of Om 3 (2002)
• San Francisco Sessions 4 (2003)
• House of Om 3 (2005)
• Bring the Night (2007)
• The Grand (2009)
• The Electric Daisy Carnival CD (2010)
• dance.love (2010)
• Kaskade - Essential Mix at BBC Radio 1 (2011)

Mashups[link]

All You Paris - VS. David Guetta
Angel On My Shoulder Reaver 76- VS. Tiësto, Hardwell, EDX & Marco V.
Be Still And Show Me Love - (DBN Mix) VS. Robin S.
Be Still Big Bang - VS. Franz Novotny
Coming Home At 4 AM - VS. Diddy-Dirty Money ft. Skylar Grey
Don't Stop Kissing - VS. Alex Gaudino
Dynasty Noise - VS. Dada Life
Empty Streets Solar End - VS. Nicky Romero & Toommy Trash
Falling In Love With Brazil - Feat. Haley VS. Deadmau5
Fire In Your New Shoes VS. One - VS. Swedish House Mafia
I'll Never Dream I'm In Love - VS. Alex Gaudino
It's You It's Hertz - VS.Deniz Koyu
Louder Than Empty Streets - (Kaskade & Digital LAB Mash Up) VS. Afrojack & David Guetta
Move For First Aid - VS. Michael Woods
Nufunk I'm Someone Else - (Deadmau5 Mix)VS. NuBreed
One More Chance - (Short Edit) Late Night Alumni
Only You Flash - (Nicky Romero Mix) & Tiësto VS. Green Velvet
Sorry Bom - VS. Avicii
Sorry Monday - VS. Steve Angello
Stars Align Tomorrow - (Digital LAB & Pedro Henrique DUB) VS. Dimitri Vegas, Like Mike & Dada Life
Stars Align Tomorrow - VS. Dimitri Vegas, Like Mike & Dada Life
Step One For Redemption - VS. BDN & Menck
Step One Two The Day Before - (Kaskade Remash) & Tommy Trash (feat. Location Location)
Steppin' Out On Melancholy Hill (Max Vangeli & AN21 Mix) - VS. Gorillaz
Steppin' Out Undertaker - VS. Wolfgang Gartner

Remixes[link]

• Above & Beyond - Love Is Not Enough (Kaskade Remix)
• Afro-Mystik - Natural (Kaskade Roots Remix)
• Amma^{[disambiguation needed ]} - Heartbeat (Kaskade Mix)
• Amma - On My Own (Kaskade Mix)
• Andy Caldwell - I Can't Wait (Kaskade Remix)
• The Beard featuring Phillipa - For Me (Kaskade Mix)
• Beyoncé - Run The World (Girls) (Kaskade Extended Mix)#1 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play
• Bing Crosby White Christmas (Kaskade Mix)
• Britney Spears - Break the Ice (Kaskade Remix)#1 Billboard Hot Dance Play
• Britney Spears - Gimme More (Kaskade Remix)#1 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play
• Britney Spears - Womanizer (Kaskade Remix) #2 Billboard Hot Dance Airplay
• Cabin Crew - Can't Stop It (Kaskade Remix)
• Chieko Kinbara - If You Only (Kaskade Original Mix)
• Chieko Kinbara - Stay With Me (Kaskade Remix)
• Colette - Didn't Mean To Turn You On (Kaskade Extended Mix)
• Colette - Hypnotized (Kaskade Extended Mix)
• Colette - What Will She Do For Love (Kaskade's Big Room Mix)
• Conjure One - Face the Music (Kaskade Club Mix)
• Crystal Method featuring Emily Haines - Come Back Clean (Kaskade Remix) #11 Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs
• Dada Life - Happy Violence (Kaskade Remix)
• Daft Punk - Rinzler (Kaskade Remix)
• David Morales featuring Tamra Keenan - Here I Am (Kaskade Remix)#1 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play
• Dissent - Bleeding Together (Kaskade Remix)
• DJ Mark Farina - To Do (Kaskade's Carry On mix)
• Empire of the Sun - Walking On A Dream (Kaskade Club Remix)
• Esmée Denters - Outta Here (Kaskade Club Remix)
• Floetry - SupaStar (Kaskade Vocal Mix)
• Frank Sinatra - Mistletoe & Holly (Kaskade Mix)
• Genki Rockets - Breeze (Kaskade Remix)
• Haley - This Is How It Goes (Kaskade's Grand Club Edit)
• Jay-J & Mark Grant - Love Is (Kaskade Mix)
• J-Boogie's Dubtronic Science - Rainfall (Kaskade Remix)
• JES - Imagination (Kaskade Club Remix)#1 Billboard Hot Dance Airplay
• Joachim Garraud - The Computer (Kaskade Mix)
• Joslyn^{[disambiguation needed ]} - Funk 2 Night (Kaskade Remix)
• Jyongri - Lullaby For You (Kaskade Mix)
• Justin Timberlake - LoveStoned (Kaskade Remix) #1 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play
• Justin Timberlake - Like I Love You (Kaskade Full Vox Mix)
• Katy Perry - Teenage Dream (Kaskade Club Mix)
• Keri Hilson - Slow Dance (Kaskade Remix)
• King Kooba - If I Could (Kaskade More Pop Mix)
• Kings of Tomorrow Finally (Kaskade's dance.love Mix)
• Koda Kumi - Run For Your Life (Kaskade Remix)
• Lady Gaga - Bad Romance (Kaskade Remix) #1 Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs
• Lady Gaga featuring Beyonce - Telephone (Kaskade Remix)
• Late Night Alumni - All For Nothing (Kaskade Mix)
• Late Night Alumni - Another Chance (Kaskade's 'Homage To Roger' Remix)
• Late Night Alumni - I Knew You When (Kaskade Mix)
• Late Night Alumni - It's Not Happening (Kaskade Remix)
• Late Night Alumni - Empty Streets (Kaskade Remix)
• LeAnn Rimes - What I Cannot Change (Kaskade Remix)#1 Billboard Hot Dance Airplay
• Lil^{[disambiguation needed ]} - Your Affection (Kaskade Remix)
• Little Boots - Remedy (Kaskade Club Remix)
• Livvi Franc - Now I'm That Bitch (Kaskade Remix)#1 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play
• Location Location - Let's Begin (Kaskade Extended Edit) available on junodownload.com
• Madonna - Miles Away (Kaskade Remix)
• Mark Farina - Cali Spaces (Kaskade Remix)
• Mark Farina - To Do (Kaskade Carry On Mix)
• Mocean Worker - Chick a Boom Boom Boom (Kaskade Remix)
• Mr. O feat. Sara Smith - Lights Out (Kaskade Remix)
• Naked Music NYC - If I Fall (Kaskade Soulshower Mix)
• Natalie Bassingthwaighte - Alive (Kaskade Remix)
• Nicole Scherzinger - Don't Hold Your Breath (Kaskade Remix)
• Nelly Furtado - All Good Things (Come To An End)(Kaskade Remix) #1 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play
• Noisettes - Never Forget You (Kaskade Mix)
• Neon Trees - Animal (Kaskade Mix)
• Outkast - The Way You Move(Kaskade Mix)
• Paul van Dyk - Home (Kaskade Remix)
• Paris Hilton - Nothing In This World #12 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play
• Peyton^{[disambiguation needed ]} - I'll Rise (Kaskade Remix)
• Plumb - In My Arms (Kaskade Extended Remix)
• Pussycat Dolls - Don't Cha #1 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play.
• Rasmus Faber - Are You Ready (Kaskade Remix)
• Rithma - Builder (Kaskade Let's Make Out Mix)
• Rithma - Love & Music (Kaskade Remix)
• Robyn - Call Your Girlfriend (Kaskade Remix)
• Roomsa feat. Lady Sarah - This Girl (Kaskade Remix)
• Rufus Wainwright - Go Or Go Ahead (Kaskade Mix)
• Samantha James Waves of Change (Kaskade Extended Remix)
• Skrillex - Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites (Kaskade Remix)
• Seal - Amazing #1 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play (two weeks)
• Sellars, The - Fair Game (Kaskade Remix)
• Skylar Grey - Invisible (Kaskade Remix)
• Sultan & Ned Shepard - Call My Name (Kaskade Club Mix) feat. Nadia Ali
• Summer Of Space - Hearts Reaction (Kaskade Electro Rubb)
• Summer Of Space - With You (Kaskade Does Rock Mix)
• Terri Walker - Guess You Didn't Love Me (Kaskade Remix)
• Timbaland - Morning After Dark (Kaskade Extended Mix)
• truth® - Smaller Babies (Kaskade Remix)
• Usher - Climax (Kaskade Remix)
• West Magnetic - Give It Up For Free (Kaskade's Vision Mix)
• The World's Most Beautiful - I'm A Lot Like You (Kaskade's Vocal Mix)
• Zedd - Shave It (Kaskade Remix)
• Zip Zip Through The Night - Beestung (Kaskade's Grand Mix)
• R3hab & Swanky Tunes - Sending My Love (Kaskade Remix)

See also[link]

• Om Records
• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. dance airplay chart

Notes and references[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Artist Site at Ultra Records
• Kaskade on Myspace
• Kaskade on Facebook
• Kaskade on Twitter

Skylar Grey
Skylar Grey singing at the Tibet Talk For World Peace in July 2011
Background information
Birth name	Holly Brook Hafermann[1]
Also known as	Holly Brook[2]
Born	(1986-02-23) February 23, 1986 (age 26)
Origin	Mazomanie, Wisconsin, United States
Genres	Pop, soul, folk rock, rock, hip hop
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, record producer
Instruments	Vocals, piano, guitar
Years active	2004–present
Labels	KIDinaKORNER, Interscope, Machine Shop
Website	www.skylargreymusic.com

Holly Brook Hafermann (born February 23, 1986) better known by her stage name Skylar Grey, is an five-time Grammy-nominated American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Grey was signed to Machine Shop Recordings under the name Holly Brook. She released her debut album as Holly Brook, Like Blood Like Honey, in 2006. She co-wrote the three versions of "Love the Way You Lie" (for Eminem and Rihanna) with Alex da Kid, who signed her to his Wonderland Music label. She was featured as a guest vocalist on Fort Minor's "Where'd You Go" and "Be Somebody", Diddy-Dirty Money's "Coming Home", Dr. Dre's "I Need a Doctor", Lupe Fiasco's "Words I Never Said" and Kaskade's "Room for Happiness".

Life and career[link]

2001–2010: Early life and career beginnings[link]

Grey performed professionally as a child in a folk duo with her mother called Generations.^[3] Together, (with producer/engineer Randy Green) they independently produced three albums, Dream Maker, Lift Me, and Millennial Child/Waiting For You. Grey started her first band at the age of fifteen after 'sneaking' into bars, working with jazz musicians including Jeff Eckles, Tim Whalen and Leo Sidran in Madison, Wisconsin.

In 2003, Grey moved to Los Angeles and recorded a demo as Holly Brook, which would be her stage name for several years. This demo led to her being signed in the fall of 2004 by Linkin Park guitarist Brad Delson to the band's vanity label, Machine Shop Recordings; she was 18 years old. Her voice is featured on the Fort Minor songs "Where'd You Go" and "Be Somebody". Working with producer Jonathan Ingoldsby, Brook released her debut album, Like Blood Like Honey, on June 6, 2006. She landed opening spots for tours with Jamie Cullum, KD Lang, Daniel Powter, Teddy Geiger and Duncan Sheik.

In 2010, Brook lent both her song "It's Raining Again" and her image to a promotional campaign for Ciao Water.^[4] Prior to this, she has appeared on albums by other artists, including Brie Larson's Finally Out of P.E. and Fort Minor's The Rising Tied. Brook has toured with as part of Duncan Sheik's band, and appears heavily on his 2009 album Whisper House. At the beginning in 2010 she also performed in the theatrical version of "Whisper House," playing one of the two lead ghost vocalists along with David Poe.^[5] Also in 2010, she self-released the seven-song O’Dark:Thirty EP, produced by Duncan Sheik and Jon Ingoldsby.^[6] In 2009, Brook appeared as a backing vocalist on Eurovision contestant, Yohanna's debut album, Butterflies and Elvis.

[edit] 2011: Invinsible

Brook later changed her name to Skylar Grey. She explained that “it represents the unknowns in life. People seem to be afraid of the unknowns, but I’m the complete opposite. I dive into the unknown because I feel like that’s where all your possibilities come from.”^[7] She explained to Beatweek that she chose "grey" with an e rather than an a because “I like to do things the original way" and because "it’s more masculine. I’m not a very feminine person."^[8]

She was still living in Oregon and had no recognition as Skylar Grey. Grey went to New York to meet her publisher, Jennifer Blakeman, who played Grey the song "Airplanes" by B.O.B and Hayley Williams and produced by Alex da Kid; Grey liked what she heard so Blakeman introduced her and Alex da Kid via e-mail. Alex da Kid sent Grey a few tracks he had been working on and the first song she wrote was "Love The Way You Lie".

Alex da Kid signed her to a production deal on his KIDinaKORNER imprint.^[9] She wrote the hook to all three versions of "Love the Way You Lie" by rapper Eminem and Rihanna as well as all of the lyrics and melody to versions II and III of the song. She can be heard performing the demo for all versions of the song. Grey earned a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year for her writing contributions to "Love the Way You Lie".^[10] She also co-wrote Diddy-Dirty Money's "Coming Home",^[11] along with "Castle Walls" by T.I. and Christina Aguilera.^[12] On March 10, 2011, Diddy-Dirty Money performed the single "Coming Home" with Grey and Dirty Money vocalists, Dawn Richard and Kalenna Harper, live on American Idol.^[13]

She is also a writer and featured guest on "I Need a Doctor".^[14] Grey is also featured on Lupe Fiasco's third studio album Lasers, on the second single, "Words I Never Said" and was also featured in the live performance of the song, with Lupe, on The Colbert Report on May 9, 2011. Grey made her live performance debut under her new alias during the 53rd Grammy Awards, performing "I Need a Doctor" alongside Eminem and Dr. Dre. She is currently working on her solo studio album Invinsible with Alex Da Kid. She has signed to Interscope Records through Da Kid's KIDinaKORNER,^[15] and her first promotional buzz single "Dance Without You"^[16] was released on June 6, 2011, with the official music video being released on July 5.^[17] The first official single "Invisible" was released to radio on June 16. On July 9, 2011, Grey performed live at the World Peace Event in Washington, DC, appearing along with the 14th Dalai Lama.^[18][19] On 6 August, she performed at the 20th Lollapalooza festival as both a solo artist and with Eminem during the song "I Need A Doctor". The next day, while passing by the area where YouTube sensation Karmin was recording their cover of "I Need A Doctor," Grey joined the duo for an impromptu performance.^[20] She performed alongside rapper Eli Porter on the September 20, 2011 episode of Tosh.0.

Grey also featured on Kaskade's 2011 album Fire & Ice, writing and singing on two versions of the song "Room for Happiness", which became the album's third single.

It was also reported that Grey would be contributing to The Band Perry's sophomore album, which is set to be released in 2012.^[21][22]

On April 1, 2012 Grey performed the hit song Invinsible with Machine Gun Kelly at Wrestlemania XXVIII before John Cena's entrance at the main event against Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

Influences[link]

Grey has listed Garbage, Joni Mitchell, Marilyn Manson, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Sarah McLachlan and Death Cab for Cutie as her influences.^[23][24]

Discography[link]

• Like Blood Like Honey (2006)
• Invinsible (2012)

EP

• Holly Brook EP (2005)
• Sony CONNECT Sets (2005)
• O'Dark:Thirty EP (2010)
• The Buried Sessions of Skylar Grey (2012)

References[link]