David Morales is a globally revered American DJ, a Grammy award-winning record producer, songwriter, and a businessman. He has produced and remixed over 500 records for an all-star roster of multi-platinum artists, including Mariah Carey, U2, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Madonna, and Whitney Houston. The global phenomenon and penetration of dance music into Top 40 radio would not have been possible without him.
Morales launched DIRIDIM Records in 2018. With this new label, Morales is signing and developing artists—and naturally, releasing some of his own productions. DIRIDIM celebrates all kinds of dance music, from the classic sounds Morales is known for, to straight up electronic. His unquenchable thirst for newness is precisely why this native New Yorker remains relevant. “It’s about keeping an open mind,” Morales explains.
A native New Yorker, Morales was one of the first superstar DJs to actively tour the world—and his activity, over the years has only increased. In 2020, due to the global pandemic and inability to travel, he launched, Sunday Mass, a livestreaming show on Twitch to entertain his fans across the world. The 2021 IMS Business Report based on data, cited him as one of the dance music artists who experienced online success during the pandemic. As restrictions for travel continue to ease globally, Morales has DJ gigs booked through the end of the year in New York, the UK, Italy, Greece, and Croatia.
FILM /TV/FASHION/RADIO
David Morales has transcended musical genres to create a global brand. His music productions have appeared in popular films and television shows, including The Devil Wears Prada, Ninja Turtles 2, Don’t Mess With the Zohan, and Star (TV Series). His DIRIDIM radio show can be heard on Ibiza Global Radio and numerous other stations around the world which is streamed to millions of listeners around the world. In 2016, Morales was the lead judge on “Top DJ” a national television series broadcast on Italia 1. When it came time to wear his fashion model hat, Morales appeared in a global advertising campaign for luxury design house, Iceberg.
HISTORY
David Morales honed his skills as a DJ in the 1980s and 1990s at such legendary clubs as the Ozone Layer, Paradise Garage, Red Zone, Zanzibar, Tunnel and Club USA just to name a few. When the remix and DJ work began taking off, Morales teamed up with house music legend, Frankie Knuckles, and For The Record DJ Pool founder/NYC nightlife impresario, Judy Weinstein, to create Def Mix Productions.
Morales’ prolific production career kicked into high gear in the 1990s with the release of his solo debut album, “The Program” by David Morales & The Bad Yard Club. In the late-1990s, with hundreds of remixes (Mariah Carey’s “Dreamlover,” Janet Jackson’s “Throb,” Alison Limerick’s “Where Love Lives,” CeCe Peniston’s “Finally,” Jamiroquai’s “Space Cowboy”, Jaydee’s “Plastic Dreams,” Robert Owens’ “I’ll Be Your Friend,” under his belt, Morales recorded the groundbreaking house classic, “Needin’ U,” under the alias David Morales Presents The Face. Morales’ second album, “2 Worlds Collide,” arrived in 2005, followed six years later, by his third album, “Changes.”
David Morales was nominated for his first Grammy Award in 1996 as a Producer on Mariah Carey’s album, ‘Daydream’ for the song ‘Fantasy’. In 1998 he won a Grammy Award for “Remixer of the Year.”
Though Morales’ past is surely one for music’s history books, the DJ-turned-artist always has his eyes firmly focused on the future—on what lies ahead. He keeps an ear to the ground, regularly exploring new music, new artists, and hotly tipped DJs who might inspire him to “go and do my homework.” He happily embraces the new generation of clubgoers. “They don’t care about yesterday”, he says, with a knowing smile.