Topic (DJ)
{{Short description|German DJ and producer (born 1992)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Topic
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- DJ
- record producer
}}
| image = 2022-06-22-Tobias Topic LEA Live Entertainment Award 15 -0219.jpg
| caption = Topic in 2022
| birth_name = Tobias Topic
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth-date and age|23 March 1992}}
| birth_place = Solingen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
| origin =
| genre = EDM
| label = {{flatlist|
- Recordjet
- Universal
}}
| website =
| associated_acts = {{flatlist|
- A7S
- Lili Pistorius
- Nico Santos
}}
}}
Tobias Topic (born 23 March 1992), also known mononymously as Topic ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|ɒ|p|ɪ|k}}), is a German DJ and music producer of Croatian origin. After gaining success with his song "Home", which was certified platinum in Australia and Germany,{{Cite web |url=https://www.suedkurier.de/unterhaltung/promis/Topic-ist-als-Produzent-auf-der-Erfolgsspur-aber-singen-will-er-lieber-nicht;art1015351,9089803 |title=Musik: Topic ist als Produzent auf der Erfolgsspur - aber singen will er lieber nicht|work=Südkurier|date=17 January 2017|language=de |access-date=26 January 2018}}{{Cite web |url=http://neuh.com/topic-aus-solingen-mausert-sich-zum-internationalen-star/ |title=In-Producer Topic aus Solingen startet auch international durch |date=10 July 2016 |website=neuH Magazine |language=de-DE |access-date=26 January 2018}} he made his international breakthrough in 2020 with "Breaking Me".{{Cite web|url=https://respectmyregion.com/topic-talks-breaking-me/|title=Rising Star Topic Talks "Breaking Me" & Melancholic Dance Music|date=27 January 2020}}
Career
= Early career and commercial breakthrough =
Born in Solingen, Topic is of paternal Croatian descent.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vecernji.hr/showbiz/zvijezda-svjetskih-top-lista-je-hrvat-navijam-za-hrvatsku-reprezentaciju-i-ljetujem-u-puli-1593379|title=Zvijezda svjetskih top-lista je Hrvat: 'Navijam za hrvatsku reprezentaciju i ljetujem u Puli'|website=www.vecernji.hr}} He went to a high school in Hessen. At the age of 16, he started using Logic Studio, a digital audio workstation, to produce music with the guidance of a teacher. He started his musical career on social media with the assistance of YouTube musicians who contacted him.{{Cite web |date=5 April 2018 |title=Topic: Dagi Bees bester Freund über sein lässiges Leben als DJ |url=https://www.bravo.de/topic-dagi-bees-bester-freund-ueber-sein-laessiges-leben-als-dj-378124.html |access-date=28 May 2021 |website=Bravo |language=de}}{{Cite web |last=Radtke |first=Guido |date=4 June 2016 |title=Solingen: Topic spielt neuen Song zum ersten Mal in der Festhalle |url=http://www.rp-online.de/nrw/staedte/solingen/topic-spielt-neuen-song-zum-ersten-mal-in-der-festhalle-aid-1.6020972 |access-date=26 January 2018 |website=RP ONLINE}} Topic's first release, a house song called "Light It Up", was released at the end of 2014 and reached more than one million views on his YouTube channel. In summer 2015, he released his debut album "Miles", which charted both German and Austrian charts.
Topic made the singles charts in both countries in January 2016 with the song "Home" featuring Nico Santos on vocals.{{Cite web |last=Einck |first=Henry |title=Musikvideo » Topic feat. Nico Santos - Home |url=https://www.dance-charts.de/201601026553/musikvideo-topic-feat-nico-santos-home |access-date=26 January 2018 |website=Dance-Charts.de |language=de-DE}} In April 2016, the track was released in Australia and reached the 11th place in its charts and went double platinum.{{Cite web |date=2022-01-29 |title=Topic, Robin Schulz, Nico Santos, Paul Van Dyk - In Your Arms (For An Angel) |url=https://schmusa.de/topic-robin-schulz-nico-santos-paul-van-dyk-in-your-arms-for-an-angel/ |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=schmusa.de |language=de-DE}} He has cited the internet as a source of his success, stating "The Internet has actually brought the world closer together."{{Cite web |title=Music Video - TOPIC - Home Ft Nico Santos |url=https://www.baeblemusic.com/music-video/topic/home-ft-nico-santos.html |access-date=26 January 2018 |language=en-US}}
In July 2016, the single "Find You" followed, sung by Dutch singer Jake Reese, who has become famous by the Dutch edition of X-Factor and a collaboration with Hardwell on his songs Mad World and Run Wild. Already after one week, the song achieved a ranking in the single charts, but couldn't follow the success of his previous single.
In September 2016, he signed a record deal with Sony Music/ATV.{{Cite web |title=MusikWoche News Sony/ATV gewinnt |url=http://www.mediabiz.de/musik/news/sony-atv-gewinnt-topic/411260 |access-date=26 January 2018 |website=www.mediabiz.de |language=de}} In the same year, Topic received a nomination for the MTV Europe Music Awards in Best German Act.{{Cite web |title="best german act": Die Beginner sind für die MTV EMAs nominiert |url=https://www.universal-music.de/beginner/news/best-german-act-die-beginner-sind-fuer-die-mtv-emas-nominiert-241342 |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=www.universal-music.de |language=de}}
= 2017–2018: "Perfect" =
He made the official single charts of Germany and Austria again in 2017 with the track Break My Habits with the vocals of Swedish singer-songwriter Patrik Jean.{{Cite web |date=14 January 2017 |title=Topic released Break My Habits mit einem filmreifen Musikvideo |url=https://www.iaatm.de/topic-release-break-my-habits-musikvideo/ |access-date=26 January 2018 |website=It's All About The Music |language=de-DE}}
On 26 January 2018, Topic collaborated with American Fifth Harmony member and singer Ally Brooke for the single "Perfect".{{Cite magazine |title=Fifth Harmony's Ally Brooke Releasing Debut Solo Single 'Perfect,' Collab With Topic |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8095499/ally-brooke-perfect-single-topic |magazine=Billboard |access-date=26 January 2018}} The success of airplay also received attention in the United States, in particular through Brooke's appearance on the TV show Wild 'n Out. For the song, they were nominated for the Teen Choice Award 2018 in the "Electronic / Dance Song" category.{{Cite web |last=Vacco-Bolanos |first=Jessica |date=2018-08-12 |title=Teen Choice Awards 2018: All the Nominees and Winners |url=https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/teen-choice-awards-2018-all-the-nominees-and-winners/ |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=Us Weekly |language=en-US}}
With the track "Sólo Contigo", which was created in collaboration with Juan Magán and German singer Lena Meyer-Landrut, he released a Spanish-language single for the first time in spring 2018.{{Cite web |last=Hummel |first=BS-Live! Sascha |title=TOPIC x Juan Magan x Lena "SOLO CONTIGO" (CD) |url=https://www.bs-live.de/xmedien/cd/topic-x-juan-magan-x-lena_.html |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=www.bs-live.de}} The song "The Less I Know" followed together with Alexander Tidebrink.{{Cite web |last=Hummel |first=BS-Live! Sascha |title=Topic- The less I know (CD) |url=https://www.bs-live.de/xmedien/cd/neuer-titel_-the-less-i-know.html |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=www.bs-live.de}}
= 2019: International breakthrough with "Breaking Me" =
On 19 December 2019, "Breaking Me" was released as the sixth single. It is a collaboration with the Swedish singer A7S and the first international chart success for Topic after almost two years. The single reached the Top 10 positions in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Canada, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark and Ireland.{{Cite web |last=Chartsurfer.de |title=Breaking Me von Topic feat. A7S |url=https://www.chartsurfer.de/artist/topic-feat-a7s/breaking-me-song_vvcvgr.html |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=www.chartsurfer.de}}
With "Breaking Me", Topic also reached the Top 10 of the British single charts for the first time and achieved his first number one on the Portuguese singles chart. In the US, he dominated the Dance chart for three weeks and ranked #53 on the Billboard Hot 100.{{Cite magazine |title=Topic |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/topic/ |access-date=2022-11-09 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}} The single reached nearly a billion streams on Spotify{{Cite web |title=Topic |url=https://open.spotify.com/artist/0u6GtibW46tFX7koQ6uNJZ |website=Spotify}} today and more than five billion streams overall.
= 2020: "Like I Love You" and "Why Do You Lie to Me" =
On 13 March 2020, the second single collaboration with Nico Santos, "Like I Love You" was released.{{Citation |title=Nico Santos & Topic - Like I Love You |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/14935092-Nico-Santos-Topic-Like-I-Love-You |language=de |access-date=2022-11-09}} The song was also promoted with a joint live appearance on the famous German TV show Luke! Die Schule und ich at prime time. The single reached #24 in the German single charts{{Cite web |title=Offizielle Deutsche Charts - Offizielle Deutsche Charts |url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/titel-details-1966577 |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=www.offiziellecharts.de}} as well as #2 in the airplay charts.{{Cite web |title=germancharts.de - Airplay Charts Deutschland |url=https://germancharts.de/airplay_charts.asp?week=202022 |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=germancharts.de}}
On 28 August 2020, the single "Why Do You Lie to Me" was released. This was the second collaboration of Topic and A7S features American rapper Lil Baby.{{Cite web |title=Google Calendar - Sign in to Access & Edit Your Schedule |url=https://accounts.google.com/v3/signin/identifier?dsh=S-1107195287%3A1668002662339010&continue=https%3A%2F%2Fcalendar.google.com%2Fcalendar%2Fu%2F0%2Fr%2Fmonth%2F2022%2F11%2F1%3Ftab%3Dmc&followup=https%3A%2F%2Fcalendar.google.com%2Fcalendar%2Fu%2F0%2Fr%2Fmonth%2F2022%2F11%2F1%3Ftab%3Dmc&osid=1&passive=1209600&service=cl&flowName=WebLiteSignIn&flowEntry=ServiceLogin&ifkv=ARgdvAv3ec7_s9_SWZ3QQ-YuiYxUlr19yCH5CjUr8SguoPy5ZKo724WbxwR9u_YHQsSXzLIT7UVfAg |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=accounts.google.com}}
= 2021: "Your Love (9PM)" and "My Heart Goes (La Di Da)" =
In January 2021, Topic remade German producer ATB's number-one hit "9 PM (Till I Come)", collaborating with ATB.{{Citation |title=ATB X Topic X A7S - Your Love (9PM) |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/16936368-ATB-X-Topic-5-X-A7S-Your-Love-9PM |language=de |access-date=2022-11-09}} Retitled "Your Love (9PM)", the record also features A7S' vocals, making it their third collaboration, and was released on Positiva Records.{{Cite web |date=15 January 2021 |title=ATB collaborates with Topic to reimagine "Your Love (9pm) |url=https://datatransmission.co/news/atb-collaborates-with-topic-to-reimagine-your-love-9pm/ |website=Datatransmission.co}} The record charted in a number of markets including the Top 10 in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the UK.{{Cite web |last=Chartsurfer.de |title=Your Love (9PM) von ATB x Topic x A7S |url=https://www.chartsurfer.de/artist/atb-x-topic-x-a7s/your-love-9pm-song_vhrhhp.html |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=www.chartsurfer.de}} It is Topic's second most successful track to this date and amassed more than 500 million streams on Spotify alone. “Your Love (9PM)” was nominated in the category “International Song of the Year” at the BRIT Awards 2022.{{Cite web |title=2022 International Song of the Year nominees announced! |url=https://www.brits.co.uk/news/2022-international-song-of-the-year-nominees-announced |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=BRIT Awards |language=en}}
In June 2021, the single Chain My Heart followed together with American popstar and singer Bebe Rexha, making it to #16 on the US Dance charts. On 30 July 2021, the song Drive was released in a collaboration with British electropop band Clean Bandit and British singer Wes Nelson. The song reached rank 17 in the British single charts.{{Cite web |last=Chartsurfer.de |title=Drive von Clean Bandit & Topic Feat. Wes Nelson |url=https://www.chartsurfer.de/artist/clean-bandit-topic-feat-wes-nelson/drive-song_vhvhnp.html |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=www.chartsurfer.de}} Four weeks later, the next composition appeared with British singer Becky Hill. "My Heart Goes (La Di Da)" was released on 24 August 2021 and reached #11 on the UK charts.{{Cite web |last=Chartsurfer.de |title=My Heart Goes (La Di Da) von Becky Hill & Topic |url=https://www.chartsurfer.de/artist/becky-hill-topic/my-heart-goes-la-di-da-song_vhvccc.html |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=www.chartsurfer.de}}
= 2022: "Kernkraft 400 (A Better Day)" and further achievements =
On 28 January 2022, Topic released the single In Your Arms (For An Angel) together with Robin Schulz, Nico Santos and Paul van Dyk.{{Citation |title=Topic X Robin Schulz X Nico Santos X Paul van Dyk - In Your Arms (For An Angel) |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/21984787-Topic-5-X-Robin-Schulz-X-Nico-Santos-X-Paul-van-Dyk-In-Your-Arms-For-An-Angel |language=en |access-date=2022-11-09}} This is a new edition of van Dyk's For an Angel from 1994. In collaboration with German Popstar Alvaro Soler, the second Spanish-language single Solo Para Ti was released on 22 April 2022.{{Cite web |last=Köln |first=Radio |title=Alvaro Soler, Topic - Solo Para Ti |url=https://www.radiokoeln.de/artikel/alvaro-soler-topic-solo-para-ti-1335208.html |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=Radio Köln |language=de}}
The track Kernkraft 400 (A Better Day) followed on 17 June 2022 with singer and producer A7S and its core is built on a sample of Zombie Nations Kernkraft 400 from 1999. On 02 September 2022, Topic and the Swedish singer John Martin released the single Follow Me. Topics first club track and release with the label Tomorrowland Music, that worked with renown artists like Martin Garrix and Felix Jaehn before.{{Cite web |last=Emmers |first=Kevin R. |date=2022-09-02 |title=Topic & John Martin veröffentlichen ihren Track "Follow Me" |url=https://frontstage-magazine.de/2022/09/02/topic-john-martin-veroeffentlichen-ihren-track-follow-me/ |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=frontstage-magazine.de |language=de-DE}} Topic states: “[...] John Martin is an incredible artist with huge credibility in the scene. One of my all time favorite tracks and a big inspiration is ‘Don’t You Worry Child’, so I’m incredibly honored that I had the chance to work with him. It’s great to now be able to unfold into a new direction musically and I am really looking forward to what is yet to come!”{{Cite web |date=2022-09-02 |title=Topic John Martin Follow Me |url=https://preludepress.com/news/2022/09/02/topic-john-martin-follow-me/ |access-date=2022-11-09 |language=en-US}}
Topic was also part of the “Top 100 DJs 2022” from DJ Mag. After an impressive festival season, two diamond certifications in 28 countries and two awards in 2020 and 2021, he was able to secure rank 69.{{Cite web |title=Topic {{!}} Top 100 DJs 2022 |url=https://djmag.com/top100djs/2022/69/Topic |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=DJMag.com |language=en}}
Topic was part of the documentary We Are Tomorrow{{Citation |title=We Are Tomorrow l Documentary | date=20 September 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMXisg8Qohs |language=en |access-date=2022-11-09}} from Tomorrowland, that was published on YouTube on 20 September 2022. The four protagonists Topic, Gaggan Anand, Kelly De Clercq and Vicky Tah were filmed and interviewed on their road to Tomorrowland.{{Cite web |last=Germany |first=DJ MAG |title="We Are Tomorrow": Tomorrowland-Dokumentation über ikonische Rückkehr |url=https://www.djmag.de/einzelnews/we-are-tomorrow-tomorrowland-dokumentation-ueber-ikonische-rueckkehr/ |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=www.djmag.de |date=20 September 2022 |language=de}} In the documentary, Topic's live performance and career are displayed and he talks about his idea of a new edition of the hit "Breaking Me" with the new title "Saving Me", as the soundtrack of the documentary with American singer-songwriter Sasha Alex Sloan.{{Cite web |last=Emmers |first=Kevin R. |date=2022-07-15 |title=TOPIC enthüllt mitreißende Überarbeitung seines globales Hits "Breaking Me" für Tomorrowland |url=https://frontstage-magazine.de/2022/07/15/topic-enthuellt-mitreissende-ueberarbeitung-seines-globales-hits-breaking-me-fuer-tomorrowland/ |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=frontstage-magazine.de |language=de-DE}}
Discography
= Albums =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album details ! colspan="2" scope="col"| Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| GER {{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/suche?artistId=Topic|title=Discographie von Topic|publisher=GfK Entertainment|access-date=10 January 2020}} ! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| AUT |
|---|
| scope="row"| Miles
|
| 67 || 70 |
= Singles =
= Remixes =
- 2020: Surf Mesa featuring Emilee – "ILY (I Love You Baby)" {{small|(Topic Remix)}}
- 2020: Masn and B-Case - "Psycho!" {{small|(Topic Remix)}}
- 2020: Becky Hill and Sigala - "Heaven on My Mind" {{small|(Topic Remix)}}
- 2020: Dennis Lloyd - "Alien" {{small|(Topic Remix)}}
- 2020: Clean Bandit, Mabel, and 24kGoldn - "Tick Tock" {{small|(Topic Remix)}}
- 2021: Moby featuring Gregory Porter and Amythyst Kiah - "Natural Blues" {{small|(Topic Remix)}}{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/natural-blues-topic-remix-feat-gregory-porter-amythyst/1565797977 |title=Natural Blues (Topic Remix) [feat. Gregory Porter & Amythyst Kiah] - Single by Moby & Topic on Apple Music |via=Apple Music |access-date=31 May 2021}}
- 2021: Regard, Troye Sivan and Tate McRae - "You" {{small|(Topic Remix)}}{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/you-topic-remix-feat-troye-sivan-tate-mcrae-single/1567276675 |title=You (feat. Troye Sivan & Tate McRae) [Topic Remix] - Single by Regard on Apple Music |via=Apple Music |access-date=30 June 2021}}
- 2021: Clean Bandit and Topic featuring Wes Nelson - "Drive" {{small|(Topic VIP Remix)}}
- 2022: Lewis Thompson and David Guetta - "Take Me Back" (Topic Remix)
- 2022: Kamrad, Topic and Max Bering - "I Believe" (Topic Remix)
- 2023: Loreen – "Tattoo" {{small|(Topic Remix)}}
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| Year
! Organization ! Award ! Work ! Result ! {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| 2016
| MTV Europe Music Awards | Best German Act | Himself | {{nom}} |
| 2016
| 1 Live Krone | Best Single | Home (with Nico Santos) | {{nom}} |
| 2018
| Choice Electronic/Dance Song | Perfect (with Ally Brooke) | {{nom}} | {{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/awards/2018/08/12/teen-choice-awards-winners-list/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813151232/https://ew.com/awards/2018/08/12/teen-choice-awards-winners-list/|archive-date=13 August 2018|title=Entertainment Weekly|magazine=Entertainment Weekly}} |
| 2020
| LOS40 Music Awards | Best Dance Act | Himself | {{won}} |
| 2020
| 1 Live Krone | Best Single | Breaking Me (with A7S) | {{nom}} |
| 2020
| 1 Live Krone | Best Dance Act | Himself | {{nom}} |
| 2021
| Audi Generation Award | Music | Himself | {{won}} |
| 2022
| BRIT Awards | Best International Song | Your Love (9PM) (mit ATB & A7S) | {{nom}} |
References
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Category:German electronic dance music DJs