From Tools to Turntables, Sydney tradie Elias Daher, known by his DJ name ‘e-Lie,’ has gone from the building site to building a dream career in music. His remix of Mariah Carey’s 2005 hit Circles has landed him in the spotlight, and even the elusive chanteuse herself couldn’t resist hopping on board.
Once just a hobby, DJing became Elias’s lifeline during the covid lockdowns. His remix of Circles caught the attention of global music giant Ministry of Sound. In a twist worthy of a Hollywood film, Mariah Carey loved the remix so much, she decided to contribute to it, much to Elias’s disbelief.
“The song that Mariah Carey is on, we didn’t think she was going to be on it,” Elias told The Sunday Telegraph. “But she ended up hearing it and she loved it and wanted to be part of it. I can’t believe that’s happened.”
The Western Sydney native is now the first Aussie and one of the first globally to have Mariah Carey’s golden voice gracing a house music track. Riding on this wave, Elias has decided to quit his day job and collaborate further with Ministry of Sound.
“For Mariah, ‘the queen,’ to feature with a boy born in Auburn and raised in Greystanes, it’s a big achievement,” Elias proudly shared. His remix has certainly struck a chord with listeners worldwide, garnering almost 1.4 million streams on Spotify and over 100,000 views on YouTube.
Besides, Elias’s own star is on the rise. With close to 5,000 followers, the online community is clearly excited about what this Sydney tradie-turned-DJ has in store.
A video shared by Elias on Instagram, featuring Mariah performing the Circles remix live for the first time, underlines his success. Here’s to more success, DJ e-Lie! The world is ready to dance to your beat.
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