Entertainment Music
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ByJamie PrimeauandCaitlyn Wisser/
While marshmallows are typically known for being paired with hot chocolate, a different Marshmello is known for being paired with a huge helmet — and lots of celebs. One's a tasty treat, and the other is a DJ who's collaborated with major artists like Selena Gomezwhile also managingto maintain an air of mystery. Marshmello doesn't only disguise his real name with an alias, but he also hides his face from the real world by wearing — you guessed it — a giant marshmallow-shaped helmet.
Fans have been eager to see Marshmello sans-helmet ever since his career began, but that thing isnot coming off — at least, if he has anything to say about it. He's even gone so far as to trick fans on more than one occasion by having famous friends wear his go-to accessory. There is one promising theory about his identity, though, and, if true, then we do know what he looks like without the mask. Keep reading to see for yourself.
Marshmello has played with fans' emotions before
At EDC Las Vegas in 2016, "Marshmello" counted down for the crowd and removed his helmet to an eruption of cheers. However, it wasn'tactually him. Instead, fellow DJ Tiesto was wearing the square-shaped face cover. Further trolling everyone, Marshmello shared the video of Tiesto to his own YouTube page with the title, "Marshmello FINALLY reveals himself at EDC Las Vegas 2016."
In August of 2017, Marshmello explained the helmet (sort of) by tweeting, "I don't take my helmet off because I don't want or need fame. I'm genuinely trying to create something positive for people to connect with." He added in a follow-up post, "The helmet makes me marshmello and also makes you marshmello...we are all marshmello." In that case, if you want to see what Marshmello really looks like, maybe just hold a mirror up to yourself? Hey, it's worth a shot.
Will the real Marshmello please stand up?
At theiHeartRadio Much Music Video Awardsin August 2018, Marshmello won the Best EDM/Dance Artist award. He walked out on stage in an all-white outfit and his signature helmet — or so fans thought. Yet again, the mask came off and, instead, it was actually Canadian singer Shawn Mendes beneath the mask. No one is ever mad to see Mendes, but, come on, this is yet another instance Marshmello messed with fans' emotions by playfully misleading them.
Earlier that same year, Will Ferrell filmed a video where he revealedhe is actually Marshmello. Taking off the square helmet, theStep Brothers actor said, "Yes, it's me. I am Marshmello. It was me all along." Sadly, that isn't really true, of course, but the fun video announced some of Marshmello's upcoming performance dates, so at least there was something in it for the fans.
There's a theory that Mashmello may be another artist
Now that Tiesto, Shawn Mendes, and Will Ferrell have all been crossed off the list of Marshmello's possible identities, there's a much more convincing theory out there. According toForbes, Marshmello is a guy named Chris Comstock, who goes by the name Dotcom as a DJ. In November 2017, the magazine cited several pieces of evidence, including Skrillex referring to Marshmello as "Chris," and Dotcom and Marshmello supposedly having the same leg tattoo.They also cross-referenced a music royalty database called BMI which concluded Comstock and Marshmello are the same person.However, Marshmello's lawyer and agent declined to comment on his identity when asked byForbes, keeping a smidgen of the mystery alive.
Even Chipotle has gotten in on the guessing game. In January 2018, Marshmello tweeted a pic of himself with the caption, "Dreaming of the day when guac is no longer extra at chipotle."The fast food chain replied, "Dreaming of the day when we find out if Marshmello really is also Dotcom."*Cue the side-eye emojis*
If Marshmello really is Comstock/Dotcom, you can see his face above. But part of the fun is never truly knowing for sure — and waiting to see which celebrity pops up in the helmet next.
Marshmello's mask speaks for itself
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One other staple in Marshmello's life — aside from his unique mask — is the presence of his longtime manager, Moe Shalizi, who revealed in the "More Than Music (Artist Spotlight Stories)" mini YouTubedocumentarythathe and Marshmello came up with the iconic mask themselves. He explained they thought of a few different materials, including pantyhose and a bandana, to form the mask. Ultimately, they decided to use a cut-up yoga mat that was cemented together in the back for the first iteration of the mask. Now, the helmet clocks in at eight pounds and costs $55,000, according to Billboard.
Shalizi said in the documentary that the mask came about because they wanted to create something that was larger than just one person. He wanted to form a brand that could transcend differences, like language, or religion, or country of origin. Having Marshmello be the brand meant that people could identify with the music without really worrying about who was behind the mask. The documentary also focused on Beni, a leukemia survivor who said she didn't really want to know who was under the helmet, because what she had was "the best thing. The music and the marshmallow."
Marshmello isn't the first DJ to don a mask
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It's safe to say that Marshmello has blown up in recent years, collaborating with everyone from Logic to Bastille to Bollywood composter Pritam, via The Statesman, and each piece of music seems to solidify the DJ in the ethos of not only electronic dance music (EDM), but in the music industry as a whole. Part of his iconic persona is, of course, his giant marshmallow-inspired helmet, which not only protects his identity from unwanted fame, it also creates a unique brand.
But Marshmello isn't the first EDM DJ to don a mask, and he most likely won't be the last. In fact, the history of EDM DJs hiding their identities is almost as old as the genre itself, with DJs in the mid-'80s hiding their identities with "a variety of anonymized aliases," reported Vice, which "distinguished electronic music performers from their counterparts in genres like hip-hop and alternative rock." DJ Vanessa Daou told the publication that "that feeling of anonymity was important. You didn't want to know who that person was. You just wanted to feel it."
The trend of hiding oneself has continued with other EDM DJs like Daft Punk, Deadmau5, and, of course, Marshmello. Marshmello has actually dialed back the trend of high-tech headgear, bringing a "back-to-basics approach," Vice wrote.
It is unlikely Marshmello will ever DJ without his iconic helmet
Although Forbes has essentially concluded that Marshmello is Chris Comstock, the artist himself (and his representatives) have yet to confirm his identity. And that's not likely to change any time soon. Even with most sleuths figuring out his identity, Marshmello still maintains his helment whenever he performs, most recently at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, where he appeared with the Jonas Brothers for their new collaboration. He will most likely maintain the mask for as long as he produces music under the Marshmello moniker, as it protects him from the fame and is a great homage to the history of EDM artists. Additionally, Marshmello has become an identity all its own. Should the face beneath the mask ever be revealed, the whole brand and image he and his manager created would fall apart.
But while his face might remain an official secret, Marshmello has, well, mellowed out in recent years. Where he used to refuse to speak and give interviews, he's become a bit more friendly with the press, issuing statements and sitting for a few interviews. While this might be the case, however, he still uses his famed body language to express himself in many of his projects, like his YouTube cooking show, much to his fans' delight.
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