Pharrell Williams’ GRAMMY-Winning Formula
GRAMMY-WINNING PRODUCER REVEALS HIS DEFINITION FOR A SUCCESSFUL SONG
GRAMMY-winning producer Pharrell Williams recently visited Conway Studios in Hollywood, Calif., to participate in an exclusive interview with GRAMMY rap community blogger Nick Huff of HardKnock.TV. Williams discussed the making of the GRAMMY-nominated hit “Blurred Lines,” how music brings him peace and why fans are crucial to a song’s success, among other topics.
“Success is determined by the people who purchase and sell and stream and vote and request and share your songs,” said Williams. “In my opinion, that’s what quantifies the definition of a successful song …. The people make the decision … if it’s meaningful to people it will catch fire.”
View more of Williams’ interview at HardKnock
A Virginia Beach, Va., native, Williams emerged in the ’90s as one-half of the GRAMMY-winning producing duo the Neptunes. As the Neptunes, Williams and partner Chad Hugo produced hits for artists such as GRAMMY winners Babyface, Jay Z, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Usher, among others. In 2003 the Neptunes earned Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical honors at the 46th GRAMMY Awards. That same year Williams picked up a GRAMMY for Best Pop Vocal Album as a producer on Timberlake’s debut solo album Justified. In 2001 Williams formed the alternative rock collective N.E.R.D. with Hugo and Shay Haley, releasing hit albums such 2004’s Fly Or Die (No. 6) and 2008’s Seeing Sounds (No. 7). Williams’ debut solo album, 2006’s In My Mind, peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. In November 2013 Williams released the hit “Happy,” which is featured on the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack and will be featured on his forthcoming solo album.
Williams won four of the seven GRAMMYs he was nominated for at the 56th GRAMMY Awards, picking up both Record Of The Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” which also featured Niles Rodgers. Williams also won Album Of The Year for Daft Punk’s No. 1 album Random Access Memories and Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical.
Source: http://www.grammy.com/news/pharrell-williams-grammy-winning-formula
Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com
