Parov Stelar
Marcus Füreder (born 27 November 1974), better known by his stage name Parov Stelar, is an Austrian musician, producer, composer and DJ. He is considered a pioneer of Electro swing and is one of the most internationally successful artists from Austria. In addition to his music, he is also known for his visual artwork, which has been shown in numerous galleries and exhibitions.
His musical style blends electronic music with elements of jazz, swing, and blues, characterized by a fusion of modern beats, vintage sounds, and distinctive brass sections. Many of his tracks have been used in films, commercials, and TV series, and remain in demand worldwide.
He first gained recognition in the international club and festival scene in 2004 with the release of the EP KissKiss, followed shortly by the album Rough Cuts. These early works laid the foundation for his distinctive sound. With later tracks such as Catgroove, Booty Swing and All Night, he became one of the most-streamed Electro Swing artists and played a key role in shaping the genre. His music has consistently charted, including reaching #1 on the US iTunes Electronic Charts with The Sun (2018) and Voodoo Sonic Pt. 2 (2020). His song All Night received double platinum certification in Italy (2017), and platinum in Germany (2023) and Austria (2025).
Since 2005, Parov Stelar has brought his music to the stage with the Parov Stelar Band, a blend of DJ set and live instrumentation. The band has toured around the world, performing at major festivals such as Coachella (US), Glastonbury (UK), Sziget (HU), and Lollapalooza (DE) and in sold-out venues like PlayStation Theater in New York, Alexandra Palace in London, and Zénith in Paris.
To date, Parov Stelar has released ten studio albums, one live album, and more than twenty EPs. He has received ten Amadeus Austrian Music Awards for his work .
Life and career
Early life and musical beginnings
Marcus Füreder grew up in Linz and developed a passion for music and art at an early age. He began his career as a DJ in local clubs, performing under the pseudonym Plasma or his real name, drawing inspiration from jazz, soul, house and electronic music. These influences would later shape his distinctive musical style.
To pursue his creative vision independently, Füreder founded his own record label, Etage Noir Recordings, in 2003. He has been releasing music under the name Parov Stelar through the label ever since. His early releases, including the EP Kiss Kiss (2004), followed shortly by the album Rough Cuts, quickly gained international attention in the club and festival scene.
Breakthrough and musical development
With the albums Seven and Storm (2005) and Shine (2007), Parov Stelar refined his sound by incorporating elements of jazz, house, and broken beat into his productions. These early works laid the foundation for his later success, which saw a stronger emphasis on Electro Swing with the release of Coco (2009).
The two-part album Coco marked his definitive breakthrough and established him as a leading figure in Electro Swing. It featured the track Catgroove, which went viral and since amassed millions of streams. A video of Australian dancer TSC Forsythe performing to Catgroove has gained over 55 million views on YouTube. In 2012, he released the double album The Princess, which included globally recognized hits like Booty Swing and All Night.
Subsequent albums, The Art of Sampling (2013) and The Demon Diaries (2015), continued to evolve his sound. With The Burning Spider (2017), Parov Stelar departed from his classic Electro Swing sound, bringing blues and jazz elements to the forefront.
In 2020 he released Voodoo Sonic - The Trilogy, a three-part album series that combined his musical roots with new influences, showcasing different facets of his sound. His 2022 album, Moonlight Love Affair, took a more melodic direction, blending elements of pop and electronic dance music with his signature style in tracks such as Candy Girl and Toxic Lover.
Throughout his career, Parov Stelar has worked with internationally renowned artists such as Lana Del Rey, Bryan Ferry, Marvin Gaye and Lady Gaga. He has also remixed two songs by fellow Austrian artist Falco: Vienna Calling, released in 2017 as part of the Falco 60 anniversary compilation, and Der Kommissar, released as a standalone single in 2022.
Live performances and band
In addition to his work as a producer, Parov Stelar is also an active live performer. In 2005, he performed with a full band for the first time, blending electronic beats with live instrumentation. His high-energy shows combine music, elaborate visuals, and elements of improvisation.
Parov Stelar and his band have played at many of the world’s leading music festivals, including Coachella (US), Glastonbury (UK), Sziget (HU), Hurricane, Southside, and Lollapalooza (DE), Pukkelpop (BE), Vieilles Charrues and Solidays (FR), NOS Alive! (PT), Untold Festival (RO), Frequency (AT), and Fête de l’Humanité in Paris, which drew a crowd of 100,000. He has also performed at renowned venues such as the O2 Academy Brixton in London and Zénith in Paris. His tours regularly take him across Europe, North America, and beyond. By combining live instruments with electronic sounds, he sets himself apart from traditional DJ sets and creates a distinctive live experience.
Awards and achievements
Parov Stelar has won ten Amadeus Austrian Music Awards (7x Best Dance/Electronic, 2x Best Live Act, 1x Best Album):
- 2012: Electronic/Dance
- 2013: Electronic/Dance
- 2013: Album of the Year for The Princess
- 2013: Best Live Act
- 2014: Best Live Act
- 2015: Electronic/Dance
- 2016: Electronic/Dance
- 2019: Electronic/Dance
- 2020: Electronic/Dance
- 2021: Electronic/Dance
His music has consistently charted, including reaching No. 1 on the US iTunes Electronic Charts with The Sun featuring Graham Candy in May 2018, as well as with the release of Voodoo Sonic Pt. 2 in 2020.
His track All Night achieved double platinum status in Italy in May 2017 for 100,000 units sold, and was later certified platinum in Germany (2023) and Austria (2025)
Music in commercials, film and TV
Parov Stelar gained international recognition through the widespread use of his music in advertising, film, and television. His tracks have been featured in global campaigns for major brands including Audi, Bacardi, BMW, Coach, Colgate, Courvoisier, Escada, Ferrero, Fiat, Google, Microsoft, Target, Telecom Italia, Vodafone, Paco Rabanne and Cosmopolitan.
His music has also been featured in films, TV series, and documentaries — for example, in the movies The Spy Who Dumped Me, Hector and the Search for Happiness, Samba, and Traumfrauen, and in TV series such as Dollface, Love 101, Valeria, and Maestro in Blue. He also composed the soundtrack for season one of the German series Wo wir sind, ist oben, as well as the documentary Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's.
Visual art
The Upper Austria-born artist studied painting and graphic design at the University of Art and Design in Linz and at the University of the Arts in Berlin. In the summer of 2021 Parov Stelar gave a first insight into his work as a visual artist in his hometown Linz. The Francisco Carolinum Museum presented 25 large-format paintings such as "HELLO Mom" and "I'll be OK soon" as well as "Toxic Lover" in which he reflects on autobiographical events and fears, processing them artistically. Just like in his music, text plays a crucial role in his visual artworks.
Following his debut exhibition in 2021, Parov Stelar’s visual art has been showcased in a number of exhibitions. In 2022, his solo show danke, gut was presented at Galerie Schloss Parz. In 2023, his work was featured in the Music Lounge exhibition series at the Technisches Museum Vienna. He continued in 2024 with multiple solo exhibitions, including blind date at the Glascubus Ursulinenhof, Linz, second date at Galerie Haas & Gschwandtner in Salzburg, and a presentation at Salon Bucherer in Vienna.
Personal life
He was married to Barbara Lichtenauer (better known by her stage name Lilja Bloom), with whom he co-founded the design label Stelarbloom. Stelar and Bloom divorced in early 2020.