Benjamin Hudson McIldowie (born 26 June 1979), better known by his stage name Mr Hudson, is an English musician from
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...
, England. First rising to prominence in 2006 with
Mr Hudson and the Library
Mr Hudson and the Library were a British music group active from 2006 to 2007 and composed of Mr Hudson (vocals, guitar), Joy Joseph (steelpan, percussion, vocals), Torville Jones (piano), Robin French (aka Maps Huxley) (bass) and Wilkie Wilkinso ...
, Hudson later embarked on a solo career in 2008, when he signed a
record deal with American musician
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
's
GOOD Music
GOOD Music (also known simply as GOOD, stylized as G.O.O.D. Music; a backronym for Getting Out Our Dreams) is an American record label founded by rapper Kanye West in 2004. The label signed an exclusive long-term worldwide label agreement with t ...
label. He was subsequently featured as a prominent composer on West's ''
808s & Heartbreak
''808s & Heartbreak'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Kanye West. It was released by Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records on November 24, 2008, having been recorded earlier that year in September and October at Glenwood Studi ...
'' (2008). Hudson later appeared on American rapper
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
’s
top 10 single "
Young Forever
"Young Forever" is a song by American rapper Jay-Z, released in early 2010 as the fifth single from his 2009 album ''The Blueprint 3'' on the Roc Nation label. The song was produced by Kanye West. It is a rework of Alphaville's 1984 song " Fo ...
", from ''
The Blueprint 3
''The Blueprint 3'' is the eleventh studio album by American rapper Jay-Z, released September 8, 2009, on Roc Nation, through distribution from Asylum Records and Atlantic Records. It is the third album in the ''Blueprint'' series, preceded by '' ...
'' (2009). He would find more solo success on his 2009 album, ''
Straight No Chaser'', which spawned the hit single "
Supernova
A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. It has the plural form supernovae or supernovas, and is abbreviated SN or SNe. This transient astronomical event occurs during the last evolutionary stages of a massive star or when ...
".
After establishing his own studio in 2010, Hudson began writing and producing for other acts including
Paloma Faith
Paloma Faith Blomfield (born 21 July 1981) is an English singer and actress. Her debut studio album, ''Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful?,'' was released in 2009 and was certified double platinum in the UK. The album spawned the sing ...
,
Alex Clare
Alexander George Clare (c. 1985) is an English singer and songwriter. His debut album, '' The Lateness of the Hour'', was released in the UK on 11 July 2011 on Island Records and was produced by Mike Spencer and Major Lazer.
His biggest hit, ...
, and
Wretch 32
Jermaine Sinclaire Scott (born 9 March 1985), better known by his stage name Wretch 32, is a British rapper, singer and songwriter from Tottenham, North London. He was a member of the grime collective Combination Chain Gang, before forming The M ...
. He then spent most of 2014 in the studio with
Duran Duran
Duran Duran () are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer and bassist Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor (bass guitarist), John Taylor. With the addition of drummer Roger ...
, working on their album ''
Paper Gods
''Paper Gods'' is the fourteenth studio album by English new wave band Duran Duran, released on 11 September 2015 by Warner Bros. Records. The album was produced by Mr Hudson and Joshua Blair, who had worked with the band on ''All You Need Is ...
''. Since then Hudson has gone on to co-write, produce and/or feature with
Future
The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ...
,
DJ Snake
William Sami Étienne Grigahcine (born 13 June 1986), known by his stage name DJ Snake, is an Algerian French music producer and DJ, first achieving international recognition in 2013 by releasing an instrumentation-oriented single called "Turn Do ...
,
Vic Mensa
Vic (; es, Vic or Pancracio Celdrán (2004). Diccionario de topónimos españoles y sus gentilicios (5ª edición). Madrid: Espasa Calpe. p. 843. ISBN 978-84-670-3054-9. «Vic o Vich (viquense, vigitano, vigatán, ausense, ausetano, ausonense): ...
, and many more. His co-wrote with
JP Cooper
John Paul Cooper (born 1 November 1983) is an English singer and songwriter. He is best known for featuring on the Jonas Blue single " Perfect Strangers". The song was certified platinum in the UK. His follow-up solo single was " September Song" ...
for singles "
September Song
"September Song" is an American standard popular song composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Maxwell Anderson. It was introduced by Walter Huston in the 1938 Broadway musical production ''Knickerbocker Holiday.'' The song has been recorded by nu ...
" and "
She's on My Mind
'She's On My Mind' is a song by English singer JP Cooper. It was released as the fourth single of his debut studio album ''Raised Under Grey Skies''.
The song was released as a digital download in the United Kingdom on 21 July 2017 through Islan ...
" have both sold millions of copies. His latest work with
John Legend
John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and record producer. He began his musical career by working behind the scenes, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Ever ...
, "Never Break", features on Legend's Grammy award winning album ''
Bigger Love
''Bigger Love'' is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter and musician John Legend. It was released on June 19, 2020, through Columbia Records. The album includes the singles "Conversations in the Dark", "Actions", "Bigger Love", a ...
''.
Life and career
1979–2006: Early life and career beginnings
Born in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...
, Hudson grew up in the
Handsworth area of the city (Dudley Road) and attended
King Edward's School, Birmingham
King Edward's School (KES) is an independent school (UK), independent day school for boys in the British Public school (UK), public school tradition, located in Edgbaston, Birmingham. Founded by Edward VI of England, King Edward VI in 1552, it ...
in Edgbaston. He attended Oxford University, where he read
English Literature
English literature is literature written in the English language from United Kingdom, its crown dependencies, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, and the countries of the former British Empire. ''The Encyclopaedia Britannica'' defines E ...
at
St Anne's College, Oxford
St Anne's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. It was founded in 1879 and gained full college status in 1959. Originally a women's college, it has admitted men since 1979. It has some 450 undergraduate and 200 ...
.
Before Mr Hudson formed '
Mr Hudson and the Library
Mr Hudson and the Library were a British music group active from 2006 to 2007 and composed of Mr Hudson (vocals, guitar), Joy Joseph (steelpan, percussion, vocals), Torville Jones (piano), Robin French (aka Maps Huxley) (bass) and Wilkie Wilkinso ...
' he was in 'Mansize', 'The Hudson Sound' and 'Phoenix Green'. 'The Hudson Sound' and 'Phoenix Green' featured Ali Forbes, Jarvy Moss, Ben Westwood and Mr Hudson's brother Jon McIldowie. They enjoyed considerable success in the Birmingham area and elsewhere with a regular spot at Ronnie Scott's in Birmingham. 'Mansize' featured later collaborator
Robin French
Robin French (born 1978, Birmingham) is an English playwright, film and television writer and songwriter.
Background
French's father is English, his mother is from Barbados. French studied modern and medieval languages at Selwyn College, Cambri ...
.
2006–08: The Library and ''A Tale of Two Cities''
![Ben Hudson -Mr Hudson and The Library -July 2007 (2)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Ben_Hudson_-Mr_Hudson_and_The_Library_-July_2007_%282%29.jpg)
Hudson embarked on his music career when he formed
Mr Hudson and the Library
Mr Hudson and the Library were a British music group active from 2006 to 2007 and composed of Mr Hudson (vocals, guitar), Joy Joseph (steelpan, percussion, vocals), Torville Jones (piano), Robin French (aka Maps Huxley) (bass) and Wilkie Wilkinso ...
, composed of Maps Huxley aka
Robin French
Robin French (born 1978, Birmingham) is an English playwright, film and television writer and songwriter.
Background
French's father is English, his mother is from Barbados. French studied modern and medieval languages at Selwyn College, Cambri ...
(bass), Wilkie Wilkinson (drums), Joy Joseph (steel drums, vocals) and
Torville Jones (piano). The first result, an EP entitled ''Bread & Roses'', came out via Deal Real in October 2006. The group toured with Amy Winehouse in early 2007 in support of their debut album, ''
A Tale of Two Cities
''A Tale of Two Cities'' is a historical novel published in 1859 by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The novel tells the story of the French Doctor Manette, his 18-year-long imprisonment in the ...
'', released through Deal Real/Mercury. Mr. Hudson was first featured on
Later with Jools Holland on 8 December 2006.
The production on the band's debut album uses acoustic guitar interspersed with piano, backing vocals and bass guitar,
steelpan
The steelpan (also known as a pan, steel drum, and sometimes, collectively with other musicians, as a steelband or steel orchestra) is a musical instrument originating in Trinidad and Tobago. Steelpan musicians are called pannists.
Descriptio ...
,
electric drums and unusual rhythm patterns. Two of the tracks from
A Tale of Two Cities
''A Tale of Two Cities'' is a historical novel published in 1859 by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The novel tells the story of the French Doctor Manette, his 18-year-long imprisonment in the ...
are covers; "On The Street Where You Live", is a cover of a number from the musical
My Fair Lady
''My Fair Lady'' is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play ''Pygmalion'', with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons f ...
and "Everything Happens to Me" was popularised by
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
and
Chet Baker
Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool".
Baker earned much attention and ...
.
In 2007,
Mr Hudson and the Library
Mr Hudson and the Library were a British music group active from 2006 to 2007 and composed of Mr Hudson (vocals, guitar), Joy Joseph (steelpan, percussion, vocals), Torville Jones (piano), Robin French (aka Maps Huxley) (bass) and Wilkie Wilkinso ...
embarked on a tour through twelve British libraries as part of the 'Get It Loud' initiative, and also supported
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer and songwriter. She was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues and jazz.
A membe ...
on her tour, along with
Paolo Nutini
Paolo Giovanni Nutini (born 9 January 1987) is a Scottish singer, songwriter and musician from Paisley, Renfrewshire, Paisley. Nutini's debut album, ''These Streets'' (2006), peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart. Its follow-up, ''Sunny ...
,
Mika
Mika is a given name, a nickname and a surname. Notable people and fictional characters with the name include:
People known just as Mika
* Mika (singer) (born 1983), Lebanese-born British singer-songwriter Michael Penniman, Jr.
* Mika (footbal ...
and
Groove Armada
Groove Armada are an English electronic music duo, composed of Andy Cato and Tom Findlay. They achieved chart success with their singles "At the River", " I See You Baby" and " Superstylin'". The duo have released nine studio albums, four of w ...
. During the summer of 2007 they appeared at several UK festivals, including
Glastonbury
Glastonbury (, ) is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low-lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town, which is in the Mendip district, had a population of 8,932 in the 2011 census. Glastonbury ...
,
T in the Park
T in the Park festival was a major Scottish music festival that was held annually from 1994 to 2016. It was named after its main sponsor, Tennents. The event was held at Strathclyde Park, Lanarkshire, until 1996. It then moved to the disused ...
,
The Big Chill,
V Festival,
Godiva Festival
The Godiva Festival is a three-day music festival held each year in the War Memorial Park, Coventry, England, named after the city's famous former inhabitant Lady Godiva. It first appeared as a day-long event in 1997 and became a 3-day event t ...
, and
Bestival
Bestival was a four-day music festival held in the south of England. It had been held annually in the late summer since 2004 at Robin Hill on the Isle of Wight. In 2017 the festival relocated to the Lulworth Estate in Dorset. The event was organ ...
. In October 2007, the band played at the
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium ( cy, Stadiwm y Mileniwm), known since 2016 as the Principality Stadium ( cy, Stadiwm Principality) for sponsorship reasons, is the national stadium of Wales. Located in Cardiff, it is the home of the Wales national rug ...
in Cardiff in support of
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For most of their history the line-up consisted of primary songwriter Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums, percussion). The Police ...
. They also supported
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
on his Europe leg of his ''
Glow in the Dark Tour
The Glow in the Dark Tour was a world concert tour by Kanye West featuring Rihanna, Lupe Fiasco, N.E.R.D, Santigold and Nas. It began on April 16, 2008 in Seattle, Washington and traveled to Latin America, Asia, Europe, New Zealand, and Australi ...
'', performing in
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
,
Belfast
Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...
and other European cities.
In 2008, Mr. Hudson began recording as a solo artist. Although the name 'The Library' was no longer used, these musicians formed his backing band for live performances.
2009–12: Solo career, ''Straight No Chaser''
Sessions for Straight No Chaser initially started at Gizzard Studios in Bow, East London. Ed Deegan who had previously worked at Toe Rag Studios near by was acting as engineer, but Mr. Hudson received an offer from Kanye West to produce his album. Mr. Hudson appears on Kanye West's fourth album, ''
808s & Heartbreak
''808s & Heartbreak'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Kanye West. It was released by Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records on November 24, 2008, having been recorded earlier that year in September and October at Glenwood Studi ...
'' featured on "Paranoid". He also co-produced "Street Lights" as well as supplying additional vocals on "Say You Will" and "Amazing". Kanye West has stated:
"I believe Mr. Hudson has the potential to be bigger than me, to be one of the most important artists of his generation".
The single Supernova was premiered on 13 May 2009 on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show and then released on 19 July 2009. It debuted at Number 2 in the UK singles chart on 26 July 2009. Calvin Harris remixed the track.
Mr Hudson's new album – ''
Straight No Chaser'' was released on 4 August 2009 (via
GOOD Music
GOOD Music (also known simply as GOOD, stylized as G.O.O.D. Music; a backronym for Getting Out Our Dreams) is an American record label founded by rapper Kanye West in 2004. The label signed an exclusive long-term worldwide label agreement with t ...
and
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it is ...
), executive produced by
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
.
"I wanted to make a mainstream record, not structured or ornate," he explains. "The first album feels like an
Escher drawing, all these layers and you don't know where you're going at any point. The way the songs are written and produced on this one is much more direct. It's not trying to reinvent the wheel. It's straight, no chaser."
0
In an interview, singer Ben Hudson was asked to describe the album: "My mission statement was to make a pop record, but not a throwaway pop record. My heroes are people like
Bowie and
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
and
Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn (; born 23 March 1968) is an English-Icelandic musician, singer-songwriter and composer, best known as the frontman and primary lyricist of the rock band Blur and as the co-creator and primary musical contributor of the virtual ...
. I didn't want to do anything niche. Kanye threw down the gauntlet. He said, 'Let's see if we can make you a popstar'. I was like 'Let's have a go!'. It's a bit more widescreen, a bit more punchy, but the eclecticism of the first record's still there. There's a tune where I'm a cross between ''
Deliverance
''Deliverance'' is a 1972 American survival thriller film produced and directed by John Boorman, and starring Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox, with the latter two making their feature film debuts. The screenplay was adapt ...
'' and
Sade
Sade may refer to:
People
* Marquis de Sade (1740–1814), French aristocrat, writer, and libertine
* Sade (singer) (born 1959, Helen Folasade Adu), British Nigerian musician and lead singer of the eponymous band
* Sade Baderinwa (born 1969), WAB ...
".
In 2009, Hudson guested on
Playing with Fire by
N-Dubz
N-Dubz are an English hip hop trio from Camden Town, London, consisting of cousins Dappy and Tulisa, and Fazer. After winning a MOBO Award for Best Newcomer in 2007, N-Dubz briefly signed to Polydor Records before joining All Around the Wor ...
.
In the autumn of 2009, Mr. Hudson supported
Calvin Harris
Adam Richard Wiles (born 17 January 1984), known professionally as Calvin Harris, is a Scottish DJ, record producer, singer, and songwriter who has released six studio albums.
His debut studio album, ''I Created Disco'', was released in June ...
on his UK tour. Mr. Hudson's headline tour to support the album ''Straight No Chaser'' was in October 2009. Before the year was out, Hudson made a featured appearance on
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
's ''
The Blueprint 3
''The Blueprint 3'' is the eleventh studio album by American rapper Jay-Z, released September 8, 2009, on Roc Nation, through distribution from Asylum Records and Atlantic Records. It is the third album in the ''Blueprint'' series, preceded by '' ...
'', the track, "
Young Forever
"Young Forever" is a song by American rapper Jay-Z, released in early 2010 as the fifth single from his 2009 album ''The Blueprint 3'' on the Roc Nation label. The song was produced by Kanye West. It is a rework of Alphaville's 1984 song " Fo ...
", was a reworking of
Alphaville's 1984 song "
Forever Young".
In May 2010 Mr. Hudson embarked on a sold out national UK tour, with supporting Jay Z in Birmingham & Manchester arena shows plus Isle of Wight & Wireless festivals.
In 2010, Mr. Hudson collaborated with British
dubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in South London in the early 2000s. The style emerged as a UK garage offshoot that blended 2-step rhythms and sparse dub production, as well as incorporating elements of broken be ...
artist
Caspa
CASPA or the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants is an application service for graduate-level PA programs. Similar to the Common Application used by some undergraduate institutions and the American Medical College Applicatio ...
on the track "Love Never Dies (Back for the First Time)", which is a new version of a previous Caspa track known simply as "Back for the First Time". Rapper Nero appeared on the remix. On 29 July it was named by
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
DJ
Zane Lowe
Alexander Zane Reid Lowe (born 7 August 1973) is a New Zealand radio DJ, live DJ, record producer, and television presenter.
After an early career in music creation, production and DJing, he moved to the UK in 1997. He came to prominence thro ...
as his Hottest Record in the World Today. Mr. Hudson was featured on Jay-Z and Kanye West's album ''
Watch the Throne
''Watch the Throne'' is a collaborative studio album by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West, collectively known as The Throne. It was released on August 8, 2011, through Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. Prior to the re ...
'' (2011), appearing on "
Why I Love You".
In 2012, Hudson began writing and producing tracks for
Josh Kumra
Josh Kumra (born 20 April 1991) is an English singer and songwriter.
In 2011, Kumra co-wrote and provided vocals for English rapper Wretch 32's highest-charting single to date, " Don't Go", which reached number one in the UK Singles Chart.
B ...
, He also worked on "Hand of Cards" for ''
The Voice
The Voice may refer to:
Fictional entities
* The Voice or Presence, a fictional representation of God in DC Comics
* The Voice (''Dune''), a fictional ability in the ''Dune'' universe
* The Voice, a character in the American TV series ''Cleo ...
'' runner-up
Tyler James, on his 2012 album ''
A Place I Go''. Hudson was later featured on the UK Top 10 single "Charge", by
Sway. 2012 also saw Mr. Hudson release an album with
Rosie Oddie, under the name BIGkids. The first single "Heart Sing", from their collaborative effort, titled ''Never Grow Up'', was released on 12 August 2012. The album itself was released 7 October 2012.
2013–2017: Writing and Production
In March 2013, Mr. Hudson debuted the new single "Fred Astaire" via
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
. "Fred Astaire" would later be released as a commercial single in August of the same year, with accompanying video directed by prominent English portrait and fashion photographer
Rankin and photographer Vicky Lawton. Since then he has released additional tracks taken from the album: "Move" with
Rankin shooting the video exclusively for Hunger TV, in December 2013 and "Step into The Shadows" featuring
Idris Elba
Idrissa Akuna Elba (; born 6 September 1972) is an English actor. in May 2014.
In November,
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...
recording artist
Future
The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ...
released the track "
Real and True
"Real and True" is a song written and performed by American rapper Future (rapper), Future and American singer Miley Cyrus featuring English singer Mr Hudson. It was released as a single on November 5, 2013, by A1 Records, Freebandz, and Epic Rec ...
" featuring
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( ; born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her distinctive raspy voice, her music spans across varied styles and genres, including pop, country, rock, hip hop ...
& Mr. Hudson in the US. The track was co written by Mr. Hudson with the video shot by photographer
Rankin. December 2013 saw the release of
Rebecca Ferguson
Rebecca Louisa Ferguson Sundström (born 19 October 1983) is a Swedish actress. She began her acting career with the Swedish soap opera ''Nya tider'' (1999–2000) and went on to star in the slasher film ''Drowning Ghost'' (2004). She came to in ...
’s album entitled ''
Freedom
Freedom is understood as either having the ability to act or change without constraint or to possess the power and resources to fulfill one's purposes unhindered. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving on ...
'' with the track '‘Beautiful Design'’ which Mr. Hudson co wrote & produced. 2014 saw the release of
Idris Elba
Idrissa Akuna Elba (; born 6 September 1972) is an English actor. 's ''Idris Elba presents Mi Mandela'' on which Hudson features and co-produced. The same year Hudson collaborated with
Paloma Faith
Paloma Faith Blomfield (born 21 July 1981) is an English singer and actress. Her debut studio album, ''Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful?,'' was released in 2009 and was certified double platinum in the UK. The album spawned the sing ...
on the track "Take Me" on her third studio album
A Perfect Contradiction
''A Perfect Contradiction'' is the third studio album by English recording artist Paloma Faith, released by Sony Music Entertainment on 10 March 2014. Musically, the album is a pop album, with elements of R&B, jazz, soul, Motown and disco. The a ...
.
Hudson spent most of 2014 writing and producing ''
Paper Gods
''Paper Gods'' is the fourteenth studio album by English new wave band Duran Duran, released on 11 September 2015 by Warner Bros. Records. The album was produced by Mr Hudson and Joshua Blair, who had worked with the band on ''All You Need Is ...
'' by
Duran Duran
Duran Duran () are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer and bassist Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor (bass guitarist), John Taylor. With the addition of drummer Roger ...
, released 11 September 2015. Lead singer
Simon le Bon
Simon John Charles Le Bon (born 27 October 1958) is a British singer. He is best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the new wave band Duran Duran and its offshoot Arcadia. Le Bon has received three Ivor Novello Awards from the British ...
had this to say of Hudson's involvement: "Him coming on board was a very crucial stage actually, it glued it all together. Before we had a bunch of different songs and he brought it together and gave it a direction. He also gave us the confidence to leave each other’s space, and this is the first time we have got this on an album." In October 2015, Hudson released a single titled, "Dancing Thru It", followed by the critically acclaimed "Hey You".
5 August 2016 saw the release of Mr. Hudson's co-write & feature with
DJ Snake
William Sami Étienne Grigahcine (born 13 June 1986), known by his stage name DJ Snake, is an Algerian French music producer and DJ, first achieving international recognition in 2013 by releasing an instrumentation-oriented single called "Turn Do ...
, "Here Comes The Night" from Snake's debut album ''
Encore
An encore is an additional performance given by performers after the planned show has ended, usually in response to extended applause from the audience.Lalange Cochrane, in ''Oxford Companion to Music'', Alison Latham, ed., Oxford University Pre ...
''. The acoustic version was released on 7 April in the remix package
16 September 2016, Hudson's co-write for
JP Cooper
John Paul Cooper (born 1 November 1983) is an English singer and songwriter. He is best known for featuring on the Jonas Blue single " Perfect Strangers". The song was certified platinum in the UK. His follow-up solo single was " September Song" ...
’s "
September Song
"September Song" is an American standard popular song composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Maxwell Anderson. It was introduced by Walter Huston in the 1938 Broadway musical production ''Knickerbocker Holiday.'' The song has been recorded by nu ...
" was released.
8 January 2017 appeared as a special guest at the Celebrating David Bowie concert at the O2 Brixton Academy with Gary Oldman & Mike Garson, singing a rendition of Bowie's "
Starman
''StarMan'' is a 1996 fantasy novel by Australian writer Sara Douglass. It follows the second book in the series, '' Enchanter'', with Axis marching north with his army to confront a formidable enemy.
Background
''StarMan'' was first published ...
". Hudson sang with Bowie's band, Mike Garson, Gail Ann Dorsey, Earl Slick and more for the ‘Celebrating David Bowie’ shows in London, New York and Los Angeles. He has continued to tour with the line up in 2018 in the UK, Europe and the USA.
Hudson's features and co-writes in 2017 include with
Vic Mensa
Vic (; es, Vic or Pancracio Celdrán (2004). Diccionario de topónimos españoles y sus gentilicios (5ª edición). Madrid: Espasa Calpe. p. 843. ISBN 978-84-670-3054-9. «Vic o Vich (viquense, vigitano, vigatán, ausense, ausetano, ausonense): ...
"Almost There" for Mensa's ''Masterpiece'' EP, "She's on My Mind" by
JP Cooper
John Paul Cooper (born 1 November 1983) is an English singer and songwriter. He is best known for featuring on the Jonas Blue single " Perfect Strangers". The song was certified platinum in the UK. His follow-up solo single was " September Song" ...
, "Beatnik Trip" by
Gin Wigmore
Virginia Claire Wigmore (born 6 June 1986) is a New Zealand singer and songwriter. Featured on the Smashproof single "Brother" in 2009, Wigmore went on to release four albums '' Holy Smoke'' (2009), ''Gravel & Wine'' (2011), '' Blood to Bone'' ...
and Bearson "Cold War".
Hudson also released two of his own tracks late in 2017. "Can't Forget You" released on 29 September and "Coldplay" featuring Vic Mensa, world premiered on 5 December with Zane Lowe on Beats1 Radio.
2018–2019: Writing, production and ''When the Machine Stops''
Mr. Hudson's co-write with
Alexander DeLeon
Alexander Michael DeLeon (born April 8, 1989), also known as Bohnes, is an American singer, best known as the lead singer for the rock band The Cab. With the band, he signed to Fueled by Ramen and Decaydance in 2007, subsequently releasing thei ...
‘Zombie Love’ was released on 30 March followed by his track with
Janelle Monáe
Janelle Monáe Robinson (; born December 1, 1985) is an American singer, rapper and actress. She is signed to Atlantic Records, as well as to her own imprint, the Wondaland Arts Society. Monáe has received eight Grammy Award nominations. Monà ...
feat Zoe Kravitz "Screwed" on 27 April, taken from the album ''
Dirty Computer
''Dirty Computer'' is the third studio album by American singer and songwriter Janelle Monáe, released on April 27, 2018, by Wondaland Arts Society, Bad Boy Records and Atlantic Records. It is the follow-up to her studio albums '' The ArchAndro ...
''. Mr. Hudson appeared on
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
and
Kid Cudi
Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), also known by his stage name Kid Cudi ( ), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and fashion designer. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Cudi would move to New Yo ...
’s collaboration album "Kids See Ghosts" where he sang the outro to the final song, "Cudi Montage". Hudson's co-write for
Jonas Blue
Guy James Robin (born 2 August 1989), known professionally as Jonas Blue, is an English DJ, record producer, songwriter, and remixer based in London. He is known for recruiting young artists for his dance-pop and tropical house productions, wh ...
featuring
Joe Jonas "I See Love" was released 29 June for the
Hotel Transylvania 3
''Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation'' (released internationally as ''Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation'' or simply ''Hotel Transylvania 3'' as marketed on home release) is a 2018 American Computer animation, computer-animated monster ...
soundtrack. On 10 August
Jake Shears
Jake Shears (born October 3, 1978) is an American singer and songwriter. He is best known as the male lead singer of pop-rock band Scissor Sisters.
Early life
Shears was born in Mesa, Arizona, the son of an entrepreneur father and a Baptist moth ...
' debut solo album was released, on which Hudson co-wrote the tracks "Clothes Off", "Mississippi Delta", and "Big Bushy Mustache".
Hudson co-wrote and featured on 'Deserve It' from
Vic Mensa
Vic (; es, Vic or Pancracio Celdrán (2004). Diccionario de topónimos españoles y sus gentilicios (5ª edición). Madrid: Espasa Calpe. p. 843. ISBN 978-84-670-3054-9. «Vic o Vich (viquense, vigitano, vigatán, ausense, ausetano, ausonense): ...
’s ''Hooligans'' EP, released on 13 December followed by his co-write with
JP Cooper
John Paul Cooper (born 1 November 1983) is an English singer and songwriter. He is best known for featuring on the Jonas Blue single " Perfect Strangers". The song was certified platinum in the UK. His follow-up solo single was " September Song" ...
'Cheerleader' on 14 December.
Faustix's single "Thorns" released on 29 March by Big Beat/Atlantic was co-written by Hudson.
On 19 April 2019 Hudson revealed his first new original song in 10 years, titled "Antidote", written and produced with
Jon Hume
Jon Hume is an Australian-born New Zealand musician, songwriter and record producer based between Los Angeles and Nashville who has written and produced songs for JP Cooper, Galantis, Bebe Rexha, Guy Sebastian, Sofi Tukker, Dean Lewis, Icona ...
. Hudson's co-write with Hopium, "I Forget My Name", was released on 17 May followed by Hudson's second solo single "Chicago" featuring
Vic Mensa
Vic (; es, Vic or Pancracio Celdrán (2004). Diccionario de topónimos españoles y sus gentilicios (5ª edición). Madrid: Espasa Calpe. p. 843. ISBN 978-84-670-3054-9. «Vic o Vich (viquense, vigitano, vigatán, ausense, ausetano, ausonense): ...
. He later confirmed that both "Antidote" and "Chicago" would feature on his album ''When the Machine Stops'', released 21 June 2019.
In addition to Mensa, ''When the Machine Stops'' also features Schae,
Taylor Bennett, Josh Dean,
Petite Noir, and
Goody Grace
Goody Grace (born Branson Gudmundson; June 19, 1997) is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter and producer from Selkirk, Manitoba. He has released one full length album and two EPs, as well as having co-written songs for musicians such as Machine ...
. In an interview with ''Spindle Magazine'', Hudson described his influences in making the album as:
On 28 May 2019, Taylor Bennett's album ''The American Reject'' was released featuring a Hudson co-write and feature on the track "I Miss You". On 28 June, Hudson's co-write with Lontalius "Make My Dreams Come True" was released.
Hudson's co-write with
Samm Henshaw
Iniabasi Samuel Henshaw, professionally known as Samm Henshaw (born 22 February 1994), is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer. Henshaw garnered mainstream radio support from BBC Radio 1 and was chosen by James Bay, Chance the Rapp ...
and
DJ Khalil
Khalil Abdul-Rahman Hazzard (born October 16, 1973), professionally known as DJ Khalil, is an American music producer and DJ from Los Angeles. He is the instrumental half of the hip hop duo Self Scientific (along with rapper Chace Infinite) an ...
"Rise" is featured on the ''
Godfather of Harlem
''Godfather of Harlem'' is an American crime drama television series which premiered on September 29, 2019, on Epix. The series is written by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein, and stars Forest Whitaker as 1960s New York City gangster Bumpy Johns ...
'' soundtrack curated by
Swizz Beatz
Kasseem Daoud Dean (born September 13, 1978), known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, rapper, disc jockey (DJ) and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, Dean embarked on his musical career as a DJ. At the ag ...
.
2020-present
On 21 February 2020
JP Cooper
John Paul Cooper (born 1 November 1983) is an English singer and songwriter. He is best known for featuring on the Jonas Blue single " Perfect Strangers". The song was certified platinum in the UK. His follow-up solo single was " September Song" ...
’s "Bits & Pieces" was released, co-written and produced by Hudson. June 2020 saw Hudson's writing and production work featured on
John Legend
John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and record producer. He began his musical career by working behind the scenes, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Ever ...
's album ''
Bigger Love
''Bigger Love'' is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter and musician John Legend. It was released on June 19, 2020, through Columbia Records. The album includes the singles "Conversations in the Dark", "Actions", "Bigger Love", a ...
'' for track "Never Break". Later on 26 June "Too Close", a song Hudson co-wrote with
JP Cooper
John Paul Cooper (born 1 November 1983) is an English singer and songwriter. He is best known for featuring on the Jonas Blue single " Perfect Strangers". The song was certified platinum in the UK. His follow-up solo single was " September Song" ...
, was released as part of the EP also titled ''Too Close'' which also includes "Bits & Pieces". In December 2020
Taylor Bennett released his track "Don’t Wait Up" featuring and co-written by Mr Hudson. 26 February 2021 Hudson's production and co-write with Goody Grace "21 & Jaded" was released. March 2021 Hudson's work with
John Legend
John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and record producer. He began his musical career by working behind the scenes, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Ever ...
on "Never Break" received a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for Best R&B album. On 23 April 2021
Charlotte Cardin
Charlotte Cardin (born November 9, 1994) is a Canadian pop, electro and jazz singer and songwriter from Montreal, Quebec. released "Je Quitte" which was co-written and produced by Hudson and in May 2022 won multiple
Juno awards
The Juno Awards, more popularly known as the JUNOS, are awards presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. New members of the Canadian Music Hall of ...
and reached platinum sales in Canada. In June 2021
San Holo
Sander van Dijck (born 26 November 1990), better known by his stage name San Holo, is a Dutch DJ, musician, and record producer from Zoetermeer. He gained international recognition for his remix of Dr. Dre's "The Next Episode", which currentl ...
released the album ''
BB U OK?
''BB U OK?'' (stylized as bb u ok?) is the second studio album by Dutch musician San Holo, released on 4 June 2021 by Bitbird, Counter Records, and Liquid State.
Production
The album was recorded from September 2019 to January 2020. Similarly t ...
'' with the track "The Great Clown Pagliacci" sampling Hudson’s "Closing Time". May 13, 2022 saw the release of Johan Lenox’s interlude track "Burning Sky" co-written & featuring Hudson from the album ''WDYWTBWYGU''.
Discography
* ''
A Tale of Two Cities
''A Tale of Two Cities'' is a historical novel published in 1859 by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The novel tells the story of the French Doctor Manette, his 18-year-long imprisonment in the ...
'' (2007)
(as Mr Hudson and the Library
Mr Hudson and the Library were a British music group active from 2006 to 2007 and composed of Mr Hudson (vocals, guitar), Joy Joseph (steelpan, percussion, vocals), Torville Jones (piano), Robin French (aka Maps Huxley) (bass) and Wilkie Wilkinso ...
)
* ''
Straight No Chaser'' (2009)
* ''Never Grow Up''
(with Rosie Oddie, as BIGkids) (2012)
* ''When the Machine Stops'' (2019)
Awards and nominations
*
Q Awards 2009
**Q awards – Best Breakthrough Act – Won
*
MOBO Awards 2009
**Best UK Act – Nominated
**Best Video "Supernova" – Nominated
*UMA Awards UK & France 2009
**Best Collaboration ft Kanye West – "Supernova" – Nominated
**Best Newcomer – Nominated
**Best R&B Act – Nominated
*
MOBO Awards 2010
**Best Song "Playing with Fire" – Won
References
External links
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hudson, Mr
1979 births
Living people
Musicians from Birmingham, West Midlands
British contemporary R&B singers
Alumni of St Anne's College, Oxford
Anglo-Scots
21st-century English singers
People educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham
English pop singers
English people of Scottish descent
British hip hop singers
English male singer-songwriters
English record producers
People from Handsworth, West Midlands
21st-century British male singers