Your Favorite Producer’s Favorite Producer
Working behind the scenes, interpersonal connection is everything — so Billboard asked a variety of booked and busy producers to talk up the rising stars, in-demand innovators and still-evolving veterans they want more artists and listeners to know about.
“These twin brothers who go by TWO FRESH. I met Sherwyn years ago at a writing camp and I liked what I was hearing, [so] I started following him on Insta and noticed he was doing the artist thing himself. Everything I heard was fire to me, and I felt more people must know about this. But it wasn’t until recently that I found out he and his brother [KingJet] were a producer duo and have done a lot of stuff together. They have this raw, alternative, funky, soulful sound. Sometimes they remind me of N.E.R.D or similar. They are like the cool cats to me.” —D’MILE (SILK SONIC, VICTORIA MONéT, H.E.R.)
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“TWO FRESH are behind some of my favorite genre-bending music in recent years, working with artists like Tommy Newport — ‘Tangerine’ is a favorite of mine — Samara Cyn, Duckwrth and Master Peace. For years they’ve been doing what people are gravitating toward now, blending live music with R&B, indie, rock, rap. I was immediately hooked by their pocket and feel — it’s impeccable.” —JULIAN BUNETTA (ONE DIRECTION, SABRINA CARPENTER, THOMAS RHETT)
“OKLOU’S debut album, Galore, from 2020 is easily one of my favorite albums of the last few years. Her productions always have an incredibly sparse sound palette — her virtuosic writing for keyboard, plus her ability and confidence keep things so minimal — and she consistently makes amazingly beautiful and subtle harmonic choices. I would be so interested to hear her produce or write for other artists too.” —EASYFUN (CHARLI XCX)
“CECILE BELIEVE’s production always feels critical to me — always poised regardless of how much is going on and how hard she pushes elements. Her experimental and bold production decisions never usurp the heart of the track — it remains curious and compelling. Small wonder she is called upon by visionary avant-pop artists like the late great SOPHIE, Dorian Elektra and Caroline Polachek to collaborate.” —CATE LE BON (WILCO, ST. VINCENT, KURT VILE)
“I first became acquainted with OJIVOLTA (Mark Williams and Raul Cubina) in 2015, when they were working at my manager’s studio, Electric Feel, on multiple songs with Jon Bellion. We had an extensive conversation about the nuances and various technical approaches to producing a record, and I was deeply impressed by their vast knowledge and musical versatility. Over the next several years, we ended up collaborating on a couple of records and projects, including Halsey’s ‘Graveyard’ and [Ye’s] DONDA. They continue to impress me. While staying low key has its advantages, I believe everyone in the industry should know who they are.” —LOUIS BELL (POST MALONE, TAYLOR SWIFT, MILEY CYRUS)
“I met BUDDY ROSS as a very talented piano and synths player. He played on some records I was producing, and during that time he showed me music he was making on his own, and I was very impressed and signed him to my publishing company, Heavy Duty. He later got hired as the touring keyboardist for Frank Ocean, who quickly picked up on his level of talent. Buddy went on to be one of the main producers on Frank’s album Blonde. On top of his gift as a player and ability to build sounds on samplers, modular synths, various computer programs, etc., he plays and makes sounds with an emotion that is very rare. Everything he does makes you feel something. He brings many levels of depth to any artist he works with.” —ARIEL RECHTSHAID (ADELE, HAIM, SKY FERREIRA, VAMPIRE WEEKEND)
“HARRISON PATRICK SMITH, who just released his first album as The Dare. Someone sent me [The Dare’s] ‘Girls’ and asked me if I’d want to meet with him. I didn’t initially love the song, but after a few listens it started growing on me. Then I had breakfast with him and started to get to know him as a person. Twenty-something Harrison reminded me a bit of twenty-something Rostam. He kept sending me songs he was working on; they would just pile up. He’s prolific, and eventually I realized I liked most of the music he was working on. I think Harrison understands the intersection of ‘the song’ and ‘the sound,’ and it’s in this intersection that I think we producers do our best work. It’s not only about the song, and it’s not only about the sound; it’s about both, always, and I think Harrison gets that.”
—ROSTAM (HAIM, CARLY RAE JEPSEN, SANTIGOLD, MAGGIE ROGERS)
“One of my favorite producers, and people, in the world is CHONG THE NOMAD! She’s an incredible producer, songwriter and DJ based in Seattle. I discovered her music around 2018 through my manager. I immediately knew that someone with a name like that had to be making something crazy and different. We set up a hang a few weeks later and ended up making six or seven crazy beats together. Her ability to bring something different to the table every time has been key in pushing her own sound as both an artist and beat-maker. Drum-wise, she’s in a lane of her own. Always taking risks and providing rhythmic pockets that push other producers and artists to go above and beyond. I can play the craziest jazz piano riff, and she will find a small clip she likes in two seconds, chop it, flip it and put an insane beat over it that sounds like nothing else.” —ROGéT CHAHAYED (TRAVIS SCOTT, BIG SEAN, JACK HARLOW, DOJA CAT)
“I first discovered JAY JOYCE when Little Big Town released ‘Pontoon’ in 2012. There was just something unique about the sound of the mandolin he captured and the heavy slapback on the vocals that made me stop for a second and say, ‘Who did this? This is so cool and different!’ The rest of the record was equally as sonically interesting — and, comparing that to their previous work, highlighted how a producer can change the sound of an artist and put them on a different trajectory. Jay always strives to capture sounds in an outside-of-the-box way that makes a record stand out. He’s always using weird gear I’ve never heard of, like an amp that was custom-made out of an old film projector. I hear rumors of him drinking mass amounts of Diet Coke and staying up into the early hours just experimenting with sounds. He has a level of creative genius that makes so many artists want to work with him.” —ALEX KLINE (TENILLE ARTS, TIGIRLILY, TEDDY ROBB)
“There is this kid I really admire; he goes by the name of TAIKO: a producer from Chile, super young but with a very interesting catalog. I discovered his music through Instagram, then a little time passed by and he was already doing stuff for J Balvin, Eladio Carrión, Mora, Jhayco. He even released an EP with all the Chile talent — that, for me, is a scene that we all should be more aware of. I don’t know which of his multiple talents is my favorite — I just think he creates these beats that carry a lot of personality and lead the artist to be inspired easily with his sound, having big songs in return.” —SKY ROMPIENDO (J BALVIN, FEID, BAD BUNNY)
“I look up to JEFF BHASKER and MIKE ELIZONDO. I first became familiar with Mike when I was a studio assistant on an album for Muse at [Rick Rubin’s] Shangri-La. We never crossed paths, but he was working with them over at his studio, and hearing his name led me to do a deep dive into his catalog. [And] it’s hard for me to pinpoint when I became familiar with Jeff’s work — I kept seeing his name pop up on so many songs I loved. I first crossed paths with him in 2018 while I was a studio assistant at Shangri-La for the Harry Styles album Fine Line, and he was always so kind and encouraging to me as a young, aspiring producer.
“Both of these guys are such sonic chameleons. Just extremely versatile. I love how Mike’s career has so many distinctive chapters — weaving from Eminem and 50 Cent to Fiona Apple to Avenged Sevenfold and Twenty One Pilots and Turnstile to even movies like Encanto. [And I’m] inspired by the fact that Jeff’s success really started kicking into gear in his 30s. I always respect and admire producers who paid their dues and had to grind out their path. Versatility is a huge factor in the longevity of both of these guys — which seems like an increasingly difficult feat these days. Both have weathered huge shifts in music and culture — and, in fact, have driven many of those shifts. They’re both musically fearless and follow their ears.” —ROB BISEL (SZA, KENDRICK LAMAR, DOJA CAT)
“Mustard’s music soundtracked a very important time in my life. I first found out about him after discovering YG, who I was sharing a wall with for a minute at a studio in The Mission district in San Francisco. I met my wife at that same studio and we spent our early dating rocking “Paranoid,” “I’m Different,” “Rack City,” etc. At this point we had moved to L.A. and he was the soundtrack of L.A., the soundtrack of the 2010s. He kept producing some of my favorites like “Big Bank” and went on to discover Ella Mai right as I was trying to develop my own artists. And he has had yet another renaissance this year with his own album that gives fans like me a me a window into his own life, and he created a historic piece of music for the West Coast and the world alike with “Not Like Us.”
Mustard’s production does what my favorite production does best: it showcases the vocal, it feels great, it makes your body move. But what I find most inspiring about him is his perseverance. When he went from “Don’t Tell Em” to “Needed Me,” it was clear that he would be someone that would continue to re-invent himself. And now with Faith of a Mustard Seed and “Not Like Us,” I feel like “he did it again” is an understatement. We will be talking about this man for the next 30 years.” —RICKY REED (LIZZO, TINASHE, CAMILA CABELLO )
This article appears in the Oct. 5 issue of Billboard.
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