Zookeper
{{Short description|Musician and producer (b. 1989)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Zookëper
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Michael Doerr
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1989|01|14}}
| birth_place = New Jersey, United States
| alias =
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- DJ
- record producer
- musician}}
| years_active = 2008–present
| module = {{Infobox musical artist
| embed = yes
| genre = {{flatlist|
- EDM}}
| instrument =
{{flatlist|
- Guitar
- backing vocals}}
| label = {{flatlist|
| associated_acts =
}}
}}
Michael Doerr (born January 14, 1989),{{cite tweet|number=1482103847879262209|user=zookepermusic|title=BIRTHDAY BOI|date=January 14, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://myspace.com/mikedoerr|title=Mike is on tour!|website=MySpace|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225072932/https://myspace.com/mikedoerr|archivedate=February 25, 2009|access-date=September 6, 2022}} known professionally as Zookeper (stylized as Zookëper) is an American electronic music artist and producer from New Jersey.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/zook%C3%ABper-mn0003716249/biography|title=Zookëper - Biography|website=AllMusic|author=Matt Collar|access-date=August 9, 2022}}
Doerr went under the alias in 2013. He released his own original songs in 2015, including "Gunz" and "Move off Ya Feet". On tour, he was a supporting act for Tritonal, Bingo Players, and others.
He is best known for his singles, "Watch Me" and "Parallel Lines" that reached the top ten on the dance charts.{{cite web|url=https://www.insomniac.com/music/artists/zookeper/|title=Zookëper - Artist|access-date=August 8, 2022}} He garnered over 40 million streams on Spotify and has also done remixes for the likes of John Mayer, Cher, Jason Derulo, The Knocks, and Teyana Taylor among others.
Career
Doerr initially started his career as a touring guitarist for Cash Cash in 2008. He was credited on their 2008 debut album, Take It to the Floor, as the photo editor. He left the group in August 2009.{{cite web|url=http://popdirt.com/cash-cashs-jean-paul-explains-mike-doerrs-departure/75378/|title=Cash Cash's Jean Paul Explains Mike Doerr's Departure|website=PopDirt.com|author=Jeff C|date=August 6, 2009|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814015030/http://popdirt.com/cash-cashs-jean-paul-explains-mike-doerrs-departure/75378/|archivedate=August 14, 2020|access-date=August 9, 2022}} In 2011, Doerr did a remix to the song "Dirty People" by Alsex.{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/dirty-people-mike-doerr-remix-single/436878747|title=Dirty People (Mike Doerr Remix) - Single by Alsex|website=Apple Music|access-date=August 9, 2022}}
In 2013, Doerr began going under the name, Zookëper, remixing songs for other artists such as the Ready Set and Goldhouse.{{cite web|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/y4qxf9/the-ready-set-give-me-your-hand-best-song-ever-jump-smokers-zookeper-remix|title=New Songs: The Ready Set, 'Give Me Your Hand (Best Song Ever)' Jump Smokers And Zookeper Remixes|website=MTV|author=Rachel Dady|date=May 7, 2013|access-date=August 9, 2022}}{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} He started to release original songs of his own in 2015. He released his debut single "Move off Ya Feet", in December.{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/move-off-ya-feet-single/1067007282|title=Move off Ya Fett - Single by Zookëper|website=Apple Music|access-date=August 14, 2022}}
In 2018, he made a remix to John Mayer's song, "New Light" which has gone on to become double platinum in the United States.{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=new+light#search_section|title=American single certifications - John Mayer - New Light|publisher=Recording Industry Association of America|access-date=August 9, 2022}}{{cite tweet|number=1536819431984095232|user=zookepermusic|title=got my first platinum plaque today 😁😭|date=June 14, 2022}} He also released a single that year titled, "For Real", which peaked on the Belgium Ultratip chart as an "extra tip" position. His single "Do You Think About Me" reached number four on the UK Commercial Pop Top 30 chart. His breakout hit "Watch Me" entered the Billboard Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart at number 27, and later peaked at number 15 on the week of July 20, 2019.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/billboard-dance-chart-upstarts-zookeper-kue-holly-herndon/|title=Billboard Dance Chart Upstarts: Zookeper, Kue & Holly Herndon|magazine=Billboard|author=Gordon Murray|date=May 23, 2019|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220809135203/https://www.billboard.com/pro/billboard-dance-chart-upstarts-zookeper-kue-holly-herndon/|archivedate=August 9, 2022|access-date=August 9, 2022}} The song also peaked at number six on the Mediabase Dance Radio Airplay Top 100 Chart.{{cite web|url=https://edmnations.com/2019/08/05/zookeper-returns-to-enhanced-with-parallel-lines/|title=Zookëper returns to Enhanced with 'Parallel Lines'!|website=EDMNation.com|author=Iuliana Prichea|date=August 5, 2019|access-date=August 9, 2022}} His follow up single "Parallel Lines" was released in August 2019 and performed better than "Watch Me" on the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart peaking at number eight. The song was inspired by Howard Stern according to Doerr.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/8542964/billboard-dance-chart-upstarts-howard-stern-zookeper|title=How Howard Stern Helped Inspire Zookeper's New Hit: Billboard Dance Chart Upstarts|magazine=Billboard|author=Gordon Murray|date=November 7, 2019|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20191108023439/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/8542964/billboard-dance-chart-upstarts-howard-stern-zookeper|archivedate=November 8, 2019|access-date=October 22, 2022}}
In 2021, Zookëper went on a US tour with Bingo Players called the "Bingo Beach Tour".{{cite web|url=https://edmidentity.com/2021/08/31/bingo-players-zookeper-do-what-you-like-tour/|title=Bingo Players and Zookëper Drop New Tune Ahead of Bingo Beach Tour|website=edmidentity.com|author=Grant Gilmore|date=August 31, 2021|access-date=August 9, 2022}} He performed at the Lollapalooza festival in 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4MJW6uGS4w|title=Zookëper Live at Lollapalooza Festival Chicago 2022 (Full Dj Set)|website=YouTube|access-date=August 26, 2022}}
Musical style
Speaking about what motivates him into making music, Doerr stated in an interview that he's, "not the type of producer who loves being locked in a room by himself all the time." He expresses that he loves being out, socializing, traveling, and "soaking in the energy of a packed room with music."{{cite web|url=https://ufo-network.com/2021/10/25/interview-zookeper/|title=Exclusive Interview With US Heavyweight Producer Zookeper|author=Darren Bezuidenhout|date=October 25, 2021|access-date=August 9, 2022}}
Production equipment and software
In the studio, Doerr uses Genelec monitors, KRK sub, a laptop, a MIDI keyboard, and a 909 machine. He also uses a Arturia Analog Lab plug-in suite and the Roland Cloud.{{cite web|url=https://www.djtimes.com/2021/02/life-in-lockdown-zookeper-interview/|title=Life in Lockdown #144: Zookëper|author=Brian Bonavoglia|date=February 11, 2021|access-date=August 26, 2022}} Doerr states he tries to use "classic sounds as much as possible and to keep the arrangements bare."
Discography
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of singles, with selected chart positions{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/artist/zook%C3%ABper/781631052/see-all?section=singles|title=Zookëper − Singles & EPs|website=Apple Music|access-date=August 31, 2022}} |
| scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:12em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="3"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! style="width:45px;"| US
! style="width:45px;"| BEL ! style="width:45px;"| UK |
| scope="row"| "Move off Ya Feet"
| 2015 | — || — || — | rowspan="26" {{Non-album singles}} |
| scope="row"| "Gunz"
| rowspan="3"| 2016 | — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Waistline" (featuring Keno) | — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Bang Boogie"
| — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "For Real"
| rowspan="6"| 2018 | — || —{{efn|group=upper-alpha|"For Real" did not enter the Ultratop 50, but charted as an "extra tip" on the Ultratip chart.}} || — |
| scope="row"| "Void" (featuring Emmalyn) | — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Do You Think About Me" (featuring Georgia Ku) | — || — || 4 |
| scope="row"| "Body Heat" (featuring Maribelle) | — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "From Me"
| — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "On N On" (featuring Iceman) | — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Watch Me"
| rowspan="3"| 2019 | 15 || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Parallel Lines"
| 8 || — || — |
| scope="row"| "House Phone"
| — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Rain Drops" (featuring Carla Monroe) | rowspan="3"| 2020 | — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Good Time"
| — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Body Talk"
| — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Think of You" (featuring Marlhy) | rowspan="3"| 2021 | — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Do What You Like"
| — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Be Just Fine" (featuring Leonelle) | — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Taking Over Me"
| rowspan="5"| 2022 | — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Obsession"
| — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Bathroom Line"
| — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Verano"
| — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Numb" (featuring Sodium) | — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "I Wanna"
| rowspan="2"| 2023 | — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Close My Eyes"
| — || — || — |
| colspan="10" style="font-size:8pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart |
=Remixes=
=Other appearances=
| class="wikitable"
! Year ! Artist ! Song/Album ! Notes |
| 2008
| Photo editor{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/take-it-to-the-floor-mw0000806484/credits|title=Cash Cash - Take It to the Floor Credits|website=AllMusic|access-date=August 9, 2022}} |
| 2018
| Sj | Calabasas | Producer{{Cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/2pyOsI0xkZHwrMqSINIA8G|title=Calabasas - EP|website=Spotify|access-date=September 18, 2022}} |
| 2019
| "Heat" | Songwriter, producer{{Cite web|url=https://genius.com/Captain-cuts-heat-lyrics|title=Captain Cuts - Heat|website=Genius|access-date=September 20, 2022}} |
| 2021
| Cash Cash | Drum programming, keyboards, producer, programmer, composer{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/say-it-like-you-feel-it-mw0003516556/credits|title=Cash Cash - Say It Like You Feel It Credits|website=AllMusic|access-date=August 9, 2022}} |
Notes
{{notelist-ua}}