YouNotUs – the Berlin duo stood out with its name even before they had their first hit. But that wasn’t long in coming either: just a few months after they founded their project, Tobias and Gregor – who met while studying in Berlin – achieved their first platinum success in 2015 with “Supergirl” together with Alle Farben. It was the kick-off for a remarkable career that has made YouNotUs one of the most relevant German dance acts in recent years.
And that’s both commercially and artistically. Because “Please Tell Rosie”, “Only Thing We Know”, “Seventeen”, “Narcotic” or “YourFavouriteSong” – to name just a few songs from the past years – not only have hundreds of millions of streams between them, top 3 placements in the official German singles and/or airplay charts and gold and platinum awards around the clock; they also accomplish the feat of clearly bearing the signature of YouNotUs – fresh, innovative productions with the depth and atmosphere of deephouse, the catchiness of a pop song and the underground appeal of a throbbing club night – and yet they never sound interchangeable.
YouNotUs tell stories – their stories. Unlike most DJs and producers, Tobias and Gregor do not “just” program a beat and then send it to a singer, but are also involved in the songwriting. In intensive creative processes, they work together with their featured artists in the studio to create lyrics that often reflect experiences and observations from their own lives but performed by a guest singer. YouNotUs love the variety of changing collaborations, as the range of their discography to date shows: James Blunt, Alle Farben, Dido, Nico Santos, Benjamin Ingrosso, Julian Perretta, Kelvin Jones, Janieck, Deepend, Moguai – the list of artists YouNotUs has worked with on songs or official remixes is long.
Whether their collaborative partners are internationally renowned names or relatively unknown newcomers is not of primary importance. Art first, commercial success second –Tobias and Gregor have always believed that if they feel a song completely, it will reach people. This connection is particularly evident in the pair’s live performances. As passionate and capabl emusicians, they regularly reach for the instruments themselves at their high-energy shows and make their songs come alive in a way that goes far beyond a conventional DJ set. YouNotUs is an electronic band that writes and produces its music itself and also performs it on stage.
Whether in a pumping club or on large festival stages: YouNotUs build a special connection with their audience, and nothing about this has changed due to their status as an international platinum act. Tobias and Gregor know: without the crowd in front of the stage, the party would never get started. And without the people who listen to their songs, the music would not be successful. “It’s all about you, not us”. In short: YouNotUs.They haven’t forgotten why they gave themselves this name way back in the day.
