Early life and musical beginnings Marcus Füreder grew up in
Linz and developed a passion for music and art at an early age. He began his career as a DJ in local clubs, performing under the pseudonym
Plasma or his real name, drawing inspiration from
jazz,
soul,
house and
electronic music. These influences would later shape his distinctive musical style. To pursue his creative vision independently, Füreder founded his own record label,
Etage Noir Recordings, in 2003. He has been releasing music under the name Parov Stelar through the label ever since. His early releases, including the
EP Kiss Kiss (2004), followed shortly by the album
Rough Cuts, quickly gained international attention in the club and festival scene.
Breakthrough and musical development With the albums
Seven and Storm (2005) and
Shine (2007), Parov Stelar refined his sound by incorporating elements of
jazz,
house, and
broken beat into his productions. These early works laid the foundation for his later success, which saw a stronger emphasis on
electro swing with the release of
Coco (2009). The two-part album
Coco marked his definitive breakthrough and established him as a leading figure in electro swing. It featured the track
Catgroove, which went viral and has amassed millions of streams. In February 2010, Canadian dancer Michael Startsev posted a video to
YouTube (under the username "takeSomeCrime") in which he dances to
Catgroove; it has gained over 55 million views as of July 2025. In 2012, Stelar released the double album
The Princess, which included globally recognized hits like
Booty Swing and
All Night. His subsequent albums,
The Art of Sampling (2013) and
The Demon Diaries (2015), continued to evolve his sound. With
The Burning Spider (2017), Parov Stelar departed from his classic electro swing sound, bringing
blues and
jazz elements to the forefront. In 2020 he released
Voodoo Sonic - The Trilogy, a three-part album series that combined his musical roots with new influences, showcasing different facets of his sound. His 2022 album,
Moonlight Love Affair, took a more melodic direction, blending elements of
pop and
electronic dance music with his signature style in tracks such as
Candy Girl and
Toxic Lover. Throughout his career, Parov Stelar has worked with internationally renowned artists such as
Lana Del Rey,
Bryan Ferry,
Marvin Gaye and
Lady Gaga. He has also remixed two songs by fellow Austrian artist
Falco:
Vienna Calling, released in 2017 as part of the Falco 60 anniversary compilation, and
Der Kommissar, released as a standalone single in 2022.
Live performances and band In addition to his work as a producer, Parov Stelar is also an active live performer. In 2005, he performed with a full band for the first time, blending electronic beats with live instrumentation. His high-energy shows combine music, elaborate visuals, and elements of improvisation. Parov Stelar and his band have played at many of the world's leading music festivals, including
Coachella (US),
Glastonbury (UK),
Sziget (HU),
Hurricane,
Southside, and
Lollapalooza (DE),
Pukkelpop (BE),
Vieilles Charrues and
Solidays (FR),
NOS Alive! (PT),
Untold Festival (RO),
Frequency (AT), and Fête de l’Humanité in Paris, which drew a crowd of 100,000. He has also performed at renowned venues such as the
O2 Academy Brixton in London and
Zénith in Paris. His tours regularly take him across
Europe,
North America, and beyond. By combining live instruments with electronic sounds, he sets himself apart from traditional DJ sets and creates a distinctive live experience. ==Music in commercials, film and TV==