David Guetta

David Guetta Artistfacts

  • November 7, 1967
  • David Guetta, often referred to as the man who brought dance music to American mainstream radio, got his big break when Kelly Rowland saw him DJ in Cannes, France. They got together and recorded "When Love Takes Over," and from there, Guetta's career took off as Rowland helped spread the word.
  • "I Gotta Feelin'," by the Black Eyed Peas samples Guetta's "Love Is Gone."
  • When The Sun asked him what he likes to do in his free time, Guetta answered, "This is going to sound crazy but my hobby is music, that's what I do to relax. I'm a DJ so when I relax, I make tracks!"
  • He started pursuing his career as a teenager, playing records in his bedroom after school. He started organizing parties in his basement when he was 15, charging £1 to get in.
  • Guetta summed up his life to Billboard magazine in a 2013 interview as: "I make beats, eat, make beats, play beats, sleep, fly, then repeat. Doesn't matter if it's Vegas, China, Ibiza, wherever. That's my life. That's my indulgence. Making beats. Making people dance."
  • David Guetta's first recording was "Nation Rap," a 1990 hip-hop collaboration with French rapper Sidney Duteil. During the late 1980s he was a hip-hop DJ touring France, hosting competitions where rappers battled against each other. Guetta would DJ and scratch, and MC-wannabes would then rap on the top with a potential prize of being signed by Island Records.

    The tour was a success, and Island suggested Guetta lay down a single. Though he protested that he didn't know how to make a record, they put him in the studio. "I had no idea what I was doing," he recalled to Billboard. "I did manage to do something with this French rapper."
  • In 2021, David Guetta sold his entire back catalogue and also agreed to a deal covering rights to his future music releases to Warner Music Group, reportedly for over $100 million.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Linda Perry

Linda PerrySongwriter Interviews

Songwriting Hall of Famer Linda Perry talks about her songs "What's Up" and "Beautiful," her songwriting process, and her move into film music.

Sam Phillips

Sam PhillipsSongwriter Interviews

Collaborating with T Bone Burnett, Leslie Phillips changed her name and left her Christian label behind - Robert Plant, who recorded one of her songs on Raising Sand, is a fan.

The Truth Is Out There: A History of Alien Songs

The Truth Is Out There: A History of Alien SongsSong Writing

The trail runs from flying saucer songs in the '50s, through Bowie, blink-182 and Katy Perry.

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.

Loreena McKennitt

Loreena McKennittSongwriter Interviews

The Celtic music maker Loreena McKennitt on finding musical inspiration, the "New Age" label, and working on the movie Tinker Bell.

David Gray

David GraySongwriter Interviews

David Gray explains the significance of the word "Babylon," and talks about how songs are a form of active imagination, with lyrics that reveal what's inside us.