• January 17, 1984
• Calvin Harris is the stage name of Adam Richard Wiles, who was born in Dumfries, Scotland. His first recordings were "Da Bongos" and "Brighter Days," which were released by the Prima Facie label in early 2002 under the name Stouffer.
• Calvin Harris is 6ft 5 ¾ inches tall. He got picked on at school because of his height. "People would call me a 'big lanky ----' and all that kind of stuff," Harris recalled to The Daily Record. "I couldn't fight. The only fight I was in, I fell down before he hit me. The only thing I was good at was running away because I had long legs."
• In 2006 Harris signed a publishing contract with EMI after being discovered by one of the label employees on the social networking website MySpace. Harris also signed a recording contract with Sony that same year. He released his debut single, "Acceptable In The 80s, " a tribute to the style and culture of the decade on March 12, 2007. The song reached #10 in the UK.
• His debut album, I Created Disco was certified gold in the UK. The record's success led to Harris working with the likes of Kylie Minogue, for whom he wrote the top 10 single "In My Arms" in his bedroom on a 15-year-old computer.
• Calvin Harris holds the record for the most Top Ten hits from one studio album on the UK Singles Chart with nine from his third LP 18 Months. They were:
  
  "Bounce" featuring Kelis.
  "Feel So Close" featuring Harris, himself, on vocals.
  "We Found Love" featuring Rihanna.
  "Let's Go" featuring Ne-Yo.
  "We'll Be Coming Back" featuring Example.
  "Sweet Nothing" featuring Florence Welch.
  "Drinking From the Bottle" featuring Tinie Tempah.
  "I Need Your Love" featuring Ellie Goulding.
  "Thinking About You" featuring Ayah Marar.
• According to Forbes, Calvin Harris was the highest-paid DJ of both 2013 and 2014. However, Harris has no DJ experience, so his live performances feature him singing along with a support band (rather than behind a mixer).
• Calvin Harris caused a stir in February 2015 with a series of Emporio Armani underwear ads featuring him as the model.
• So why did Adam Richard Wiles decide to perform under the name of Calvin Harris? In a 2009 interview with Shortlist magazine, the Scottish DJ said that he felt his birth name was too Caucasian. "My first single was more of a soul track, and I thought Calvin Harris sounded a bit more racially ambiguous," he explained. "I thought people might not know if I was black or not. After that, I was stuck with it."
• Calvin Harris craves routine. He told GQ that every weekday, he habitually wakes up, goes to the gym, eats breakfast then spends the rest of the day in his home studio.
  
  "I'm definitely happier just hanging out on my own in a room," Harris said. "Ever since I've been a kid that's the case. I still have no hobbies. At some stage it would be great to learn to do something else. I have a very limited repertoire."
• Calvin Harris married TV and radio presenter Vick Hope on September 9, 2023. They tied the knot in a private ceremony at Hulne Priory, a 13th-century monastery in Alnwick, Northumberland. Nile Rodgers and his band Chic performed for guests, which included Big Brother presenter AJ Odudu and BBC radio DJs Vernon Kay, Scott Mills and Jordan North.

Comments

More Songfacts:

The G.O.A.T.LL Cool J

With his song "The G.O.A.T.," as in Greatest Of All Time, LL Cool J popularized that saying in hip-hop. He credits the boxer Muhammad Ali, who called himself "The Greatest," as inspiration.

Dixie ChickenLittle Feat

The Dixie Chicks got their name from the Little Feat song "Dixie Chicken." In 2020 they became "The Chicks" because Dixie refers to the American South in times of slavery.

She Blinded Me With ScienceThomas Dolby

Thomas Dolby wrote "She Blinded Me With Science" so he could direct the video, which was inspired by silent films and set in a "home for deranged scientists."

We Didn't Start The FireBilly Joel

Billy Joel wrote "We Didn't Start The Fire" after a 21-year-old told him, "everyone knows that nothing happened in the '50s."

Ziggy StardustDavid Bowie

David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" was likely based on various musicians in his ambit, including Iggy Pop (zIGGY), and Jimi Hendrix, who played guitar left-handed ("He played it left hand").

RhiannonFleetwood Mac

"Rhiannon" is a Welch goddess. Stevie Nicks wrote the song, and it was a huge influence on her image, inspiring her flowing shawls and black outfits she began wearing on stage.

Editor's Picks

Danny KortchmarSongwriter Interviews

Danny played guitar on Sweet Baby James, Tapestry, and Running On Empty. He also co-wrote many hit songs, including "Dirty Laundry," "Sunset Grill" and "Tender Is The Night."

John Lee HookerSongwriter Interviews

Into the vaults for Bruce Pollock's 1984 conversation with the esteemed bluesman. Hooker talks about transforming a Tony Bennett classic and why you don't have to be sad and lonely to write the blues.

Who Wrote That Song?Music Quiz

Do you know who wrote Patti Smith's biggest hit? How about the Grease theme song? See if you can match the song to the writer.

The Punk Photography of Chris SteinSong Writing

Chris Stein of Blondie shares photos and stories from his book about the New York City punk scene.

Ian Astbury of The CultSongwriter Interviews

The Cult frontman tells who the "Fire Woman" is, and talks about performing with the new version of The Doors.

Donny OsmondSongwriter Interviews

Donny Osmond talks about his biggest hits, his Vegas show, and the fan who taught him to take "Puppy Love" seriously.