Zhu

Steven Zhu, known mononymously as Zhu (; stylized in all caps; born April 28, 1989), is an American DJ and singer who has been active since the beginning of 2014, signed to Mind of a Genius Records. Until mid-2014, Zhu remained anonymous, asking to be judged by his music alone. His debut album, Generationwhy, was released on July 29, 2016 and first premiered at Coachella during his closing set in the Sahara Tent. Zhu's Coachella performance was praised, with a writer for the New York Observer suggesting that he could be "the next Daft Punk". Since then, He has performed at major festivals around the world including Lollapolooza, Outsidelands, Governor's Ball, Electric Daisy Carnival, Hard Summer, Austin City Limits, Sziget, Ultra Music Festival, and many more.

Early life Zhu is of Chinese heritage and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area where he attended St. Ignatius College Preparatory. He played in jazz bands and orchestral practices at school, and later studied music at the University of Southern California. A member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, he graduated from the USC Thornton School of Music in 2011.

Career Zhu's first track, "Moves Like Ms Jackson", a mashup of several songs by Outkast, was released anonymously in February 2014 and was positively received by blogs and reviewers covering electronic music. Other tracks appeared on the music streaming site SoundCloud throughout February and March, followed by an EP titled The Nightday in April 2014, which earned a number 1 play of the week on Triple J.

The first single from The Nightday, titled "Faded", drew support from Pete Tong, who named it an "Essential New Tune" on his radio show on BBC Radio 1. "Faded" was released in March 2014, and quickly climbed the global charts, peaking at number 3 in Australia and the UK, and number 12 on the US Dance/Electronic chart. "Faded" was certified platinum in Australia in 2014 and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. Another track, "Cocaine Model", was received positive reviews for his vocals and production.

In a November 2014 interview, Zhu's manager Jake Udell described the current music climate as "very black and white" and acknowledged that Zhu's race played a role in the decision to release and market his music anonymously, saying: "Some of us don't even know the limitations of our own prejudice. Rather than put those limitations to the test, we've created an engaging way for fans to focus on the music rather than who's behind it." On November 6, 2015, Zhu released a collaborative EP titled Genesis Series. It featured appearances from Skrillex, AlunaGeorge, A-Trak, and Bone Thugs N Harmony, among others. The EP received critical acclaim for its diverse sound and diverse range of talent. "Working for It", the lead collaboration with Skrillex and They., reached the top 40 and was certified platinum in Australia. It also charted on the US Dance/Electronic chart.

In 2016, the single "In the Morning" was released. After his Neon City Tour, he announced that his debut album, Generationwhy, would be released on July 29, 2016, and that "In the Morning" was the first single from the album.

On June 13, 2016, Zhu released the title track, "Generationwhy", as the second single from the album.

Zhu's success carried over into 2017, where he was a featured performer in Ultra Music Festival 2017 in Miami on the live stage on March 24, 2017. His performance was positively received. Also in March, he released the single "Nightcrawler", which was followed by a second single "Intoxicate". Additionally, Zhu provided remixes of "Andromeda" by Gorillaz, "Bad and Boujee" by Migos, and "Feel It Still" by Portugal. The Man. That same year, he released his third EP, titled Stardustexhalemarrakechdreams, on August 18. The EP's lead single, titled "Dreams", is a collaboration with electronic music trio Nero. The EP's single "Chasing Marrakech" was featured by Apple in an ad for the iPhone XS and XS Max on September 14, 2018.

On April 26, 2018, Zhu released the first installment of his second studio album, Ringos Desert, as an extended play.

In July 2022, Zhu released his first mixtape, titled Musical Chairs Mixtape (Vol.1). The mixtape consists of seven songs, including a collaboration with the Grammy-nominated artist Elderbrook. ZHU supported a few dates for Swedish House Mafia on their 2022 American Tour.

In June 2023, Zhu embarked on his first headlining tour in five years. The news arrived alongside the announcement of his collaboration with the video game Mortal Kombat 1, for which Zhu produced an original track titled "Fatal".

In 2023, Zhu embarked on his third North American Tour, covering over 25 cities, including three sold out nights in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Palladium and three sold out nights in New York at the Brooklyn Mirage.

In March 2024, Zhu released his fourth album Grace featuring Sabrina Claudio, Banks, and others, which was recorded in Grace Cathedral with an accompanying film.

In 2026, Zhu released his fifth studio album, BLACK MIDAS, on April 24. The album marked a return to his dancefloor-oriented roots, drawing influence from deep house and melodic techno while emphasizing minimalism, atmosphere, and club-focused production. The project was shaped by Zhu’s renewed focus on extended DJ sets and intimate club performances, particularly through his BLACKLIZT concept. Several tracks were developed through live testing and multiple iterations based on audience response. The album was also influenced by personal events, including Zhu’s displacement during the 2025 Palisades wildfire in Southern California, which damaged his home and studio and informed the record’s themes of reconstruction and transformation. BLACK MIDAS featured collaborations with emerging and underground artists, including Joyia and GCBestBelieve, and was accompanied by a short film shot in Istanbul exploring themes of identity and artistic evolution.

Discography

Studio albums Title Album details Peak chart positions US USDance AUS CAN Generationwhy Released: July 29, 2016 Label: Mind of a Genius, Columbia Format: CD, vinyl, digital download 109 1 35 88 Ringos Desert Released: September 7, 2018 Label: Mind of a Genius Format: Digital download, streaming — 15 — — Dreamland 2021 Released: April 30, 2021 Label: Astralwerks Format: CD, digital download, vinyl, streaming — 11 — — Grace Released: March 15, 2024 Label: Astralwerks, Zhumusic Format: CD, digital download, vinyl, streaming — — — — Black Midas Released: April, 24 2026 Label: BROKE, Blacklizt Sound Syndicate Format: digital download, streaming — — — — "—" denotes an album that did not chart or was not released.

Extended plays Title Details Peak chart positions USDance AUS Label: Mind of a Genius, Columbia Formats: Digital download, CD, vinyl 11 5 6 Genesis Series Released: November 6, 2015 Label: Mind of a Genius, Columbia Formats: Digital download 11 — — Stardustexhalemarrakechdreams Released: August 18, 2017 Label: Mind of a Genius Formats: Digital download — 10 — Ringos Desert Pt. 1 Released: April 26, 2018 Label: Mind of a Genius Formats: Digital download 19 23 — Musical Chairs Mixtape (Vol. 1) Released: July 29, 2022 Label: Astralwerks Formats: Digital download, streaming — — — Days Before Grace Released: September 8, 2023 Label: Astralwerks Formats: Digital download, streaming — — — "—" denotes an extended play that did not chart or was not released.

Singles As lead artist Year Title Peak chart positions Certifications Album US Dance AUS DEN IRE NL UK 2014 "Faded" 12 3 7 2 39 69 3 BPI: Platinum The Nightday 2015 "Automatic"(with AlunaGeorge) 19 97 59 — — — — Genesis Series "Working for It"(with Skrillex and THEY.) 11 30 — — — — 71 2016 "Generationwhy" 26 — — — — — — Generationwhy "Hometown Girl" 40 — — — — — — 2017 "Nightcrawler" — — — — — — — "Intoxicate" — — — — — — — "Dreams" 36 — — — — — — Stardustexhalemarrakechdreams 2018 "Blame" — — — — — — — "My Life" 20 — — — — — — Ringos Desert "Coming Home" — — — — — — — 2019 "Mi Rumba" — — — — — — — "Man's First Inhibition" — — — — — — — "Zoning" — — — — — — — "Came for the Low" 22 — — — — — — 2020 "Only" 25 — — — — — — Dreamland 2021 "Desire" 40 — — — — — — Desire "Follow" 20 — — — — — — "Risky Business" 37 — — — — — — "I Admit It" 23 — — — — — — 2021 "Sky Is Crying" 39 — — — — — — Dreamland 2021 "Yours" 16 — — — — — — "Monster" — — — — — — — "Z-Train" — — — — — — — Dreamland (Deluxe) "Lil Mama" — — — — — — — #Partystarters "I'm Into It" — — — — — — — Shine On 2023 "Revelations" — — — — — — — "Changes" — — — — — — — 2024 "Settle for Less" 40 — — — — — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released.

As featured artist +List of singles released as featured artist Title Year Album "Radar"(Cassie Cardelle featuring Zhu) 2013 "My Blood"(AlunaGeorge featuring Zhu) 2016 I Remember "No More"(DJ Snake featuring Zhu) 2019 Carte Blanche "All On Me"(Tchami featuring Zhu) 2020 Year Zero

Awards and nominations Grammy Awards Year Award Nominee / work Result 2015 Best Dance Recording "Faded"