Dutch EDM producer
Fedde Le Grand (born in Utrecht in 1977) is best known for hitting the top of the U.K. charts with the 2006 single "Put Your Hands Up for Detroit." A DJ since his teenage years,
Le Grand is also known for his production and remix work, adding his singular touch to tracks by artists such as
Sharam,
Freeform Five, Tall Paul,
Pete Tong,
Ida Corr, and
Robbie Williams. Along with his music and touring -- he has performed in all corners of Europe, as well as Oceana, North America, and China --
Le Grand has also been involved in the development and business end of the industry, starting the Flamingo Recordings label with
Raf Jansen and
Funkerman in 2004.
"Put Your Hands Up for Detroit," an electro-house anthem that heavily sampled "Hands Up for Detroit" by Detroit-area producers
Matthew Dear and
Disco D, was initially released in 2006. Originally a minor hit, the song leapt to number one on the U.K. singles chart after a CD single was released. A remix of the song featured guest verses by
Bizarre and
King Gordy of
Eminem-affiliated Detroit rap group
D12.
In 2007,
Le Grand scored two major hits: a remix of
Camille Jones' "The Creeps" and "Let Me Think About It," a collaboration with Danish soul singer
Ida Corr. That year, his label started the club night Flamingo Nights in Amsterdam. The following year, he released the mix album Flamingo Nights, Vol. 1: Ibiza. In 2009, he returned with Output, his first album of original productions. In 2011,
Le Grande paired with DJ
Markus Schulz for the double mix CD Be at Space. He kept busy releasing singles including "So Much Love," "Sparks," "RAW," "No Good," and "Where We Belong."
In 2015,
Le Grand started a new label called Darklight Recordings, debuting with "Tales of Tomorrow," a collaboration with
Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike. A subsequent vocal version, featuring singer/songwriter
Julian Perretta, hit number two on the Belgian singles chart.
Le Grand singles "Robotic" (with
Jewelz & Sparks) and "Take Me Home" (with
Patric La Funk) also appeared that year. In 2016, Darklight released
Le Grand's second artist album,
Something Real. ~ Chris True