Eric Kupper celebrated 35 years of house music in 2021. He is consistently chosen as one of the highest ranking yearly soulful house artists in the world by the leading international online authority for house music, Traxsource. Eric's solo efforts on his own Hysteria Records are staples on the Traxsource Deep and Soulful house charts.
He has worked on 122 Billboard #1 dance records, with artists as diverse as Ariana Grande, Diana Ross, Calvin Harris, Janet Jackson, and Alan Walker. He also has countless Billboard top 10's. Eric has also mixed two records that have received the “Dance Record of the Year” Grammy award.
2020 saw the release of The Diana Ross album “Supertonic” which features remixes of many of her classic recordings remixed exclusively by Eric, with 4 of the tracks reaching the #1 position on the Billboard chart. Remixes of Earth, Wind & Fire “September”, and Gloria Gaynor's “I Will Survive” were also released in 2020 with great success. In early 2021, Kupper's remix of the classic “Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now” by McFadden & Whitehead set off the 50th anniversary of Philidelphia International Records.
Eric was the late Frankie 's Knuckles primary musical partner for 25 years before his untimely passing in 2014. In 1991 Eric composed a track called “The Whistle Song”, widely considered to be one of the great classic house tracks of all time. It was initially released on Frankie's first album on Virgin Records, co-produced by Kupper and has had several re-releases and remixes throughout the years.
Eric produced a track for the October 2014 release “Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics“ which became the first top 10 album for the “Queen of Soul” in over 30 years. It reached number 1 on the Billboard R&B album chart and won the prestigious NAACP Image Award. Other producers on the album include Babyface and Andre 3000.
Eric has been interviewed by many diverse publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Daily News, Keyboard Magazine, DJ, and Billboard Magazine among many others.
Kupper got his start over three decades ago working as a keyboardist, guitarist, and songwriter for such producer and remixers as David Morales, Frankie Knuckles, Arthur Baker, Mark Kamins, Justin Strauss, Peter Rauhofer, and Richie Jones to name a few.
Since 1986 he has played on, remixed, and/or produced over 2000 records for artists spanning all contemporary musical genres. He is one of the few artists in dance music today that is a master multi-instrumentalist. A true musician. Over the years, thousands and thousands of hours in the studio has polished Eric Kupper into one of the most sought after producers/remixer/musicians in the world.
The remix work is astounding. Major label artists that have taken the Kupper treatment include Garbage, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keyes, Pink, Calvin Harris, Sam Smith, Judy Garland, Katy Perry, Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera, The Jackson 5, Ariana Grande, Depeche Mode, Diana Ross, Mary J. Blige, BT, Joe Jonas, Marianne Faithful, Goldfrapp, Gloria Estefan, Cher, Shakira, Enrique Iglesias, Kathy Sledge, Sheryl Crow, Lenny Kravitz, Kylie Minogue, Gloria Gaynor, Korn, Moloko, New Order, Yoko Ono, Dido, Selena Gomez, Usher, Brandy, Curtis Mayfield, Robert Palmer, Afrika Bambaata & Soulsonic Force, Kate Bush, 808 State, Jessica Simpson, Anastacia, Donna Summer...and many, many more.
Some of Kupper's massive discography is also derived from his work as a studio musician. His work as a multi-instrumentalist and arranger has helped sell over 50 million records for artists such as Anastacia, Marc Anthony, Celine Dion, Jessica Simpson, and Jennifer Lopez. In the role of “additional production and keyboards” Eric has worked with Madonna, Celine Dion, Destiny's Child, Britney Spears, LCD Soundsystem, Coldplay, Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Anastacia, Seal, Janet Jackson, Kelis, Jamiroquai, Eric Clapton, Everything But The Girl, Björk, and David Bowie...
As a producer/mixer, Eric also creates a great deal of music outside of the dance realm, including unashamed pop, heavy rock, punk, folk, indie rock, or whatever floats his musical boat at the moment. Artists include Roisin Murphy, Coolbone, John Wesley Harding, Drill, PM Dawn, Julee Cruise, The Butterflies of Love, Saint Etienne, Bonnie Bailey, McQueen, Lovebites, Jaymes Bullet, Laura Pausini, and Gloria Estefan.
Eric has remixed hit records for many Japanese artists, including Yuki, Ayumi Hamasaki, Genki Rockets, Favorite Blue, Studio Apartment, Cargo, Orienta Rhythm, and Mayu. He has also produced and co-written a song for the violinist Chieko Kinbara, an esteemed member of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.
Eric was one of the original Hed Kandi DJ's, where he enjoyed a residency at London's Pacha for several years, El Divino in Ibiza, as well as DJing all over the globe as an independent DJ or as a Hed Kandi resident. These days you can find Eric performing worldwide, sometimes with keyboards in the DJ booth for added flavor. As a DJ Eric is known for his keen ability to read an audience. Whether serving up the deepest soulful vibes, deep house, tech edged grooves or vocal anthems, his sets always rock the crowd.
Cementing his underground house roots, Eric released an album in 2009 under his critically acclaimed “K-Scope” moniker. Entitled “Electrikiss,” it was released by Nitegrooves/King Street in the USA and Grand Gallery in Japan. A sexy mixture of cutting edge electronics infused with undeniable soul, it was championed by DJ's all over the world including Louie Vega, Frankie Knuckles,
Andy Caldwell, and many more. 2022 has seen the release of brand new K- Scope material, leading up to an album to be released late in 2022. Also in late 2022, SoSure Music (U.K.) is releasing a retrospective of Eric's career so far that will consist of 3 double pack vinyl records, as well as CD and all digital formats.
From 2011 through early 2014, Eric placed a great deal of focus on his partnership with long-term collaborator Frankie Knuckles, under the name “Director's Cut”. The first single “I'll Take You There” featured Jaime Principle on vocals and was released on Nocturnal Groove. Since then, nearly everything with the “Director's Cut” name on it (original tracks and remixes) has reached the top 5 on the Traxsource downloads chart, most topping the chart at #1. The remix of Human Life's “In It Together” was truly one of the summer anthems of 2011. The Director's Cut remix of “Need You (100%)” by Duke Dumont feat. A*M*E hit #1 on the Billboard Dance/Club Chart in August of 2013. The world lost a true music pioneer upon Frankie's untimely passing in March 2014. Eric will continue to carry on the Director's Cut style, as a testament to his close musical relationship with Frankie. 2019 saw the launch of a Vol. 1 of a Director's Cut retrospective vinyl and digital compilation on SoSure Music, with Vol. 2 in 2020, and Vol. 3 in 2021. Eric is a member of the advisory board of directors for the Frankie Knuckles Foundation, a charitable organization focused on music in schools, LGBTQ youth homelessness, AIDS research and prevention, & diabetes research and education.
Recently Eric has been directing much of his focus to his independent label (Hysteria Records) as well as remixing major label artists.
Hysteria Records, which celebrated it's 25th anniversary in 2021, has had a massive string of hit club records, with major support by premier house DJ's worldwide, including his solo artist singles “Oscillations”, “Oracle”, “On Love”, “Do It”, “Listen”, “From The Inside”, and “Keep Holding On”. Other chart toppers on Hysteria include 2016's Sterling Void feat. Paris Brightledge “It's All Right”, and the Director's Cut remixes of “Good People” by Marko Militano. 2017 saw the release of the chart topping Louis Vega's remix of “Set Me Free” by Robert Clivilles. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Hysteria Records, many remastered re-releases of classics and new productions were offered. Much more to come. Stay tuned...
In the world of film and television, Eric has had many of his compositions and productions placed in major films and television shows, as well as creating original soundtrack music, including his work on a song on the Grammy Award winning soundtrack for the film “Chicago”. He has also created music for major advertising campaigns for companies such as Coca Cola, M&M's, and Nestea. His Fanta commercial ("The Fantanas") became such a pop culture phenomenon in the US, it was even parodied on the popular animated TV show "Family Guy".
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