Onofrio Spencer Jeffrey Bruno,[1] professionally known as Spencer Brown, is an American electronic dance music artist, producer, and DJ.[2][3][4] He is best known for his albums, 'Illusion of Perfection' (2018)[5] and 'Stream of Consciousness' (2020),[6][7][8][9] and for his collaborations with
deadmau5 and
Above & Beyond.[4][10][11]
Brown was born in
Los Gatos, CA.[13] At the age of 2, he started drumming. Around age 12, he started DJing and producing his own music, motivated by his dislike of the music selection at school parties. His first gigs included teenage birthday parties, Bar/Bat Mizvahs, and middle school parties. He moved to
Dallas, TX when he was 13, where his DJ business grew. When Brown was 14, he discovered progressive house music through
Axwell,
Eric Prydz, and later Avicii. He graduated with distinction in 2016 in Electrical & Computer Engineering with a minor in Computer Science from
Duke University –
Pratt School of Engineering, where he wrote his thesis on omnidirectional speakers.[14]
Career
Brown got his first break when
Avicii signed him to his label for his "Chalice EP" on
LE7ELS in 2014.[15][2] He made his live debut opening for Avicii at the
Hollywood Bowl in 2013. Thereafter, he toured
North America, opening for Avicii’s True Tour.[16][17] After graduating from
Duke University, his career picked pace, when he continued touring and releasing music with world-known DJs like Above & Beyond and deadmau5.[18][19][20] In a few years, Brown saw support from some of dance music's biggest international acts, including
Calvin Harris,
Armin van Buuren, Avicii,
Sasha,
FISHER, and
Pete Tong.[21]
Brown released his debut studio album, presented in mixed format, titled 'Illusion of Perfection’ on May 11, 2018. His dislike of radio edits inspired his decision to create a mixalbum. He released his second album, also presented in mixed format, called 'Stream of Consciousness' on January 31, 2020.[22] Collaborators included label mates
Ben Böhmer,
Marsh, and Qrion. Both albums became number one on the iTunes Dance charts and presented Brown with international headline tours. In 2021, Spencer was signed by Sasha to his Last Night on Earth imprint and to Insomniac's newly established Factory 93 label imprint, further establishing his reputation in the global house and techno scene.[23][24]
Personal life
Brown is openly gay; he
came out publicly in June 2020, although he had confided in friends six years earlier.[25] Being
in the closet had led to depression and illness which he credits the dance music community for helping him recover, “I’ve transformed from a self-hating, anxiety-ridden boy to a self-loving, grateful man. I’m learning to transform my
OCD into something more productive—like perfecting my mixdowns and sound design. I’m discovering ways to pass on the support I found in the dance music community, and I’m finding so much to be thankful for.”[25]