Calvin Harris's rise to fame: From Dumfries to the biggest DJ in the world
As well as winning Man of The Year at the 2015 GLAMOUR Awards, Calvin Harris has also kept his title as the highest paid DJ in the world! We look at the rise of the world's most famous DJ...
Getty ImagesCalvin Harris was born in Dumfries, Scotland in 1984. From an early age, he was attracted to electronic music and, at the age of 15, was recording demos in his bedroom. He used MySpace to get his music out there and signed his first recording deal in 2006.
PA PhotosCalvin’s first big hit was Acceptable In The 80s, in which he paid homage to that decade’s unique style and culture. The song, with its catchy chorus, reached the UK top ten and stayed there for an epic 15 weeks.
Getty ImagesBut 2010, Calvin was a chart regular and his hard work paid off when he was nominated for a BRIT Award for British Male in 2010. He didn’t win but it was the beginning of a slew of nominations and awards.
Rex FeaturesAlso in 2010, Calvin Harris memorably invaded the X Factor stage with a pineapple on his head. He was escorted from the show’s stage and ejected from The Xtra Factor where he had been set to appear as a guest. We know it was wrong but we couldn’t help laughing. The star later tweeted: "At the end of the day, I had a pineapple on my head. Sorry if I caused anyone embarrassment. Ps. I love Jedward."
Getty Images2012 marked a dramatic turn for Calvin. Thanks to the collaboration We Found Love with Rihanna, he added an MTV Awards and a Grammy to his trophy cabinet.
Rex FeaturesIn fact 2012 belonged to Calvin and saw him work on some of the most successful tunes of the year, including Cheryl Cole’s Call My Name, Let's Go with Ne-Yo, We’ll Be Coming back with Example and Sweet Nothing with Florence Welch. No wonder he was awarded an Ivor Novello gong for Songwriter of the Year the following year.
PA PhotosCalvin teamed up with another one of his celeb mates - Ellie Goulding - and released the hugely successful I Need Your Love in 2013. The song’s video shows Ellie and Calvin as a romantic couple on a trip to Miami.
Boo George for Emporio ArmaniCalvin gave David Beckham and Cristiano a run for their money in the pants department after scoring an underwear campaign with Emporio Armani in 2014. "Calvin Harris is a truly cosmopolitan, dynamic young man who is capable of attracting the masses with his music and energy. He isn't a model by nature, and this creates a more sincere and engaging bond with the public", said Giorgio Armani.
PA PhotosHe reportedly made a massive $66m last year and the secret to his success? “I happened to be in the right place at the right time,” he said.
Getty ImagesCalvin Harris dated GLAMOUR cover star Taylor Swift for a while, but the pair split and it all got a little messy when she started dating Tom Hiddleston.
Getty ImagesAs well as winning Man of The Year at the 2015 GLAMOUR Awards, Calvin Harris has also kept his title as the highest paid DJ in the world, and according to Forbes' latest rich list, he made $66m (£41.8m), in 2015. For the last two years the 31-year-old's earnings have totalled the same amount. Lend us a fiver, Calv?
Getty ImagesTalking about his split with Taylor Swift, he told British GQ: "It's very difficult when something I consider so personal plays out very publicly. The aftermath of the relationship was way more heavily publicised than the relationship itself. When we were together, we were very careful for it not to be a media circus. She respected my feelings in that sense. I'm not good at being a celebrity."
"But when it ended, all hell broke loose. Now I see that Twitter thingTwitter thing as a result of me succumbing to pressure. It took me a minute to realise that none of that matters. I'm a positive guy."
"For both of us it was the wrong situation. It clearly wasn't right, so it ended, but all of the stuff that happened afterwards..."
