This year’s Lollapalooza will feature Metallica, Doja Cat, Machine Gun Kelly, J.Cole, Green Day and now, David Solomon.
While he might not have the same name recognition in the realm of music festivals, Solomon does have a headline name for those in finance — he's the CEO of Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS).
His appearance at Lollapalooza, which is July 28 to 31 in Chicago, Illinois, is recognition of his talent as electronic dance music (EDM) DJ and producer. A quick search on his Instagram account @davidsolomonmusic (it now has approximately 35,700 followers) and on YouTube under David Solomon or DJ D-Sol, his previous performance moniker, showcases his music and his performances as a DJ at parties and corporate events in New York, Miami and The Bahamas, as well as some smaller music festivals.
In July 2020, he opened for The Chainsmokers at a charity event, “Safe & Sound,” in the Hamptons (New York) during the COVID-19 pandemic, which got organizers in a bit of trouble and became part of a New York state health authorities investigation for violation of social-distancing rules. (Results of this probe were not found online.)
On the less controversial side, Solomon recently DJ’d a Sports Illustrated party at Super Bowl LVI in February.
Being an EDM DJ and producer are passion projects for this 60-year-old executive, who took over the top spot at Goldman Sachs in 2018, succeeding Lloyd Blankfein.
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What drives this CEO to DJ?
“I have this analytical side of my mind that helps me with my biz professional career,” Solomon told the podcast “The Sound of Success with Nic Harcourt,” the New York Post reported. “But I haven’t had a lot of opportunities to stimulate the artistic creative side of my brain and it makes me feel good. Helps me relax.”
Lollapalooza was founded in 1991 and is known for featuring a diversity of musical genres, so Solomon should feel right at home.
While some may complain about the CEO taking the spot of someone who is a DJ as a career, they may want to take a look — or listen to — music from his Payback Records, which he launched in 2019 in partnership with Big Beat/Atlantic Records.
The label’s mission is “release great music for a great cause: fighting America’s addiction epidemic” … and “to raise meaningful funds for organizations working on the frontlines of the crisis” with proceeds being donated to nonprofit organizations, including Shatter Proof, SafeProject and Caron, according to the website.
Photo: Screenshot of Solomon at Hamilton College via YouTube
