Fraser T. Smith
Fraser T. Smith | |
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Background information | |
Also known as | Future Utopia |
Born | Buckinghamshire,England | 8 February 1971
Genres | |
Occupations |
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Instruments |
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Years active | 1995–present |
Labels |
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Website | frasertsmith |
Fraser Thorneycroft-Smith(born 8 February 1971), known professionally asFraser T. Smith,is an English record producer, songwriter and musician. Some of the singles he collaborated on includeAdele's "Set Fire to the Rain",James Morrison's "Broken Strings",Tinchy Stryder's "Number 1"andTaio Cruz's "Break Your Heart".[1]In 2016, Smith teamed up withStormzyto produce his debut albumGang Signs & Prayer,which won Best Album at the2018 Brit Awards.Earlier that year he produced seven tracks on Kano'sMade in the Manoralbum and co-produced the debut EP from South London rapperDave.Smith has also worked withSam Smith.
Smith released his debut album,12 Questions,on 30 October 2020. The record is based on a series of 12 questions all born of Smith’s own anxieties about the world, discussing issues such as faith, freedom, race, gender, wealth, equality and ecology. Smith collaborated withDave,Kano,Ghetts,Bastille,Idris ElbaandStormzy.[2]
On 18 March 2021, Smith was presented with a RSL (Rockschool Ltd) Fellowship.[3]In August 2021, Dave and Smith were nominated for theIvor Novello Awards2021 in the Best Contemporary Song category for "Children of the Internet".[4]Dave and Smith subsequently won. This was their third Ivor Novello win in four years. The song is performed by Future Utopia. This was producer Smith’s new project and features Dave andEs Devlin.[5][6][7][8]
Career
Smith started his career playing guitar in pubs and clubs both as a solo musician and in bands.[9]In 1992, Smith metRick Wakemanwith whom he toured and recorded.[10]Smith then went on to work withTony HadleyandAdam Wakeman.[11]In the mid-1990s, they formed Jeronimo Road, aprogressive rockband. Smith then became involved in playing guitar in studio sessions, performing on over 200 records, includingRui da Silva's number one "Touch Me"and Tim Deluxe's"It Just Won't Do".[12][13]
In 1999, Smith was introduced to the then-unknownCraig Davidand spent five years working as his guitarist performing on television and radio, as well as at concerts including theJohn LennonTribute Concert atRadio City Hallin New York, theTsunami Relief Cardiffat theMillennium StadiuminCardiff,andLive 8, London.[14]They remixed songs together under the pseudonym of Treats and have written the songs "World Filled With Love", "6 of 1 Thing", and "Hot Stuff".[15]
In 2011, Smith won a Grammy Award for his work with Adele.[16]
In 2012, Smith was nominated for anIvor Novello Awardfor his writing on "Broken Strings".[17]In 2015, Smith was nominated for Album of the Year in the57th Grammy Awardsfor his contribution to Sam Smith's albumIn the Lonely Hour.[18]
Between 2013 and 2016, Smith worked with longtime collaboratorKanoon his albumMade in the Manor,which was subsequently shortlisted for the 2016Mercury Prize[19]and nominated for Album of the Year at the2017 Brit Awards.[20][21]It went on to win Best Album at theMOBO Awards.[22]
Smith also collaborated with Mexican duoJesse & Joyon their albumUn Besito Más,which was released in December 2015. At the17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards,the album received the nomination forAlbum of the Yearand won for Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Album.[23]
In 2016, Smith was approached by grime and hip hop artistStormzy.[24]They spent ten months writing and producing his debut album,Gang Signs & Prayer,released independently through #Merky Records on 24 February 2017. The album was supported by the lead single "Big for Your Boots".
During theCOVID-19 pandemic,Smith produced theLive Lounge Allstars' charity versionof theFoo Fighters' "Times Like These",featuring twenty-four musicians recorded from their homes.[25]
In 2018, Smith and the rapper Dave won an Ivor Novello Award for the track "Question Time".[26]In 2020, they won an Ivor Novello Award for the track "Black".[27]
Discography
Studio album
Title | Album details |
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12 Questions |
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Selected song writing and production credits
Year | Artist | Title | Type | Peak chart position |
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2018 | Tom Grennan | Lighting Matches | Album (track "Sober" ) | UK #5 |
2018 | Calum Scott | Only Human | Album (7 tracks inc. "You are The Reason" ) | UK #4; US #66 |
2018 | Ramz | "Family Tree" | Single | UK #35 |
2019 | Anne-Marie | Speak Your Mind | Album (track "You Are The Reason" ) | UK #3; US #31 |
2019 | Dave feat. Fredo | "Funky Friday" | Single | UK #1 |
2019 | Dave | Psychodrama | Album (6 tracks) | UK #1 |
2019 | Tiesto, Jonas Blue & Rita Ora | "Ritual" | Single | US Hot Dance #13; UK #24 |
2019 | Stormzy | Heavy is the Head | Album (4 tracks) | UK #1 |
2020 | Raye | Euphoric Sad Songs | Mini-album (track "Please Don't Touch" ) | |
2020 | Live Lounge Allstars | "Times Like These"(cover) | Single ( "Live Lounge Allstars charity single" ) | UK #5[29] |
2021 | Mysie | Undertones | EP | |
2021 | Easy Life | Life's A Beach | Album (2 tracks including "Nightmares" ) | UK #2 |
2021 | Kasabian | "Alygatyr" | Single |
Awards and nominations
Award show | Year | Category | Work | Result | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grammy Awards | 2012 | Album of the Year | 21(Adele) | Won | [30] |
2015 | In the Lonely Hour(Sam Smith) | Nominated | |||
Ivor Novello Awards | 2018 | Track of the Year | "Question Time" (Dave) | Won | [26] |
2020 | Track of the Year | "Black"(Dave) | Won | [27] | |
2021 | Best Contemporary Song | "Children of the Internet" | Won | [5] |
References
- ^"— The Manifesto".Themanifesto.co. 26 March 2014. Archived fromthe originalon 31 May 2014.Retrieved30 May2014.
- ^"Stewart, Rev. Hugh Fraser, (1863–23 Jan. 1948), Emeritus Reader in French; Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge; Fellow of Eton College; Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur",Who Was Who,Oxford University Press, 1 December 2007,doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u232220,retrieved26 October2021
- ^"RSL Honorary Fellowship: Fraser T Smith".RSL Awards.18 March 2021.Retrieved26 October2021.
- ^"Nominations announced for The Ivors with Apple Music 2021".The Ivors Academy.10 August 2021.Retrieved26 October2021.
- ^abWynter, Courtney (21 September 2021)."Fraser T Smith, Dave & Es Devlin's 'Children Of The Internet' Wins 2021 Ivor Novello For Best Contemporary Song".GRM Daily.Retrieved26 October2021.
- ^"Celeste, Obongjayar, Dave and Fraser T Smith win at Ivor Novello awards 2021".The Line of Best Fit.21 September 2021.Retrieved26 October2021.
- ^Edmonds, Lizzie (21 September 2021)."Harry Styles among first-time winners at Ivor Novello Awards".www.standard.co.uk.Retrieved26 October2021.
- ^"The Ivors 2021: Full Winners List".headlinermagazine.net.Retrieved26 October2021.
- ^"Secrets of the Mix Engineers: Fraser T Smith".Soundonsound.com.Retrieved30 May2014.
- ^"A&R, Record Label / Company, Music Publishing, Artist Manager and Music Industry Directory".Hitquarters.com.Retrieved30 May2014.
- ^"Explore Multimedia".Explore Multimedia.Retrieved30 May2014.
- ^Cassandra (2 April 2001)."Release" Touch Me "by Rui da Silva feat. Cassandra".MusicBrainz.Retrieved30 May2014.
- ^"Tim Deluxe Featuring Sam Obernik - It Just Won't Do (CD) at Discogs".Discogs.com.Retrieved30 May2014.
- ^"Fraser Smith - From Craig David to Plan B".Gforce Software.Retrieved30 May2014.
- ^"Songs written by Fraser T. Smith | SecondHandSongs".secondhandsongs.com.Retrieved26 October2021.
- ^"Fraser T. Smith".GRAMMY.com.23 November 2020.Retrieved26 October2021.
- ^CMU Editorial (21 April 2010)."Ivor Novello noms out".Complete Music Update.3CM UnLimited.
- ^"Grammy Awards 2015: The Complete Winners List".Rolling Stone.8 February 2015.
- ^"Mercury Prize 2016: David Bowie gets posthumous nomination".BBC News.4 August 2016.Retrieved5 August2016.
- ^"Brit Awards 2017: The nominations".BBC News.14 January 2017.Retrieved3 February2017.
- ^"BRIT Awards 2017 full winners list".NME.22 February 2017.Retrieved23 February2017.
- ^"Kano named Best Album at 2016 Mobo Awards".ITV News.4 November 2016.
- ^"Here Is the Complete List of Nominees for the 2017 Grammys".Billboard.Retrieved26 October2021.
- ^Savage, Mark (1 March 2018)."Meet the man Stormzy hugged at the Brits".BBC News.
- ^"Fraser T Smith: How I brought 24 musicians together during lockdown for Radio 1's first Number One".BBC.Retrieved3 May2020.
- ^ab"Ivor Novello Awards: Rapper Dave wins for political anthem Question Time".BBC News.31 May 2018.Retrieved26 October2021.
- ^ab"Ivor Novello Awards: Rapper Dave wins for political anthem Question Time".BBC News.31 May 2018.Retrieved26 October2021.
- ^"Fraser T Smith announces '12 Questions' album featuring Stormzy, Dave, Idris Elba and many more".NME. 13 August 2020.Retrieved30 October2020.
- ^Ainsley, Helen (24 April 2020)."BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge Allstars charity single Times Like These enters Top 5 just hours after its release".Official Charts Company.Archivedfrom the original on 2 March 2021.Retrieved17 April2022.
- ^"Fraser T. Smith".grammy.com.The Recording Academy.Retrieved10 September2021.
External links
- 1971 births
- Living people
- English male songwriters
- English male guitarists
- English record producers
- English multi-instrumentalists
- People from Taplow
- People educated at Reading Blue Coat School
- People educated at Sir William Borlase's Grammar School
- Grammy Award winners
- 21st-century British guitarists
- 21st-century English male musicians