DJ Calvin Harris has created a new alias – because he’s feeling “negativity” around his name.
The 36-year-old’s real name is Adam Wiles but he created Calvin Harris as a youngster in Dumfries before going on to become a pop star with 2007 debut single Acceptable in the 80s.
Since then he has become a worldwide dance star, dropping himself as a singer and turning to some of the biggest names in music to sing his tunes including Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Rag’n’Bone Man and Katy Perry.
This week, he released two Acid House-flavoured tracks as Love Regenerator.
Speaking to Radio 1’s Annie Mac, he sounded like he’d had enough of Calvin Harris.
He said: “I didn’t want to put it under my stage name that’s known.
“I started feeling almost negative connotations with that name. It’s not my name. My name is Adam. The fake name has been around for a long time and it’s served me well.
“It’s still around but there’s just a little bit of negativity from me creeping around that name.
“Let’s shepherd in a new little thing and see what happens with it.”
In the UK, Calvin is a pop star and a dance producer but in the US he’s become too associated with EDM – America’s name for dance music.
It has left him pigeonholed and possibly kept him back as a producer who likes to change his style and sounds regularly.
Calvin also spoke of what kind of music he wants to do – and insisted he has one simple aim.
He said: “I am now solely in the business, and have been for the last four years, of making music to make me feel good in the hope that it makes other people feel as good, or even just a little bit as good and improves their day.”
● Love Regenerator’s tracks Hypnagogic (I Can’t Wait) and CP-1 are out now.
