Paris & Simo are a DJ/production duo of international stature, but who are, first and foremost, Montréalers. From Vegas, to New York, to Hyderabad, and Istanbul via Nagoya, they’ve quickly built a solid reputation for themselves on the international EDM scene, performing at some of the world’s premier events. So how did they achieve world recognition, while still being able to walk down Sainte-Catherine Street incognito? How did their success come about?
It started in 2011, after they won a remix contest for the Tiestö single “Work Hard Play Hard.” Besting thousands of submissions, the EDM ecosystem identified them as new producers to watch. Tiestö himself took them under his wing, and their bond solidified over lunch at Montréal restaurant t Rosalie. Tiestö started championing their tracks during his sets (“Nova,” “Tundra,” “Wait,” “Not Alone,” etc.), and he’s not the only one. Star DJs like Martin Garrix, Nicky Romero, and Hardwell have played several of their tracks, thus cementing the Paris & Simo name in numerous territories. Aware of their prodigious potential, Hardwell signed them to his label (Revealed Records, distributed by Sony). Several of their singles, including their latest, “Glow,” feature a Toronto-based guest called Nikon.
Paris & Simo have played at the Electric Daisy Carnival and Life in Color events, among others. They’ve also toured Canada with David Guetta, played at EDC in Vegas, at Tomorrow World in 2015, as well as the Digital Dreams festival. Locally, they’ve rocked the crowds at New City Gas, Beach Club and Bal en Blanc.
With millions of streams on Spotify, and collaborations with singers such as Karen Harding, Paris & Simo are not only on the radar of important EDM players, but also a multitude of dance music aficionados who follow their every move. To wit, 200,000 Facebook fans are anxiously awaiting the release of their next EP. Distributed by Kobalt, and combining R&B sounds with electronic atmospheres – including both a female (Sara Diamond) and male (Yeah Boy) voice over British rhythms, the EP promises some pleasant surprises. That should be plenty to feel confident in a future that’s built, as Paris & Simo say, “one song at a time.”