DMK (band)

Malka Mikkelsen had been a Depeche Mode fan since they first heard them in 1987, as they were studying high school in Bogotá. In late 2010, as they were going through the separation from their first wife and the mother of Milah and Korben, Mikkelsen decided to recreate their 1985 classic "Shake the Disease" as an act of psychomagic because they felt a connection with its lyrics at that point in their life.{{cite web |last=Schwietert Collazo |first=Julie |date=March 20, 2018 |title=This dad does cute-as-hell Depeche Mode covers with his kids |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/this-dad-does-cute-as-hell-depeche-mode-covers-with-his-kids/ |access-date=July 4, 2019 |work=Vice Magazine |language=en}}{{cite web |last=García |first=Antonio |date=April 4, 2012 |title=DMK, una familia colombiana que 'roquea' unida |url=http://www.eltiempo.com/carrusel/dmk-depeche-mode-en-familia_11507346-4 |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |work=El Tiempo, Colombia |language=es}} To create their cover version of the song, Mikkelsen used an old Yamaha PSR-150 keyboard that was given to them by their mother, a xylophone a kazoo and several bottles, cans, tambourines, and toys. They invited Milah (then 7) and Korben (then 4) to perform some of the sounds present in the song. In the video they recorded at home and uploaded to YouTube, the screen is split in four sections and Mikkelsen appears to play all instruments simultaneously with both hands and feet. Actually, the screen sections were recorded separately.{{cite web |last=Mangiaretti |first=Gena |date=February 17, 2012 |title=Q&A: Dicken Schrader, of cover of Depeche Mode's "Everything Counts" with Milah and Korben |url=http://www.buzzsawmag.org/2012/02/17/qa-dicken-schrader-of-cover-of-depeche-mode%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Ceverything-counts%E2%80%9D-with-milah-korben |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |website=Buzzsaw Magazine |language=en}} The video was seen by family and friends, and as the three of them enjoyed the experience, they decided to create a second Depeche Mode cover in the same style as the first, "Strangelove" in mid-2011, in which the participation of both kids became more musically challenging. Since the children could not read sheet music, Mikkelsen devised a color-coded system to label the instruments and write down the notes for the kids to learn.

File: DickenSchraderEverythingCounts.jpg

On December 23, 2011, the trio uploaded a third Depeche Mode cover, this time for the song "Everything Counts", expecting it to be seen by the small group of family and friends who enjoyed the previous two. But in late January, 2012, the video was suddenly picked up by news outlets and blogs around the world, like CBS, HuffPost, Wired magazine and The Guardian, quickly becoming viral, making the trio an internet sensation almost overnight.{{cite web |date=January 30, 2012 |title=Awesomely geeky dad Dicken Schrader collaborates with kids for Depeche Mode cover (Video) |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/29/dicken-schrader-band-kids-depeche-mode-cover_n_1240361.html |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |work=HuffPost |language=en}}{{cite web |last=Plumb |first=Alstair |date=January 30, 2012 |title=Awesome dad Dicken Schrader covers Depeche Mode's 'Everything Counts' with his kids (Video) |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/01/30/dad-covers-depeche-modes-everything-counts-kids_n_1241661.html |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |work=HuffPost UK, United Kingdom |language=en}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/01/geeky-dad-covers-depeche-mode-with-his-kids|title=Geeky dad covers Depeche Mode with his kids|language=en | date=January 28, 2012|accessdate=July 4, 2019|magazine=Wired}}{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/pda/2012/feb/03/viral-video-chart-super-bowl-ads?fb=native&CMP=FBCNETTXT9038|language=en |title=Viral Video Chart|first=Dugald|last=Baird|date=February 3, 2012|accessdate=July 4, 2019|work=The Guardian}}{{cite web |url=http://jezebel.com/5880094/dad-and-his-two-kids-cover-depeche-mode-song |title=Dad and his two kids cover Depeche Mode song|language=en |first=Lane|last=Moore|date=January 28, 2012|accessdate=July 4, 2019|work=Jezebel}}

In February 2012, the band adopted the name DMK, which stands for "Depeche Mode Kids" but also refers to the initials of the band members' names at the time (Dicken, Milah, and Korben).{{cite web |last=Almond |first=Brent |date=March 19, 2012 |title=DDQ&A: Dicken Schrader |url=http://designerdaddy.com/2012/03/ddqa-dicken-schrader-depeche-mode/#more-6601 |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |work=Designer Daddy |language=en}}{{cite web |last=Bittner |first=Maria Cecelia |date=February 22, 2012 |title=Colombia´s cutest new band |url=https://colombiareports.com/colombias-cutest-new-band/ |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |work=Colombia Reports, Colombia |language=en}}{{cite web |last=Santos |first=Daniel |date=March 6, 2012 |title=Un padre y sus hijitos hacen un genial cover de Depeche Mode |url=http://vos.lavoz.com.ar/pop/rock/padre-sus-hijitos-hacen-genial-cover-depeche-mode |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |work=La Voz del Interior, Argentina |language=es-ES}}{{cite web |date=November 24, 2013 |title=Die süsseste Coverband der Welt |url=http://www.20min.ch/entertainment/musik/story/Die-suesseste-Coverband-der-Welt-22557735 |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |work=20 Minuten, Switzerland |language=de-DE}}{{cite web |last=Arenbo |first=Johan |date=April 26, 2012 |title=DMK Depeche Mode coverband: Lär känna Depeche Mode-familjen från Bogotá |url=http://www.zeromagazine.nu/art.asp?id=341 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202225317/http://www.zeromagazine.nu/art.asp?id=341 |archive-date=December 2, 2013 |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |work=Zero Magazine, Sweden |language=sv-SV}}{{cite web |date=June 11, 2013 |title=DMK, un ejemplar Proyecto familiar |url=http://www.enticconfio.gov.co/index.php/casosdeexito/item/664-dmk-un-ejemplar-proyecto-familiar-y-musical.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202230823/http://www.enticconfio.gov.co/index.php/casosdeexito/item/664-dmk-un-ejemplar-proyecto-familiar-y-musical.html |archive-date=December 2, 2013 |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |work=En TIC Confío, Colombia |language=es-ES}}{{cite web |date=June 10, 2012 |title=Un clan reinventó a Depeche Mode |url=https://www.nacion.com/revista-dominical/un-clan-reinvento-a-depeche-mode/TNVD7QH5MRBLDF7QSIQ2YWXACA/story/ |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |work=La Nación, Costa Rica |language=es-ES}}{{cite web |date=June 10, 2012 |title=Depeche Mode con sello colombiano, un éxito en las redes sociales |url=https://pulsosocial.com/2012/03/21/dmk-depeche-mode-con-sello-colombiano-un-exito-en-las-redes-sociales/ |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |work=Pulso Social |language=es-ES}}

After the release of "Everything Counts" the band released two more Depeche Mode covers in the same four-screen format: "Black Celebration", released in June, 2012,{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/chicubusa/watch-an-insanely-cute-family-cover-a-depeche-mode-73ev|title= 4 Depeche Mode songs covered by an insanely cute family! |language=en|first=Edwin|last=Santos|date= August 23, 2012|accessdate=July 4, 2019|work=BuzzFeed}} and "Enjoy the Silence", released in December, 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/chicubusa/121212-presents-new-depeche-mode-song-covered-by-73ev|title= 12/12/12 presents NEW Depeche Mode song covered by an insanely cute family!|language=en|first=Edwin|last=Santos|date= December 12, 2012|accessdate=July 4, 2019|work=BuzzFeed}} Then, in May, 2013, they released "Just Can't Get Enough", as a live version especially recorded in the streets of La Candelaria, Bogotá, for the BAS 2013 festival in Basildon, UK.{{cite web|url=http://www.euronews.com/2014/01/22/columbia-cover-group-just-can-t-get-enough-of-depeche-mode/|title= Colombia cover group 'Just Can't Get Enough' of Depeche Mode|language=en|date= January 22, 2014 |accessdate=July 4, 2019|work=Euronews, France}}{{cite web|url= http://ntdtv.ru/novosti-ameriki/kolumbiiskaya-semya-vtorit-depeche-mode-na-igrushkakh |title= Колумбийская семья вторит Depeche Mode на игрушках|language=ru| date= January 7, 2014|accessdate=July 4, 2019|work=NTDTV, Russia}}{{cite web|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPMZq-m7R4E |title=Musical Colombian family led by Dicken Schrader storm internet|language=en|first=Chloe|last=Culpan|date=January 17, 2014|accessdate=July 4, 2019|work=Sky News, United Kingdom}}{{cite web|url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1a4v03/|title= Depeche Mode repris par une famille colombienne|language=fr| accessdate=July 4, 2019|website=Dailymotion, France|date= 22 January 2014}}

Since their online popularity exploded, they have been invited to perform in front of live audiences, first in local events like the Festival Tecnológico Texun 2012 in Medellín and the Fantástico! Festival Internacional de las Artes 2013 in Barranquilla, and then festivals outside Colombia, like the Échale Latino Music Estyles festival in San Antonio, Texas, on May 9, 2014,{{Cite web |date=12 July 2014 |title=Live: Dicken Schrader spielt mit seinen Kindern "Depeche Mode" |url=https://www.depechemode.de/live-dicken-schrader-spielt-mit-seinen-kindern-depeche-mode-33799/ |access-date=2019-01-23 |website=depechemode.de |language=de-DE}} and the ¡Pachanga! Latino Music Festival in Austin, Texas, on May 10, 2014.{{cite web |last=Castellanos |first=Melissa |date=May 20, 2014 |title=YouTube sensation & Colombian Depeche Mode cover band DMK makes music as a family |url=https://www.latinpost.com/articles/12947/20140520/youtube-sensation-colombian-depeche-mode-cover-band-dmk-makes-music.htm |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |work=Latin Post |language=en}} They also headlined Sónar Kids in El Port de la Selva, Catalonia, on May 24 and 25, 2014, where they performed in front of a crowd of over 5000 people.{{cite web |date=May 21, 2014 |title=Sonar Kids se trae a la estrambótica familia colombiana que hace versions de Depeche Mode |url=https://www.eldiario.es/cultura/musica/Sonar-Kids-estrambotica-Depeche-Mode_0_262474307.html |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |website=eldiario.es, Spain |language=es-ES}}{{cite web |date=April 29, 2014 |title=La familia colombiana DMK, gran reclamo del SonarKids |url=http://www.europapress.es/catalunya/noticia-familia-colombiana-dmk-gran-reclamo-sonarkids-20140429141654.html |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |work=EuropaPress, Spain |language=es-ES}}{{cite web |date=April 30, 2014 |title=Los colombianos de DMK, en el Sónar Kids |url=https://www.zonadeobras.com/ultima-hora/2014/04/30/los-colombianos-de-dmk-en-el-sonar-kids-202289/ |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |website=Zona de Obras, Spain |language=es-ES}}{{cite web |date=May 2, 2014 |title=Sónar Kids trae a DMK por primera vez a Europa |url=http://www.electronicaandroll.com/2014/05/sonar-kids-trae-dmk-por-primera-vez-en.html |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |website=Electrónica & Roll, Spain |language=es-ES}}

In December 2014, DMK released their seventh cover video, "But Not Tonight", their first professionally made music video, recorded in a studio in Bogotá and inspired in Depeche Mode imagery and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's novella The Little Prince.{{Cite web|url=https://www.depechemode.de/dicken-schrader-und-seine-kids-covern-but-not-tonight-35634/|title=Dicken Schrader und seine Kids covern "But Not Tonight|website=depechemode.de|language=de-DE| date= December 23, 2014|access-date=2019-01-23}}{{cite web |last=Cobos |first=Fernanda |date=March 1, 2015 |title=Entrevista: DMK, de Youtube a los escenarios del mundo |url=http://www.escenaindie.com/2015/02/23/entrevista-dmk-de-youtube-a-los-escenarios-del-mundo/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405121741/http://www.escenaindie.com/2015/02/23/entrevista-dmk-de-youtube-a-los-escenarios-del-mundo/ |archive-date=April 5, 2015 |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |work=Escena Indie Colombia, Colombia |language=es}}

On March 13, 2015, DMK opened the second day of Festival Estéreo Picnic in their hometown of Bogotá. The show was a success despite the fact that Korben broke his right elbow two days before the festival and had to play only with his left hand.{{cite web |date=February 27, 2015 |title=Festival Estéreo Picnic 2015 presenta: DMK |url=https://www.shock.co/articulos/festival-estereo-picnic-2015-presenta-dmk-70009 |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |work=Shock, Colombia |language=es-ES}}{{cite web |last=Fontalvo |first=Érika |date=February 13, 2015 |title=DMK se presentará en el Estéreo Picnic 2015 |url=https://caracol.com.co/programa/2015/02/13/audios/1423829280_631684.html |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |work=Caracol Radio, Colombia |language=es-ES}}

In May 2015, after 5 years of recording Depeche Mode covers, DMK released their first original composition entitled "Pale Blue Dot", a homage to the famous photograph taken by the Voyager 1 space probe and, incidentally, to Carl Sagan's thoughts about it expressed on his book by the same name. They also announced that the kids would move with their mother to Miami, Florida, but that this separation would not break up the band.{{cite web|url= http://designerdaddy.com/2015/05/dmk-original-song-pale-blue-dot/#more-20986/|title= DMK Releases First Original Song, 'Pale Blue Dot'|language=en|first=Brent|last=Almond|date= May 22, 2015 |accessdate=July 4, 2019|work=Designer Daddy}}

In 2016 DMK were invited to perform at the Tauron Nowa Muzyka festival in Katowice, Poland, gathering one of the largest and most enthusiastic audiences in their career.{{cite web |last=Stępień |first=Ewa |date=August 23, 2016 |title=Tauron Nowa Muzyka 2016 |url=http://www.elle.pl/kultura/artykul/tauron-nowa-muzyka-2016 |accessdate=July 4, 2019 |work=Elle Magazine, Poland |language=pl-PL}}

On March 20, 2017, they were chosen to take over Depeche Mode's Facebook page as part of the Takeover campaign,{{Cite web|url=https://www.bartleboglehegarty.com/case-studies/depeche-mode|title=365 days, 365 fans|website=BartleBogleHegarty|language=en|access-date=2019-01-23}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/depechemode/posts/10155872995750329|title=DMK's post on Depeche Mode's Facebook page|website=facebook.com|language=en|access-date=2019-01-23}} becoming one of Martin Gore's favorite entries, who publicly expressed it in a video posted on Depeche Mode's Facebook page.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/depechemode/videos/10157573381340329/|title=Martin Gore's favorite entries video post|website=facebook.com|language=en|access-date=2019-01-23}}

DMK released on YouTube their first 360° video, recorded in their Bogotá home, for the 1982 classic "The Meaning of Love" in October 2017,{{cite web|url= https://twitter.com/homemode/status/921410669777489920|title= Check out DMK's 360° video, covering "The Meaning of Love"|language=en| date= October 20, 2017|accessdate=July 4, 2019|website=@homemode}} followed by a similarly-recorded video for Personal Jesus on early 2018.{{cite web|url= https://www.vice.com/es/article/dmk-banda-papa-hijos-covers-depeche-mode-colombia/ |title= Conoce a DMK, el papá que con sus hijos hace los mejores covers de Depeche Mode|language=es|first=Santiago|last=Riomalo|date=March 12, 2018|access-date=July 4, 2019|work=Vice Magazine, Colombia}}

{{Cite web|url=https://www.thatericalper.com/2018/10/14/father-his-two-young-kids-perform-depeche-mode-classics/|title=Father His Two Young Kids Adorably Perform Depeche Mode Classics| first=Eric|last=Alper|date=2018-10-14|website=That Eric Alper|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-23}}

On March 16, 2018, two of the band members, Dicken and Korben, were finally able to meet Depeche Mode at a meet-and-greet in Bogotá during their Global Spirit Tour.{{cite web|url=http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.com/2018/04/live-review-depeche-mode-simon-bolivar.html/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101165456/http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.com/2018/04/live-review-depeche-mode-simon-bolivar.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 1, 2019|title=Live Review: Depeche Mode, Simon Bolivar Park, Bogotá, March 16th 2018|language=en|first=Dicken|last=Schrader|date=April 12, 2018|accessdate=July 4, 2019|website=Almost Predictable}}{{cite web |url=https://www.shock.co/musica/de-como-el-depeche-mode-colombiano-conocio-al-depeche-mode-legendario/|title=De cómo el Depeche Mode colombiano conoció al Depeche Mode Legendario|language=es |first=Dicken|last=Schrader|date=March 22, 2018|accessdate=July 4, 2019|website=shock.co, Colombia}}

{{main| Spirits in the Forest}}

On November 21, 2019, Spirits in the Forest was released in theaters worldwide, featuring the stories of six life-long Depeche Mode fans, including Dicken Schrader and DMK.{{cite web |last=Amos |first=Jim |date=2019-11-18 |title=Why Depeche Mode's 'SPIRITS In The Forest' Is The New Gold Standard For Concert Films |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamos/2019/11/18/why-depeche-modes-spirits-in-the-forest-is-the-new-gold-standard-for-concert-films/#5ef8dba92949 |accessdate=2019-11-18 |work=Forbes}}{{cite web |last=Benitez-Eves |first=Tina |date=2019-11-13 |title='Depeche Mode: SPIRITS in the Forest' Documentary Offers a New Perspective on Fan Life |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8543490/spirits-in-the-forest-depeche-mode-interview |accessdate=2019-11-13 |publisher=Billboard}}{{cite web |last=Atkinson |first=Jesse |date=2019-11-01 |title=Anton Corbijn's New Film is an Ode to The Band That Changed Your Life |url=https://www.gigwise.com/film/3364223/anton-corbijns-new-film-is-an-ode-to-the-band-that-changed-your-life |accessdate=2019-11-01 |publisher=Gigwise}}{{cite web |last=Thorpe |first=Vanessa |date=2019-11-02 |title=A huge band, with a cool crowd from a ringside seat? Head for the cinema |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/nov/02/depeche-mode-anton-corbijn-cinema-music-gigs |accessdate=2019-11-02 |work=The Guardian}} Sources vary on the total gross of the movie's one-night release, with one claiming about US $2.5m {{Cite web |url= https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl2936768001/weekly/ |title=Spirits in the Forest (2019) |website=Box Office Mojo |access-date=November 22, 2019}} while another claims US $4.5m. It reached Number 3 on the box office charts in Mexico and Number 2 in both Germany and the UK.{{cite web | url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/movienews/depeche-mode-spirits-in-the-forest-sounds-a-box-office-high-note-exclusive/ar-BBXYtOd | title='Depeche Mode: Spirits in the Forest' Sounds a Box-Office High Note (EXCLUSIVE) | date=9 December 2019 | accessdate=19 December 2019 | first=Stewart | last=Clarke| website=MSN }}

On February 26, 2022, DMK released their last video, "Enjoy the Silence '22" and announced their decision of going into "permanent hiatus" through an online Zoom event hosted by the Depeche Mode Global Fan Club,{{cite web|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6oF3ho_6SQ&t=254s|title= DMK Announces their decision to go into permanent hiatus|language=en|date= Feb 26, 2022 |accessdate=February 26, 2022|work=Depeche Mode Global Fan Club}} and on December of the same year they released their only album, Songs of Tiny Devotion: A Family Tribute to Depeche Mode 2010–2022, compiling all of the covers they created during the past 12 years plus an original song. The album was released on all major music streaming services including Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon Music, and Pandora.{{cite web|url= https://dmk.hearnow.com|title= DMK releases their album "Songs of Tiny Devotion: A Family Tribute to Depeche Mode 2010-2022|language=en|date= Dec 7, 2022 |accessdate=December 7, 2022}}

• Songs of Tiny Devotion: A Family Tribute to Depeche Mode 2010–2022 (2022)

• Shake the Disease – DMK (2010)
• Strangelove – DMK (2011)
• Everything Counts – DMK (2011)
• Black Celebration – DMK (2012)
• Enjoy the Silence – DMK (2012)
• Just Can't Get Enough – DMK (2013)
• But Not Tonight – DMK (2014)
• Pale Blue Dot – DMK (2015)
• Live in Poland – DMK (2016)
• The Meaning of Love – DMK (2017)
• Personal Jesus – DMK (2018)
• Live in NYC – DMK (2019)
• Precious – DMK (2020)
• Enjoy the Silence '22 – DMK (2022)

{{Reflist}}

• {{YouTube channel|tomomemitasha|text=Malka Mikkelsen's YouTube channel}}
• {{Facebook|DMKband}}

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Category:Colombian pop music groups

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Category:Musical groups from Bogotá

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