Photo: WENN
Calvin Harris has revealed that working with US star Rihanna was the 'best thing' to ever happen to his music career.
The chart-topping DJ has revealed how getting the R'n'B star to feature on his smash hit 'We Found Love' was the master-stroke that transformed his career.
He tells The Sun newspaper: "It changed absolutely everything. Career-wise it was the best thing that could ever have happened."
The 28-year-old also explained how the track was the catalyst for his success rocketing in the US.
"For example, in America my tune 'Feel So Close' came out about three months before. But when 'We Found Love' came out, the radio started playing 'Feel So Close' like it was the single after.
“Then that did really well, it charted well and sold a lot of copies."
'We Found Love' shot straight to number one on both sides of the Atlantic, going on to sell over one million copies.
Rihanna caused controversy in the 'We Found Love' video
Harris spoke about how radio stations treated him like "a new act" when he began employing high profile vocalists such as Dizzee Rascal and Florence Welch.
His collaboration with Welch, 'Sweet Nothing' gave him another number one single last Sunday.
The DJ explained: "My own number ones are not that frequent, so it’s a pretty special thing even though a lot of people say that you don’t really have to sell that many nowadays — it’s all relative."
He releases his new album '18 Months' on Monday. The record features 'We Found Love', 'Sweet Nothing', 'Feel So close to You', and 'Bounce'- his hit that featured Kelis.
The entire LP is currently being streamed on the star's website, and features several other cameos from the likes of Tinie Tempah, Ne-Yo, and Dizzee Rascal.
Calvin Harris' new album '18 Months' gets its official release on Monday. To stream the full album today go to calivinharris.co.uk/18months
Photos: the greatest collaboration of 2011
