DJ White Shadow

Blair spent his younger years on a farm in Ohio and started collecting records when he was in second grade.{{cite news|last1=Caruso|first1=Chris|title=DJ White Shadow: Lady Gaga's Go-To Guy|url=http://djtimes.com/edge-glory/|access-date=February 26, 2015|publisher=DJ Times|date=December 2, 2013}} His family moved to Detroit, Michigan, when he was in fifth grade and he purchased his first set of turntables at the age of 16. Growing up in Detroit, he used to sneak out of his house to go to Techno shows when he was 15 years old. Blair learned Japanese when he was younger and attended Western Michigan University where he studied international business. His first year at WMU, he entered a Japanese exchange program in order to study abroad.

Blair was 17 when he held his first residency, playing at the Delta Market while attending college in Takamatsu, Japan. He got the residency by asking the owner to play some records one night at the bar. The owner invited Blair back to play every Thursday night which turned into his first official residency. Despite performing as a DJ earlier in his lifetime, it was in Japan that he started getting paid to perform.{{cite news|last1=Bosso|first1=Joe|title=Lady Gaga producer DJ White Shadow on Born This Way and his new EP|url=http://www.musicradar.com/us/news/tech/lady-gaga-producer-dj-white-shadow-on-born-this-way-and-his-new-ep-488377|access-date=February 27, 2015|publisher=Music Radar|date=August 14, 2011}}

After returning from Japan, Blair worked in various clubs and performed at parties throughout the midwest. He gained prominence in the Detroit techno scene{{cite magazine|last1=Graff|first1=Gary|title=Lady Gaga May Have 'Ruined' Cohort White Shadow|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/467961/lady-gaga-may-have-ruined-cohort-white-shadow|magazine=Billboard|date=August 11, 2011}} and moved around from Detroit to New York prior to settling in Chicago. He eventually began playing for corporate clients that included Google, Nike, Playboy, and Guinness.{{cite web|title=DJ White Shadow|url=http://www.shure.com/americas/artists/dj-white-shadow|website=Shure|accessdate=February 27, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150304153020/http://www.shure.com/americas/artists/dj-white-shadow|archive-date=March 4, 2015|url-status=dead}} He held residence at it-nightspot Hyde in Los Angeles where he eventually ran into Lady Gaga.{{cite news|last1=Lee|first1=Matt|title=DJ White Shadow Helps Lady Gaga Craft 'Born This Way'|url=http://www.hourdetroit.com/Hour-Detroit/July-2011/Shadow-Play/|accessdate=February 27, 2015|publisher=Hour Detroit|date=June 22, 2011}}

Blair met Lady Gaga during one of his shows in Los Angeles, and went on to help write and produce nine songs on her second studio album, Born This Way. He co-wrote and produced the album's title track "Born This Way" which went to number one on various charts and was nominated for a Grammy Award. Following the release of the album, Blair toured with Gaga for two years, performing with Gaga and working on different projects. Blair continued to work with Gaga, co-writing and producing much of her Artpop album which was released in 2013.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/code/5819654/dj-white-shadow-the-clock-is-ticking-video-premiere|title=DJ White Shadow 'The Clock Is Ticking' Video Premier|last1=McCarthy|first1=Zel|date=December 5, 2013|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=February 20, 2015}} He co-wrote the lead single "Applause" which reached #1 on numerous charts and was performed live by Gaga at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards. For Artpop, Blair worked with Gaga recording 70 to 100 songs,{{cite news|last1=Corner|first1=Lewis|title=Lady Gaga recorded 70–100 songs for new album ARTPOP|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/music/news/a507036/lady-gaga-recorded-70-100-songs-for-new-album-artpop.html#~p60uI2LiNync10|accessdate=March 4, 2015|work=Digital Spy|date=August 15, 2013}} later performing at ArtRave, a two-day event hosted by Gaga to promote the album. Blair is also credited with partnering R Kelly with Lady Gaga for the song "Do What U Want", the second song from the album, also remixing a version of the song.{{cite news|last1=Gomez|first1=Luis|title=How R. Kelly ended up on Lady Gaga's 'Do What U Want'|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2013/10/21/how-r-kelly-ended-up-on-lady-gagas-do-what-u-want/|access-date=February 27, 2015|work=Chicago Tribune|date=October 21, 2013}}

In addition to Lady Gaga, Blair has remixed songs for various other artists. In 2010 he remixed "Fall in Love" and "Freak", two singles from Estelle that were later released as part of her 2012 album All of Me.{{cite magazine|last1=Dolan|first1=Jon|title=Estelle All of Me Music Review|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/all-of-me-20120228|accessdate=March 5, 2015|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=February 28, 2012}}{{cite web|title=Estelle Freak (Remixes)|url=http://thewordremixmakesmehard.blogspot.com/2010/06/estelle-freak-remixes.html|website=The Word Remix Makes Me Hard|date=June 6, 2010|accessdate=March 5, 2015}} The following year he remixed two songs that appeared on Kitsuné Maison Compilation 12: The Good Fun Issue, also playing at the album release party.{{cite web|title=Meet White Shadow – Kitsune Maison 12|url=http://www.kitsune.fr/journal/2011/11/family/meet-white-shadow-kitsune-maison-12/|website=Kitsune official website|accessdate=March 5, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402121354/http://www.kitsune.fr/journal/2011/11/family/meet-white-shadow-kitsune-maison-12/|archive-date=April 2, 2015|url-status=dead}} In 2012 Blair remixed a version of Chris Brown's song "Don't Wake Me Up". His remix also appeared on Brown's Germany Digital Remix EP of the same song.{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/de/album/dont-wake-me-up-remixes-ep/id545231033|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402215548/https://itunes.apple.com/de/album/dont-wake-me-up-remixes-ep/id545231033|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 2, 2015|title=iTunes – Music – Don't Wake Me Up (Remixes) – EP 2 von Chris Brown|language=German|publisher=iTunes Store (Germany). Apple|accessdate=March 5, 2012}} Blair also mixed Time of Our Lives a compilation released by Pitbull and Ne-Yo in 2014.{{cite web|title=Time of Our Lives (@DJWS Remix)|url=http://mixmatters.com/songs/pitbull:-time-of-our-lives-djws-remix|website=Mix Matters|accessdate=March 5, 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150312112423/http://mixmatters.com/songs/pitbull%3A-time-of-our-lives-djws-remix|archivedate=March 12, 2015|df=mdy}}

Blair has released three EPs as part of a trilogy through Decon Records.{{cite news|last1=Caruso|first1=Chris|title=DJ White Shadow Releases Explosive 'Fear' Video & Gears Up for EP Trilogy|url=http://djtimes.com/dj-white-shadow-releases-explosive-fear-video-gears-up-for-ep-trilogy/|accessdate=February 27, 2015|publisher=DJ Times|date=July 17, 2013}} The first of which was I'm Killing Me, a five-song compilation that he released for free on his own website in 2011.{{cite magazine|last1=Graff|first1=Gary|title=Lady Gaga May Have 'Ruined' Cohort White Shadow|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/467961/lady-gaga-may-have-ruined-cohort-white-shadow|accessdate=February 27, 2015|magazine=Billboard|date=August 11, 2011}} The second, Pussy, Drugs, Fear, was released in 2013,{{cite news|last1=Sadri|first1=Arshan|title=Must-Watch Music Videos: DJ White Shadow's Trilogy of Found Footage|url=http://www.tubefilter.com/2013/08/07/dj-white-shadow-trilogy-drugs-fear/|accessdate=February 27, 2015|publisher=Tube Filter|date=August 7, 2013}} with the third, The Clock is Ticking, released the same year. Releases from the trilogy were featured in articles with Billboard, including the title track "The Clock Is Ticking", the video for which depicts a man's life story from conception through death. The video to the song "Fear" was described by Billboard as one that skewers the images of violence that constitute our cultural notion of fear.{{cite magazine|last1=McCarthy|first1=Zel|title=DJ White Shadow, 'Fear' Video First Watch|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/code/1569383/dj-white-shadow-fear-video-first-watch|accessdate=February 20, 2015|magazine=Billboard|date=July 9, 2013}}

Blair's work in music took him to television when was hired by Anheuser-Busch to work on its #upforanything campaign for the 2015 Super Bowl.{{cite news|last1=Burton|first1=Bonnie|title=Go behind the scenes of the Pac-Man Super Bowl ad|url=http://www.cnet.com/news/go-behind-the-scenes-of-the-pac-man-super-bowl-ad/|accessdate=February 27, 2015|publisher=CNET|date=February 2, 2015}} He was featured in the company's "Coin" advertisement that featured a life size maze resembling the 1980 video game Pac-Man.{{cite news|title=Super Bowl: Anheuser-Busch releases details on Bud Light, Budweiser TV sports|url=http://augustafreepress.com/super-bowl-anheuser-busch-releases-details-bud-light-budweiser-tv-sports/|accessdate=February 27, 2015|publisher=Austin Free Press|date=February 1, 2015}} The music for the commercial was a remix of the original Pac-Man music, mixed by DJ White Shadow himself. Blair also worked with Namco on the project, the copyright holder to the original Pac-Man.{{cite news|last1=Makuch|first1=Eddie|title=Go Behind The Scenes of the Crazy Pac-Man Super Bowl Ad|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/go-behind-the-scenes-of-the-crazy-pac-man-super-bo/1100-6424977/|accessdate=March 4, 2015|publisher=Game Spot|date=January 29, 2015}}

In 2015, Blair was named the North American music director of W Hotels where he continues to oversee musical branding in over 25 of the company's locations. In 2016, W Hotels partnered with Billboard on an emerging artist series called Next Up that Blair also worked on.{{cite magazine|last=Peters|first=Mitchell|title=W Hotels Music Director Paul Blair (aka DJ White Shadow) Talks New Billboard Partnership & More|magazine=Billboard|date=April 21, 2016|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7340865/w-hotels-music-director-paul-blair-aka-dj-white-shadow-talks-new-billboard|accessdate=February 25, 2018}} Blair was also the "brainchild" behind the hotel chain's "W Sound Suites" which are recording studios located within select W Hotels and available to touring musicians.{{cite news|last=Brunner|first=Jeryl|title=Finding Creative Spaces In The Most Unexpected Locales|work=Forbes|date=May 26, 2017|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jerylbrunner/2017/05/26/finding-creative-spaces-in-the-most-unexpected-locales/|accessdate=February 25, 2018}} The first W Sound Suite was inaugurated in May 2016 at W Bali - Seminyak.{{cite magazine|title=W Hotels Worldwide Open Recording Studio at W Bali|magazine=Billboard|date=May 17, 2016|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7372853/w-hotels-worldwide-studio-bali|accessdate=February 25, 2018}} The first North American Sound Suite opened in April 2017 at W Seattle.{{cite news|last=Ramsey|first=Colby|title=Interview: DJ White Shadow on W Hotels' private sound suites|publisher=Audio Media International|date=August 7, 2017|url=http://www.audiomediainternational.com/recording/interview-dj-white-shadow-on-w-hotels-private-sound-suites/06734|accessdate=February 25, 2018}}

After the launch of the Sound Suite in Seattle, Blair announced that he had recently finished six weeks of studio work with Lady Gaga.{{cite news|title=Lady Gaga's Right-Hand Man, DJ White Shadow, Makes More Than Just Pop Music: Interview|publisher=PopCrush|date=April 21, 2017|url=http://popcrush.com/lady-gaga-dj-white-shadow-interview-quotes/|accessdate=February 25, 2018}} In September 2017, the soundtrack for My Little Pony: The Movie was released which Blair executive produced.{{cite news|last=Sawyer|first=Jonathan|title=Watch Sia's "Rainbow" Video Featuring Maddie Ziegler for 'My Little Pony: The Movie'|publisher=Highsnobiety|date=September 22, 2017|url=https://www.highsnobiety.com/2017/09/22/sia-rainbow-video-my-little-pony/|accessdate=February 25, 2018}} That same month, he headlined the Green Tie Ball to benefit Gateway Green in Chicago.{{cite news|last=Bostedt|first=Shelbie Lynn|title=Paul Blair, aka DJ White Shadow, talks Wrigley Field, Lady Gaga and Green Tie Ball|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=September 12, 2017|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/redeye/culture/ct-redeye-green-tie-ball-dj-white-shadow-paul-blair-20170912-story.html|accessdate=February 25, 2018}} In October, Lady Gaga revealed that Blair would be the main producer on her next album for A Star Is Born.{{cite magazine|last=Malone|first=Chris|title=Lady Gaga Returns to Studio With 'Born This Way' Producer DJ White Shadow|magazine=Billboard|date=October 19, 2017|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8006694/lady-gaga-studio-born-this-way-producer-photos|accessdate=February 25, 2018}} Blair has referred to Joanne album as the "little sister" of Gaga's 4th studio album, Artpop.{{cite news|last=Savage|first=Mark|title=Lady Gaga announces two-year Las Vegas residency|publisher=BBC|date=December 20, 2017|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-42416059|accessdate=February 25, 2018}}

In 2018, he co-wrote and produced 6 of the 19 songs on the soundtrack for Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's 2018 film, A Star Is Born. The soundtrack debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and won the Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.{{cite news|last=Dommu|first=Rose|title=Lady Gaga Scores Fifth Number-One Album With A Star is Born Soundtrack|publisher=Out|date=October 15, 2018|url=https://www.out.com/music/2018/10/15/lady-gaga-scores-fifth-1-album-star-born-soundtrack|accessdate=November 13, 2018}}

Blair collaborated with artist Romero Britto in 2021 on a NFT project to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.{{cite web |last1=Pessoa |first1=Gabriel |title=Romero Britto and DJ White Shadow Collaborate On Limited Edition NFT Art Collection |url=https://hauteliving.com/2021/10/romero-britto-and-dj-white-shadow-collaborate-on-limited-edition-nft-art-collection/703500/ |website=Haute Living |date=October 21, 2021 |access-date=February 23, 2022}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.djwhiteshadow.com DJ White Shadow official website]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:White Shadow, Dj}}

Category:1978 births

Category:Living people

Category:American DJs

Category:American male songwriters

Category:Record producers from Ohio

Category:Grammy Award winners