Following up on his New Year’s Eve fling with Skrillex, Marshmello is back this week to offer up a new music video for his song “Summer.” Despite the fact that “Summer” was originally released back in 2015, and that it’s the dead of winter, the masked musician is reviving the tune with a visual accompaniment starring internet personality Lele Pons. 6g5035

The music video for “Summer” centers around a skating rink that Marshmello works at, with Lele Pons serving as his love interest. She approaches the DJ with a note asking him to skate with her, which is all well and good until Marshmello’s conniving boss shows up to complicate things. We even get a cameo from the laughing bully from the “Alone” video, who basically reprises the same role here.

Questions about human-marshmallow relations aside, the video is a cutesy visual pair up for the melodic trap tune that serves the source material well. Like in the “Alone” video, Marshmello is presented as an outcast who reaches his goals by not caring what his detractors think, which seems to be a part of his message.

Over New Year’s Eve weekend, Skrillex and Marshmello descended upon Miami’s Fountainbleau to ring in 2017 in style. Among the evening’s festivities was a performance between the two DJs and Justin Bieber of his song “Sorry,” but that was far from the highlight of the party. In an attempt to appeal to the youthful crowds, CNN held down an awkward interview with Skrillex and his helmeted friend that really has to be seen to be believed.

While the cross pollination between mainstream culture and EDM continues to grow stronger with each ing year, the CNN interview is a reminder that dance music isn’t completely overground just yet. Conducted by father-daughter reporters Gary and Lindsay Tuchman, the conversation quickly takes a turn for the unbearably cringeworthy as it becomes clear that the two are a bit out of their element.

For starters, the interview is conducted too close to the stage, making it difficult to hear Skrillex answer his questions. From there it just gets worse as Gary Tuchman attempts to talk to Marshmello, who nods along to the questions before the reporter notes, “I’ve never talked to a marshmallow before.” It also comes out in the conversation that Gary likes to work out to “Bangarang,” a fact that his daughter is sure to mention.

All in all, Skrillex and Marshmello are good sports about the interview, which definitely makes for a humorous viewing. While dance music culture has certainly meshed with the mainstream over the last few years, the interview is an indication that there’s still a degree of exclusivity to the scene.

Over the holiday weekend, Justin Bieber was ed onstage by none other than Skrillex and Marshmello for a performance of his song “Sorry” at Miami’s Fontainebleau. At this point it’s no surprise to see Skrillex and Bieber in the same place, especially considering that the famed DJ helped produce the song in question, and along with Marshmello they deliver a memorable live rendition.

Some footage of the performance has hit YouTube this week, giving us the chance to see the three performers share the same stage. As the familiar chord progression from “Sorry” kicks off, we can see Skrillex and Marshmello dance around the stage as Bieber serenades the packed crowd. It’s definitely a one of a kind performance and it’s hard to imagine a more epic way to ring in the new year.

Naturally, the performance opens up the possibility of a collaboration between Marshmello and Justin Bieber. At this point, there’s no other indication that such a pair up will occur, but we could definitely get down with a t song between Bieber and the mellogang frontman. Could you?

Marshmello is back this week to finish up the year on a high note as he drops a new recap video of his most notable moments from 2016. He’s also released a new lyric video for his Wrabel collaboration “Ritual,” despite having already dropped an official visual tie-in for the single back in November.

On the new lyric video for “Ritual,” Marshmello takes his knack for strong branding to new heights, delivering the tune’s words with his signature bubble font set against a stark white backdrop. It’s a simple visual accompaniment kept interesting with some kaleidoscopic animation effects.

There’s no denying that Marshmello has been one of the biggest names in dance music throughout 2016, and his new recap video wraps up his epic year perfectly. The producer released some major singles this year like “Alone” and “Ritual,” the latter of which went on to become the name of his biggest tour to date. The helmeted DJ also had some fun at our expense, like when he fooled everyone at EDC Las Vegas that he was actually Tiësto.

All in all, it’s been a landmark year for Marshmello and we can’t wait to see what he has to offer moving into 2017.

Despite the persistent rumors of EDM’s imminent decline, dance music enjoyed a successful year in 2016, both from a critical and commercial point of view. The melding of pop and EDM that we saw alchemizing in 2015 fully solidified throughout the year, as evidenced by massive crossover hits like The Chainsmokers‘ “Closer” and Major Lazer‘s “Cold Water” with Justin Bieber.

While the biggest dance music releases of the year had a tendency to feature radio friendly vocal collaborators, we’ve also heard a lot of producers pushing the envelope as the ever changing EDM landscape continues to evolve, with future bass arriving full force as the “it” genre of 2016.

Compared to the burgeoning days of the EDM boom around 2009-2010, we’re seeing producers offering up a lot more sonic diversity while taking a less rigid approach to genres, too. A lot of new faces made their mark in 2016 as well, bringing along with them a renewed sense of creativity and a forward thinking perspective that defined dance music’s output throughout the year.

The following list will serve as your guide to the 10 best songs EDM had to offer over the last twelve months, culminating with our pick of the best dance music song of 2016.

Back in October, Marshmello began teasing a remix on Snapchat of DJ Snake‘s hit collaboration “Let Me Love You” with Justin Bieber. Since then, we’ve seen the mysterious producer drop his biggest single to date on his Wrabel team up “Ritual,” while Dutch DJ Tiësto recently delivered his own rendition of Snake’s tune. Now, Marshmello has finally unveiled his full version of “Let Me Love You,” which ranks as one of the best remixes we’ve heard from him yet.

The masked producer’s take on the track opens with booming sub bass and slow rolling trap beats, as Justin Bieber’s pristine vocal hooks take the spotlight. Moving into the drop, he leads with sublime vocal chop melodies, grinding bass and irresistible rhythms.

Marshmello delivers a version of DJ Snake and Justin Bieber’s collaboration that rivals the original in of quality. The intrinsically catchy hooks that helped make the song a hit maintain their placement in the new rendition, as the “Alone” producer fills the production with deep bass swells and futuristic trap grooves fit for the dancefloor.

We’re still waiting on those “Let Me Love You” remixes from Zedd and Don Diablo, but in the meantime, check out Mello’s take above and let us know what you think.

While we’re all waiting for Marshmello to unveil his version of DJ Snake‘s “Let Me Love You” for the song’s remix collection, the helmet wearing producer is keeping at the forefront of our attention in another way. The “Alone” producer was recently the subject of an interview with vape culture satirist Blake Vapes, though you shouldn’t hold your breath for much new information to surface from it.

The interview opens with an introduction from Blake Vapes’ obnoxious persona, before the mock vape bro dons the instantly recognizable mello helmet. From there, we get some wild concert footage of Marshmello DJ’ing for a large crowd before the interview itself commences.

Blake Vapes poses a number of questions for Marshmello, but he apparently isn’t capable of speech, which I guess shouldn’t be surprising seeing as he’s an anthropomorphized sugar puff. He mostly just sits there and nods in response to the host’s annoying antics, before concluding the interview on an abrupt note.

To call the video an interview is a bit of an overstatement considering no new information came to light, but Blake Vapes at least makes it worth our while by including a wealth of concert shots taken from Marshmello‘s DJ booth.

Over the weekend, Marshmello pulled off one of the biggest mannequin challenges to date during a DJ gig at LA’s Shrine Auditorium. In case you’ve been living under a rock over the last month, the mannequin challenge is the latest viral video trend to sweep the internet, where groups of participants attempt to remain motionless for the camera as Rae Sremmurd’s “Black Beatles” plays in the background.

While Marshmello isn’t the first DJ to try the mannequin challenge during a performance, his attempt at the viral trend is one of the biggest we’ve seen yet. As the familiar melodies of “Black Beatles” ring out into the auditorium, the 6,000+ strong crowd stand frozen, creating a mind boggling effect for the viewer. Marshmello then takes to the mic to countdown the impending drop, cuing the audience to break form and start dancing again.

Of course, getting that many people to stand still at once is no small task, but the audience pulls it off with a surprising degree of success. While some people may be growing tired of the joke at this point, Marshmello definitely executed one of the more surreal examples of the mannequin challenge we’ve seen so far.

After months of anticipation, EDM’s favorite masked DJ Marshmello finally unleashed his epic Wrabel collaboration yesterday with “Ritual,” a song that many have declared as the producer’s biggest effort to date. With some excellent vocals and a worthy production to back them up, “Ritual” is definitely one for the books, but not everyone is so excited about it.

To coincide with the song’s release, Marshmello dropped a music video that features a number of notable appearances from DJs like Skrillex and Slushii. There was, however, one unauthorized cameo in the video in the form of a deau5 imposter, a nod to the mellogang leader’s feud with the Canadian DJ. Unsurprisingly, deau5 has taken to Twitter to call out the “Ritual” producer for the stunt.

difference is, I’ve never felt i should parody a bucket in my video to cover up whatever insecurity I have with sub-par trap production.

— dead mow cinco (@deau5) November 1, 2016

You’d figure someone “on that level” as it were, would be less reliant on someone else for the highlight reel. Guess not.

— dead mow cinco (@deau5) November 1, 2016

We’ve seen deau5 and Marshmello get into it on Twitter in the past, which has generally served as the arena in which the two DJs wage their war of words. The mau5trap figurehead ranted about the faux Tiësto reveal from EDC Las Vegas earlier in the year, while Marshmello previously sent out taunting Tweets to him.

The whole thing is a bit childish, but it’s entertaining nonetheless and we don’t suspect these two will let up anytime soon.

Marshmello‘s long awaited collaboration with Wrabel, titled “Ritual,” is a tune fans have been looking forward to since it was first teased earlier in the year. The anonymous DJ even went so far as to name his current tour after the song before finally announcing a proper release date for the single.

Now, “Ritual” is finally out and will surely rank as one of Marshmello’s biggest songs to date, featuring some excellent vocal contributions from Wrabel and a production that deviates from the producer’s usual future bass fare.

A lo-fi piano opens “Ritual” before arpeggiated bass and four on the floor rhythms enter the mix. Wrabel offers up some noteworthy topline efforts, ranging from smooth tenor hooks in the verses to pristine harmonies and soaring falsetto. The drops feature Marshmello’s characteristically magical synth melodies, layered over grinding electro bass and the persistent pounding of the drums.

“Ritual” definitely marks a turning point in Marshmello‘s evolution that sees the producer moving away from strictly dance music into more pop friendly territory, and it’s not hard to imagine the new tune making its rounds on the radio. With irresistibly catchy vocals and a satisfying production from the mysterious musician, “Ritual” is one for the books.

Part of the reason Marshmello has become such a success is because of the interaction his iconic costume has inspired in his fans. It’s common at one of the masked DJ’s performances to see fans don his familiar all white getup, with many of the mellogang going the extra mile to construct their own Marshmello helmet. In celebration of Halloween, the “Alone” producer is teaming up with a famed Las Vegas nightclub to take his fanbase’s imitation of him to awesome new heights.

Taking to Twitter, Marshmello announced that club goers who dress up as him for Halloween will be allowed free entry into Surrender’s Wynnderland event tonight. All you have to do is show up wearing a Marshmello helmet and you’ll be allowed in for free.

Anyone wearing a marshmello head tomorrow to @SurrenderVegas I’ve made sure your entry is FREE! So start making your helmets mellogang!! pic.twitter.com/pkLNwryDWT

— marshmello (@marshmellomusic) October 31, 2016

Marshmello is definitely hooking up his fans with this one, especially considering that in addition to his DJ set there will be a costume contest with a $10,000 grand prize. Suffice to say, if you’re going to be in Vegas for Halloween, Wynnderland is definitely the place to be.

I can’t wait until Ritual w/ @wrabel comes out! Honestly my favorite song I’ve ever made. @OWSLA @Skrillex pic.twitter.com/hYLdhpaBll

— marshmello (@marshmellomusic) July 2, 2016

Marshmello‘s Ritual Tour has been underway for nearly a month now and already we’ve seen the masked DJ touch down in China, Korea and India, but the song that serves as the tour’s namesake has still yet to be released.

The anonymous producer first began teasing “Ritual” earlier in the summer when he tested it out during one of his performances, and fans have been impatiently waiting ever since. Now that the corresponding tour is well underway, Marshmello has finally revealed the release date for “Ritual.”

Slated to become one of his biggest songs, “Ritual” is scheduled for release on November 1. Fans have been looking forward to this collaboration for a while now, so the Mellogang will definitely be pleased by the news of an official release date.

November 1, 2016…..Ritual ft @wrabel

— marshmello (@marshmellomusic) October 25, 2016

The preview for “Ritual” definitely had us excited for the single when it first surfaced and our anticipation hasn’t subsided. Sonically, it has many of the familiar elements of Marshmello‘s style, including gooey synth melodies and uplifting beats, interspersed between vocal focused sections. It has a real magical sound to it and we can’t wait for the full song to drop.