J. R. Rotem

Last updated

J.R. Rotem
JR Rotem LF.JPG
Rotem in 2007 at Hollywood Life Magazine's 7th Annual Breakthrough Awards
Background information
Birth nameJonathan Reuven Rotem
Born1975 (age 4849)
South Africa
Origin Moraga, California, U.S.
Education Berklee College of Music (BM)
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Record producer
  • songwriter
  • music publisher
Years active2001–present
Labels
Website belugaheights.com/jr

Jonathan Reuven Rotem (born 1975) is a South African-born American record producer, songwriter and music publisher.

Contents

Biography

Early life

Rotem was born in 1975 [1] in South Africa to Jewish [2] Israeli immigrant parents. [1] He moved to Canada at the age of two and to Moraga, California at the age of twelve. [3] [4] [5]

Rotem's entry point into music was in receiving classical piano instruction at a young age. [6] When he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston it was initially with the intention of studying film scoring, but he ended up majoring in jazz composition. [4] [6]

Career

As his first major label placement, the Destiny's Child song "Fancy", from their 2001 album Survivor , is cited by Rotem as being his first 'big break', and the song that convinced the young producer that it was worth pursuing this career path. [6] Nevertheless, further success was not forthcoming and for years Rotem struggled to make further headway in the industry. [6]

A significant breakthrough came when, through mutual friend Evan Bogart, he attracted the attention of former manager Zach Katz, a former music attorney who had recently represented rapper Rakim as well as music producers and songwriters in the Aftermath/Shady/G-Unit camp. [7] Rotem says, "One of my biggest goals for years was meeting a manager with a good reputation and with connections to get my music to people." [6] When asked in an interview with HitQuarters what made Katz decide to take the producer on, he explained,

This was a time where most of the people were beat makers, they didn't really play instruments. J.R. on the other hand, had a vast musical background ... So musically there were no limitations as far as what he could bring. Number two J.R. he was very, very focused. He really wanted to win. And number three he was humble. If I gave him any suggestions about his tracks he would literally sit there and take notes. Then he would come back the next day with the changes I had suggested. [7]

Rotem's next major cut was 50 Cent's "Position of Power" in 2005. In 2006, together with Katz and his brother Tommy, Rotem started his own record label, Beluga Heights, inking a joint venture partnership with Epic. Sean Kingston, a young Miami-based artist, was the labels first signing. Kingston's self-titled debut album went on to sell over 2 million albums and 10 million singles worldwide. Rotem also started a publishing company under the Beluga Heights banner, signing songwriter Evan "Kidd" Bogart. [8] Under a newly formed joint venture with Warner Bros. Records, the label signed R&B sensation Jason Derulo, whose debut album went on to sell 14 million singles and over 1 million albums worldwide.

In 2009, Rotem was honored as BMI Producer of the Year. In 2011, he was return to honored by BMI as Songwriter of the Year alongside Lady Gaga and Jason Derulo. His trademark is a horn that goes after with a stylized "J-J-J-J-J-R" and/or "Beluga Heights" at the start or end of records with which he has been associated.

In 2015, Rotem worked alongside Ne-Yo and Timbaland on the music for Season 2 of Fox's Empire. On October 17, 2015, Gwen Stefani premiered "Used to Love You", co-written and produced by Rotem at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City which was Stefani's first single. Rotem has ten songs on Stefani's album, This Is What the Truth Feels Like which was released on March 18, 2016.

Discography

Songs and singles produced by J.R. Rotem

YearArtistSongChart position
US UK GER AUS
2006 Rihanna "SOS"1221
Lil' Kim "Whoa"10443
Rick Ross "Push It"57
Paris Hilton "I Want You"
Sean Kingston "Beautiful Girls"11101
"Me Love"14324811
"Take You There"74734
Ashley Tisdale "He Said She Said"5815517
JoJo "The High Road"
Kevin Federline "America's Most Hated"
2007 Chamillionaire feat. Slick Rick "Hip Hop Police"10150
The Cheetah Girls "Fuego"122
Britney Spears "Everybody"
Lil Scrappy "Livin' in the Projects"
Jada feat. Sean Kingston"I'm that Chick"
Nicole Scherzinger feat. will.i.am "Baby Love (Remix)"10814558
Baby Bash feat. Sean Kingston"What Is It"57
Plies "1 Mo Time"
"I Am the Club"
Fabolous"Can You Hear Me"
Mýa feat. Snoop Dogg "Walka Not A Talka"
2008 The D.E.Y. "Give You the World"119
Rick Ross feat. T-Pain "The Boss"17
Flo Rida feat. Sean Kingston"Roll"59
Plies feat. Ne-Yo "Bust It Baby Pt. 2"793 [9]
Bun B feat. Sean Kingston"That's Gangsta"122
Gorilla Zoe feat. Sean Kingston"On The Corner"
Mann feat. Sean Kingston"Ghetto Girl"
Leona Lewis "Better in Time"11226
Vanessa Hudgens "Sneakernight"881649894
Jesse McCartney "My Baby"
James Fauntleroy "Strength"
E-40 feat. The Game & Snoop Dogg "Pain No More"111
Cory Gunz feat. Jason Derulo "Gamble on Me"125
Plies feat. Ashanti "Want It, Need It"96
Mike Jones feat. Nae Nae"Next to You"63
2009 Anastacia "Defeated"
Maino "However Do U Want It"124
Piles"Becky"104
Iyaz "Replay"2171
"Solo"3232548
"So Big"40
Mann feat. Jason Derulo "Text"
Tynisha Keli "Lights Out"
Auburn "Superman"
Sean Kingston feat. Lil Wayne "I'm at War"
2010 Dima Bilan "Changes"
Jason Derulo "Whatcha Say"1375
"In My Head"5191
"Ridin' Solo"92244
"What If"761232
"The Sky's the Limit"6822
JLS "Everybody in Love"1
Lindsay Lohan "Too Young To Die"
The Ready Set "Love Like Woe"27
B.o.B feat. T.I. "Not Lost"
Sean Kingston"Secret"
"She Moves"
Auburn feat. Iyaz"La La La"51
Romance on a Rocketship"Skin & Bones"
Sarah Connor "Fall Apart"
Fefe Dobson "Stuttering"
Ilya"Preapproved"
Cheryl Cole "Better to Lie"
2011 Kat Graham "I Want It All"
Mann feat. 50 Cent "Buzzin'"736
Nicki Minaj feat. Rihanna "Fly"191618
Nicki Minaj "Girls Fall Like Dominoes'"2499
Mann feat. Snoop Dogg and Iyaz"The Mack"2868
Iyaz feat. Travie McCoy "Pretty Girls"43
Cover Drive "Lick Ya Down"9
Big Time Rush "Invisible"
Jason Derulo "Pick Up the Pieces"37
"Dumb"
"Be Careful"
2012Mann feat. T-Pain "Get It Girl"
Chris Rene "Young Homie"101
Nicki Minaj"Marilyn Monroe"104121
Machine Gun Kelly feat. Cassie"Warning Shot"
Maroon 5 "Wipe Your Eyes"80
2013 Jessica Sanchez "Don't Come Around"
Sean Kingston feat. T.I."Back 2 Life (Live It Up)"10970
Sean Kingston"Bomba"
"Ordinary Girl"
Sean Kingston feat. Busta Rhymes "How We Survive"
2014Mike Jay feat. YG & Too $hort "For a Week"
Fall Out Boy "Centuries"10227155
2015 Meghan Trainor "No Good for You"
Fifth Harmony "Like Mariah"
Empire "Born To Love U"
"Do It"
"Mimosa"
"Runnin"
"Powerful" (feat. Jussie Smollett and Alicia Keys)
"Miracles"
Gwen Stefani "Used to Love You"5215757
Who Is Fancy feat. Ariana Grande & Meghan Trainor "Boys Like You"118
2016 Panic! at the Disco "Don't Threaten Me with a Good Time"
Empire "Crown"
"Freedom"
Rick Ross feat. Mariah Carey"Can't Say No"
Charlie Puth "Dangerously"
Gwen Stefani"Naughty"
"Red Flag"
"Getting Warmer"
"Rocketship"
"War Paint"
"Me Without You"
"Splash"
"Obsessed"
"Loveable"
2017 Linkin Park "Talking to Myself"10973
Marteen "Sriracha"
Weezer "Feels Like Summer"
2018 Ciara "Level Up"59
2019 Dinah Jane "Heard It All Before"
Avril Lavigne "Birdie", "Bright" (Currently Unreleased)
Chris Brown feat. Nicki Minaj & G-Eazy "Wobble Up"
2020 Bad Bunny "En Casita"
Netta "Cuckoo"
2021OMB Peezy"Right Here"
Enrique Iglesias feat. Pitbull "Move To Miami"
2022 Subliminal "Yeye"

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gamble and Huff</span> American songwriting and record production team

Kenneth Gamble and Leon A. Huff are an American songwriting and production team credited for developing the Philadelphia soul music genre of the 1970s. In addition to forming their own label, Philadelphia International Records, Gamble and Huff have written and produced 175 gold and platinum records, earning them an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the non-performer category in March 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kara DioGuardi</span> American songwriter

Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi is an American songwriter, record producer, music publisher, A&R executive, and singer. She primarily writes music in the pop rock genre. She has worked with many popular artists; sales of albums on which her songs appear exceed 160 million worldwide. DioGuardi is a 2011 NAMM Music for Life Award winner, 2009 NMPA Songwriter Icon Award winner, 2007 BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year, and has received 20 BMI Awards for co-writing songs.

Wayne Anthony Hector is a British songwriter who is best known for his work with pop artists such as Nicki Minaj, One Direction, the Wanted, Toše Proeski and Olly Murs. He co-wrote seven of Westlife's number one singles, including "World of Our Own" and "Flying Without Wings".

Evan Bogart, better known as E. Kidd Bogart, is an American songwriter, music publisher, record executive and film & television producer. He is the son of Casablanca Records founder Neil Bogart and former music manager Joyce Bogart Trabulus (KISS). Bogart's music has been nominated for three Grammy Awards, winning one, and he currently serves as National Trustee for The Recording Academy and Chair of their Songwriters & Composers Wing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Kingston</span> Jamaican-American singer and rapper (born 1990)

Kisean Paul Anderson, known professionally as Sean Kingston, is a Jamaican-American singer and rapper. He signed with American record producer J. R. Rotem's label Beluga Heights Records to release his 2007 debut single, "Beautiful Girls", which peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100. Preceded by the song and its top 20 follow-up single "Eenie Meenie", his eponymous debut studio album (2007) peaked at number six on the Billboard 200, and spawned the top 40-single "Take You There." His second album, Tomorrow (2009) was supported by the top five-single "Fire Burning" and met with moderate commercial response, while his third, Back to Life (2013) failed to chart and served as his final major label release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Derulo</span> American singer and songwriter (born 1989)

Jason Joel Desrouleaux, known professionally as Jason Derulo, is an American singer and songwriter. Since the start of his solo recording career in 2009, he has sold over 250 million singles worldwide and has achieved eleven platinum singles including "Wiggle", "Talk Dirty", "Want to Want Me", "Trumpets", "It Girl", "In My Head", "Ridin' Solo", and "Whatcha Say".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RedOne</span> Moroccan songwriter, record producer and record executive (born 1972)

Nadir Khayat, also known as RedOne, is a Moroccan/Swedish record producer, record executive, singer and songwriter. Currently, he holds the FIFA's Creative Entertainment Executive position. RedOne is considered one of the most influential record producer artists in contemporary music. As a record producer and songwriter, he has worked with many worldwide high-profile recording artists, most notably Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Lopez, Enrique Iglesias, Shakira, Mariah Carey, One Direction, and Usher, among many others. His production discography boasts many Billboard and international hits. RedOne has established his own record label named RedOne Records.

The Writing Camp is an American songwriting collective, founded by Evan "Kidd" Bogart and David "DQ" Quiñones. Since its formation in 2007, the team has been responsible for a series of successful releases in pop, R&B and dance music, including 2008's "Right Here (Departed)" by Brandy and Beyoncé's "Halo."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beluga Heights Records</span>

Beluga Heights Records is an American record label established by record producer J. R. Rotem. The label is known for discovering and developing Sean Kingston, Iyaz, Mann, and Jason Derulo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whatcha Say</span> 2009 single by Jason Derulo

"Whatcha Say" is the debut single by American singer Jason Derulo and the first single released from his self-titled debut album. It was available for digital download on May 5, 2009, and released as a single on August 4, 2009. The song is a remake of Imogen Heap's 2005 single "Hide and Seek", which is heavily sampled and used as the chorus. It was produced by J.R. Rotem with additional production by German record producer Fuego, and topped the Billboard Hot 100 for one week.

Keidran Jones, better known by his stage name Iyaz, is a British Virgin Islands singer and songwriter, formerly signed with the record label Warner Music Group. He is known for his singles "Replay", "Solo", and "Pretty Girls". He released his debut album Replay in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Replay (Iyaz song)</span> 2009 song by Iyaz

"Replay" is the debut single by British Virgin Islands singer Iyaz. It is the first single released from his debut album of the same name, which was released in 2009. The official remix features American rapper Flo Rida.

<i>Jason Derulo</i> (album) 2010 studio album by Jason Derulo

Jason Derulo is the debut studio album by American singer Jason Derulo, released on February 26, 2010. The album was produced by J.R. Rotem and features the hit singles, "Whatcha Say", which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100; "In My Head" and "Ridin' Solo", which marks Derulo's third consecutive number-one in the UK R&B Chart.

Auburn Williams, known mononymously as Auburn, is an American singer-songwriter. She released an independent debut album, Same Giirl in 2007, which spawned the underground hit "Ewww Ewww". The song reached number six on DJ Booth's Underground chart. She then signed to Warner Bros. and Beluga Heights in early 2008 and released her first official single "La La La" in mid-2010. She then went on to release "Leaked" in 2016.

<i>Future History</i> (album) 2011 studio album by Jason Derulo

Future History is the second studio album by American singer Jason Derulo, released on September 16, 2011. As the executive producer of the album, Derulo collaborated with several record producers, including DJ Frank E, the Fliptones, the Outerlimits, Emanuel Kiriakou, RedOne, Jai Marlon and frequent collaborator J.R. Rotem, among others.

<i>Manns World</i> 2011 studio album by Mann

Mann's World is the debut studio album by American rapper Mann, released through Def Jam Records and Beluga Heights on August 2, 2011. The album was preceded by the singles "Text", "Buzzin'" and "The Mack" which were released in April and October 2010, and in May 2011, respectively.

John Henry Ryan II, also known as John the Blind and JRY, is an American songwriter, singer and record producer from Rochester, New York. He is best known for co-writing and co-producing One Direction's last four albums and many of their singles. He has written songs for many acclaimed artists. His compositions and productions have sold over 30 million units worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheryl Bogart</span>

Cheryl Bogart is an American music industry veteran and spinal cord injury awareness advocate.

<i>Platinum Hits</i> (Jason Derulo album) 2016 greatest hits album by Jason Derulo

Platinum Hits is the first greatest hits album by American singer Jason Derulo, released on July 29, 2016, by Beluga Heights Records and Warner Bros. Records. The album contains 11 previously released singles from Jason Derulo (2010), Future History (2011), Tattoos (2013), Talk Dirty (2014) and Everything Is 4 (2015) along with a new song titled "Kiss the Sky" from the movie Storks (2016).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sebastian Arocha Morton</span> American music producer

Sebastian Arocha Morton is a Grammy-nominated American record producer and composer based in Los Angeles, California. Throughout his career as a record producer and songwriter, Morton has worked with many notable artists, including Seal, Sting, Santana, Donna Summer, Fischerspooner, Vikter Duplaix, Common, and Mary J. Blige. Morton was also a composer and producer for the films Little Miss Sunshine, Iron Man 2, Houdini, RoboCop, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, League of Gods, Mr. Robot, and Young Sheldon.

References

  1. 1 2 Lamb, Bill. "Jonathan "J.R." Rotem". About.com: Top40/Pop. Archived from the original on May 16, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  2. "A 'good Jewish boy' seeks the spotlight in LA". The Jerusalem Post – JPost.com. August 22, 2011.
  3. de Silverio, Victoria (July 2007), "Pimpin' Ain't Easy", Blender, no. 60, pp. 100–104
  4. 1 2 Small, Mark (Summer 2006). "Jonathan Rotem: A Piano Man Finds His Beat". Berklee Today. 18 (1).
  5. "J.R. Rotem". Beluga Heights. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2011.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Interview With JR Rotem". HitQuarters. April 4, 2010. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012. Retrieved April 19, 2010.
  7. 1 2 "Interview With Zach Katz". HitQuarters. May 3, 2010. Retrieved May 20, 2010.
  8. "'Awkward pop' singer signs deal – Bristol Evening Post". Archived from the original on November 13, 2009. Retrieved April 6, 2009.
  9. "The Official UK Singles Chart for the week ending 23 August 2008". ChartsPlus (365). Milton Keynes: IQ Ware Ltd: 1–4.