Joel Thomas Zimmerman (born January 5, 1981), known professionally asdeadmau5 (pronounced "dead-mouse"), is a Canadianelectronic music producer andDJ.[2] Zimmerman has received sevenGrammy Award nominations for his songs.[3] He mainly producesprogressive house andelectro house music, though he also produces and DJs other genres of electronic music, includingtechno under the aliasTestpilot.[4] Zimmerman is well known for wearing custom helmets for performances and appearances, similar toDaft Punk and later inspiringMarshmello.[5]
Zimmerman has worked with other DJs and producers, such asWolfgang Gartner,Rob Swire, andChris Lake. He has also collaborated withSteve Duda as the duo BSOD (Better Sounding On Drugs) and the band WTF? with Duda,Tommy Lee and DJ Aero. In 2007, he founded his own record label,Mau5trap.[2] Deadmau5 later formed electronic music supergroups such asKx5 withKaskade andRezzmau5 withRezz. Zimmerman is currently one of the highest-paid electronic music producers in the world.[6]
Zimmerman was born on January 5, 1981[9] inNiagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.[10] His mother, Nancy (née Johnson), is a visual artist, and his father, Rodney Thomas "Rod" Zimmerman, is aGeneral Motors plant worker.[11][12] He has two siblings, Jennifer (older) and Chris (younger).[11] His ancestry includesGerman, Swiss, andEnglish heritage.[12][13] He received his first keyboard for Christmas when he was a teenager.[11][14] His music career began in the late 1990s, with achiptune anddemoscene movements-influenced sound with theImpulse Tracker.[15]
Zimmerman graduated fromWestlane Secondary School in Niagara Falls. He then worked with an online music licensing company and as a programmer. He adopted the name Deadmau5, which referred to a dead mouse he found in his computer; the unique spelling was a result of a maximumcharacter limitation.[16]
His early musical work was largely done in his mom's Niagara Falls basement.[17] He later moved to a small apartment in Toronto.[17]
Career
1998–2006: Dred and Karma,Get Scraped and self-released compilations
In 2000, an early 12" single produced on vinyl titled "I Don't Want No Other" was released by Zimmerman and Derek Caesar, under the group name Dred and Karma.[18]
Zimmerman released his debut studio album, titledGet Scraped on July 26, 2005.[19] The tracks "Just Before 8bit", "Nice Try, Kiddo" and "Uploading and Downloading" fromProject 56 were edited and expanded upon inGet Scraped under the names "8bit", "Try Again", and "Unspecial Effects", respectively. Tracks "Bored of Canada", "Intelstat" and "I Forget" reappear on this album as is, as well as "The Oshawa Connection" fromDeadmau5 Circa 1998–2002, released in 2006.[20]
Two other self-released compilations,A Little Oblique andProject 56 were released in 2006 and 2008, respectively.[21][22]
2006–2008:Vexillology, Mau5trap, andRandom Album Title
Deadmau5 at Coachella 2008
In 2006, Zimmerman released his second studio album,Vexillology, on November 6, 2006, throughPlay Records.[23]
In 2007, Zimmerman founded his own record label,Mau5trap, which, along withUltra Records andMinistry of Sound, released the 2008 albumRandom Album Title, which saw the collaboration of Zimmerman and Chicago producerKaskade with "I Remember".Random Album Title, saw a digital release on September 2, 2008, viaUltra Records in the United States andMinistry of Sound in the United Kingdom and Europe.[24] Physical copies of the album were released in November 2008. Singles "Faxing Berlin" on October 25, 2006, and "Not Exactly" on August 27, 2007, were released prior to the album's release. Single "I Remember" (with Kaskade) was later released on September 15, 2008, before the album's release.[25]
In the United States, Zimmerman's collaboration withKaskade, "Move for Me", reached number one onBillboard magazine'sDance/Mix Show Airplay chart in its September 6, 2008, issue.[26] Since then, Zimmerman has seen two more tracks, also collaborations ("I Remember" withKaskade and "Ghosts 'n' Stuff" withRob Swire), reach number one onBillboard's Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart.[27]
In August 2008 he missed a flight onSpanair Flight 5022, from Barcelona to Gran Canaria, which crashed just after takeoff. He later discussed the incident on aH3h3Productions podcast in an interview on YouTube.[28][29]
2009–2011:For Lack of a Better Name and4×4=12
Deadmau5 performing at the Austin Music Hall, 2011
On September 22, 2009,Ultra Records released his albumFor Lack of a Better Name in the United States, and October 5 internationally.[25] On a subsequent tour in the fall of 2009, Zimmerman's performances were recorded and made available for sale immediately following the concerts on USB wristband flash drives.For Lack of a Better Name includes two of Zimmerman's most popular songs, "Ghosts 'n' Stuff" (featuring Rob Swire) and "Strobe". "Ghosts 'n' Stuff" was released on September 27, 2009, and "Strobe" was released on September 3, 2009.[30]
MTV named Zimmerman as the house DJ for the2010 MTV Video Music Awards and MTV PUSH artist of the week on August 16, 2010. He expressed gratitude towardsLady Gaga andDavid Guetta for bringing dance into the pop music scene and paving the way for him to the mainstream.[31] At the awards, Zimmerman performed withJason Derulo andTravie McCoy.[32] His song "Ghosts 'n' Stuff" had been featured on the soundtrack for the MTV reality seriesJersey Shore earlier.[33]
His fifth studio album,4×4=12, was released on December 6, 2010, in the United Kingdom and December 7, 2010, in the United States. Singles "Some Chords" on May 3, 2010, "Animal Rights" (withWolfgang Gartner) on September 6, and "Sofi Needs a Ladder" (featuringSofi) on November 1 were released and were featured on the album. "Raise Your Weapon" (featuringGreta Svabo Bech) was released later on May 23, 2011.[34] "Some Chords" was featured on an episode ofCSI: Crime Scene Investigation where Zimmerman made a cameo appearance, and an instrumental version of "Sofi Needs a Ladder" was featured in the filmThe Hangover Part II.[11][35] That year, he also released two non-album singles "Aural Psynapse" and "HR 8938 Cephei".[36]
In 2011, Zimmerman sold outRogers Centre in Toronto and remains the only Canadian act to do so.[17]
On August 9, 2012, Zimmerman announced his sixth studio album,Album Title Goes Here, which was released on September 24 of that year.[37][38] Singles from this album include "Maths" on February 17, 2012, "The Veldt" (featuring Chris James) on May 8, and "Professional Griefers" (featuringGerard Way) on August 14. Singles "Channel 42" (with Wolfgang Gartner) on February 12, 2013, and "Telemiscommunications" (withImogen Heap) on March 12 were released in 2013, after the album was released. In December 2012,FUSE TV named "Professional Griefers" one of the top 40 songs of 2012.[39]
In November 2013, Zimmerman deleted three years' worth of music from his SoundCloud account, replacing them with an EP of seven melancholy piano sonatas, simply called7, named after the Latin translations for theseven deadly sins: "Acedia", "Avaritia", "Gula", "Invidia", "Ira", "Luxuria", and "Superbia".[40] The same month, Zimmerman left longtime labelUltra Records and signed with record labelAstralwerks, a famed NYC-based imprint that houses artists such asSwedish House Mafia,David Guetta, andThe Chemical Brothers. Speaking on the partnership, Zimmerman admitted, "I found a place that knows what to do with my music."[41]
Deadmau5 in 2014
On January 7, 2014, Zimmerman announced via hisTwitter account that a new album was complete. "In other news... I finished my album today," the tweet read. "2 discs. 2 continuous mixes. 25 tracks. and something I'm proud of."[40] On May 10, 2014, through his subscription service, Zimmerman announced that his upcoming album would be titledWhile(1<2) and would be released on June 17, 2014.[42] The album was released with four singles; "Avaritia", "Seeya", (featuring singerColleen D'Agostino from the bandthe Material), "Infra Turbo Pigcart Racer", and "Phantoms Can't Hang".[43]
On January 13, 2015, it was announced that Deadmau5 would be a headlining act for the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, in Manchester, Tennessee, which was held on June 11–15, 2015.[44][45] On February 2, 2015, it was announced he would appear at Reading and Leeds Festivals.[46][47] On July 23, 2015,Valve announced that Deadmau5 was creating a series of sound clips to be featured in their video gameDota 2.[48] The music pack was released alongside the announcement.[49] On August 8, 2015, Deadmau5 performed live atKeyArena inSeattle at the conclusion of theDota 2 competitionThe International 5 (TI5).[50][51] On October 7, 2015, Deadmau5 officially announced that he was leaving his then label Astralwerks and going entirely independent with his own label Mau5trap.[52]
On December 17, 2015, it appeared that Zimmerman was either taking a leave of absence or ending his career altogether after deleting both his Twitter and his Facebook accounts.[53][54] His Instagram account, however, had not been deleted.[55] On December 21, 2015, Zimmerman reopened his Twitter account and posted an apology to his Tumblr account explaining his disappearance from social media, saying that he was suffering fromdepression and would be returning to producing music after the new year.[56][55]
On May 27, 2016, "Snowcone", the first single from Zimmerman in nearly two years, was released as a digital download.[57] This track was later revealed to be the first single from his next album.[58] On November 4, 2016, Zimmerman announced his next studio album,W:/2016Album/, which was released on December 2, 2016.[59]
2017–2019:Stuff I Used to Do,Where's the Drop?,Polar soundtrack, andMau5ville
On January 7, 2017, Zimmerman announced a compilation of his earlier work ranging from the years of 1998 to 2007 on Twitter, titledStuff I Used to Do. Zimmerman also stated that the compilation would release in February of that year.[60] On February 24, 2017, Zimmerman released a limited version ofStuff I Used to Do onWeTransfer. The edition, available until March 3, featured three tracks less than the full album. The album includes tracks fromGet Scraped and early compilations, in addition to an alternative mix of "Creep" fromWhile(1<2).[61] The album was officially released onMau5trap a week later, on March 3, 2017.[61]
On March 25, 2017, Zimmerman began aconcert tour with his new "Cube 2.1" stage set entitledLots of Shows in a Row to promote the release ofW:/2016Album/.[62] Zimmerman toured aroundNorth America for two months, before touring the rest of the world from June 3, 2017, and Canada from October 6, 2017, with the tour concluding on October 31, 2017. On August 25, 2017, Zimmerman released a stand-alone single entitled "Legendary", featuring guest vocals from rapperShotty Horroh.[63] A music video for the song was released on Mau5trap's YouTube channel on September 11, 2017.[64] In September 2017, Zimmerman confirmed his next studio album is "on the way".[65]
In March 2018, Zimmerman announced a compilation album comprising orchestral performances of previously released music, titledWhere's the Drop?.[66][67][68] On March 30, 2018, the album was initially released exclusively on themusic streaming serviceTidal for a period of three months. On June 29, 2018, the album was officially released on other digital download and streaming services, as well as vinyl.[69][70][71] On July 3, 2018, Zimmerman announced an EP and compilation album titledMau5ville: Level 1, featuring "Monophobia" (his second collaboration withRob Swire), as well as tracks fromGetter andGTA.[72][73] It was released on July 13, 2018, through Mau5trap.[74][75] On September 18, 2018, Zimmerman announced that he was in the process of producing his first ever originalfilm score for theNetflix filmPolar directed byJonas Åkerlund.[76] In October 2018, the track listing of a follow-up EP,Mau5ville: Level 2, was leaked, showing featured collaborations withLights and Mr. Bill, with no release date confirmed at the time.[77][78] The EP was released officially on November 16, 2018, through Mau5trap.[79]
On January 25, 2019,Polar premiered onNetflix, with Zimmerman releasing the soundtrack album,Polar (Music from the Netflix Film), through Mau5trap.[80][81] On February 1, 2019, the third installment in theMau5ville series,Mau5ville: Level 3 was released through Mau5trap. The compilation EP featured collaborations with Shotty Horroh, Scene of Action as well as tracks from No Mana and C.O.Z.[82][83] In November 2019, Zimmerman released three new singles, entitled "SATRN", "COASTED" and "FALL", released on the 16th, 22nd and 29th, respectively.[84][85][86]
2020–present:Kx5 and upcoming ninth studio album
On May 20, 2020, Zimmerman released the single "Pomegranate", featuringThe Neptunes.[87] Later in November that year, he worked withKiesza on the track "Bridged by a Lightwave".[88] On March 29, 2021, Zimmerman released the single "Nextra" on his new "Hau5trap" label.[89] In 2021,Rezz and Zimmerman collaborated to release a single named "Hypnocurrency" on Mau5trap. Deadmau5 and Rezz subsequently performed together, forming the supergroupRezzmau5.[90]He also released a new single with singerLights titled "When the Summer Dies" on July 16.[90] On October 29, 2021, Zimmerman andFoster The People released the single "Hyperlandia".[91]
In 2022, Zimmerman andKaskade announced a collaboration project named Kx5 (pronounced "kay-five"),[92] marking the fourth time the producers have worked together. The first single from the project, "Escape", was released on March 11.[93] In December, the duo headlined a performance in Los Angeles at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. The concert broke records with a crowd of 50,000 and netted $3.7 million.[94] In January 2023, the release date for the duo's first album, eponymously titledKx5, was announced for March 17.[95]
On June 12, 2024, Zimmerman was inducted into the Music Industry Hall of Fame at Canadian Music Week, an honour bestowed on many prominent Canadian musicians.[17] He marked the occasion with a 45-minute fireside chat about his career at the event, relecting on his start and discusing his aspirations, which included aspirations to perform at the newly opened Sphere in Las Vegas.[17]
On July 5, 2024, Zimmerman released “Quezacotl”. Later, "Wet" was released under his Testpilot alias, the first single released under the pseudonym in a decade. On July 19, 2024, Zimmerman penultimately released an EP named "some ep".[8] On November 8, 2024, Zimmerman released a four track EP with the first digital and streaming release of the 2007 single 'Jaded'.[97] On November 20, 2024, Zimmerman was announced to be signed toCreative Artists Agency to be represented in all fields.[98] In December 2024, Zimmerman released "Familiars" as part of a collaboration withWorld of Tanks Blitz.[99] In January 2025, Zimmerman released "Jupiter" alongside a music video, and collaborated with Irish producer Rebūke, releasing "Endless" with vocals by Ed Graves.[100][101]On March 4, 2025, Zimmerman's discography was acquired byCreate Music Group.[102]
Video game appearances
Zimmerman is a playable avatar inDJ Hero 2, a video game released in October 2010.[103][104][105] The game featured several tracks by the artist, including a mix of "Ghosts 'n' Stuff" withLady Gaga's "Just Dance".[106] He is also featured as a secret unlockable character in the 2014 video gameGoat Simulator as "deadgoa7".[107] His music has been included in other video game titles, including a custom soundtrack forDota 2.[108]
In the mobile appFamily Guy: The Quest for Stuff by TinyCo, Deadmau5 was available for purchase as a playable character during the "PeterPalooza".[109]Virtual versions of his helmet were also an available accessory as a topper and antenna inRocket League.[110]
In the 2020 video gameFuser, "Ghosts 'n' Stuff" is featured as a mixable song.[111]
Deadmau5'sMinecraft account has ears that are linked to his username, which cannot normally be created using the game's “skins.”[112]
In November 2024, Zimmerman collaborated with the mobile gameWorld of Tanks Blitz, introducing Deadmau5-themed tanks, quests, and releasing the track "Familiars" through the game.[99]
Personal life
Zimmerman unmasked, 2010
On July 30, 2010, at the9:30 Club inWashington, D.C., Zimmerman collapsed on stage, suffering from exhaustion and vomiting. This resulted in the cancellation of the rest of the show, as well as nine shows following the event.[114]
In September 2012, Zimmerman began dating Americantattoo artist and TV personalityKat Von D.[115] After breaking up in November 2012, they rekindled their relationship shortly afterwards.[116] On December 15, 2012, Zimmerman proposed to Von D viaTwitter, and they announced that they would marry in August 2013 with an aquatic-themed wedding.[117][118] They both have several matching tattoos, including the numbers "289m3d22h" on both of their arms, a sentimental reference to the day when they met, as well as two black stars underneath their eyes.[119] Zimmerman moved toLos Angeles to live with Von D.[120] In June 2013, Von D announced that they had ended their engagement.[121]
On August 12, 2017, Zimmerman married Kelly Fedoni.[126] By June 2021, he and Fedoni had separated and would divorce, but stated that their relationship had ended amicably.[127]
Etymology
Zimmerman's father claims that when his son was in his early teens, he was chatting with a friend on his computer, which then abruptly shut off. According to Zimmerman's father, he said that it had a smell of burnt wire and had a strange odor. Zimmerman started to dismantle his computer and happened to find a dead mouse. Zimmerman then became known as the "dead mouse guy" among friends. He tried to change his name to "Deadmouse" in an online chat room, but it was too long, so he shortened it to "Deadmau5". "Maus" is the German word for "mouse" and is pronounced the same as in English; the ending character 5 instead of an 's' is a form ofleet.[14]
Zimmerman created the original logo—called the "mau5head"—while learning how to use 3D modelling software.[128] The logo appears in many different colors and designs, and has been shown on the cover art of most of Zimmerman's albums. He was given the idea to wear a helmet based on the logo by one of his friends,Jay Gordon of the industrial metal bandOrgy.[129] In an interview withCBC Television, Zimmerman said that he wants his logo to be an "icon". Fans often attend Deadmau5 concerts sporting their own copy or alteration of the mau5head.
He created his website and began uploading songs to SectionZ and producing under the alias "Deadmau5" in 2002.[130]
Controversies
DirtyCircuit
In 2008, an artist called DirtyCircuit claimed to have been threatened with legal action after using a sample called "LP_Faxing Berlin C_128bpm"[131] that came bundled withFL Studio, and to which Zimmerman claimed copyright.[132] The sample was a direct clip of a full bar of the song. Zimmerman provided a "Demo Track" which came bundled with FL Studio, along with several loop samples. The case caused slight discomfort among the users of FL Studio,[133] and some have pointed out potential inconsistencies in theEULA of the software.[131] Subsequent versions, after FL Studio 8, no longer contained those loop samples.[134]
Disney trademark dispute
Deadmau5 logo
Basic geometrical representation of Mickey Mouse's head and ears
In a 2012 interview withRolling Stone, Zimmerman acknowledged possible similarities between his Mau5head logo and that ofMickey Mouse, joking that "someone at theDisney patent office fell asleep on that one."[135]
In March 2014, it was reported that The Walt Disney Company had filed a request with theUnited States Patent and Trademark Office to investigate Zimmerman's application to register the Mau5head emblem as atrademark, noting its resemblance to the figure of Mickey Mouse.[136][137] Disney officially filed its opposition in September 2014, arguing that the mark is likely to cause confusion because it is "nearly identical in appearance, connotation, and overall commercial impression" to Disney's trademarked iconography of Mickey Mouse. In response to the opposition, Zimmerman spoke out against Disney on Twitter, arguing that the company thinks of people as being "stupid" because "[they] might confuse an established electronic musician/performer with a cartoon mouse."[135] Zimmerman also believed that he had been targeted by Disney due to their attempts to "cash in" on the EDM market, specifically alluding toDconstructed—a recently released compilation album containing remixes of music from Disney properties by major electronic musicians such asArmin van Buuren,Avicii andKaskade.[138]
On September 4, 2014, Zimmerman revealed on Twitter that Disney had used "Ghosts 'n' Stuff" in a Mickey Mouse "re-micks" video (as part ofHave a Laugh!) on their website and YouTube channel without his or his labels' permission, and posted pictures showing atakedown notice that had been sent to Disney by his lawyers. The letter also contained a trademark infringement accusation, arguing that the use of Deadmau5's name in material regarding the video falsely implied his endorsement of it. Disney argued that it had properly licensed the song and that there was "no merit to his statement."[138][139]
In an October 2014 USPTO filing, Zimmerman argued that Disney has attempted to co-exist with him in goodwill. Zimmerman presented evidence that Disney had been in contact with him regarding potential collaborative projects, including an offer to participate in a "re-imagining" ofFantasia as a live concert tour for the film's 75th anniversary.[140]
In June 2015, Zimmerman's attorney stated that he and Disney had "amicably resolved their dispute."[141] Zimmerman appeared in an episode of the Disney+ seriesThe Muppets Mayhem in 2023.[142]
Meowingtons trademark dispute
In 2015, Zimmerman attempted to register a trademark for the name of his pet cat, Professor Meowingtons, whom he adopted in 2010 and has incorporated into some of his own merchandising. However, the registration was rejected due to a pre-existing Meowingtons trademark held by an online retailer of the same name established in 2014,[143] which sells cat-themed accessories and clothing. After discovering the trademark, Zimmerman petitioned against it, citing his pre-existing uses.[144]
In March 2017, Zimmerman was sued by Emma Bassiri (the owner of the website) for trademark infringement and unfair competition; the suit argued that claims by Zimmerman that she had named the site specifically after the cat was false. Zimmerman himself toldThe Hollywood Reporter that "from the very beginning I was working to find a way to resolve this situation amicably", but that he had been forced to "litigate this woman out of existence".[143] On May 15, 2017, Deadmau5 filed a countersuit against Bassiri with the intention of seeking forfeiture of Bassiri's website and domain name.[145]
In March 2018,World Intellectual Property Review reported that Zimmerman and Bassiri had resolved their dispute.[146]
Professor Meowingtons died in 2023, aged 16.[147][148]
Offensive remarks
In October 2018, Zimmerman posted comments on Twitter during an argument including the statements "I'll bet you suck a guy off for 40 grand, zero fucking questions asked" and "women don't possess penises". These comments were construed by readers as beinghomophobic andtransphobic.[149] Zimmerman apologized for his comments, saying that he "wasn't trying to make blatant transphobic statements", and had "just got into a heated argument with some dude online", noting that his comments had been taken "somewhere unintended".[150]
A few days later, during a gaming stream, he referred to a track by fellow electronic artistSlushii as "AIDS fucking music" and calling it "autistic shit". Slushii – who is on theautism spectrum – responded to these comments on Twitter, calling them "really disappointing".[151] Zimmerman later apologized for these comments, citing mental health issues that required "professional help", and stating that he would take time "off the radar" to "work on [himself]".[152]
In February 2019, while playingPlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds on a livestream onTwitch, Zimmerman called another player a "fucking cock-sucking stream sniperfag."[153] Twitch suspended Zimmerman from their platform forhate speech, after which he posted: "I know who I am, and I don't have to fucking sit here and cry and defend my fucking self with the obligatory 'I'm not that person, I am sorry' reflex," vowing to never work with the company again.[154] Zimmerman later apologized for his remarks in a Reddit post, and was subsequently reinstated.[155]
^Burns, Todd L. (September 30, 2008)."Deadmau5: It's complicated". residentadvisor.net.Archived from the original on October 7, 2014. RetrievedSeptember 3, 2014.I was in my Mom's basement tooling away on Impulse Tracker on a 386 just doing Nintendo music until some Loop Library company hired me as a producer.