From Surfboards to Stadiums: DJ Fisher’s Wild Ride to Global Fame

WORDS: Steve Hunt PHOTOGRAPHY Supplied

He was just a Palm Beach grom spinning tracks at surf parties — now Fisher is lighting up the world’s biggest stages, all while staying grounded in his beloved Palmy roots.

You can take the boy out of Palmy, but you can’t take Palmy out of the boy.

That’s certainly the case with Paul Fisher — the former Palm Beach-Currumbin High School student, local surfer, and now global DJ sensation.

In Europe’s party capital, Ibiza, he’s simply known as Pescado — Spanish for Fish.

To feet-stomping millennials on the streets of the Gold Coast and around the world, he’s DJ Fisher, or just Fisher.

To his wife Chloe, daughter Bobbi, and his surfing buddies, he’s a loving husband, doting father, great mate — and a true Aussie larrikin.

And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I still can’t wrap my head around how my career has gone into the stratosphere where I’m doing gigs all over the world,” reflects Paul, 39.
“I mean, I was just surfing when I left school and having a good time. I started playing some music and spinning tracks, and now I’m travelling to Europe and the US for work — I feel very blessed.
“But for me, Chloe, and Bobbi, there’s no place like home. I’m a Palmy boy and always will be — it’s where we come back, put our feet on the ground, and reconnect. We surf the beaches of Palmy or just hang at home with our friends and family.”

Fisher’s career has been truly meteoric.

When Ocean Road caught up with him, he and Chloe had just launched their aptly named $50 million Pescado apartment project on the southern Gold Coast’s ‘millionaire’s row’ in Jefferson Lane — a collection of seven full-floor, uber-luxury apartments that incorporate their global experiences into an architectural masterpiece.

Asked where his next gig was during the Pescado launch in early April, Fisher laughed at his schedule.

“This weekend I’m off to Nashville, Tennessee,” he said.
“I fly to the US, get a connecting flight to Nashville, do my gig, then turn around and fly home again to Palmy and my family. It’s hectic. Sometimes I feel like I’m on planes more than I’m on land.
“That’s why when I come home, I just love spending time with Chloe and Bobbi and my mates — staying grounded in what makes the Gold Coast such a great place to live.”

Born in Australia, Paul Nicholas Fisher was just your average surf-frothing grom.

A member of Burleigh Boardriders, he was often seen honing his skills on the beach breaks of Palm Beach or the world-class point breaks of Burleigh Heads, Kirra, and Snapper Rocks, while completing his schooling at PBC.

“I was eight when I started surfing and my brother would push me onto waves — my whole family just loved the beach and we still do,” recalls Paul.

He began competing at the age of 12 and was pursuing a professional surfing career with sponsorships from homegrown surf brands by the time he was 16.

While competing on the World Qualifying Series, Fisher’s larger-than-life personality began to shine. He started DJing at local Gold Coast venues popular with the surf crowd, such as Komune at Coolangatta — co-owned by former pro surfer Luke Egan and businessman Tony Cannon, who also owns Komune Resort in Bali.

Fisher’s gregarious antics and online comedic videos gained popularity within the global surfing community in the mid-2000s.

He launched a surf-entertainment brand called Follow the Fish TV, which became a cult hit, capturing the lifestyle and energy of surf culture through original content that followed surfers and their adventures.

His natural charisma soon caught attention outside the surf scene. Paul began DJing at surf parties and found himself spending more time behind the decks, with his drive to win surf comps beginning to wane.

In the early 2010s, Fisher teamed up with Leigh Sedley to form the DJ duo Cut Snake. They played at beach parties, surf events, and small venues, with their signature deep and tech house sets gaining traction in the American club scene.

Cut Snake eventually played major music festivals around the world.

Then, in 2017, Fisher launched his solo career under the moniker FISHER, debuting with the track Ya Kidding, which was met with acclaim and support from major DJs and fans alike.

He followed it up with Stop It, before dropping the track that would become his breakout global hit: Losing It (2018). The song earned a Grammy nomination for Best Dance Recording.

“Losing It became an international club anthem, catapulting FISHER into global stardom.”

Known for his high-energy performances, cheeky personality, and loyal fanbase, Fisher’s breakthrough came with his 2018 Coachella appearance, where he played The Do Lab and Yuma Tent — launching him into the global house music scene.

He has since headlined top-tier festivals including Coachella, EDC, Tomorrowland, and Ultra.

But Paul Fisher’s global success is only part of the story.

They say behind every great man is a great woman, and with wife Chloe, Paul has found both love and a business partner.

Paul met Chloe Chapman, an Australian model and swimwear designer, during his surfing days. The couple married in their beloved Bali in 2020.

Chloe — an influencer and entrepreneur in her own right — originally founded the Australian swimwear label Aloè Swimwear, which she has since sold.

In 2021, she joined close friend Ellidy Pullin — widow of Olympic snowboarder Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin — to co-host the podcast Darling, Shine! following Chumpy’s tragic drowning off Palm Beach reef in 2020.

The show has built a loyal global following, with Chloe and Ellidy sharing raw, heartfelt stories — including Ellidy’s journey to motherhood through posthumous sperm retrieval and IVF.

Chloe and Paul also have their own story of struggle and hope. Their daughter Bobbi is their “miracle baby” after facing fertility challenges. Chloe has since become a passionate advocate for infertility awareness and miscarriage support in Australia.

“We felt it was important to share our experiences and encourage other couples on their journey to having families,” says Chloe.

Now, as they travel the world together on their US and Europe tour, the couple stays grounded in their Palm Beach lifestyle.

“I’m on the road pretty much the whole year — planes, festivals, cars, everything,” Paul says from his Palmy home.
“My life’s chaotic. So when I come back to Palm Beach, I just want to cruise, chill and not leave the house.
“I let people come to me and hang here. That’s what it’s all about. I’ve got the beach out front. I surf, I train, and I don’t really leave Palmy. For me, it’s a little getaway. It’s my oasis.”

For Chloe, Palm Beach is also the perfect sanctuary.

“I’m a Northern Beaches girl from Sydney, but I’ve been living on the Gold Coast for the last five years,” says Chloe.
“Honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. This is the best place I’ve ever lived — right here on Jefferson Lane.
“I’m so excited to buy Bobbi her first bike and watch her ride up and down the lane. It’s a chilled vibe and a great community. There are so many kids — it’s a great environment.”

That deep local connection underpins their latest venture: Pescado — a $50 million development project the couple have dubbed “chaos to calm.”

Paul and Chloe will retain the two-storey penthouse at Pescado — a statement of intent that this is no mere investment, but their forever home.

The project is a collaboration between the Fishers and BDA Architecture, with local builder HNKN set to begin construction in the third quarter of 2025.

Together, Paul and Chloe have fused their international design experience with their coastal roots to create a home that blends architectural sophistication with relaxed beachside living.

“After weeks on the road, all I can think about is getting home,” says Paul.
“That feeling of calm, of being fully present, is what we want to bring to Pescado.”

“Palm Beach is part of my DNA, and that’s reflected in Pescado’s design. It captures the natural rhythm and energy of the coastline — it’s wavy and groovy, just like my music.
“We wanted to create a space where people can entertain, bring friends over, and enjoy the coastal lifestyle.
“Pescado isn’t just another luxury development. It’s deeply personal. We’re not building this and moving on — this is our forever home. Every detail has been carefully considered.”

Designed for wellness, connection and lifestyle, Pescado will feature a resort-style pool, gym, cold plunge, BBQ and dining areas.

“Pescado’s interiors are designed to blend elegance with comfort so it feels like a home, not just a house,” says Chloe.
“We’ve drawn inspiration from our favourite hotels around the world, with a strong focus on sustainability and liveability.
“We used organic textures and neutral tones, with pops of sage green and blush pink to give Pescado its own personality — without overpowering the coastal feel.”

Now, with the next chapter of their lives unfolding, Paul and Chloe Fisher remain grounded by the same coastline that shaped them.

“Every time we’re away, we just pine for the simplicity of our lives in Palmy,” says Paul.
“We can’t wait for Pescado to be built — it will be the calm in the chaos. And that’s just how we want it.”