Marshmello will be hitting the stage during The Voice finale on Dec. 18. The DJ will be performing his newest single, “Happier,” and he’ll be joined by the British band, Bastille, for the performance. The song is currently No. 1 on the US Dance charts and Top 40 Radio Airplay charts, which is the first time either artist has reached that level of success. If you’re not familiar with Marshmello, though, you can learn more about him right here:
1. Why does he wear a mask? Marshmello only appears in public with a giant marshmallow mask on his head. He was inspired by DJ Deadmau5, who did the same thing with a dead mouse mask, to hide his identity. Marshmello has been open about Deadmau5’s influence on his career, and even named his pet mouse “Joel,” the DJ’s real name, then featured the animal in one of his music videos. Marshmello does not do interviews, and explained why in a 2018 tweet. “I don’t take my helmet off because I don’t want or need fame,” he wrote. “I’m genuinely trying to create something positive for people to connect with.”
2. What is his real identity? Marshmello has never confirmed his identity himself or through his team. However, it has been widely reported that his stage name, Marshmello, is an alias for his real name Chris Comstock. This speculation was heightened in 2015, while fellow DJ, Skrillex, was doing an interview with Katie Couric. During the interview, Skrillex got a phone call from someone named Chris, and before he picked up the phone, he acknowledged that it was Marshmello. That same year, Marshmello fueled the rumor by tweeting, “My name is Chris….short for Christmas came early.” Fans have also picked up on the fact that tattoos revealed through Marshmello’s ripped jeans match those on Chris Comstock’s legs. In 2017, Forbes confirmed through multiple “industry insiders” that Chris Comstock was the DJ’s true identity.
3. How did he get his start? Marshmello first gained notoriety in the Electronic Dance Music community by releasing remixes of songs by Jack U and Zedd. He released his first original song in 2015, and eventually started receiving support from established artists, like Skrillex. His debut album was released in 2016.
4. He’s worked with well-known artists. Perhaps one of Marshmello’s most well-known collaborations is his 2017 project with Selena Gomez — she sings on his track, “Wolves.” However, he’s also worked Noah Cyrus, Khalid, Anne-Marie, Logic and more!
5. He’s been nominated at a number of award shows. Marshmello on the award for Best Electronic at the 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards earlier this year. He was also nominated for Top Dance/Electronic Artist at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards, and was up for a number of honors at this year’s Radio Disney Music Awards and Teen Choice Awards.