Moore has won nineGrammy Awards, the most of anyelectronic dance music act.[17][18] He has collaborated withDiplo andBoys Noize to form the groupsJack Ü andDog Blood, respectively. It was announced on his 29th birthday, that he reunited with From First to Last to release the named "Make War". In 2017, Skrillex produced and mixed8, the eighth studio album by rock bandIncubus.[19]
Early life
At birth, Moore was adopted by family friends of his biological parents.[20] They lived in theHighland Park neighborhood ofNortheast Los Angeles,California,[21][22] but relocated to theForest Hill neighborhood ofSan Francisco at the age of 2, where he attended elementary school.[23] At the ages of 9 and 10, Moore attended a boarding school inBarstow,[24] but eventually moved back toNorthern California. Both of his parents wereScientologists.[25][26] By the time he was 12, the family returned to Northeast Los Angeles.[24] There he enrolled in a private academy school specializing in arts that used some ofL. Ron Hubbard's teachings.[27] Later, he was home schooled at the age of 14 due to bullying. In 2004, he learned he was adopted,[28] and dropped out of the program when he was 16.[29][30] While a young teenager in Los Angeles, Moore would attend punk gigs in Mexican American neighborhoods inEast andSouth Los Angeles, and later at electro clubraves in the downtown'sSilver Lake andEcho Park neighborhoods.[31][32]
Career
2004–2007: From First to Last
In 2004, Moore contactedMatt Good ofFrom First to Last about playing guitar for the band on their debut album. After flying out toGeorgia, Moore was heard singing by three studio producers, Derrick Thomas, Eric Dale, and McHale Butler, and was then made lead singer, with Good playing guitar. In June 2004,Epitaph Records released the band's first full-length record with their new bandmate,Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Body Count. After performing on several successful tours, two being theVans Warped Tour and Dead by Dawn tour, they began recording their second album,Heroine with producerRoss Robinson. The album was released in March 2006 onEpitaph. With high record sales once again, the band found themselves part of many successful tours, until Moore started suffering vocal problems, causing the band to resign from several tours. After going through a successful vocal surgical procedure, Moore informed the band he would be permanently resigning to work on a solo career. FFTL's last show performed with Moore was in their hometown ofOrlando at The House of Blues while touring withAtreyu.
Moore announced he had left From First to Last to pursue a solo career. He then launched a Myspace page displaying three demos ("Signal", "Equinox", and "Glow Worm"). This led to Moore's first performance since his leaving From First to Last. On April 7, 2007, alongside harpist Carol Robbins, Moore played several original songs at a local art building. After months of releasing demos via Myspace, Moore played on theTeam Sleep Tour with a full band. The tour also featured supporting actsMonster in the Machine andStrata. Moore made several demo CDs available on this tour, limited to about 30 per show. These CDs were tour exclusive and were packaged in "baby blue envelopes", each with a unique drawing by Moore or bandmate.[33]
2008–2013: Solo career and extended plays
Skrillex's logoSkrillex in 2011
In February 2008,Alternative Press Magazine announced the second annual AP Tour, withAll Time Low,The Rocket Summer,The Matches, andForever the Sickest Kids, as well as Sonny Moore. The tour started in Houston, Texas on March 14 and went through North America, ending inCleveland, Ohio on May 2, with the majority of the shows being sold out. All bands playing the tour would be featured on the cover ofAlternative Press Magazine's annual 100 Bands You Need to Know special, and would be interviewed on theAlternative Press Podcast. During this tour, Moore's line-up consisted of Sean Friday on drums, Christopher Null on guitar, and Aaron Rothe on keyboards. On April 7, 2009, he releasedGypsyhook, a digitalEP, which featured three songs and four remixes. Also included was "海水" ("Kaisui"), a Japanese version of "Mora". Physical copies of the EP were available at his shows. After going on tour withInnerpartysystem andPaper Route and opening forChiodos on their European tour, Moore performed at Bamboozle on May 2. He performed on Bamboozle Left's Saints and Sinners stage on April 4. He toured withHollywood Undead in April 2009 performing under the band name "Sonny and the Blood Monkeys", with Chris Null (electric guitar), Sean Friday (drums, percussion, and beats) and Aaron Rothe (keyboards, synthesizers, programming, and turntables). Moore stated in 2010 that the albumBells would not be released.[34]
Moore kicked off the "Project Blue Book Tour" in 2011 with support fromPorter Robinson, Tommy Lee and DJ Aero as well as appearances from Sofia Toufa for a new song, "Bring Out the Devil". Skrillex unveiled several new songs on this tour including "First of the Year (Equinox)", "Reptile", and "Cinema" (remix of aBenny Benassi track). "Reptile" was featured in the TV commercial forMortal Kombat 9, and "First of the Year (Equinox)" is featured onMore Monsters and Sprites, his follow-up EP and remix companion toScary Monsters and Nice Sprites. In April 2011,Spin premiered "Get Up", an exclusive new track fromKorn that was produced by Skrillex. Korn made the track available for free download via their Facebook page.[40] On April 15, 2011, KoRn joined Skrillex on stage for his set at Coachella 2011. On April 18, 2011,Sony Computer Entertainment (SCEA) development studioNaughty Dog released a trailer[41] for the multiplayer component of theirPlayStation 3 gameUncharted 3: Drake's Deception, featuring "Kill EVERYBODY" fromScary Monsters and Nice Sprites.
In June 2011,More Monsters and Sprites was released onBeatport, an EP consisting of three original tracks, including "First of the Year (Equinox)" and two versions of his original track "Ruffneck". The track "Ruffneck Bass" had been leaked on the internet months prior which used the same sample as in the new "Ruffneck" tracks on the EP. Skrillex released a music video for "Rock n' Roll (Will Take You to the Mountain)" on his officialYouTube page on June 20, 2011.[42] On August 17, 2011, he announced his label,Owsla.[43] The label's first releases came from Bristol-based dubstep producersKOAN Sound, then-electro-house producerPorter Robinson fromNorth Carolina, singer-songwriterAlvin Risk, and San Francisco-basedM Machine.[44]
On August 19, 2011, Skrillex released a music video for "First of the Year (Equinox)" via Spin.com. In late August 2011, it was released that he would be appearingKnife Party's first release, collaborating on "Zoology", aMoombahton style track. A preview was released on YouTube. In late September 2011, he created the track "Syndicate" as promotion for the video gameof the same name.Kaskade's 2011 albumFire & Ice features "Lick It", a collaboration between Kaskade and Skrillex. The video for Skrillex's song "First of the Year (Equinox)" appears on the first episode of theBeavis and Butt-Head revival.
On November 8, Skrillex stated that he intended to release an album,Voltage. He gave fans more info aboutVoltage inRockSound Magazine after a photoshoot for the cover and doing an extensive interview on his tour.[45] For unknown reasons, the album was never released, but on December 21, 2011, Skrillex unveiled theBangarang EP for a Beatport release on December 23. On August 12, 2012, his new side-project formed withBoys Noize calledDog Blood released an EP calledNext Order/Middle Finger. On November 6, 2012, Skrillex released a limited edition triple vinyl box set.[46] Skrillex composed the song "Bug Hunt" for the 2012 animated filmWreck-It Ralph, as well as making a brief cameo as a DJ in the film's first act. In December 2012, "Make It Bun Dem," a ReggaeEDM track featuring Damian Marley, was used in as a looped variant during the single-player mission 'Kick the Hornets Nest' in the video gameFar Cry 3. He composed the score forSpring Breakers withCliff Martinez.
In 2012, Skrillex formedDog Blood withBoys Noize. Their debut single, consisting of the songs "Next Order" and "Middle Finger", was released on August 12, 2012, onBeatport andiTunes. The song "Next Order" managed to top Beatport's Techno chart.[47]
In 2013, Skrillex formed a duo withDiplo calledJack Ü. Jack Ü's debut performance took place at the Mad Decent Block Party in San Diego on September 15, 2013, which is a nationwide tour that record label Mad Decent puts together to showcase artists signed to the label.[48] Diplo announced the project by releasing the Mad Decent Block Party lineup with Jack Ü playing at multiple stops on the tour. After some guessing by many of who Jack Ü was, Diplo finally came out to reveal that "Jack Ü ... means Skrillex and Diplo together".[48]
2014:Recess
Skrillex confirmed at a show in January 2013 that he would release a new LP in the summer.[49] On January 2, 2013, he released his 7th EP,Leaving, on the OWSLA subscription service, Nest IV.[50] He later released the single "Try It Out" withAlvin Risk.
On March 7, 2014, an app titledAlien Ride was put up onApple's App Store, containing a secret folder with 11 hidden objects and a countdown ending March 10 at 6:30 p.m. EST. Moore's Web site was updated with the app's picture on the front page and it was later revealed that the folder containsGoogle Play andiTunes URLs, which eventually were revealed to be 11 new songs available to stream that comprised his debut LP, titledRecess. The album was made available for pre-order at midnight and was released on March 18, 2014.
2016–2022: Collaborations and return to From First to Last
Skrillex performing with From First to Last at Emo Nite in 2017, his first show with the band in over ten years
In 2016, Skrillex collaborated with theK-pop girl group4Minute. The first track, "Hate", was composed and arranged by Skrillex.[51]
On January 15, 2017, Moore tweeted "Happy Birthday" with a link to a new From First to Last song which featured Moore on vocals.[52] He later joined the band in Emo Nite LA for the first time in nearly a decade.[53] In 2017, he released the songs "Chicken Soup" with Habstrakt, "Would You Ever" withPoo Bear, "Saint Laurent" with DJ Sliink andWale and "Favor" withVindata and NSTASIA.
In July 2018, Skrillex teased fans by collaborating withMissy Elliott on a snippet nicknamed "ID",[54] released in 2023 as RATATA. On July 28, 2018, Skrillex collaborated with Japanese musicianYoshiki for performances of "Endless Rain" and "Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites" atFuji Rock Festival inNiigata, Japan.[55][56]
On October 8, 2018, Skrillex uploaded a photo to Twitter showcasing a collaboration between him and English DJ and producerJoyryde, later posting a video teaser of the song toInstagram.[57][58] The collaboration, "Agen Wida", was officially released on October 19, 2018.[59][60] On October 25, 2018, the single "Arms Around You", a collaboration betweenXXXTentacion andLil Pump featuringMaluma andSwae Lee, was released; the song was produced by Skrillex alongside Mally Mall andJonFX.[61]
On July 18, 2019, Skrillex released a two-track EP,Show Tracks, consisting of "Fuji Opener" featuring Alvin Risk and "Mumbai Power" featuring rapper Beam.[64][65] Later that year, Skrillex made an appearance atThe Warehouse Project inManchester alongsideFour Tet andJon Hopkins.[66]
On October 27, 2021, Skrillex performed his first solo set in the U.S. since the beginning of the pandemic atAvant Gardner in Brooklyn, New York.[67]
In January 2023, Moore posted a short video to social media teasing the release of his long-anticipated follow-up to his 2014 album,Recess. He subsequently announced that the lead single "Rumble", featuringFlowdan andFred Again would be released on January 4.[68]
On February 13, 2023, Skrillex released the single "Don't Get Too Close". He is separately credited as "Sonny Moore" on the title track of his second 2023 album, and is featured as a vocalist for the first time since 2015'sSkrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü.[69]
On February 17, 2023, Skrillex released his second album,Quest For Fire, featuring a mix of pre-released singles and new songs, containing a range of genres with artists such asFlowdan,Porter Robinson andFred Again credited. Critical reception was generally positive, with Ben Jolley forNME writing that "[Skrillex's] return largely lives up to the hype" by "often channel[ing] nostalgia", yet also commenting that "the album lacks a clear narrative or overarching theme".[70][71][72][73]
2024–present: Ninth Grammy Award and collaborations
In February 2024, Skrillex won his ninth Grammy Award for the collaborative single "Rumble".[18]
In March 2024, Moore, Ahadadream andPriya Ragu released the track "Taka" (stylized as TAKA), which fusesgqom,UK funky, andR&B elements within aSouth Asian-influenced framework. The song was initially developed during thepandemic. "Taka" drew inspiration from South Asian heritage and portrayed a vivid celebration of South Asian culture.[76]
In May 2024, Skrillex, Taichu and Hamdi collaborated on the single "Push".[77]
On April 1, 2025, Skrillex released an album mix titled "FUS" to email subscribers through aDropbox link.[78] Later the same day the album was released to streaming services asFuck U Skrillex You Think Ur Andy Warhol but Ur Not!! <3.[79] Following the release of the album, tickets for his May show atRed Rocks were sold out within minutes, leading him to address the problem ofticket scalping on the social media platformX.[80]
Influences
Moore has citedMarilyn Manson,Nine Inch Nails,[81] andthe Doors[82] as early influences. Moore stated in an online interview that he is a longtime fan ofWarp, a label whose roster includes notable electronic artists such asAphex Twin andSquarepusher.[83] In an interview forDaft Punk Unchained, a 2015 documentary about the French electronic music duoDaft Punk, Moore said he was first exposed to electronic dance music after attending the duo's highly praised 2006Coachella set.
Personal life
Moore dated English singer-songwriterEllie Goulding throughout 2012.[84]
In a 2015 interview, Moore stated that although his parents practicedScientology, he does not. He explained that music consumes most of the time he could theoretically devote to religion.[25]
In a series of tweets in January 2023, Skrillex shared his struggles with mental health, revealing the reason behind the cancellation of his appearances atMovement Detroit and Tampa's Sunset Music Festival: "[I have] had the toughest year of my life in 2022, as did so many others. I literally found myself with no drive and purpose for the first time in my life." He noted that his mother's death in 2015 saw him turn to alcohol: "I drank the pain away and kept going"; "2022 was sort of my tipping point."[85]
Moore partnered withRed Bull to produce adocumentary titled "Let's Make a Spaceship". It premiered on October 11, 2014, at 10 p.m. CT at theACL Festival after his headline performance.[86] His performance and documentary, and others' performances, are available for stream at Red Bull TV's website.[87]
Awards and nominations
List of awards and nominations received by Skrillex
^"Twipz".Myspace. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. RetrievedOctober 23, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^There Is a Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is a Heaven, Let's Keep It a Secret (CD insert). Bring Me the Horizon.London:Visible Noise. 2010. TORMENT159.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ClashMusic (February 17, 2023)."Skrillex - Quest For Fire | Reviews".Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews.Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. RetrievedFebruary 18, 2023.
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