Electronic dance music can be a propulsive, thumping launching pad for artists on the rise, blasting recent success stories Sam Smith (featured on Disclosure's Latch) and Aloe Blacc (Avicii's Wake Me Up) into the top-40 stratosphere with hits of their own (Stay With Me and The Man, respectively). But what about those other voices behind the curtain, lending their lyrics and pipes to some of EDM's biggest tracks? USA TODAY talks to four of those singers about their most popular collaborations.
MATTHEW KOMA
Where you've heard him: Featured on Tiësto's Wasted (No. 53 on Billboard's Hot 100), Zedd's Spectrum and Find You, and Hardwell's Dare You. Co-wrote Zedd's top 10 smash Clarity.
Big break: Introduced by their respective teams, Koma sent Tiësto a folder of songs that included Wasted. "That was in line with his vision for his album (A Town Called Paradise), which was to do something more out of the box," says Koma, 27. Because they were both touring, they worked on the song remotely and met in studios in different cities to make tweaks.
What's next: Koma's EDM-focused debut album is slated for release on Cherrytree Records/Interscope later this year. "A lot of people have gotten the idea of what my voice is like and what my perspective is like, but now I'm actually going to be able to release a body of work that represents me," Koma says.
Why EDM: Having grown up on musical storytellers Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello, "you're constantly trying to find ways to take what you've learned from those road maps and make them unique," Koma says. "Pairing (traditional songwriting) with electronic production, it's just forward-thinking."
JOHN MARTIN
Where you've heard him: Featured on Swedish House Mafia's Don't You Worry Child (which peaked at No. 6 on the Hot 100) and Save the World, Sebastian Ingrosso and Tommy Trash's Reload and Tinie Tempah's Children of the Sun.
Big break: After tiring of his rock band, the Swedish singer (real name John Martin Lindström) wrote new material with songwriter Michel Zitron, including Don't You Worry Child. "We felt really strongly about the song and that it could reach a lot of people," says Lindström, 33. After meeting Swedish House Mafia's Ingrosso at a studio, "we played the song for him and he immediately loved it," Lindström says.Don't You Worry Child was nominated for best dance recording at the 2013 Grammy Awards.
What's next: His EDM-tinged solo single Anywhere for You is out in the U.S. now, and he's finishing up his debut album, expected for release later this year on Universal's Island Records. "It's a busy year," Lindström says.
Why EDM: Lindström felt limited in the indie rock world, but writing for DJs, "I could bring things to the table that hadn't really been heard in EDM," he says. Touring the globe with Swedish House Mafia and riding the success of Don't You Worry Child"gave me a key to a lot of doors that had been locked for a long time."
BEBE REXHA
Where you've heard her: Featured on Cash Cash's Take Me Home (peaked at No. 57 on the Hot 100) and Pierce Fulton's Sink or Swim. Co-wrote Eminem andRihanna's monstrous hit The Monster.
Big break: Rexha (whose real first name is Bleta) originally wrote Take Me Home forMartin Solveig, who liked the song but passed on it because it didn't fit with his current sound, she says. Once Cash Cash caught wind of the track, Rexha went into the studio with the group to tweak verses and record vocals. "They all play an instrument and Jean Paul (Makhlouf) is a really talented singer and songwriter, so the process to finish off Take Me Home as you know it today was very smooth," says Rexha, 24.
What's next: August will be a momentous month for Rexha, as she releases debut single I Can't Stop Drinking About You and performs at Lollapalooza. She's also been writing for Usher, Tinashe and David Guetta, with whom she's recorded three new songs. "He's very involved and passionate about his work, that's why I love working with him," Rexha says. "I hope the world gets to hear what we worked on soon."
Why EDM:
VASSY
"I write all of my songs from scratch, so the one thing I love about EDM is the way a song transforms into a piece of art, and how the different sounds can change the feel of the record," Rexha says. She plans to use electronic sounds on her upcoming album, which will be released on Warner Bros. Records in early 2015. "It's just a part of who I am."
Where you've heard her: Featured on David Guetta and Showtek's Bad andManufactured Superstars' Swagger Right. Solo single We Are Young was heard in the Frozen trailer last fall.
Big break: Bad "was a very organic process," says the Australian singer (aka Vicky Karagiorgos). "I just wrote it for myself, messing around, but then it got in (Guetta's) hands and he fell in love with it."
What's next: "A lot of people have asked me to feature on their records," says Karagiorgos, 32. She's recently collaborated with Pitbull, The Cataracs, and Bob Sinclar, and is talking with Nicky Romero and R3hab.
Why EDM: "It lives in its own world, (success) doesn't even mean radio — its fan base is so hardcore," Karagiorgos says of the genre. The codependent relationship between DJs and vocalists is also a draw, because "they need us and we need them," she says. "They play to massive crowds, and we put a melody and a lyric on (a song) that allows them to connect with people on an authentic level."
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