Brian Kennedy Seals | |
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Background information | |
Born | Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. | August 8, 1983
Genres | |
Occupations |
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Labels | Universal Music Publishing Group |
Website | briankennedy |
Brian Kennedy Seals (born August 8, 1983) is an American record producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Kansas City, Missouri. He has been credited on hit singles such as "Disturbia" by Rihanna, "Forever" by Chris Brown, and "Mr. Know It All" by Kelly Clarkson, as well as hit R&B singles including "If This Isn't Love" by Jennifer Hudson, "What It Is (Block Boy)" by Doechii, and "No Time for It" by Fantasia Barrino. [1] [2]
Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Seals was a classically trained piano prodigy, and became an accomplished pianist by the age of 8, writing his own songs and performing in the Kansas City Boys' Choir. He would create jazz, contemporary, and Christmas albums from his compositions. [3] Seals relocated to Los Angeles in 2004 at the age of 20, beginning as a session player for Diane Warren, the Underdogs, and Babyface. [3] He would eventually catch his big break in 2006, when he produced and co-wrote “My Love” on Ciara’s sophomore album, Ciara: The Evolution , securing a publishing deal. [4]
His placement on Ciara's album was soon followed by chart-topping single "Disturbia" for the repackage of Rihanna's 2007 album Good Girl Gone Bad , and chart-topper "Forever" for Chris Brown's repackage of 2007 album Exclusive . [4] [5] Seals would continue to work with both Brown and Fenty, resulting in numerous future album placements on their projects, co-written demos for inclusion on the projects of other artists, as well as co-written songs worked on in collaboration with other artists (such as Joe Jonas' "See No More" ). [6] Seals participated in initial sessions for Usher's 2008 album Here I Stand , and a contribution of his ("Angel") was even tipped in various publications to be the emotional centerpiece of the project by participating writers, but the album changed direction and his contributions did not make the final cut. [7] Seals would then begin work on R&B singer Brandy Norwood's comeback album Human as executive producer, but would be later replaced by notable Norwood collaborator Rodney Jerkins after their long-awaited creative reunion. [8] [9] Seals would still contribute two songs to the album, and built a lasting writing relationship with then-unknown New Orleans songwriter Christopher "Frank Ocean" Breaux, who together co-wrote bonus track "Locket (Lost In Love)". Breaux and Seals would collaborate frequently for the next several years alongside several other producers, creating a pre-debut album, unofficial compilation/mixtape for Breaux titled The Lonny Breaux Collection, composed of completed songs, rough demos, and songs written for other artists. In 2009, Seals contributed five songs to Disney star Corbin Bleu's second album Speed of Light . [10] [11] Seals would further solidify his place in the music industry with "If This Isn't Love" for Jennifer Hudson's eponymous debut album, "It's Over" and additional album tracks for Jesse McCartney album Departure , "This Time" for American Idol contestant Pia Toscano, as well as top-ten lead single "Mr. Know It All" for Kelly Clarkson's 2011 album Stronger . [12] [13] [14] [15] These initial contributions would earn Seals his first three Grammy awards (Winner's certificates for production participation on Grammy-winning albums) and first three ASCAP Awards. [16] [4] [17]
In 2012, Seals would reunite with Brown and contribute "Don't Wake Me Up" to his fifth album Fortune . [18] Co-produced by William Orbit and originally pitched to pop artist Madonna (who was unable to record the song in time), the song would reach the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 and chart internationally. [19] A copyright infringement suit for the song against Brown, Orbit, Kennedy, and Sony Music Entertainment by UK songwriter Nayeri Gregor aka Nayri (who created a song of the same name in 2009 and pitched it to several parties involved) was settled in 2016. [20] Seals' contribution to Fenty album Unapologetic earned him further Grammy recognition during the 2014 awards season from the R&B wing of the Recording Academy. In 2016, Seals would co-write and produce lead single "No Time for It" to Fantasia's fifth album The Definition Of... , with her declaring in a Vogue interview that the song "set the atmosphere" amidst a period of upheaval in which she had recently scrapped a more jazz-flavored album concept for something that better mixed "contemporary" and "soul". [21] Described as a label-chosen song in which "the wormy synth melody and bass line might appear on a crossover rap hit made by a popular and radio-friendly producer like DJ Mustard", the song would later reach the top 10 of the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart. [21] In 2017, Seals was spotted in a recording studio with Lady Gaga alongside fellow songwriter Dallas Davidson to work on songs for potential inclusion on a follow-up project to 2016 album Joanne , but the songs never came to fruition. [22] [23]
Seals recently sold a portion of his catalog to music management and IP firm Hipgnosis Songs Fund for an undisclosed sum, with subsidiary Hipgnosis Songs Capital assuming ownership of the catalog in a 2023 purchase deal. [24]
In 2017, at the age of 33 following a urinalysis test to determine the origin of high blood pressure, doctors discovered that Seals was experiencing kidney problems. A biopsy showed he had FSGS, or focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a relatively common form of kidney disease which decreases the kidney's ability to properly filter blood as the filters are damaged/scarred. [25] Coupled with an improved diet and blood pressure-lowering medications, Seals subsequently received a kidney transplant from his brother Kevin, who had moved to Los Angeles to be his manager. Seals continues to be an advocate for frequent blood-pressure check-ups and early avoidance of hypertension in the African-American community. [25]
The following is a list of well-known demos and outtakes produced by Seals that have been discussed in various publications, shopped around to various artists, or have surfaced on blogs, mixtapes, and various music streaming channels:
Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel is a British singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is the recipient of three Brit Awards, four Grammy Awards, and an MTV Video Music Award, with sold 20 million albums or singles sold by October 2011. He signed with record producer Trevor Horn's ZTT Records to release his eponymous debut studio album (1991). Met with critical and commercial success, it spawned the singles "Crazy" and "Killer", which peaked at numbers two and one on the UK singles chart, respectively, while both entered the US Billboard Hot 100. His 1994 single, "Kiss from a Rose", peaked atop the latter chart after its inclusion on the film soundtracks for The NeverEnding Story III and Batman Forever.
Stevland Hardaway Morris, known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. One of the most acclaimed and influential musicians of the 20th century, he is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include R&B, pop, soul, gospel, funk, and jazz. A virtual one-man band, Wonder's use of synthesizers and other electronic musical instruments during the 1970s reshaped the conventions of contemporary R&B. He also helped drive such genres into the album era, crafting his LPs as cohesive and consistent, in addition to socially conscious statements with complex compositions. Blind since shortly after his birth, Wonder was a child prodigy who signed with Motown's Tamla label at the age of 11, where he was given the professional name Little Stevie Wonder.
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Christopher Alan "Tricky" Stewart is an American record producer, record executive, songwriter, and music publisher. Stewart, a five-time Grammy Award recipient, began producing music in 1992 and has contributed to unit sales of over 50 million for his work on commercially successful releases for hip hop, R&B and pop artists. Often in tandem with production partner and R&B singer The-Dream, he has been credited on the singles "Case of the Ex" (2000) by Mya, "Me Against the Music" (2003) by Britney Spears, "Umbrella" (2007) by Rihanna, "Just Fine" (2007) by Mary J. Blige, "Single Ladies " (2008) by Beyoncé, "Touch My Body" (2008) and "Obsessed" (2009) by Mariah Carey, "One Time" (2009) and "Baby" (2010) by Justin Bieber, "Ride" (2010) by Ciara, and "Water" (2023) by Tyla, among others.
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"Disturbia" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded (2008), a re-release of her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad (2007). It was written by Andre Merritt, Chris Brown, Brian Kennedy and Rob. A!, with the production of the song helmed by Kennedy. The song was released as the third single from the reloaded edition of the album, and seventh overall. "Disturbia" was sent to US contemporary hit radio on June 17, 2008, and was released as a CD single in the United Kingdom on July 22, 2008.
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Joseph Alonzo "Lonny" Bereal Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. His 2011 debut single, "Favor" was a duet with singer Kelly Rowland, for whom he was originally a backing vocalist. Despite the song's commercial underperformance, Bereal shifted focus onto songwriting work for other R&B acts including Ariana Grande, Keri Hilson, Tank, Omarion, Jamie Foxx and Chris Brown—the latter of whom most extensively since 2007. In 2018, he executive produced Snoop Dogg's gospel album Bible of Love, released in March of that year. He was also a member of Busta Rhymes' Flipmode Squad.
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