Alesso
From piano lessons at seven to a UK No. 1 with Calvin Harris: how Alesso went from Sebastian Ingrosso’s protégé to a Def Jam-signed festival headliner.
- Swedish DJ and producer Alessandro Lindblad, born in Stockholm on 7 July 1991.
- Mentored by Sebastian Ingrosso of Swedish House Mafia from 2011.
- Hits include “Under Control” (UK No. 1, 2013) and “Heroes (We Could Be)” with Tove Lo (2014).
Alesso belongs to the second wave of Swedish house producers, the one that came up behind Swedish House Mafia. Born Alessandro Lindblad in Stockholm in 1991, he went from a first EP in 2010 to a UK No. 1 three years later, then signed to Def Jam.
Piano lessons and a call from Ingrosso
Alesso, of Swedish and Italian descent, started piano at seven and got into electronic dance music at sixteen. His Alesso EP came out in 2010. Early in 2011, Sebastian Ingrosso of Swedish House Mafia got in touch, introduced him to DJing and helped with his production. Alesso later called Ingrosso a “big brother”.
The first result was “Calling (Lose My Mind)”, made with Ingrosso in 2011. It climbed to No. 2 on the Beatport chart and was later reissued with a vocal from Ryan Tedder. The same year Alesso entered the DJ Mag Top 100 DJs poll at No. 70.
From remixer to chart act
“Years”, with Matthew Koma on vocals, followed in late 2012. His remix of OneRepublic’s “If I Lose Myself” earned a Grammy nomination for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical, at the 2014 ceremony. In October 2013 “Under Control”, made with Calvin Harris and Hurts, entered the UK Singles Chart at No. 1 with 74,704 copies sold in its first week. That year he reached No. 13 in the DJ Mag poll, his highest position, which he matched in 2015.
Def Jam, Tove Lo and Forever
In July 2014 Alesso signed with Def Jam Recordings, only the second EDM producer to join the label after Afrojack. “Heroes (We Could Be)”, sung by Tove Lo, came out that year. It reached No. 1 on the US Dance Club Songs chart, No. 6 in the UK and No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100, and went four times platinum in Sweden. David Bowie and Brian Eno were added to its writing credits in July 2015. His debut album, Forever, followed on 22 May 2015 and gathered both “Heroes” and “Under Control”.
Later singles paired him with pop voices: “Let Me Go” with Hailee Steinfeld and “Is That for Me” with Anitta, both in 2017, then “Remedy” in 2018.
Big stages
Alesso has played Coachella, Electric Daisy Carnival, Creamfields, Tomorrowland and Ultra. In 2015 two Las Vegas clubs signed him for an exclusive US residency, and in October 2018 he sold out three nights at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. In 2023 he played “Heroes (We Could Be)” at the UEFA Champions League final.
His records sit on the melodic side of progressive house: wide synth leads, vocal hooks, drops built for festival crowds. For the generation that came just before him, read about Swedish House Mafia; for another festival star of the same era, see Martin Garrix.
FAQ
Who is Alesso?
Alesso is Alessandro Lindblad, a Swedish DJ and producer of Swedish and Italian descent, born in Stockholm on 7 July 1991.
What are Alesso’s biggest songs?
“Calling (Lose My Mind)” with Sebastian Ingrosso (2011), “Under Control” with Calvin Harris and Hurts, a UK No. 1 in 2013, and “Heroes (We Could Be)” with Tove Lo (2014).
Has Alesso been nominated for a Grammy?
Yes. His remix of OneRepublic’s “If I Lose Myself” was nominated for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical, at the 56th Grammy Awards in 2014.
