Carter Lang

Last updated

Carter Lang
Born
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Alma mater Loyola University New Orleans
Musical career
Genres
Occupations
  • Producer
  • songwriter
  • musician
Labels

Carter Lang is an American producer, songwriter, and musician, best known for his work on SZA's acclaimed 2017 and 2022 albums Ctrl and SOS respectively, as well as his contributions to Chicago's burgeoning R&B/Hip-Hop scene. [3] [4] [5] Lang has received several Grammy nominations for work on projects from Post Malone, Doja Cat, Lil Nas X, Omar Apollo, and SZA, and recently signed a publishing deal renewal with Warner Chappell Music. [6] [7]

Contents

Musical origins

Lang, trained in classical piano and bass guitar, formed soul-influenced band "The O'My's" in 2005 with several friends in Chicago. [8] This would lead to collaborations with local acts including Chance the Rapper, Vic Mensa, and Mick Jenkins. [9]

New Orleans, return to Chicago, and SZA

Lang graduated high school and parted ways with his group, moving from Chicago to New Orleans to attend the Loyola University New Orleans music business program, where he was exposed to a diverse soundscape. [10] [11] After graduating from the Loyola College of Music & Media and returning to Chicago four years later, Lang began producing for members of Chicago Hip-Hop collective Savemoney, with whom he grew up. Lang was subsequently introduced to recording artist SZA in 2015 through a joint studio session with mutual friend Peter CottonTale, Chance The Rapper's music director. [12] After an initial collaboration at SZA's Lollapalooza set that year, he became a member of her touring band. [12] Lang is credited as a writer and/or producer on 8 tracks from her 2017 debut album, including hit single "Love Galore" and lead single "Drew Barrymore", recorded alongside several other tracks at his Lake Michigan cabin. [3] [12] Amongst productions for other artists (including "Sunflower" for Post Malone and Swae Lee), Lang resumed work with SZA, co-producing and co-writing a majority of her 2022 sophomore album SOS , including top 10 singles “Good Days”, “I Hate U”, “Nobody Gets Me”, and “Kill Bill”, which went #1 on five separate Billboard charts including the Hot 100, and held the #1 spot for 21 total weeks on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. [13] [14] He would also work with rapper Doja Cat, creating Top 5 single "Kiss Me More" featuring SZA (later winning the Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance), as well as promotional single "Okloser" from her deluxe album Scarlet 2 Claude . [15]

Production and songwriting credits

Credits are courtesy of Discogs, Tidal, Apple Music, and AllMusic.

Executive-produced/co-written projects

Albums with ~ 50% Carter Lang production/songwriting credits or more
AlbumArtistYearLabel
Ctrl SZA 2017 TDE | RCA Records
Ivory (Marfil) Deluxe Omar Apollo 2022 Warner Music Group
SOS SZA TDE | RCA Records

Other songwriting credits / productions

TitleYearArtistAlbum
"Burnout" (Featuring Eryn Allen Kane)2014 Saba ComfortZone
"Wanna Be Cool"2015 Donnie Trumpet Surf
"Just Wait"
"All 4 You" (featuring Yuna) Kyle Smyle
"Japanese" (featuring Twista) Alex Wiley Village Party 2: Heavens Gate
"Addicted (Interlude)" Towkio .Wav Theory
"Break You Off"
"How Great" (featuring Jay Electronica) [12] 2016 Chance the Rapper Coloring Book
"Shades of Blue" Vic Mensa There's Alot Going On
"There's Alot Going On"
"Lonely" (featuring Lornie Chia) Jamila Woods Heavn
"Lately"
"Holy"
"Don't Matter" Isaiah Rashad The Sun's Tirade
"Didn't I (Say I Didn't)"2017 Vic Mensa The Autobiography
"I Love You So Much" (featuring Chance the Rapper) DJ Khaled Grateful
"Thirst" Ravyn Lenae Midnight Moonlight
"Cool" (with Alex Wiley & Calez)2018 Mick Jenkins Non-album single
"Sunflower" Post Malone & Swae Lee Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (soundtrack) & Hollywood's Bleeding
"Hollywood's Bleeding"2019 Post Malone Hollywood's Bleeding
"Small Worlds" Mac Miller Swimming
"Wires in the Way" Sir Chasing Summer
"Easy" Camila Cabello Romance
"I Got You (Always and Forever)" (featuring En Vogue, Ari Lennox & Kierra Sheard) Chance the Rapper The Big Day
"The Big Day" (featuring Francis and the Lights)
"Let's Go on the Run" (featuring Knox Fortune)
"Zanies and Fools" (featuring Darius Scott & Nicki Minaj)
"Good Days"2020 SZA SOS
"Thin White Lies" 5 Seconds of Summer Calm
"Cinderella Story" A Boogie wit da Hoodie Artist 2.0
"Ain't No Doubts" Rich the Kid Boss Man
"I Want Mo" Rich the Kid & London on da Track
"Hi 5" (featuring Eryn Allen Kane, Grace Weber, Sing Harlem & Yebba)Peter CottonTaleCATCH
"Compromise" Knox Fortune Stock Child Wonder
"Change Up"
"Static"
"Kiss Me More" (featuring SZA)2021 Doja Cat Planet Her
"Void" Lil Nas X Montero
"Life After Salem"
"What a Life" Big Sean & Hit-Boy What You Expect
"Feels Like" Gracie Abrams This Is What It Feels Like
"Breath Away" 24kGoldn El Dorado
"All Pride Aside" Shelley FKA Dram & Summer Walker Shelley FKA Dram
"In The Dark" Swae Lee & Jhené Aiko Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: The Album
"Come for Me" (featuring Khalid & Lucky Daye) Alicia Keys Keys
"The Anonymous Ones" SZA Dear Evan Hansen Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
"I Hate U" SOS
"Love Galore (ALT)"2022 Ctrl (Deluxe)
"Remind Me" Giveon Give or Take
"Conversation" Muni Long Public Displays of Affection: The Album
"Arya" (featuring ASAP Rocky) Nigo I Know Nigo!
"Happy Hurts" Lykke Li Eyeye
"5D"
"Okloser"2024Doja Cat Scarlet 2 Claude
"¿Cómo Así?" Kali Uchis Orquídeas
"Igual que un Ángel" (with Peso Pluma)
"Pensamientos Intrusivos"
"Mad In Love" Jennifer Lopez This Is Me... Now
"Saturn" SZA Lana
"Be Careful with Me" Omar Apollo God Said No
"Done with You"
"While U Can"
"Black Void" (with Thundercat and Eryn Allen Kane) Big Sean Better Me Than You

Awards and nominations

YearCategoryNominated workResultRef.
2018 BMI Most-Performed R&B/Hip-Hop Songs "Love Galore"Won [16]
2020 Grammy Award for Record of the Year "Sunflower" Nominated [17]
2022 Grammy Award for Album of the Year Planet Her (Deluxe) Nominated [18]
Grammy Award for Album of the Year Montero Nominated [19]
Grammy Award for Song of the Year "Kiss Me More"Nominated [20]
Grammy Award for Best R&B Song "Good Days"Nominated [21]
BMI Most-Performed Pop Songs "Kiss Me More"Won [22]
BMI Most-Performed R&B/Hip-Hop Songs "Good Days"Won [23]
2023 Soul Train Ashford & Simpson Songwriter's Award "Kill Bill"Nominated [24]
BMI Most-Performed R&B/Hip-Hop Songs "I Hate U"Won [25]
2024 Grammy Award for Record of the Year "Kill Bill"Nominated [26]
Grammy Award for Song of the Year "Kill Bill"Nominated [26]
Grammy Award for Album of the Year SOS Nominated [26]
Grammy Award for Best Progressive R&B Album Won [26]
BMI Most-Performed Pop Songs "Kill Bill"Won [27]
BMI Most-Performed R&B/Hip-Hop Songs "Nobody Gets Me"Won [28]
2025 Grammy Award for Best R&B Song "Saturn"Nominated [29]

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References

  1. ↑ "Carter Lang – Electric Feel". Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Warner Chappell Music Extends Global Publishing Agreement with Grammy-Nominated Producer Carter Lang". November 12, 2021. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  3. 1 2 Saponara, Michael (January 16, 2018). "Carter Lang Talks Crafting 'CTRL' With SZA, Working With Vic Mensa & Why Chicago Keeps Winning". Billboard . Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Carter Lang – Electric Feel". Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Interview: Producer Carter Lang on Making SZA's "CTRL" and His "MacGyver" Home Studio". June 20, 2018. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  6. ↑ Robinson, Kristin (November 12, 2021). "Warner Chappell and Electric Feel Partner to Strike Publishing Deal with Carter Lang". Billboard . Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Warner Chappell Music extends global publishing agreement with Carter Lang". www.musicweek.com. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Q&A: Super Producer Carter Lang on Collaborating with SZA, More". Forbes . Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  9. ↑ "How the O'My's Found Their Soulful Sound". Rolling Stone . October 12, 2018. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  10. ↑ "School of Music Industry | Music and Media". Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Loyola College of Music & Media named Top 20 Music Biz Schools - OffBeat Magazine". May 11, 2020. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Carter Lang Interview - Hit Pop Songwriter & Producer". Songwriter Universe | Songwriting News, Articles & Song Contest. January 16, 2019. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  13. ↑ "BMI EXCLUSIVE: In the Studio with Carter Lang". December 11, 2023. Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Carter Lang Interview on SZA, Lil Nas X: Behind the Boards". September 15, 2023. Archived from the original on January 18, 2024. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Hitmakers: Yeti Beats on the making of Doja Cat & Sza's Grammy-winning Kiss Me More". Archived from the original on May 26, 2024. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Superstar Janet Jackson Named BMI Icon at the 2018 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards". BMI . August 31, 2018. Archived from the original on September 4, 2018. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Carter Lang". grammy.com. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  18. ↑ "'Being a good producer is having the ability to adapt to the environment or the people that you're with.'". Music Business Worldwide. February 15, 2022. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  19. ↑ Cohn, Gabe (November 23, 2021). "Grammy Awards 2022: The Full List of Nominees". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 23, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2022– via NYTimes.com.
  20. ↑ Eggertsen, Chris (May 7, 2021). "The Players Behind Doja Cat's 'Kiss Me More' Feat. SZA: See the Full Credits". Billboard . Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  21. ↑ Shannon, Delisa (March 30, 2022). "The Making of SZA's 'Good Days'". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  22. ↑ "2022 BMI Pop Awards". BMI.com. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  23. ↑ "2022 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards". BMI.com. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  24. ↑ Grein, Paul (November 1, 2023). "SZA, Usher & Summer Walker Lead 2023 Soul Train Awards Nominations: Full List". Billboard . Archived from the original on November 8, 2023. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  25. ↑ "2023 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards". BMI.com. Archived from the original on December 19, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  26. 1 2 3 4 "2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List | GRAMMY.com". www.grammy.com. Archived from the original on November 10, 2023. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  27. ↑ "BMI Pop Awards 2024". Broadcast Music, Inc. Archived from the original on September 1, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  28. ↑ "2024 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards". BMI.com. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
  29. ↑ https://naras.a.bigcontent.io/v1/static/67thAwards_PressList_11072024
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