Rob Bisel
Rob Bisel | |
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![]() Bisel in 2023 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Robert Bisel |
Born | 1992 |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Years active | 2015–present |
Website | robbisel |
Rob Biselis an American music producer,engineer,mixerand songwriter. A Grammy award winner and 13-time nominee, he has worked with artists includingSZA,Doja Cat,Kendrick Lamar,Travis Scott,Harry StylesandDon Toliver.[1][2]
Early life and education
[edit]Bisel was raised inMoraga, California.Although he sang in the school choir and played bass, he was mainly interested in music production. He began recording friends in his bedroom when he was 14, and at 17 got an internship at Studio 880 inOakland.[3]
Bisel studied music at theUniversity of Michigan.During the summers, he interned forMark Needham,an engineer and mixer who had worked with artists includingFleetwood MacandThe Killers.Bisel learned from watching Needham mix and later cited him as an influence.[4]
Career
[edit]Rick Rubin, Shangri-La, Kendrick Lamar, Doja Cat, Grammys
[edit]Following his college graduation Bisel moved to LA, where he metDana Nielsen,an engineer who worked frequently withRick Rubinat Rubin'sShangri-La studio.He was hired as a runner at the studio in 2014, and later worked with Rubin as an assistant engineer and engineer. Bisel said that Rubin inspired him, "fueling his hunger to dive deeper into production."[3]
In addition to Rubin, at Shangri-La Bisel engineered for artists and producers including Mark Ronson, Travis Scott, and Harry Styles. He also served as an engineer on Kendrick Lamar'sMr. Morale & The Big Steppersduring the six-month period that Lamar recorded at Shangri-La. In 2022, he worked with Lamar once again, earning a Record of the Year Grammy nomination for "The Heart Part 5"and an Album of the Year nomination forMr. Morale & the Big Steppers.Bisel was nominated for Grammy awards in the same two categories for engineering Doja Cat's albumPlanet Herand the single "Kiss Me More"the previous year.[5][3]
SZA andSOS
[edit]In 2020, Rubin recommended Bisel to SZA, who had booked Rubin's studio and home in Kauai to begin recording her second album, the follow up to her multi-platinum debut,CtrlThey spent a week in Kauai, "just vibing and coming up with song ideas", before returning to Los Angeles. They picked up their collaboration in LA and were working at SZA's home inMalibuat the start of theCovid-19 pandemic.SZA invited Bisel toshelter-in-placeat her house, and together they continued to work on the album.[6]In a 2023 interview, Bisel said: "It was a pretty crazy situation, because she was used to going to big studios with tons of people coming in and out, and suddenly it was just the two of us, and I had to step into much more of a Rick Rubin producer role than just be the typical engineer. It gave me the space to present beats to her that I had made, alone or with others. If she liked the beat, she recorded over it. She also ended up really liking the way I recorded and mixed her vocals, which led to me mi xing songs as well.”[3]
The album,SOS,was released in December 2022. Bisel engineered the album, mixed 10 songs, and co-produced 11 of the album's 23 tracks. He also co-wrote 15 songs, including the double-platinum singleI Hate UandKill Bill,which was the #1 song on the US Hot R&B/Hip Hop charts for 23 weeks, breaking the chart's record for weeks at #1.[7][8]The album was #1 on theBillboardcharts for ten weeks,[9]and #1 on the R&B/Hip Hop for a record-breaking 41 weeks.[10]Bisel hit #1 on the R&B producer chart in May 2023.[11]He was nominated for eight Grammy awards for his work onSOSin 2024, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year.[12]
Personal life
[edit]Bisel lives in Los Angeles. His recording studio, Ponzu, is named after his dog.[3]
Grammy Awards
[edit]Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | SOS(SZA) | Album of the Year | Nominated | [5] |
SOS | Best Progressive R&B Album | Won | [5] | |
"Kill Bill"(SZA) | Best R&B Performance | Nominated | [5] | |
"Kill Bill" | Record of the Year | Nominated | [5] | |
"Kill Bill" | Grammy Award for Song of the Year | Nominated | [5] | |
"Snooze"(SZA) | Best R&B Song | Won | [5] | |
"Ghost in the Machine"(SZA andPhoebe Bridgers) | Best Pop Duo/Group Recording | Won | [5] | |
"Low"(SZA) | Best Melodic Rap Performance | Nominated | [5] | |
Girls Night Out(Babyface) | Best R&B Album | Nominated | [5] | |
2023 | Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers | Album of the Year | Nominated | [5] |
"The Heart Part 5"(Kendrick Lamar song) | Record of the Year | Nominated | [5] | |
2022 | Planet Her(Doja Cat album) | Album of the Year | Nominated | [5] |
"Kiss Me More"(Doja Cat song) | Record of the Year | Nominated | [5] |
Selected discography
[edit]Year | Artist | Title | Credit | Notes | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | The Ruen Brothers | Point Dune | Mi xing Assistant | [13] | |
2016 | DRAM | Big Baby D.R.A.M. | Engineer | [13] | |
Kanye West | The Life of Pablo | Production assistant | [13] | ||
2017 | Eminem | Revival | Editor/Assistant Engineer | [13] | |
Neil Young & Promise of the Real | The Visitor | Assistant engineer | [13] | ||
Jovanotti | Oh, Vita | Assistant engineer | [13] | ||
Billy Corgan | Ogilala | Assistant Engineer | [13] | ||
Brent Faiyaz | Sonder Son | Engineer | [13] | ||
Warbly Jets | Warbly Jets | Engineer | [13] | ||
Sonder | Into | Mastering | EP | [13] | |
2018 | The Smashing Pumpkins | Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun | Editor, assistant engineer, mi xing assistant | [13] | |
Muse | Simulation Theory | Assistant engineer | [13] | ||
Lady GagaandBradley Cooper | A Star Is Born(soundtrack) | Assistant engineer | [13] | ||
The Ruen Brothers | All My Shades of Blue | Mi xing Assistant | [13] | ||
Neil Young & Promise of the Real | Paradox(soundtrack) | Assistant engineer | [13] | ||
Towkio | WWW. | Engineer/mixer | [13] | ||
Garren Sean | End of the Night | Mi xing, mastering | [13] | ||
Brent Faiyaz | Make Luv | Engineer, mastering | [13] | ||
Sonder | "One Night Only" | Mastering | [13] | ||
2019 | JackBoys | JackBoys | Engineer | [13] | |
Harry Styles | Fine Line | Engineer | [13] | ||
Neil Young & Crazy Horse | Colorado | Assistant engineer | [13] | ||
Madison Ryann Ward | Beyond Me | Engineer | [13] | ||
Daniel Caesar | Case Study 01 | Engineer | [13] | ||
Jovanotti | Jova Beach Party | Engineer | [13] | ||
Tyler, The Creator | IGOR | Assistant Engineer | [13] | ||
Bakar | "Hell n Back" | Assistant Engineer | Single | [13] | |
Kate Tempest | The Book of Traps and Lessons | Assistant engineer | [13] | ||
Asante | sleek boy | Mastering | Remixes EP | [13] | |
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real | Turn Off The News (Build A Garden) | Assistant engineer | [13] | ||
Mark Ronson | Late Night Feelings | Assistant engineer | [13] | ||
Laundry Day | Homesick | Engineer | [13] | ||
The Avett Brothers | Closer Than Together | Editor, assistant engineer | [13] | ||
Santana | In Search Of Mona Lisa | Editor, assistant engineer | EP | [13] | |
2020 | SZA | "Good Days" | Vocal producer, engineer | Single | [13] |
Megan Thee Stallion | Good News | Engineer | [13] | ||
SZA | "Hit Different" | Songwriter, additional production, engineer | [13] | ||
The Strokes | The New Abnormal | Assistant engineer | [13] | ||
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real | Naked Garden | Assistant engineer | [13] | ||
Louis Tomlinson | Walls | Engineer | [13] | ||
2021 | SZA | "I Hate U" | Producer, songwriter, engineer mi xing, mastering |
Single | [13] |
Jean Dawson | "Ghost" " | Producer | Non-album single | [13] | |
SZA | "The Anonymous Ones" | Producer, engineer | Single | [13] | |
Kali Uchis | Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) | Engineer, mi xing | [13] | ||
James Blake | Friends That Break Your Heart | Engineer | [13] | ||
Summer Walker | Still Over It | Engineer | [13] | ||
Isaiah Rashad | The House Is Burning | Engineer, mi xing | [13] | ||
Various Artists | Space Jam: A New Legacy | Engineer | Soundtrack | [13] | |
Baird | "Beluga v2 (feat Berhana)" | Mixer, mastering | Single | [13] | |
Sonder andJorja Smith | "Nobody But You" | Mixer, mastering | Single | [13] | |
Doja Cat | Planet Her | Engineer | Grammy-nominated for Album of the Year and Record of the Year (for "Kiss Me More" ) |
[13][5] | |
Santana | Blessings and Miracles | Engineer | [13] | ||
2022 | SZA | SOS | Producer, songwriter, engineer, mixer guitar, keyboards |
[13] | |
SZA | "Kill Bill" | Producer, writer, engineer, mixer | Single | [13] | |
Fousheé | Softcore | Producer | [13] | ||
Chloe George | Penny | Producer | EP | [13] | |
Babyface | Girls Night Out | Producer, keyboards, drum programming | [13] | ||
SZA | Ctrl | Mixer | Deluxe edition | [13] | |
ImaniCarolyn | Into the Blue Light | Mixer | [13] | ||
Doechii | She / Her / Black Bitch | Engineer | EP | [13] | |
Kendrick Lamar | Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers | Assistant engineer | Grammy-nominated for Album of the Year |
[13][5] | |
Kendrick Lamar | "The Heart Part 5" | Engineer | Grammy-nominated for Record of the Year |
[13][5] | |
Baird | BIRDSONGS, Vol. 3 | Mixer | [13] | ||
2023 | Don Toliver | Love Sick | Producer | [13] | |
Reneé Rapp | "I Hate Boston" | Songwriter | [13] | ||
Wallice | Mr. Big Shot | Producer | [13] |
References
[edit]- ^Hiatt, Brian (January 29, 2023)."The Making of SZA's Chart-Topping 'SOS'".Rolling Stone.RetrievedOctober 9,2023.
- ^Monroe, Jazz (February 4, 2024)."SZA Wins Best Progressive R&B Album for SOS at 2024 Grammys".Pitch Fork.RetrievedFebruary 4,2024.
- ^abcde"Inside Track: SZA 'Kill Bill'".soundonsound.RetrievedOctober 9,2023.
- ^"Mark Needham Credits".AllMusic.RetrievedOctober 9,2023.
- ^abcdefghijklmnopq"Rob Bisel | Artist | GRAMMY".grammy.RetrievedOctober 8,2023.
- ^Mamo, Heran (October 11, 2023)."Meet SZA's Secret Weapons: Her 'SOS' Producers".Billboard.RetrievedOctober 18,2023.
- ^Anderson, Trevor (September 28, 2023)."SZA's 'SOS' Breaks Record for Most Weeks at No. 1 on Top R&B Albums Chart".Billboard.RetrievedOctober 19,2023.
- ^Conteh, Mankaprr (October 3, 2023)."What's Behind SZA's Biggest Year Yet? Work, Wonder, and 'Weird Shit'".Rolling Stone.RetrievedOctober 9,2023.
- ^Sisario, Ben (February 21, 2023)."SZA Makes It Nine Weeks at No. 1, and Rihanna Returns to Top 10".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedOctober 19,2023.
- ^Tuccillo, Andrea."SZA's 'SOS' breaks a 'Billboard' chart record".Power 106.9 - Omaha's #1 For Hip Hop & Hits.RetrievedOctober 19,2023.
- ^Zellner, Xander (May 12, 2023)."Rob Bisel Hits No. 1 on R&B Producers Chart Thanks to SZA Hits".Billboard.RetrievedOctober 19,2023.
- ^France, Lisa Respers (November 10, 2023)."Grammy nominations 2024: See the full list of nominees".CNN.RetrievedNovember 10,2023.
- ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaabacadaeafagahaiajakalamanaoapaqarasatauavawaxayazbabbbcbdbebfbgbhbibjbkblbmbn"Rob Bisel Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More".AllMusic.RetrievedOctober 6,2023.