Mark Picchiotti is an American DJ, producer, remixer and songwriter based out of Chicago, Illinois. As a remixer and producer, Picchiotti has amassed 24 number one singles on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, and he has remixed such artists as Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Daft Punk, The Killers, AC/DC, Florence and The Machine, Amy Grant, Foster The People, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Sia, Sybil, Enriqué Iglesias, and Mary J. Blige. In 2002, he produced and co-wrote the Kylie Minogue single “Give It To Me” for her 8x-Platinum album Fever. Picchiotti was also voted one of the 40 most influential remixers of all time by UK publication Blues & Soul Magazine. His DJ residencies at nightclubs in his hometown of Chicago have included Shelter, Smartbar, Berlin, Crobar, and Medusa’s; as well as UK nightclubs Ministry of Sound (London) and Hard Times (Leeds). He continues to travel the globe performing at notable clubs such as Pacha (Portugal) and El Divino (Ibiza). He has also headlined the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival and DJed its infamous daytime after-party Laneway.
Mark Picchiotti owns and operates the imprint Blueplate Records, home to his own acts Basstoy, Sandstorm, Fondue, and Streetlife. Picchiotti is also a member of several dance music duos: The Absolute, Nightman, and Doctorz, MD. Mark Picchiotti’s music has been described as house, gospel house, soulful house, and progressive house. Additionally, Billboard Magazine says of Mark’s music, “His ear for soulful rhythm is matched by a knack for sweet pop melody construction.” In the 1990s, his work with Suzanne Palmer, “There Will Come A Day” and the follow-up single “I Believe”, earned Picchiotti the mantle “Godfather of Gospel House” by music journalists.
Biography
Mark Picchiotti first rose to prominence in 1991 when he produced fellow Chicago artist LaTour's eponymous debut album, spawning the controversial Top 40 hit single “People Are Still Having Sex”. This song would become Picchiotti’s first production to reach #1 on Billboard Dance, and it was used by American figure skater Tonya Harding in her program at the 1992 Winter Olympics. LaTour’s album also featured “Blue”, a song used in the iconic film Basic Instinct (starring Sharon Stone).
In 1994, using the alias Streetlife, Picchiotti first collaborated with gospel house singer Dana Divine on the song “Love Breakdown”, released on Tribal America Records. As a result of that successful pairing, Dana was featured on one of Mark’s biggest productions, “Runnin’” by Basstoy. The single reached #13 on the UK Singles Chart, #1 on the UK Club chart, and #3 on Billboard Dance Club Songs. Dana was again featured on the follow-up single “Turn It Up”, which also saw worldwide success, reaching #1 on Billboard Dance, #1 on the UK’s Upfront Music Chart, and #1 on the DMC World Music Chart, and securing a spot as Billboard’s #3 club song of the year.
In 1995, Mark Picchiotti began working with Craig Snider and acclaimed dance music vocalist Suzanne Palmer, spawning “There Will Come A Day” and “I Believe” under the name The Absolute. Regarding their collaboration, Palmer recounts, “As I did more performing, I began to sing commercials for radio and TV, and I came to the attention of Mark Picchiotti, a house music producer from Chicago and his music collaborator, Craig Snider, a jingle writer and producer.” She continues, “That’s how I got my break in dance music.”
In 1997, Picchiotti DJed the release party for Janet Jackon’s album Velvet Rope at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, CA. That same year, Mark started his own dance music record label, Blueplate Records, on which numerous Billboard-charting and critically-acclaimed projects have been released. Notable signings to Blueplate include:
Bebe Zahara Benet (the season one winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race) Kylie Minogue Basstoy (whose songs "Magic" and "Turn It Up" reached #1 on Billboard, among other charting hits) Alec Sun Drae Sybil Ralphi Rosario (whose tracks “Everybody Shake It” and “C’mon Get Funky” reached #1 and #2 on Billboard, respectively) Eric Kupper & Peyton Blueplate Allstars Deep Influence Sandstorm Mark’s own gospel act The Absolute featuring dance diva Suzanne Palmer
1998 marked the beginning of Mark’s affiliation with Strictly Rhythm, an iconic American dance record label, with a production and distribution deal for physical CDs and vinyl. He also began working with the UK-based duo Lighthouse Family. After having gained the band’s respect with his remix of their track “Raincloud”, Mark was asked to work with the band on their following album. Subsequently, he was asked to DJ the Lighthouse Family world tour wrap party in Newcastle, England.