A Canadian EDM/progressive house duo, Quebec's
Sultan + Shepard came onto the scene in 2002 and quickly gained a reputation for crafting chart-topping productions and remixes. Built around the talents of producers/artists/DJs Ossama Al Sarraf (Sultan) and
Ned Shepard (
Shepard), who cite
Brian Eno,
Daft Punk,
Underworld,
the Chemical Brothers, and
Deep Dish as influences, the duo met in the late '90s while attending McGill University in Montreal. After immersing themselves in the city's busy electronic music scene, they began releasing a flurry of remixes and original tracks, including hit collaborations with
Funkagenda ("Past Dreaming") and
Dirty Vegas ("Crimson Sun"). Subsequent productions with
Dillon Francis,
Junior Sanchez,
David Guetta,
Vassy, and
the Boxer Rebellion, among others, yielded praise both at home and abroad, and the duo also landed a Grammy nomination for their remix of
Bruno Mars' "Locked Out of Heaven." In 2019, they paired with
Showtek on "We Found Love" and
Bahari and
Rock Mafia on the single "Miles to Your Heart." ~ James Christopher Monger