IiO
| Company type | Duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Key people | Nadia Ali (vocalist, songwriter), Markus Moser (producer) |
| Products | Dance music, singles, albums |
iiO (pronounced "eye-oh") was a dance music duo originating from New York City, consisting of vocalist and songwriter Nadia Ali alongside producer Markus Moser. The act rose to fame with their 2001 hit single, "Rapture", which climbed to number two on both the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart and the UK Singles Chart. Building on this achievement, iiO released multiple singles as well as their 2005 debut album Poetica, which attained the 17th position on the Billboard Top Electronic Albums ranking.
Afterwards, in 2005, Ali departed to embark on a solo career, while Moser continued to produce tracks featuring her vocals. This included the 2006 single "Is It Love?", which secured the top spot on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The group's concluding album, Exit 110 released in 2011, also showcased Ali’s vocal contributions.
History
Nadia Ali met Markus Moser during her employment at Versace in New York City. Initially, they named their collaboration "Vaiio," inspired by Ali’s Sony Vaio laptop; however, this was later abbreviated to "iiO" to circumvent trademark conflicts. Ali contributed lyrics and vocals while Moser managed production duties. Their initial single, "Rapture," influenced by a personal romantic experience and created within half an hour, became a significant dance anthem across the US and Europe, especially reaching number two in the UK charts. The track was subsequently remixed by prominent DJs such as Avicii and Paul van Dyk.
Following "Rapture," iiO released singles including "At the End" (2002), "Smooth" (2003), "Runaway" (2004), and "Kiss You" (2005). Their first album, Poetica, was launched in 2005 under Made Records, coinciding with Ali’s exit to focus on her solo endeavors. Despite her departure, Moser continued issuing music featuring Ali's vocals, notably the 2006 chart-topping single "Is It Love?", the 2007 remix compilation Reconstruction Time: The Best of iiO Remixed, and the 2008 collection Rapture Reconstruction: Platinum Edition.
In 2010, iiO made a comeback with fresh remixes of "At the End." Their final studio release, Exit 110, arrived in April 2011 and contained vocals and lyrics from Ali recorded years prior. Ali clarified that she had no involvement beyond those initial recordings and had not collaborated with Moser since leaving iiO. Moser explained that fan interest motivated him to release this material.
Studio albums
- Poetica (2005) – peaked at number 17 on Top Electronic Albums
- Exit 110 (2011)
Remix albums
- Reconstruction Time: The Best of iiO Remixed (2007)
- American Ambient (2011)
Compilations
- Rapture Reconstruction: Platinum Edition (2008)
- Frank Bailey vs iiO Remastered (2011)
Singles
| Year | Title | US | US Dance | AUS | DEN | FIN | UK | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | "Rapture" | 46 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 12 | 2 | Poetica |
| 2002 | "At the End" | — | 41 | 53 | 16 | 13 | 20 | |
| 2003 | "Smooth" | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | |
| 2004 | "Runaway" | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | |
| 2005 | "Kiss You" | — | 3 | — | — | 5 | — | |
| 2006 | "Is It Love?" | — | 1 | — | — | 20 | — | |
| 2007 | "Rapture 2007" | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | Reconstruction Time |
| 2010 | "At the End" (Metropolitan Mix) | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single |
| 2011 | "It'll Be Like" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Exit 110 |