Ester Dean
Ester Dean | |
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![]() Dean in 2017 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Esther Renay Dean |
Born | Muskogee, Oklahoma,U.S. | April 15, 1986
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Years active | 2006–present |
Labels |
Esther[1]Renay Dean(born April 15, 1986), known professionally asEster Dean,is an AmericanR&Bsinger, songwriter, and record producer. She rose to prominence as a pop songwriter in the late 2000s and wrotenumerous hit songsfor singers includingRihanna,Katy Perry,Britney Spears,andBeyoncéthrough the 2010s. She has acted in numerous films, including the 2012 musical comedyPitch Perfectand its sequels.
Life and career[edit]
Esther Renay Dean was born inMuskogee, Oklahomato single mother Hester Dean, and raised inTulsa, Oklahomaas the youngest of five children.[2][3]She began singing at a young age. [4]When Esther was 15, her mother moved her and her sister Deandria toOmaha, Nebraska,where she began working as asession singerand writing for local musicians. At the age of 20, Dean moved to Atlanta with $500 to pursue a career as a songwriter and record producer. She was discovered by music producerChristopher "Tricky" Stewart,who overheard Dean singing along in the crowd of aGap Bandconcert.[5]On the strength of her voice and songwriting ability, Tricky signed Dean for apublishing contract.[6]
Dean later parted ways with Tricky and relocated toLos Angeles,where she was introduced toPolow da Donand signed a deal withZone 4 Recordsunder the aegis ofInterscope Records.[5]In 2009, Dean released her debut single as a lead artist, "Drop It Low",which featured singerChris Brownand production by Polow da Don; the song peaked at number 38 on the USBillboard Hot 100and became her only Top 40 single as a lead artist.
Dean's commercial breakthrough came when she collaborated withStargateon the number one Rihanna single "Rude Boy".She continued to write hit songs for Rihanna, including"What's My Name"and"Where Have You Been",as well asKaty Perry's "Firework"and Nicki Minaj's"Super Bass".
In 2011, Dean contributed to the soundtrack for the animated film,RiobyBlue Sky Studios.
She has written, and sometimes produced, Top 40 hits for artists includingRihanna,Christina Aguilera,Florence + The Machine,Beyoncé,Drake,Selena Gomez,Mary J. Blige,Kelly Clarkson,Ciara,The Pussycat Dolls,Usher,Kelly Rowland,R. Kelly,Britney Spears,andLil Wayne.
She appeared as Cynthia Rose inPitch Perfect,released in 2012, and reprised the role in the sequelsPitch Perfect 2(2015) andPitch Perfect 3(2017).
In 2022, she was on the jury panel forAmerican Song Contestrepresenting Oklahoma.[7]
Artistry[edit]
Voice[edit]
Dean possesses amezzo-sopranorange. Her vocals were described byBillboardas "raw, energetic vocals [that] cover a wide range: from club banger to melodic doo-wop/hip-hop."[8]Dean's vocals have also been described as similar toRihannaandNicki Minaj."The songwriter's voice is pitched dead center between two artists. The first is frequent collaborator Rihanna...the other is Nicki Minaj when she sings."[9]
Songwriting style[edit]
In a 2012 article inThe New Yorker,Dean described her preferred method of songwriting: "I go into the booth and I scream and I sing and I yell, and sometimes it's words but most time [sic] it's not...and I just see when I get this little chill [on her upper arm, below the shoulder] and then I'm, like, 'Yeah, that's the hook.'"[5]
Filmography[edit]
Film[edit]
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
2011 | Rio | Boy in Gondola (voice) |
2012 | Ice Age: Continental Drift | Sloth Siren and Gutt's Siren (voice) |
Pitch Perfect | Cynthia-Rose Adams | |
2015 | Pitch Perfect 2 | |
2017 | Pitch Perfect 3 | |
2020 | Trolls World Tour | Legsly (voice) |
Television[edit]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | Crazy Ex-Girlfriend | Vanessa | Episode: "That Text Was Not Meant for Josh!" |
RuPaul's Drag Race | Guest Judge (season 8) | Episode: "Bitch Perfect" | |
2019–2020 | Songland | Herself - Judge | |
2020 | The Voice | Herself - Guest Judge | Episode: "Live Final Top 5 Performances" |
2020–2022 | Central Park | Hazel (voice) | 7 episodes |
2021 | Clash of the Cover Bands | Herself - Judge | Season 1 |
2021 | Trolls: Holiday in Harmony | Legsly (voice) | short Christmas special |
2022 | American Song Contest | Herself - Oklahoma Judge | 8 episodes |
Discography[edit]
Accolades[edit]
Year | Ceremony | Nominated Work | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards | "Hot Tottie"(as a writer) | Award-Winning Urban Songs | Won | [10] |
"I Am"(as a writer) | Won | ||||
"Rude Boy"(as a writer) | Won | ||||
"Sex Therapy"(as a writer) | Won | ||||
2012 | Grammy Awards | Loud(as a producer and writer) | Album of the Year | Nominated | [11] |
BMI Pop Awards | Herself | Songwriter of the Year | Won | [12] | |
"Firework"(as a writer) | Pop Song of the Year | Won | |||
Award-Winning Pop Songs | Won | ||||
"Super Bass"(as a writer) | Won | ||||
"Rude Boy"(as a writer) | Won | ||||
"S&M"(as a writer) | Won | ||||
"What's My Name?"(as a writer) | Won | ||||
BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards | "Super Bass"(as a writer) | Urban Song of the Year | Won | [13] | |
Award-Winning Urban Songs | Won | ||||
"What's My Name?"(as a writer) | Won | ||||
2013 | BMI Pop Awards | "Mr. Know It All"(as a writer) | Award-Winning Pop Songs | Won | [14] |
"Turn Me On"(as a writer) | Won | ||||
"Where Have You Been"(as a writer) | Won | ||||
MTV Movie Awards | Pitch Perfect(shared with the cast) | Best Musical Moment | Won | [15] | |
Annie Awards | Ice Age: Continental Drift(as a producer) | Best Music in a Feature Production | Nominated | [16] | |
2015 | Hollywood Music in Media Awards | "Dancing in the Dark"(as a writer) | Best Song – Animated Film | Won | [17][18] |
2016 | BMI London Awards | "Hey Mama"(as a writer) | Dance Award | Won | [19] |
Award-Winning Pop Songs | Won | ||||
BMI Pop Awards | Award-Winning Pop Songs | Won | [20] | ||
2021 | Canadian Country Music Awards | "Champagne Night"(as a writer) | Songwriter of the Year | Won | [21] |
References[edit]
- ^Dean, Ester [@esterdean] (December 12, 2014)."Lol my real name is Esther"(Tweet).RetrievedMarch 21,2022– viaTwitter.
- ^"Ester Dean Talks Debut Album & 'Pitch Perfect' Success".Billboard.January 14, 2013.RetrievedMarch 21,2022.
- ^"Melody Maker".Oklahoma Today.Archived fromthe originalon January 8, 2019.RetrievedNovember 11,2015.
- ^"Interview: Ester Dean – Singer and Songwriter".Blogcritics.RetrievedNovember 11,2015.
- ^abcSeabrook, John (March 26, 2012)."The Song Machine".The New Yorker.Vol. LXXXVIII, no. 6. pp. 48–55.RetrievedMarch 21,2022.
- ^"Top Writer/Artist Ester Dean Talks About Her Hits With Rihanna, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj & Kelly Clarkson".Songwriter Universe.December 4, 2013.RetrievedMarch 21,2022.
- ^Maas, Jennifer (March 21, 2022)."How 'American Song Contest' Voting Will Work Via TikTok, and Who's on the 56-Member Jury Panel (EXCLUSIVE)".Variety.RetrievedMarch 21,2022.
- ^"Ester Dean: Artists To Watch 2010".Billboard. January 15, 2010.RetrievedMarch 21,2022.
- ^"The Singles Bar: Ester Dean ft. Nicki Minaj," Gimme Money "".Popdust. February 23, 2012.RetrievedMay 19,2014.
- ^"Snoop Dog Honored At BMI Urban Awards".bmi.com.Archived fromthe originalon June 21, 2013.RetrievedDecember 16,2020.
- ^"ESTER DEAN: Grammy History".grammy.com.November 19, 2019.RetrievedDecember 16,2020.
- ^"Ester Dean, Benny Blanco and Pitbull share Songwriter of the Year crown;" Firework "named Song of the Year; Universal Music Publishing Group earns Publisher of the Year".bmi.com.May 16, 2012.RetrievedDecember 16,2020.
- ^"Ester Dean, Kane Beatz, Nicki Minaj and Pop Wansel also take top honors".bmi.com.September 8, 2012.RetrievedDecember 16,2020.
- ^"Ester Dean, Benny Blanco and Pitbull share Songwriter of the Year crown;" Firework "named Song of the Year; Universal Music Publishing Group earns Publisher of the Year".bmi.com.May 15, 2013.RetrievedDecember 17,2020.
- ^"Rebel Wilson and The Avengers dominate ceremony".Daily Telegraph.April 15, 2013. Archived fromthe originalon April 19, 2013.RetrievedApril 16,2013.
- ^"2013 Annie Awards: Winners List".Deadline.February 3, 2013.RetrievedDecember 16,2020.
- ^Feinberg, Scott (November 12, 2015)."Hollywood Music in Media Awards: 'Hunting Ground,' 'Furious 7,' '50 Shades of Grey' Claim Top Prizes".Billboard.RetrievedNovember 3,2016.
- ^"2015 winners".Hollywood Music in Media Awards.Archived fromthe originalon August 8, 2016.RetrievedNovember 3,2016.
- ^"The hit was written by Giorgio Tuinfort, Afrojack, Sean Douglas, Ester Dean and Alan & John Lomax, and made famous by David Guetta, featuring Nicki Minaj and Bebe Rexha".bmi.com.October 10, 2016.RetrievedDecember 16,2020.
- ^"BMI Honors Taylor Swift and Legendary Songwriting Duo Mann & Weil at the 64th Annual BMI Pop Awards".bmi.com.May 11, 2016.RetrievedDecember 17,2020.
- ^"Dallas Smith cleans up at Canadian country music awards on historic night".
External links[edit]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- 1982 births
- Living people
- African-American women singer-songwriters
- American women singer-songwriters
- American contemporary R&B singers
- American dance-pop musicians
- American mezzo-sopranos
- American women pop singers
- American women record producers
- Record producers from Oklahoma
- Judges in American reality television series
- Roc Nation artists
- 21st-century African-American women singers
- 21st-century American women singers
- Singers from Oklahoma
- Songwriters from Oklahoma
- Interscope Records artists