Cassidy Podell was DJ'ing at New York City's club Lotus and caught the attention of
Diddy, who was impressed enough to hire the teenager to spin at his MTV Video Music Awards party in 2001.
Podell, who has been obsessed with spinning records since receiving turntables and a mixer at age 10, subsequently became an in-demand disc jockey. His services were sought by the likes of
Russell Simmons,
Pharrell Williams, and
Kanye West. He played at the presidential inaugurations of
Barack Obama, as well as the wedding reception of
Beyoncé and
Jay-Z.
Columbia signed him to a recording contract and, like labelmates
Daft Punk, he was inspired by the polished and uplifting qualities of certain late-'70s and early-'80s R&B acts -- the likes of
Chic,
Michael Jackson,
Shalamar,
Luther Vandross, and
Change, in particular.
DJ Cassidy likewise set up a series of super sessions featuring his heroes and younger favorites. Among the figures he snared were the core of
Earth, Wind & Fire,
Daft Punk collaborator
Nile Rodgers, undervalued session ace
Ray Parker, Jr., and heavyweight arranger
Jerry Hey. From younger generations, he involved a wider range of artists, such as songwriter
Claude Kelly,
Mary J. Blige,
Usher,
Passion Pit, and
Chromeo. In early 2014, the singles "Calling All Hearts" (featuring
Jessie J and
Robin Thicke) and "Make the World Go Round" (featuring
R. Kelly) preceded the album Paradise Royale. ~ Andy Kellman