Deorro
Erick Orrosquieta (born August 30, 1991), known professionally as Deorro, is a Mexican-American electronic music producer and DJ based in Los Angeles, California. Renowned for his innovative fusion of house, electro, and Latin influences, he has achieved global success through platinum-certified hits, collaborations with major artists, and performances at premier festivals worldwide.[1][2][3] Deorro's career began as a bedroom producer in his hometown, where he started DJing local gigs at age 14 and transitioned to music production by 17. He gained initial recognition in 2013 with the track "Yee," released on Revealed Recordings, which marked his entry into the international EDM scene. His breakthrough came in 2014 with "Five Hours," which topped the Billboard Dance Airplay chart and peaked at number eight on the French SNEP Singles Chart, amassing millions of streams and establishing his signature energetic sound.[1][3] Signed to Ultra Records, Deorro has released several notable works, including the 2015 collaboration "Five More Hours" with Chris Brown, which garnered over 330 million Spotify streams and 200 million YouTube views. His track "Bailar" earned 8x platinum certification and was named Latin Billboard Tropical Song of the Year, while "Perdoname" achieved 2x platinum status with more than 53 million streams. In 2017, he debuted his full-length album Good Evening, featuring 24 tracks that topped Apple Music Dance charts in two countries. His 2022 Latin LP ORRO received praise from Billboard for its cultural depth.[4] That year, he also collaborated with Tiësto on the track "Savage," which has over 33 million streams.[1] Among his achievements, Deorro entered the DJ Mag Top 100 DJs at number 19 in 2014—the highest new entry that year—and won Best Latin American DJ at the EMPO Awards. He has been nominated for DJ Del Año at the Premio Lo Nuestro awards and, in 2024, earned his first Latin Grammy nomination for Best Latin Electronic Music Performance for his collaboration "BAMBOLE" with Vikina.[5] He has performed at major events including Coachella, Tomorrowland, an NFL halftime show, and as a supporting act on Bad Bunny's tour. In 2022, his Tour De ORRO sold out 8,500 tickets in a single weekend, and he partnered with the Mexican National Soccer Team for World Cup-related concerts, further bridging his Mexican heritage with global EDM audiences.[1]Early life
Family background and upbringing
Erick Orrosquieta, professionally known as Deorro, was born on August 30, 1991, in Duarte, a working-class suburb in Los Angeles County's San Gabriel Valley, to first-generation Mexican immigrant parents. His father originated from Guerrero, Mexico, and worked in a sheet-metal factory, while his mother, from Michoacán but raised in Guadalajara, was largely unable to work due to health issues; the couple met at a California church where he played music and she sang in the choir. Raised in a low-income Mexican-American household amid financial struggles and frequent relocations, Orrosquieta experienced a childhood defined by domestic uncertainty but rich in cultural heritage. From a young age, Orrosquieta was immersed in the rhythms of his family's Mexican traditions, particularly through community events that highlighted Latin music's centrality to social life. Beginning at around age 8, he accompanied his father—who DJed at local gatherings—to quinceañeras, weddings, and funerals, where he first encountered diverse Latin genres such as merengue, norteño, and mariachi, fostering an early appreciation for the emotional and communal power of music in Mexican-American culture. These experiences in Los Angeles's vibrant Latino neighborhoods not only exposed him to the sounds of his heritage but also ignited a subtle interest in the technical aspects of performance and mixing. This foundational cultural environment in his pre-teen years set the stage for his later transition to music production at age 17.Introduction to music and early experiments
Deorro, born Erick Orrosquieta in Los Angeles to Mexican immigrant parents, began his journey into electronic dance music (EDM) as a teenager amid the vibrant local scene. At the age of 14, around 2005, he started DJing at informal events such as house parties and small venues in the Los Angeles area, often performing alongside his father to help support the family financially. These early outings exposed him to the energetic atmosphere of the burgeoning West Coast EDM culture, where he honed his skills mixing tracks for enthusiastic crowds without any formal instruction. During his teenage years, the family experienced periods of homelessness, and Orrosquieta became a father at age 15, adding to the pressures that motivated his pursuit of music. Aspiring initially to become a trauma surgeon, he worked part-time at Arby's to save for medical school, but ultimately channeled his energies into music production. By age 17, in 2008, Orrosquieta had transitioned into music production, teaching himself the craft through trial and error in his bedroom using accessible digital audio workstations. His initial experiments focused on house and electro genres, blending high-energy beats and synthesized sounds inspired by the pulsating rhythms of local festivals and underground parties. Lacking professional guidance, he drew motivation from the diverse influences of the Los Angeles EDM community, which emphasized innovation and crowd connection over technical perfection. His Mexican heritage subtly shaped these early creations, infusing subtle rhythmic elements reminiscent of Latin traditions into his electronic explorations.Career
2005–2012: Local gigs and initial productions
Erick Orrosquieta, born in 1991 in Los Angeles to Mexican immigrant parents, began his professional DJ career at age 14 in 2005 by performing regular sets at local clubs and house parties in the West Covina area.[6] These early appearances, often at small venues and private events, helped him build a modest local following within the emerging EDM scene, where he honed his mixing skills using basic equipment provided by his family.[7] Drawing on self-taught production techniques learned through free software during his teenage years, Orrosquieta transitioned from spinning others' tracks to creating his own by age 17 around 2008.[6] Initially performing and releasing music under the alias TON!C, Orrosquieta adopted the stage name Deorro in 2012, a rearrangement derived from his surname Orrosquieta to create a memorable, pronounceable moniker reflective of his energetic style.[8] Under this new alias, he began sharing initial unsigned productions on platforms like SoundCloud, where tracks such as "Me" (originally released as TON!C in 2011) garnered over 1.5 million plays and built a following of around 20,000 by late 2011.[6] These early digital releases, including bootlegs and original mixes, circulated primarily within underground EDM communities without major label support. A pivotal moment came in 2012 when Orrosquieta received his first notable production credit with a remix of Chuckie and Junxterjack's "Make Some Noise," released on Cr2 Records in December.[9] The Deorro remix, featuring his signature electro house flair, charted in the top 50 on Beatport's Mainstage chart, marking his initial breakthrough in professional production circles and attracting attention from industry figures.[10] This period solidified Deorro's foundation in the local LA scene, setting the stage for wider recognition while he continued gigging at regional events to refine his live performance approach.2013–2016: Breakthrough hits and global recognition
Deorro's breakthrough began in 2013 with the release of "Yee" on Hardwell's Revealed Recordings label, a high-energy track that quickly gained international traction within the EDM community, charting in several European countries including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.[1] The success of "Yee" marked Deorro's emergence as a promising talent in the electro house and Melbourne bounce scenes, leading to his signing with Ultra Records shortly thereafter, which provided a platform for his subsequent releases.[1] This period solidified his reputation for crafting infectious, festival-ready anthems that blended futuristic beats with melodic hooks. In April 2014, Deorro released "Five Hours," an instrumental track initially issued on PRMD Music (Avicii's label) before its rights were acquired by Ultra Records, which propelled him to global prominence.[11] The song's warping crescendos and cerebral soundscapes resonated widely, peaking at number one on Billboard's Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart and number eight on France's SNEP Singles Chart, while amassing over 254 million views on its official YouTube static video.[1][12] Its viral spread on social media and streaming platforms contributed to Deorro's rapid rise, earning him the highest new entry at number 19 on DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs list that year.[1] Building on this momentum, he followed with "Perdóname" featuring DyCy and Adrian Delgado later in 2014, a moombahton-infused track that garnered over 53 million streams and achieved double platinum status in multiple regions, further highlighting his roots in Latin-influenced electronic music.[1] The momentum continued into 2015 with "Five More Hours," a vocal remix of "Five Hours" featuring Chris Brown, which expanded its reach through pop crossover appeal and topped charts in several countries, including number four on the UK Singles Chart.[13] The collaboration amassed over 330 million Spotify streams and 200 million YouTube views, securing 19 global certifications and underscoring Deorro's ability to bridge EDM with mainstream R&B.[1] By 2016, "Bailar" featuring Elvis Crespo and Pitbull embraced vibrant Latin rhythms and reggaeton elements, earning eight-times platinum certification and the Latin Billboard Award for Tropical Song of the Year.[1] During this era, Deorro's global recognition manifested in high-profile performances at festivals such as Tomorrowland, Coachella, and Lollapalooza, where his dynamic sets captivated international audiences and cemented his status as a leading figure in electronic dance music.[1]2017–present: Album releases, collaborations, and recent ventures
In 2017, Deorro released his debut studio album, Good Evening, on March 31 through Ultra Records, marking a significant expansion of his catalog with 24 tracks that blended house, electro, and Latin influences.[14] The album showcased Deorro's production versatility, incorporating collaborations with artists like DyCy and Dannic, and received attention for its high-energy mixes suitable for festival sets.[15] Building on this foundation, Deorro's second album, ORRO, arrived on July 1, 2022, as a deliberate fusion of Latin rhythms and electronic dance music, featuring 19 tracks with contributions from 18 artists such as Ally Brooke, Dylan Fuentes, and Fulanito.[16] Described as a "love letter to Latin dance," ORRO emphasized Deorro's Mexican-American roots through elements like reggaeton beats and cumbia samples integrated into EDM frameworks, highlighting his evolution toward genre-blending projects.[17] That same year, he joined Pitbull and IAmChino for the live debut performance of their collaborative single "Discoteca" (Deorro Remix) at the 2022 Premio Lo Nuestro awards on February 24, energizing audiences with a high-profile showcase of his remix style.[18] By July 2024, Deorro signed a joint management and label services deal with Prajin Music Group and Peso Pluma's Double P Records, aligning him with rising Latin music forces to amplify his crossover appeal.[19] This partnership facilitated new releases, including his remix of Bad Bunny and Jhay Cortez's "Dákiti" alongside producer AVELLO, released on October 2, 2025, which infused the original reggaeton track with dubstep drops and bass-heavy electronics for a fresh EDM reinterpretation.[20] His touring schedule remained robust, with performances supporting major events like Bad Bunny's World's Hottest Tour dates in 2024 and headlining slots at festivals such as EDSea in November 2025 and Escape Halloween on October 31, 2025, where he delivered sets blending his catalog's Latin-EDM hybrids.[21] In an October 21, 2025, Rolling Stone interview, Deorro reflected on his trajectory from the "Five Hours" breakthrough to his current output, emphasizing how his Mexican heritage shapes his role in global EDM by bridging cultural sounds with electronic production.[7] This period solidified his status as a key figure in Latin-EDM crossovers, with ongoing ventures like label affiliations and festival residencies underscoring his sustained influence.Musical style and influences
Core genres and signature sound
Deorro's primary musical genres encompass house, moombahton, and big room, often fused with Latin rhythms such as reggaeton and cumbia to create a dynamic, cross-cultural electronic sound.[19] His productions typically operate within the high-energy frameworks of electro house and progressive house subgenres, incorporating moombahton's slower, bass-heavy tempos derived from reggaeton influences, while big room elements provide explosive, festival-ready builds and drops.[1] This blending allows for tracks that resonate across mainstream EDM audiences and Latin music listeners, emphasizing rhythmic percussion and melodic synth lines that evoke both club intensity and cultural familiarity.[19] Central to Deorro's signature sound are heavy bass drops that drive dancefloor energy, paired with infectious hooks designed for immediate crowd engagement, and frequent use of bilingual lyrics that mix English and Spanish.[1] These elements manifest in warping crescendos and futuristic beats, creating cerebral yet accessible soundscapes that prioritize emotional storytelling through electronic structures.[1] His production techniques often feature layered percussion inspired by Latin dance forms, resulting in a genre-blurring style that bridges electronic and heritage sounds without losing EDM's core pulse.[19] A hallmark of Deorro's approach is the incorporation of samples from Mexican and broader Latin American culture, as exemplified in his 2016 track "Bailar" featuring Elvis Crespo, which fuses merengue rhythms with EDM drops to achieve crossover appeal.[1] This track highlights his technique of reinterpreting traditional elements—like upbeat brass and vocal chants—into modern electronic contexts, earning it 8x Platinum certification.[1] Post-2016, Deorro's sound evolved from predominantly pure EDM toward more heritage-infused tracks, evident in his 2022 Spanish-language album ORRO, where Latin dance hybrids dominate across 19 songs, deepening the integration of cultural motifs while maintaining high-impact production.[1]Key influences and evolution
Deorro's early musical influences were deeply rooted in the energetic Dutch house scene, particularly producers like Chuckie and Laidback Luke, whose high-octane basslines and bouncy rhythms shaped his initial forays into electronic dance music production.[22] Growing up in Los Angeles, he drew heavily from the vibrant local EDM scene, which blended West Coast club culture with experimental sounds, while incorporating elements from Latin artists such as J Balvin to infuse his tracks with rhythmic flair and cultural resonance.[23] These inspirations converged in his early work, where he experimented with fusing house elements and moombahton beats to create a hybrid style reflective of his Mexican-American heritage.[24] Over time, Deorro's style evolved from the experimental remixes of 2012, such as his rework of Chuckie's "Make Some Noise," which propelled him into Beatport's top charts and marked his shift toward more polished productions.[25] By 2014–2016, this progression led to global hits that prominently incorporated his cultural heritage, merging Latin rhythms with EDM to achieve widespread recognition and chart success.[26] This phase highlighted a deliberate integration of personal roots into mainstream electronic music, setting the stage for deeper explorations in subsequent releases. The maturation of Deorro's sound culminated in his 2022 album ORRO, a Latin-dance crossover project that fused EDM with traditional Mexican influences across 19 tracks featuring collaborators like Ally Brooke and Elvis Crespo, representing a refined evolution toward genre-blending maturity.[27] In 2025 reflections shared in media interviews, Deorro emphasized how his music has broken cultural barriers by elevating Latin sounds within the EDM world, fostering greater representation and cross-cultural dialogue in electronic music scenes.[22][23] This ongoing evolution underscores his commitment to bridging diverse musical traditions while maintaining innovative production techniques.[26]Personal life
Professional hiatus and label founding
In May 2014, Deorro announced a temporary break from DJing via Twitter, stating his intention to shift focus toward music production and personal priorities, including time with his young family.[28] At age 23, with two children—one starting school—he explained that extensive touring had caused him to miss significant family milestones, prompting the decision to step back from live performances.[29] This hiatus lasted several months, allowing him to recharge amid the rapid rise following hits like "Bailar," before he resumed touring with renewed energy by late 2014.[30] During this period, Deorro founded the independent record label Panda Funk in 2014, envisioning it as a platform to cultivate his signature "Panda Funk" sound—a high-energy blend of moombahton, electro house, and bounce—and to nurture emerging EDM talent.[1] The label quickly became a hub for innovative releases, including Deorro's own track "Move On" in 2015, which exemplified its emphasis on bouncy, festival-ready productions, as well as early singles from affiliated artists like those in the broader Panda Funk collective.[31] By prioritizing creative control, Panda Funk aimed to challenge traditional industry norms, fostering a movement around accessible, genre-blending electronic music.[32] The break played a pivotal role in Deorro's artistic and entrepreneurial evolution, enabling him to streamline his production process and solidify a distinct identity rooted in cultural fusion and community-building through the label.[28] This focused interlude ultimately informed his approach to subsequent projects, including conceptual album work that explored deeper thematic elements.[33]Media appearances and other interests
In 2014, Deorro made a guest cameo appearance as a DJ on the MTV series Teen Wolf, performing during an episode of the show's fourth season.[1] Deorro has demonstrated a commitment to philanthropy, particularly in supporting immigrant and Latino communities in Los Angeles. In June 2025, he publicly pledged to raise awareness and organize events to aid families affected by immigration enforcement actions, emphasizing unity and compassion on social media.[34] This effort culminated in an August 2025 Twitch charity stream, where he and collaborators raised over $10,000 to assist those impacted by ICE raids through donations to organizations like CHIRLA.[35] Later that year, in October 2025, Deorro headlined a concert at Denver's Mission Ballroom, partnering with nonprofits such as Better Together Denver to benefit immigrant youth by providing mentorship, legal aid, and community opportunities.[36] Deorro maintains privacy regarding his family life, sharing limited details while crediting his upbringing and relatives for shaping his path. As a young father himself by age 15, he has expressed motivation to provide stability for his sons, dedicating aspects of his work to instilling positivity and resilience in them amid past hardships like homelessness. He married Michelle Mendoza in 2022, and the couple continues to prioritize family amid his career.[28][37]Discography
Studio albums
Deorro's debut studio album, Good Evening, was released on March 31, 2017, through Ultra Records. The 26-track project blends electronic dance music (EDM) elements with Latin influences, featuring interludes that create a narrative flow and collaborations with artists such as Sasha Sloan, Teemu, and Lesley Roy. Key tracks include "Bomba," which showcases high-energy percussion and moombahton rhythms, and "Rise & Shine," noted for its uplifting bounce and festival-ready production. The album received positive reception for its ambitious scope and Deorro's ability to infuse personal storytelling with club-oriented sounds, with critics praising its emotional depth and seamless transitions between high-energy anthems and introspective moments. While it did not chart highly on major album rankings, Good Evening has amassed over 1.2 billion streams on Spotify, establishing it as a cornerstone of Deorro's catalog and highlighting his evolution from singles to full-length works.[38] Deorro's second studio album, ORRO, arrived on July 1, 2022, also via Ultra Records, marking a stylistic evolution toward his Mexican heritage through a predominantly Latin dance framework. The 19-track release, self-titled after a shortened form of his surname Orrosquieta, incorporates reggaeton, guaracha, and house elements, with features from artists like Ally Brooke, LÚA, and Gigolo Y La Exce. Highlights include "Yo Las Pongo," a vibrant collaboration with Los Tucanes de Tijuana and Maffio that celebrates cumbia influences and has garnered significant streaming success, and "La Cita," which fuses pop sensibilities with rhythmic basslines. Critics commended ORRO for its cultural authenticity and collaborative energy, positioning it as a well-received sophomore effort that deepens Deorro's exploration of Latin-EDM fusion, though aggregate reviews reflect mixed listener responses with an average rating of 2.4 out of 5 on platforms like Rate Your Music. The album underscores Deorro's growth in embracing bilingual lyrics and traditional instrumentation within modern electronic production.[16]Singles as lead artist
Deorro's career as a lead artist on singles began with high-energy electro house tracks that quickly gained traction in the EDM underground. His early releases, often self-produced and distributed through independent labels, showcased a signature blend of pulsating basslines and melodic hooks, helping him build a global fanbase before major label involvement. In 2013, Deorro released "Yee," a Melbourne bounce-influenced track that marked his breakout moment, earning widespread play in clubs and on dance compilations across Europe and the US.[39] The following year, "Five Hours" exploded virally, amassing over 300 million streams on Spotify and charting at number 8 on the French Singles Chart, propelled by its infectious vocal sample and festival-ready drop.[40] Building on this momentum, Deorro collaborated with Chris Brown on "Five More Hours" in 2015, a sequel that topped Billboard's Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart and reached number 4 on the UK Singles Chart, while earning gold certifications in Australia, Italy, and Sweden.[41][42] By 2016, "Bailar" featuring Pitbull and Elvis Crespo fused Latin rhythms with EDM, achieving 8x platinum status in the US and peaking in the top 10 on multiple European charts, including number 7 in France.[43][44] Deorro continued releasing standalone singles post his debut album, emphasizing collaborations that highlight his Mexican-American roots. In 2022, he teamed with Tiësto for "Savage," a high-octane big room track released on Musical Freedom that garnered over 70 million Spotify streams and became a staple in live sets.[45] More recently, tracks like "Me Caes Muy Bien" (2024), a solo upbeat house cut on his Orro Music label, and "Derecha la Flecha" featuring Luis R Conriquez and Tony Aguirre (2024) on Kartel Music, explore regional Mexican influences with electronic production.[46][47] In 2025, "La Bandera" with Santa Fe Klan on Double P Records delivered a cumbia-EDM hybrid, celebrating barrio culture through rapid-fire rap verses and driving beats.[48] These later singles underscore Deorro's evolution toward genre-blending hits outside traditional album formats.[49]| Title | Year | Featured Artist(s) | Peak Chart Positions | Certifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yee | 2013 | — | — | — |
| Five Hours | 2014 | — | FRA: 8 | — |
| Five More Hours | 2015 | Chris Brown | US Dance: 1, UK: 4 | Gold (AUS, ITA, SWE) |
| Bailar | 2016 | Pitbull, Elvis Crespo | FRA: 7 | 8× Platinum (US) |
| Savage | 2022 | Tiësto | — | — |
| Me Caes Muy Bien | 2024 | — | — | — |
| Derecha la Flecha | 2024 | Luis R Conriquez, Tony Aguirre | — | — |
| La Bandera | 2025 | Santa Fe Klan | — | — |
Prominent remixes
Deorro's remix work has showcased his ability to infuse high-energy electro house and bass elements into tracks by established artists, often elevating their dancefloor appeal. One of his early breakthroughs came with the remix of Chuckie and Junxterjack's "Make Some Noise" in 2012, where he transformed the Dutch house original into a pulsating electro house anthem with aggressive synth drops and layered builds, released via CR2 Records and gaining traction in club sets across Europe.[50] Similarly, his collaborations with Steve Aoki highlighted his rising profile; the 2013 Deorro Remix of Aoki's "Come With Me (Deadmeat)" featuring Polina added gritty basslines and festival-ready drops, while his take on "Ooh" with Rob Roy incorporated bouncy rhythms that aligned with the neon future aesthetic of Aoki's Neon Future album.[51][52] In his mid-career phase, Deorro's remixes often tied into live performance contexts and cross-genre fusions. His 2013 remix of Laidback Luke's "Pogo" featuring Majestic, released on Mixmash Records, amplified the track's moombahton influences with explosive electro breakdowns, making it a staple in international DJ sets and underscoring Deorro's collaborative synergy with the Dutch producer.[53] For Pitbull-related projects, Deorro delivered the remix of "Discoteca" by IAmChino, Pitbull, and himself in 2022, blending reggaeton hooks with heavy bass drops for a high-octane club vibe that complemented Pitbull's global tour performances.[54] These efforts demonstrated Deorro's skill in adapting Latin-infused pop to electronic formats, enhancing the tracks' replay value in live environments. More recently, Deorro's 2025 remix of Bad Bunny and Jhay Cortez's "DÁKITI" alongside Avello injected dubstep wobbles and bass-heavy drops into the reggaeton original, creating a high-energy fusion that revitalized the 2020 hit for modern bass music audiences and was released independently via SoundCloud and streaming platforms.[20] This collaboration not only expanded Deorro's reach into Latin trap remixing but also solidified his reputation as a versatile producer capable of bridging genres, with the track quickly amassing streams and social media buzz in electronic dance communities.[55]Awards and nominations
DJ Magazine Top 100 DJs rankings
Deorro first entered the DJ Magazine Top 100 DJs poll in 2014, achieving his peak position of #19 that year, largely propelled by the viral success of his track "Five Hours," which became a festival anthem and garnered widespread international play.[56] This breakthrough marked him as the highest new entry in the poll, reflecting his rising prominence in the electro house scene through high-energy performances at major events like Ultra Music Festival and Tomorrowland.[1] His ranking slipped to #28 in 2015 amid continued momentum from hits like "Bailar," before further declining to #53 in 2016 as the EDM landscape shifted toward newer subgenres.[57] Deorro re-entered the poll sporadically thereafter, placing at #89 in 2018, #65 in 2019, and #76 in 2023, where his re-entry was attributed to recent releases blending Latin influences with EDM, such as "Hands Up," alongside ongoing festival circuits.[58][59][60] He did not appear in the Top 100 for 2017, 2020–2022, 2024, or 2025 polls.[61][62][63]| Year | Ranking | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 19 | Peak; highest new entry, driven by "Five Hours" |
| 2015 | 28 | Continued festival success with "Bailar" |
| 2016 | 53 | Decline amid genre shifts |
| 2018 | 89 | Re-entry post-breakthrough phase |
| 2019 | 65 | Steady presence in house/EDM |
| 2023 | 76 | Re-entry via Latin-EDM fusions |