Zookëper
Birth nameMichael Doerr
Born (1989-01-14) January 14, 1989
New Jersey, United States
Occupation(s)
  • DJ
  • record producer
  • musician
Years active2008–present
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)
  • Guitar
  • backing vocals
Labels

Michael Doerr (born January 14, 1989),[1][2] known professionally as Zookeper (stylized as Zookëper) is an American electronic music artist and producer from New Jersey.[3]

Doerr went under the alias in 2013. He released his own original songs in 2015, including "Gunz" and "Move off Ya Feet". On tour, he was a supporting act for Tritonal, Bingo Players, and others.

He is best known for his singles, "Watch Me" and "Parallel Lines" that reached the top ten on the dance charts.[4] He garnered over 40 million streams on Spotify and has also done remixes for the likes of John Mayer, Cher, Jason Derulo, The Knocks, and Teyana Taylor among others.[4]

Career

Doerr initially started his career as a touring guitarist for Cash Cash in 2008.[3] He was credited on their 2008 debut album, Take It to the Floor, as the photo editor. He left the group in August 2009.[5] In 2011, Doerr did a remix to the song "Dirty People" by Alsex.[6]

In 2013, Doerr began going under the name, Zookëper, remixing songs for other artists such as the Ready Set and Goldhouse.[3][7] He started to release original songs of his own in 2015. He released his debut single "Move off Ya Feet", in December.[8]

In 2018, he made a remix to John Mayer's song, "New Light" which has gone on to become double platinum in the United States.[9][10] He also released a single that year titled, "For Real", which peaked on the Belgium Ultratip chart as an "extra tip" position. His single "Do You Think About Me" reached number four on the UK Commercial Pop Top 30 chart.[4] His breakout hit "Watch Me" entered the Billboard Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart at number 27, and later peaked at number 15 on the week of July 20, 2019.[11] The song also peaked at number six on the Mediabase Dance Radio Airplay Top 100 Chart.[12] His follow up single "Parallel Lines" was released in August 2019 and performed better than "Watch Me" on the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart peaking at number eight. The song was inspired by Howard Stern according to Doerr.[13]

In 2021, Zookëper went on a US tour with Bingo Players called the "Bingo Beach Tour".[14] He performed at the Lollapalooza festival in 2022.[15]

Musical style

Speaking about what motivates him into making music, Doerr stated in an interview that he's, "not the type of producer who loves being locked in a room by himself all the time." He expresses that he loves being out, socializing, traveling, and "soaking in the energy of a packed room with music."[16]

Production equipment and software

In the studio, Doerr uses Genelec monitors, KRK sub, a laptop, a MIDI keyboard, and a 909 machine. He also uses a Arturia Analog Lab plug-in suite and the Roland Cloud.[17] Doerr states he tries to use "classic sounds as much as possible and to keep the arrangements bare."[11]

Discography

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions[18]
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
Dance Airplay
[19]		 BEL
(Fl)
[20]		 UK
Pop
[21]
"Move off Ya Feet" 2015 ——— Non-album singles
"Gunz" 2016 ———
"Waistline"
(featuring Keno)		 ———
"Bang Boogie" ———
"For Real" 2018 ——[upper-alpha 1]—
"Void"
(featuring Emmalyn)		 ———
"Do You Think About Me"
(featuring Georgia Ku)		 ——4
"Body Heat"
(featuring Maribelle)		 ———
"From Me" ———
"On N On"
(featuring Iceman)		 ———
"Watch Me" 2019 15——
"Parallel Lines" 8——
"House Phone" ———
"Rain Drops"
(featuring Carla Monroe)		 2020 ———
"Good Time" ———
"Body Talk" ———
"Think of You"
(featuring Marlhy)		 2021 ———
"Do What You Like" ———
"Be Just Fine"
(featuring Leonelle)		 ———
"Taking Over Me" 2022 ———
"Obsession" ———
"Bathroom Line" ———
"Verano" ———
"Numb"
(featuring Sodium)		 ———
"I Wanna" 2023 ———
"Close My Eyes" ———
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Remixes

Year Title
2011 Alsex - "Dirty People" (Remix)
2013 The Ready Set - "Give Me Your Hand (Best Song Ever)" (Remix)
Smallpools - "Dreaming" (Remix)[22]
2014 Goldhouse - "FeelGood" (Remix)[23]
2016 Bingo Players - "Out of My Mind" (Remix)[24]
2017 HARIZ - "OVRBRD" (Remix)[25]
The Knocks - "House Party" (Remix)[26]
2018 Echosmith - "Over My Head" (Remix)[27]
Cash Cash - "Finest Hour" (Remix)[28]
John Mayer - "New Light"[29]
Matoma - "Sunday Morning" (Remix)[30]
2019 Breathe Carolina - "My Love" (Remix)[31]
Goldhouse - "Cardio" (Remix)[32]
Teyana Taylor - "WTP" (Remix)[33]
2020 070 Shake - "Guilty Conscience" (Remix)[34]
Meghan Trainor - "Nice to Meet Ya" (Remix)[35]
2021 Steve James and Morgan Page - "Like I Do" (Remix)[36]
Sigrid - "Mirror" (Remix)[37]
2022 Meghan Trainor - "Bad for Me" (Remix)[38]

Other appearances

Year Artist Song/Album Notes
2008 Cash Cash Take It to the Floor Photo editor[39]
2018 Sj Calabasas Producer[40]
2019 Captain Cuts "Heat" Songwriter, producer[41]
2021 Cash Cash Say It Like You Feel It Drum programming, keyboards, producer, programmer, composer[42]

Notes

  1. ↑ "For Real" did not enter the Ultratop 50, but charted as an "extra tip" on the Ultratip chart.[20]

References

  1. ↑ @zookepermusic (January 14, 2022). "BIRTHDAY BOI" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ↑ "Mike is on tour!". MySpace. Archived from the original on February 25, 2009. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 Matt Collar. "Zookëper - Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 "Zookëper - Artist". Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  5. ↑ Jeff C (August 6, 2009). "Cash Cash's Jean Paul Explains Mike Doerr's Departure". PopDirt.com. Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Dirty People (Mike Doerr Remix) - Single by Alsex". Apple Music. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  7. ↑ Rachel Dady (May 7, 2013). "New Songs: The Ready Set, 'Give Me Your Hand (Best Song Ever)' Jump Smokers And Zookeper Remixes". MTV. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Move off Ya Fett - Single by Zookëper". Apple Music. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
  9. ↑ "American single certifications - John Mayer - New Light". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  10. ↑ @zookepermusic (June 14, 2022). "got my first platinum plaque today 😁😭" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. 1 2 Gordon Murray (May 23, 2019). "Billboard Dance Chart Upstarts: Zookeper, Kue & Holly Herndon". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  12. ↑ Iuliana Prichea (August 5, 2019). "Zookëper returns to Enhanced with 'Parallel Lines'!". EDMNation.com. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  13. ↑ Gordon Murray (November 7, 2019). "How Howard Stern Helped Inspire Zookeper's New Hit: Billboard Dance Chart Upstarts". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 8, 2019. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  14. ↑ Grant Gilmore (August 31, 2021). "Bingo Players and Zookëper Drop New Tune Ahead of Bingo Beach Tour". edmidentity.com. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Zookëper Live at Lollapalooza Festival Chicago 2022 (Full Dj Set)". YouTube. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  16. ↑ Darren Bezuidenhout (October 25, 2021). "Exclusive Interview With US Heavyweight Producer Zookeper". Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  17. ↑ Brian Bonavoglia (February 11, 2021). "Life in Lockdown #144: Zookëper". Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Zookëper − Singles & EPs". Apple Music. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  19. ↑ Peak positions for Zookëper songs on the Dance/Mix Show Airplay Chart:
  20. 1 2 "Zookeper - Chart History - ultratop.be". ultratop.be. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  21. ↑ EDM Joy Staff (October 15, 2021). "Perfect Havoc Signs New Single From US Heavyweight Producer Zookëper". edmjoy.com. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  22. ↑ "Dreaming (Zookëper Remix)". Spotify. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  23. ↑ "FeelGood (Zookëper Remix)". Spotify. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  24. ↑ "Celebrating 10 Years of Bingo Players - Bingo Players". AllMusic. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  25. ↑ "OVRBRD (Zookëper Remix)". Spotify. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  26. ↑ "House Party (Zookëper Remix)". Spotify. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  27. ↑ "Over My Head (Zookëper Remix) - Echosmith". AllMusic. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Finest Hour (feat. Abir) (Zookeper Remix)". SoundCloud. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  29. ↑ Rachel Narozniak (August 10, 2018). "Must Listen: Zookeper puts a house spin on John Mayer's 'New Light'". Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  30. ↑ "Sunday Morning (feat. Josie Dunne) (Zookëper Remix)". Spotify. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  31. ↑ "My Love - Zookeper Remix". Beatport. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  32. ↑ "Cardio (Zookëper Remix)". Beatport. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  33. ↑ "WTP (Zookëper Remix)". Spotify. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  34. ↑ "Guilty Conscience - 070 Shake". AllMusic. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  35. ↑ "Nice to Meet Ya (Zookëper Remix)". Spotify. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  36. ↑ "Like I Do - Zookeper Remix". Beatport. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  37. ↑ "Mirror - Sigrid". AllMusic. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  38. ↑ "Bad for Me (Zookëper Remix)". Spotify. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  39. ↑ "Cash Cash - Take It to the Floor Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  40. ↑ "Calabasas - EP". Spotify. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  41. ↑ "Captain Cuts - Heat". Genius. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  42. ↑ "Cash Cash - Say It Like You Feel It Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
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