Al Walser

Last updated
Al Walser
Al Walser Profile.jpg
Background information
Born Lausanne, Switzerland
Origin Liechtenstein
Genres Rock'n'roll, dance
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, record producer, DJ
Years active2004–present
LabelsCut the Bull Entertainment
Website alwalser.com

Al Walser is a biracial Swiss-born Afro-Liechtenstein Grammy-winner, singer, songwriter, and record producer residing in Los Angeles, California. Walser first gained fame as a member of German Eurodance group Fun Factory with whom he toured worldwide. His 2012 single "I Can't Live Without You" was nominated for a Grammy Award in the field of Best Dance Recording. Walser won The New York International Independent Film and Video Festival Award for Best Music Video for his single "I Want My Money Now" in 2014. [1] He won the Grammy Award for Best Children's Music Album in 2020. [2]

Contents

Biography

Walser was born in Lausanne, Switzerland to a Liechtenstein mother and African father. He later became a radio personality in Liechtenstein at Radio Liechtenstein, then toured worldwide as a DJ. [3] Following his work on radio, Walser was asked to join German Eurodance group Fun Factory following the departure of member Toni Cottura. [4] [5]

Walser later wrote the book Musicians Make It Big: An Insider Reveals the Secret Path to Break in Today's Music Industry and founded the record label Cut the Bull Entertainment, based in Hollywood. [5] [6] He's the producer and host of the weekly syndicated US TOP 20 Show and is the former host of the weekly syndicated radio show Al Walser's Weekly Top 20. [7]

In 2008, his debut album Heart Breaker was released. [8] Walser released the single "Living Your Dream" in collaboration with American singer Jermaine Jackson in 2009. He released the song "I Can't Live Without You" in August 2012, and it was later controversially nominated for Best Dance Recording at the 55th Grammy Awards. In 2015 he released his solo album "Al Walser Comes 2 Life!", which featured a development in his style, as it attempted to incorporate reggae, disco, and drum and bass into electronic dance music. [9]

In an Interview with Spin, Al Walser talks about his music and career after the 2013 Grammy Awards. He talks about his relationship with God and how his spirituality guides his career. Walser says "God is really my manager and my guidance." [10] Al Walser released a new single and music video called "O.C.D." on August 1, 2014. Alan Cross reviewed the song on his website, A Journal of Musical Things! Cross says he likes the song and "I confess to never having heard of Al Walser before, but given my industrial/metal predilections, I’m going to have to give the guy a closer look." [11]

Controversy

Walser's Grammy nomination for "I Can't Live Without You" attracted much attention due to his low profile compared to his fellow nominees. [5] [6] [12] Several prominent dance musicians reacted negatively to the nomination, [13] [14] with German musician Zedd alleging that Walser had used elements of his song "Spectrum" in one of Walser's remixes without permission. [15] Several media outlets speculated that Walser's membership in the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and position as a Grammy voter may have had a role in his nomination. [6] Walser rejected the claims and instead attributed his nomination to "great music" and "drive". [5] [16] In an interview with FUSE TV, Walser attempted to explain the shock wave reactions he caused to the music establishment by saying "Some people pay money under the table or exchange sexual favors; and I came in clean!" [17] Amid the negative attention, there were also media outlets that liked Al Walser and his rebellious style. Billboard's Zel McCarthy wrote "His attitude reflects a unique understanding of the music business at large." [18]

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums
TitleAlbum details
Heart Breaker [8]
Al Walser Comes 2 Life!

Singles

List of singles, showing year released and album name
TitleYearAlbum
"Living Your Dream" [19]
(with Jermaine Jackson)		2009Non-album singles
"I Can't Live Without You" [20]
(with Olga Levit)		2012

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Astralwerks</span> Record label owned by Universal Music Group

Astralwerks is an American record label primarily focused on electronic music that is now owned by Universal Music Group. Its material is distributed via Capitol Music Group in the United States. The label was founded in 1993 and, in its early years, featured prominent British acts like The Future Sound of London, Fatboy Slim and The Chemical Brothers. In recent years, its roster has expanded to include acts like Halsey, Marshmello, Porter Robinson, Illenium, Zhu and numerous others. In 2018, Astralwerks' headquarters were moved from its original home of New York City to Los Angeles.

The Grammy Award for Best Music Film is an accolade presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally named the Gramophone Awards, to performers, directors, and producers of quality videos or musical programs.

The Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards — a ceremony that was established in 1958 — honor quality dance and electronica albums in any given year. The award was first presented at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards in 2005 as an complement to the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Recording, which had been presented as the sole award for dance music since 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jes (musician)</span> American singer

Jes Brieden, known simply as Jes, is an American singer, songwriter, producer, composer, and DJ from New York. She is a co-founder of the US dance band Motorcycle, who released the song "As the Rush Comes" in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Aoki</span> American DJ and record producer (born 1977)

Steven Hiroyuki Aoki is an American DJ and record producer. In 2012, Pollstar designated Aoki as the highest-grossing electronic dance music artist in North America from tours. In 2024, Gold House recognized him as one of the Most Impactful Asians.

"Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" is a song recorded by the American producer Skrillex. It is the second track from his second extended play, Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites, released on October 22, 2010, through Mau5trap and Big Beat. The song began as a test for the Native Instruments synthesizer FM8 and was the first written for the EP. A dubstep track, critics noted the contrast between the beginning of the song and its drop. In 2012, it was used in multiple media and won the Best Dance Recording category at the 54th Grammy Awards. The song charted in multiple countries and received a double platinum certification in Australia, Sweden, and the United States (RIAA). It has since been named as a highly influential electronic dance music (EDM) and dubstep song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skrillex</span> American music producer and DJ (born 1988)

Sonny John Moore, known professionally as Skrillex, is an American DJ, record producer, and singer. Growing up in Northeast Los Angeles and Northern California, he joined the post-hardcore band From First to Last as its lead vocalist in 2004, and recorded two studio albums with the band—Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Bodycount (2004) and Heroine in (2006)—before leaving to pursue a solo career in 2007. He began his first tour as a solo artist in late 2007. After recruiting a new band lineup, Moore joined the Alternative Press Tour to support bands such as All Time Low and the Rocket Summer, and appeared on the cover of Alternative Press's annual "100 Bands You Need to Know" issue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Martin (singer)</span> Swedish singer and songwriter (born 1980)

John Martin Lindström is a Swedish singer and songwriter. He is best known for his collaborations with the Swedish House Mafia. Since 2010, he has collaborated with Tinie Tempah and released his debut single "Anywhere For You", written alongside music partner Michel Zitron. On 3 April 2014 Lindström appeared on the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge covering Haim's "If I Could Change Your Mind".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Can't Live Without You</span> Single by Al Walser

"I Can't Live Without You" is a song by the Liechtenstein producer Al Walser.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flume (musician)</span> Australian electronic musician (born 1991)

Harley Edward Streten, known professionally as Flume, is an Australian musician, DJ, and record producer. He is regarded as a pioneer of future bass who helped popularise the genre. His self-titled debut studio album, Flume, was released in 2012 to positive reviews, topping the ARIA Albums Chart and reaching double-platinum accreditation in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DJ Snake</span> French DJ and record producer (born 1986)

William Sami Étienne Grigahcine, known by his stage name DJ Snake, is a French DJ and record producer, first achieving international recognition in 2013 by releasing an instrumentation-oriented single called "Turn Down for What".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Odesza</span> American electronic music duo

Odesza is an American electronic music duo originating from Bellingham, Washington. It consists of Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight, known individually as Catacombkid and BeachesBeaches. They formed in 2012, shortly before Mills and Knight graduated from Western Washington University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaytranada</span> Haitian-Canadian DJ and music producer (born 1992)

Louis Kevin Celestin, known professionally as Kaytranada, is a Haitian-Canadian music producer, rapper, singer and DJ. Celestin rose to prominence after releasing a series of mixtapes, remixes, and original music projects beginning in 2010 under the alias Kaytradamus. By 2013, and under the moniker Kaytranada, he began gaining wider recognition and, the following year, signed a deal with XL Recordings, with whom he would release his critically acclaimed debut studio album 99.9% in 2016. In 2019, he released its follow-up, Bubba, for which he won two Grammy Awards including Best Dance/Electronic Album. Celestin is one half of the hip hop duo The Celestics, along with his brother Lou Phelps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Can't Stop the Feeling!</span> 2016 single by Justin Timberlake

"Can't Stop the Feeling!" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake. It was released on May 6, 2016, as the lead single of the soundtrack to the film Trolls (2016), in which Timberlake voiced the character "Branch" and served as the executive music producer. It was written and produced by Timberlake, Max Martin, and Shellback. Musically, "Can't Stop the Feeling!" is an uptempo disco-pop, soul-pop number with funk influences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marshmello</span> American music producer and DJ (born 1992)

Christopher Comstock, known professionally as Marshmello, is an American electronic music producer and DJ. His songs "Silence", "Wolves", "Friends", "Happier", and "Alone" have received multi-platinum certification in several countries including the US, and charted within the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. His musical style includes groove-oriented, synth and bass-heavy electronic dance music.

References

  1. ↑ "Festival Awards." The New York International Independent Film and Video Festival. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://nyfilmvideo.net/content/section/15/124/ Archived 2014-10-21 at the Wayback Machine >.
  2. ↑ "A Grammy For Liechtenstein Artist Al Walser | Embassy of the Principality of Liechtenstein in Washington, D.C." www.liechtensteinusa.org. Retrieved 2023-02-23.
  3. ↑ Marchand, Francois (December 7, 2012). "Meet Al Walser, this year's unlikeliest Grammy nominee". Vancouver Sun . Archived from the original on December 9, 2012. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  4. ↑ Cadasse, David (November 15, 2004). "Al Walser : "Je veux construire un pont entre l'Afrique et le monde"". Afrik (in French). Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Sherburne, Philip (December 6, 2012). "Who the Hell Is Al Walser and How Did He Get an EDM Grammy Nomination?". Spin . Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 "Al Walser Very Happy About Al Walser's EDM Grammy Nomination". Rolling Stone . Wenner Media. December 7, 2012. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  7. ↑ Lhooq, Michelle (December 8, 2012). "We Spoke with Al Walser – The Euro DJ Who Trolled The Grammys". Vice . Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  8. 1 2 "Heart Breaker: Al Walser". Amazon.com . Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  9. ↑ Wiser, Danny (2021-06-25). "LIECHTENSTEIN: Al Walser Comes 2 Life! - Al Walser". 200worldalbums.com. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  10. ↑ Sherburne, Philip. "Grammy Upsetter Al Walser Is Back, and He Wants His Money Now." Spin. N.p., 4 September 2013. Web. <https://www.spin.com/2013/09/grammys-al-walser-i-want-my-money-now-video/>.
  11. ↑ Cross, Alan. "I Like This: Al Walser." A Journal of Musical Things. N.p., 2 August 2014. Web. <http://ajournalofmusicalthings.com/like-al-walser/>.
  12. ↑ Sargent, Jordan (December 6, 2012). "The Grammys Nominated the Dance Music Version of Rebecca Black and Nobody Knows Why". Gawker . Archived from the original on December 8, 2012. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  13. ↑ Talbott, Chris (February 6, 2013). "Grammys & Al Walser: Dance Music Community Rejects Unknown Nominee As Awards Defend Themselves". The Huffington Post . Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  14. ↑ Makarechi, Kia (December 6, 2012). "Al Walser's Grammy Nomination Stuns Electronic Dance Music World". The Huffington Post . Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  15. ↑ Berdellans, Albert. "Al Walser: Innocent. Grammy's: Guilty. — An Editorial". Dubstep.net. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  16. ↑ Bhansali, Akshay (December 7, 2012). "Exclusive: Al Walser's Shock EDM Grammy Nom Is 'Decades' Of Work". MTV News . Viacom Media Networks. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  17. ↑ Newman, Jason. Controversial EDM Grammy Nominee Al Walser to Haters: "Eat It" Fuse. Fuse, 4 February 2013. Web.
  18. ↑ McCarthy, Zel. "Grammy Day With Al Walser." Billboard. N.p., 11 February 2013. Web. <http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/code/1538774/grammy-day-with-al-walser>.
  19. ↑ "Living Your Dream". Amazon.com . Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  20. ↑ "I Can't Live Without You: Al Walser". Amazon.com . Retrieved December 8, 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.