Jack Ü

Jack Ü was an American electronic dance music duo composed of producers Skrillex and Diplo. The project was formed in 2013 and blended various genres, including trap, dubstep, and house music. Their name, according to Skrillex, comes from the idea that the music "jacks you up" with its high energy.

History

Skrillex (Sonny Moore) and Diplo (Thomas Wesley Pentz) first collaborated on tracks prior to forming Jack Ü. Their official debut as a duo was at the Mad Decent Block Party in San Diego on September 15, 2013. They gained significant attention with their performance at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami in 2014. Their first official single, "Take Ü There," featuring vocals by Kiesza, was released on October 4, 2014. This was followed by their first and only studio album, "Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü," released on February 27, 2015. The album featured a wide range of collaborators, including Justin Bieber, 2 Chainz, AlunaGeorge, and Missy Elliott.

Key Releases

The duo's most commercially successful single was "Where Are Ü Now," featuring Justin Bieber. The track was a global hit, reaching the top ten in multiple countries and earning the duo a Grammy Award. Other notable tracks from their album include "To Ü" featuring AlunaGeorge and "Jungle Bae" featuring Bunji Garlin.

Accolades

Jack Ü's album "Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü" won the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album in 2016. The single "Where Are Ü Now" also won the Grammy for Best Dance Recording the same year. The collaboration with Justin Bieber also received an American Music Award and an MTV European Music Award for Best Collaboration.

Hiatus

In August 2016, Skrillex announced that Jack Ü would be taking a break from touring for a "long, long time" in a since-deleted tweet. In a 2017 interview, Diplo cited creative differences and the complexities of Skrillex being signed to a major label, Atlantic Records, as reasons for the project's indefinite hiatus.