Seven Lions, real name Jeff Montalvo, is an American record producer and DJ from Santa Barbara, California. Born in 1987, the dubstep and chillstep DJ has released three EPs since 2012.
Musical since the age of seven, Jeff Montalvo actually grew up playing the drums and making punk music. He played with many bands but eventual frustration with band members and delays in the music making process caused him to strike out on his own and experiment with electronic music. As he began to take his craft more seriously and release music, Montalvo chose the name Seven Lions, which was taken from the children’s book “Latro in the Mist”.
Seven Lions really began making waves in 2011 when he started releasing remixes of artists such as Delirium, Above & Beyond and Paul Van Dyk. One remix of “You Got to Go” by Above & Beyond went to number two on the Beatport Dubstep Chart. This track won the DJ a lot of attention and he was soon signed to Skrillex’s OWSLA label to release his first EP.
This EP was “Days to Come” and it quickly shot to the number two spot on the iTunes Dance Chart, went to number one on Beatport and was a top 10 hit on the Billboard Dance Chart. After Seven Lions’ work received radio airtime from DJs such as Britain’s Zane Lowe, the DJ’s profile elevated substantially.
In 2014, Seven Lions’ star continued to rise when the DJ released his third EP, “Worlds Apart”. The record went to number two on the US Billboard Dance Chart and the single of the same name hit the 141 spot on the UK singles chart. The “Worlds Apart” EP featured singers Ellie Goulding and Kerli, with the tracks focussing more on the content of the song rather than the beat itself.
Seven Lions claims to be influenced by Viking metal; it is a style that he listens to frequently and that inspires him. A regular performer at festivals, Seven Lions has made DJ appearances at SXSW, Electric Daisy Carnival, Electric Zoo and Ultra Music Festival, amongst others.
Gregory Porter
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