Wayne Wilkins
Encyclopedia
Wayne Wilkins is a classically trained pianist
, Record producer
, songwriter
, record engineer, and record mixer born in the southeast London
neighborhood of Croydon
. Wilkins’ productions for Natasha Bedingfield
(#1 UK Single“These Words
,” #3 UK Single “Single
” and “Love Like This”), Beyonce (“Sweet Dreams
” #10 Billboard
Hot 100), Cheryl Cole
(“Fight For This Love
” #1 Billboard
UK Songs and “Promise This
” #1 UK Digital Songs), and Jordin Sparks
(“Battlefield
” #10 Billboard Hot 100
) are quickly making him one of the industry’s most sought after songwriter/producers.
Wilkins also heads his own production company, Wayne Wilkins Music Group and music publishing companies, Ego Frenzy and Blow The Speakers. Wilkins is managed by Made Communication, Miami, FL.
.
Wilkins went on to Royal College of Music
in London
. Wilkins had other intellectual interests outside of music and also graduated with a physics
degree from Imperial College.
While in college one of Wilkins early jobs was teaching piano lessons. He also interned at Townhouse Studios
and Olympic Studios
where he received further training in engineering, mixing, and producing.
he got the opportunity to work for famous engineer Mark “Spike” Stent. Stent’s resume includes working with such artists as Madonna
, Beyoncé, Björk
, Lily Allen
, Depeche Mode
, Massive Attack
, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
, Oasis
, U2
, Usher
, and Lady Gaga
. Working for Stent provided Wilkins the opportunity to program for the engineer and work on high budgeted recordings. During his tenure with Stent Wilkins was able to work with producers and artists such as Timbaland
, Oasis, Rodney Jerkins
, Madonna
and U2
. Wilkins was able to work on the No Doubt
“Rock Steady” album which Wilkins says later on afforded him higher profile opportunities for him to work on in the industry.
In 2000 Wilkins started working independently. The first band Wilkins produced after going independent was the multiplatinum, Grammy nominated group The Corrs
. Since The Corrs
Wilkins has gone on to produce and write for many more prominent artists.
In May 2004 multiplatinum Grammy nominated singer Natasha Bedingfield
released “Single
”, a song co-written and co-produced by Wilkins. The song went on to reach #3 on the UK Singles Top 75 chart.
Natasha Bedingfield
followed “Single
” with “These Words
” released in August of 2004. Co-produced and co-written by Wilkins, the song climbed to #1 on the UK Singles Chart
and was a top 20 hit in the US reaching #17 on Billboard
’s Hot 100.
Wilkins co-wrote and co-produced another hit for Natasha Bedingfield
, "Love Like This", which also featured Sean Kingston
. The song released in September of 2007 went platinum, to the top of Billboard
s Dance/Club Play Songs, and to #11 on Billboard
s Hot 100.
Grammy nominated singer Keri Hilson
released her debut single “Energy
” off of her gold album “In A Perfect World
” in May 2008. Wilkins cowrote and coproduced the single with fellow prominent members of production team The Runaways
, Sam Watters
, Rico Love
, and Louis Biancaniello
.
In early 2008, Wilkins co-wrote We Break the Dawn
alongside Solange Knowles
and Andrew Frampton for R&B singer Michelle Williams
third album "Unexpected
." He was also involved in creating the remix for the same song.
In June 2008 Shontelle
’s “T-shirt
” was released and co-written by Wilkins. The single was a dance hit in the United Kingdom and the United States. Reaching #1 on UK’s Urban Chart and #1 on Billboard
’s Hot Dance Club songs.
Beyonce released her double platinum and 5x Grammy winning album “I Am…Sasha Fierce” in November of 2008 which included the Wilkins’ Production and co-written single “Sweet Dreams
”. The song went on to reach platinum status and landed at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart.
In May 2009 former American Idol
winner Jordin Sparks
released the single “Battlefield
”. Wilkins cowrote and coproduced the song that reached the top 10 of Billboard
’s Hot 100. With this song Wilkins assisted the platinum singer in achieving her third top 10 Billboard Hot 100
single.
British
artist Cheryl Cole
released the single “Fight For This Love
” in October 2009 taken from her multiplatinum album “3 Words
”. Wilkins co-wrote and co-produced the single which went platinum in the UK and topped Billboard’s UK Songs Chart and the BBC’s UK Singles Chart
.
”
-2006 BMI London Award for “Single
”
-2007 BMI London Award for “Love Like This”
-2008 BMI Pop Award for “Love Like This”
-2008 BMI London Award for “T-Shirt
”
-2009 Grammy nomination Album of the Year – Beyonce – I Am…Sasha Fierce
-2009 BMI Pop Award for “Battlefield
”
-2010 BMI London Award for “Battlefield
”
-2010 BMI London Award for “Sweet Dreams
”
, David Foster
, Whitney Houston
, Chicago
, John Williams
, and Oscar Peterson
as having a major influence on his style and tastes.
. Wilkins knows how to record and also professionally mix recordings. Wilkins prefers to record an artist where they are most comfortable so he travels to where the artist is with portable gear.
and an Apogee Symphony Mobile System. Wilkins has stated his gear allows him to record anywhere in the world.
and myspace
.
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, Record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, record engineer, and record mixer born in the southeast London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
neighborhood of Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
. Wilkins’ productions for Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Anne Bedingfield is a British pop singer and songwriter. Bedingfield debuted in the 1990s as a member of the Christian dance/electronic group The DNA Algorithm with her siblings Daniel Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle...
(#1 UK Single“These Words
These Words
"These Words" is a song written by Natasha Bedingfield, Steve Kipner, Andrew Frampton and Wayne Wilkins for Bedingfield's 2004 debut album Unwritten. The song is the album's opening track, and was released as its second single...
,” #3 UK Single “Single
Single (Natasha Bedingfield song)
"Single" is a pop song written by British singer Natasha Bedingfield, Steve Kipner, Andrew Frampton and Wayne Wilkins for Bedingfield's debut album Unwritten . The song was produced by Kipner, Frampton and Wayne Wilkins and received a positive reception from music critics...
” and “Love Like This”), Beyonce (“Sweet Dreams
Sweet Dreams (Beyoncé Knowles song)
"Sweet Dreams" is a song by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce . Originally titled "Beautiful Nightmare", the song leaked in March 2008, eight months prior to the album's release. Written and produced by Knowles, James Scheffer, Wayne Wilkins, and...
” #10 Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100), Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls...
(“Fight For This Love
Fight for This Love
"Fight for This Love" is a song by British recording artist Cheryl Cole, taken from her debut studio album, 3 Words. Initially, the song was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland as the lead single on 16 October 2009 by Fascination Records however, in 2010 it was also released in Europe as the...
” #1 Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
UK Songs and “Promise This
Promise This
"Promise This" is a song by British recording artist Cheryl Cole, taken from her second studio album Messy Little Raindrops. It was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland as the album's lead single on 24 October 2010 by Fascination Records...
” #1 UK Digital Songs), and Jordin Sparks
Jordin Sparks
Jordin Brianna Sparks is an American pop / R&B singer-songwriter and actress. She hails from Glendale, Arizona who rose to fame as the winner of the sixth season of American Idol. Sparks won when she was 17 years old, making her the youngest winner in Idol history...
(“Battlefield
Battlefield (song)
"Battlefield" is a song performed by American recording artist Jordin Sparks, taken from her second studio album of the same name. The song was written by Wayne Wilkins, Ryan Tedder, Louis Biancaniello and Sam Watters. It was released as the album's lead single in the United States on May 8, 2009...
” #10 Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
) are quickly making him one of the industry’s most sought after songwriter/producers.
Wilkins also heads his own production company, Wayne Wilkins Music Group and music publishing companies, Ego Frenzy and Blow The Speakers. Wilkins is managed by Made Communication, Miami, FL.
Early life
Wilkins became exposed to music very early in life and was taking piano lessons by age 4. Wilkins soon earned a scholarship to a music conservatory as a child. Growing up Wilkins also played organ at cathedrals and other venues around LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Wilkins went on to Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Wilkins had other intellectual interests outside of music and also graduated with a physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
degree from Imperial College.
While in college one of Wilkins early jobs was teaching piano lessons. He also interned at Townhouse Studios
Townhouse Studios
Townhouse Studios was a recording studio in west London. Built by Richard Branson in 1978, and managed by Barbara Jeffries as part of the Virgin Studios Group. The Virgin Studios Group was acquired by EMI when Richard sold Virgin Records to EMI in 1992. The Sanctuary Group bought the studio from...
and Olympic Studios
Olympic Studios
Olympic Studios was a renowned independent commercial recording studio located at 117 Church Road, Barnes, South West London, England. The studio is best known for the huge number of famous rock and pop recordings made there from the late 1960s onward....
where he received further training in engineering, mixing, and producing.
Music career
While Wilkins was interning at Olympic StudiosOlympic Studios
Olympic Studios was a renowned independent commercial recording studio located at 117 Church Road, Barnes, South West London, England. The studio is best known for the huge number of famous rock and pop recordings made there from the late 1960s onward....
he got the opportunity to work for famous engineer Mark “Spike” Stent. Stent’s resume includes working with such artists as Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Beyoncé, Björk
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
, Lily Allen
Lily Allen
Lily Rose Beatrice Cooper , better known as Lily Allen, is an English recording artist and fashion designer. She is the daughter of actor and musician Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. In her teenage years, her musical tastes evolved from glam rock to alternative...
, Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
, Massive Attack
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 2000. The group is composed of vocalist and pianist Karen O, guitarist and keyboardist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase. They are complemented in live performances by second guitarist David Pajo, who joined as a touring...
, Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
, U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, Usher
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
, and Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
. Working for Stent provided Wilkins the opportunity to program for the engineer and work on high budgeted recordings. During his tenure with Stent Wilkins was able to work with producers and artists such as Timbaland
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
, Oasis, Rodney Jerkins
Rodney Jerkins
Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician. Jerkins received two Grammy nominations in 2011.-Biography:...
, Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
and U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
. Wilkins was able to work on the No Doubt
No Doubt
No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...
“Rock Steady” album which Wilkins says later on afforded him higher profile opportunities for him to work on in the industry.
In 2000 Wilkins started working independently. The first band Wilkins produced after going independent was the multiplatinum, Grammy nominated group The Corrs
The Corrs
The Corrs are an Irish band which combine pop rock with traditional Celtic folk music. The brother and sisters are from Dundalk, Ireland. The group consists of the Corr siblings: Andrea ; Sharon ; Caroline ; and Jim .The Corrs came to international prominence with their performance at the...
. Since The Corrs
The Corrs
The Corrs are an Irish band which combine pop rock with traditional Celtic folk music. The brother and sisters are from Dundalk, Ireland. The group consists of the Corr siblings: Andrea ; Sharon ; Caroline ; and Jim .The Corrs came to international prominence with their performance at the...
Wilkins has gone on to produce and write for many more prominent artists.
In May 2004 multiplatinum Grammy nominated singer Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Anne Bedingfield is a British pop singer and songwriter. Bedingfield debuted in the 1990s as a member of the Christian dance/electronic group The DNA Algorithm with her siblings Daniel Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle...
released “Single
Single (Natasha Bedingfield song)
"Single" is a pop song written by British singer Natasha Bedingfield, Steve Kipner, Andrew Frampton and Wayne Wilkins for Bedingfield's debut album Unwritten . The song was produced by Kipner, Frampton and Wayne Wilkins and received a positive reception from music critics...
”, a song co-written and co-produced by Wilkins. The song went on to reach #3 on the UK Singles Top 75 chart.
Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Anne Bedingfield is a British pop singer and songwriter. Bedingfield debuted in the 1990s as a member of the Christian dance/electronic group The DNA Algorithm with her siblings Daniel Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle...
followed “Single
Single (Natasha Bedingfield song)
"Single" is a pop song written by British singer Natasha Bedingfield, Steve Kipner, Andrew Frampton and Wayne Wilkins for Bedingfield's debut album Unwritten . The song was produced by Kipner, Frampton and Wayne Wilkins and received a positive reception from music critics...
” with “These Words
These Words
"These Words" is a song written by Natasha Bedingfield, Steve Kipner, Andrew Frampton and Wayne Wilkins for Bedingfield's 2004 debut album Unwritten. The song is the album's opening track, and was released as its second single...
” released in August of 2004. Co-produced and co-written by Wilkins, the song climbed to #1 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
and was a top 20 hit in the US reaching #17 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
’s Hot 100.
Wilkins co-wrote and co-produced another hit for Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Anne Bedingfield is a British pop singer and songwriter. Bedingfield debuted in the 1990s as a member of the Christian dance/electronic group The DNA Algorithm with her siblings Daniel Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle...
, "Love Like This", which also featured Sean Kingston
Sean Kingston
Sean Kingston is a Jamaican-American singer. He pursued a music career and debuted in 2007 with the album Sean Kingston.-Early life:...
. The song released in September of 2007 went platinum, to the top of Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Dance/Club Play Songs, and to #11 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Hot 100.
Grammy nominated singer Keri Hilson
Keri Hilson
Keri Lynn Hilson is an American R&B singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Decatur, Georgia, Hilson began her music career as a songwriter, penning tracks for several artists in the mid-2000s as part of the five-person production and songwriting team, The Clutch...
released her debut single “Energy
Energy
In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems...
” off of her gold album “In A Perfect World
In a Perfect World
In a Perfect World is a 1994 studio album by the Aquarium Rescue Unit.-Track listing:#"Search Yourself" – 5:58#"Stand up People" – 4:58#"How Tight's Yer Drawers" – 3:50...
” in May 2008. Wilkins cowrote and coproduced the single with fellow prominent members of production team The Runaways
The Runaways
The Runaways were an American all-girl rock band that recorded and performed in the second half of the 1970s. The band released four studio albums and one live set during its run. Among its best known songs: "Cherry Bomb", "Queens of Noise", "Neon Angels On the Road to Ruin", "California Paradise"...
, Sam Watters
Sam Watters
Sam Watters is a Grammy nominated American songwriter, record producer, singer, and record executive. Watters was a member of the multi-platinum selling 1990’s R&B group Color Me Badd and co-authored many of their hits including “I Wanna Sex You Up”, “I Adore Mi Amor”, and “All 4 Love”...
, Rico Love
Rico Love
Richard Preston Butler, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Love wrote and produced hit records such as Usher’s "There Goes My Baby" and "Hey Daddy ”, Nelly's "Just a Dream" and "Gone", Beyoncé Knowles' "Sweet Dreams"...
, and Louis Biancaniello
Louis Biancaniello
Louis John Biancaniello is a songwriter, record producer, and musician.-Background:Louis' skills were developed while working alongside producer Narada Michael Walden with whom he produced hits for Shanice "I Love Your Smile", Whitney Houston "I'm Every Woman" from the Grammy winning album The...
.
In early 2008, Wilkins co-wrote We Break the Dawn
We Break the Dawn
"We Break the Dawn" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Michelle Williams. It was written by Solange Knowles, Andrew Frampton and Wayne Wilkins and produced by Wilkins and Frampton for Williams' third studio album Unexpected...
alongside Solange Knowles
Solange Knowles
Solange Piaget Knowles , who performs under the mononym Solange, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, model, dancer, and DJ. Knowles was born and raised in Houston, Texas along with her older sister singer Beyoncé, a former member of R&B group Destiny's Child...
and Andrew Frampton for R&B singer Michelle Williams
Michelle Williams (singer)
Tenitra Michelle Williams , commonly known as Michelle Williams, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress...
third album "Unexpected
Unexpected (Michelle Williams album)
Unexpected is the third solo studio album by American singer Michelle Williams, released via Columbia Records and Music World Entertainment in North America on October 7, 2008 . It is Williams' first full length dance-influenced commercial pop album, moving away from the gospel style of her...
." He was also involved in creating the remix for the same song.
In June 2008 Shontelle
Shontelle
Shontelle Layne , known professionally as Shontelle, is a Barbadian singer, and songwriter. She released her debut album Shontelligence in November 2008. Her sophomore album, No Gravity, was released in September 2010...
’s “T-shirt
T-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
” was released and co-written by Wilkins. The single was a dance hit in the United Kingdom and the United States. Reaching #1 on UK’s Urban Chart and #1 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
’s Hot Dance Club songs.
Beyonce released her double platinum and 5x Grammy winning album “I Am…Sasha Fierce” in November of 2008 which included the Wilkins’ Production and co-written single “Sweet Dreams
Sweet Dreams (Beyoncé Knowles song)
"Sweet Dreams" is a song by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce . Originally titled "Beautiful Nightmare", the song leaked in March 2008, eight months prior to the album's release. Written and produced by Knowles, James Scheffer, Wayne Wilkins, and...
”. The song went on to reach platinum status and landed at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart.
In May 2009 former American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
winner Jordin Sparks
Jordin Sparks
Jordin Brianna Sparks is an American pop / R&B singer-songwriter and actress. She hails from Glendale, Arizona who rose to fame as the winner of the sixth season of American Idol. Sparks won when she was 17 years old, making her the youngest winner in Idol history...
released the single “Battlefield
Battlefield (song)
"Battlefield" is a song performed by American recording artist Jordin Sparks, taken from her second studio album of the same name. The song was written by Wayne Wilkins, Ryan Tedder, Louis Biancaniello and Sam Watters. It was released as the album's lead single in the United States on May 8, 2009...
”. Wilkins cowrote and coproduced the song that reached the top 10 of Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
’s Hot 100. With this song Wilkins assisted the platinum singer in achieving her third top 10 Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
single.
British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
artist Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls...
released the single “Fight For This Love
Fight for This Love
"Fight for This Love" is a song by British recording artist Cheryl Cole, taken from her debut studio album, 3 Words. Initially, the song was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland as the lead single on 16 October 2009 by Fascination Records however, in 2010 it was also released in Europe as the...
” in October 2009 taken from her multiplatinum album “3 Words
3 Words
3 Words is the debut studio album from British pop singer Cheryl Cole, released on 23 October 2009 by Fascination Records. The project is Cole's first solo release following a break from releasing material with her band Girls Aloud whom after seven years have enjoyed five successful albums and...
”. Wilkins co-wrote and co-produced the single which went platinum in the UK and topped Billboard’s UK Songs Chart and the BBC’s UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
Awards and Nominations
-2005 BMI London Award for “These WordsThese Words
"These Words" is a song written by Natasha Bedingfield, Steve Kipner, Andrew Frampton and Wayne Wilkins for Bedingfield's 2004 debut album Unwritten. The song is the album's opening track, and was released as its second single...
”
-2006 BMI London Award for “Single
Single (Natasha Bedingfield song)
"Single" is a pop song written by British singer Natasha Bedingfield, Steve Kipner, Andrew Frampton and Wayne Wilkins for Bedingfield's debut album Unwritten . The song was produced by Kipner, Frampton and Wayne Wilkins and received a positive reception from music critics...
”
-2007 BMI London Award for “Love Like This”
-2008 BMI Pop Award for “Love Like This”
-2008 BMI London Award for “T-Shirt
T-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
”
-2009 Grammy nomination Album of the Year – Beyonce – I Am…Sasha Fierce
-2009 BMI Pop Award for “Battlefield
Battlefield (song)
"Battlefield" is a song performed by American recording artist Jordin Sparks, taken from her second studio album of the same name. The song was written by Wayne Wilkins, Ryan Tedder, Louis Biancaniello and Sam Watters. It was released as the album's lead single in the United States on May 8, 2009...
”
-2010 BMI London Award for “Battlefield
Battlefield (song)
"Battlefield" is a song performed by American recording artist Jordin Sparks, taken from her second studio album of the same name. The song was written by Wayne Wilkins, Ryan Tedder, Louis Biancaniello and Sam Watters. It was released as the album's lead single in the United States on May 8, 2009...
”
-2010 BMI London Award for “Sweet Dreams
Sweet Dreams (Beyoncé Knowles song)
"Sweet Dreams" is a song by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce . Originally titled "Beautiful Nightmare", the song leaked in March 2008, eight months prior to the album's release. Written and produced by Knowles, James Scheffer, Wayne Wilkins, and...
”
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
FR Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
GER Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
IRE | UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
US Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
US Pop Pop 100 The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009... |
US Dance |
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| 2001 | "Would You Be Happier?" (The Corrs The Corrs The Corrs are an Irish band which combine pop rock with traditional Celtic folk music. The brother and sisters are from Dundalk, Ireland. The group consists of the Corr siblings: Andrea ; Sharon ; Caroline ; and Jim .The Corrs came to international prominence with their performance at the... ) |
47 | 61 | 81 | 26 | 14 | – | – | – | – | Best of The Corrs |
| 2004 | "Single Single (Natasha Bedingfield song) "Single" is a pop song written by British singer Natasha Bedingfield, Steve Kipner, Andrew Frampton and Wayne Wilkins for Bedingfield's debut album Unwritten . The song was produced by Kipner, Frampton and Wayne Wilkins and received a positive reception from music critics... " (Natasha Bedingfield Natasha Bedingfield Natasha Anne Bedingfield is a British pop singer and songwriter. Bedingfield debuted in the 1990s as a member of the Christian dance/electronic group The DNA Algorithm with her siblings Daniel Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle... ) |
78 | – | – | 7 | 3 | 57 | – | 38 | – | Unwritten Unwritten Unwritten can refer to:-* Unwritten, an album by Natasha Bedingfield* Unwritten , a song on that album* The Unwritten, an American comic book series* Unwritten, an episode of the TV show House.... |
| "These Words These Words "These Words" is a song written by Natasha Bedingfield, Steve Kipner, Andrew Frampton and Wayne Wilkins for Bedingfield's 2004 debut album Unwritten. The song is the album's opening track, and was released as its second single... " (Natasha Bedingfield Natasha Bedingfield Natasha Anne Bedingfield is a British pop singer and songwriter. Bedingfield debuted in the 1990s as a member of the Christian dance/electronic group The DNA Algorithm with her siblings Daniel Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle... ) |
5 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 17 | – | 9 | 35 | ||
| 2005 | "I Bruise Easily I Bruise Easily "I Bruise Easily" is a pop song written by Natasha Bedingfield, Andrew Frampton, Wayne Wilkins and Paul Herman for Bedingfield's debut album Unwritten . In the song, Bedingfield describes how relationships affect people, even when they have come to an end. The track was released as the album's... " (Natasha Bedingfield Natasha Bedingfield Natasha Anne Bedingfield is a British pop singer and songwriter. Bedingfield debuted in the 1990s as a member of the Christian dance/electronic group The DNA Algorithm with her siblings Daniel Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle... ) |
– | – | 46 | 17 | 12 | – | – | – | – | |
| 2007 | "I Wanna Have Your Babies" (Natasha Bedingfield Natasha Bedingfield Natasha Anne Bedingfield is a British pop singer and songwriter. Bedingfield debuted in the 1990s as a member of the Christian dance/electronic group The DNA Algorithm with her siblings Daniel Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle... ) |
50 | – | 39 | 8 | 7 | – | – | – | – | N.B. N.B. (album) N.B. is the second studio album released by British singer-songwriter Natasha Bedingfield. It was released in the UK on 30 April 2007 through Phonogenic Records. Upon release the album was praised for Bedingfield's vocals and the fun theme to the records however some critics were disappointed... |
| "Love Like This" (Natasha Bedingfield Natasha Bedingfield Natasha Anne Bedingfield is a British pop singer and songwriter. Bedingfield debuted in the 1990s as a member of the Christian dance/electronic group The DNA Algorithm with her siblings Daniel Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle... ft. Sean Kingston Sean Kingston Sean Kingston is a Jamaican-American singer. He pursued a music career and debuted in 2007 with the album Sean Kingston.-Early life:... ) |
77 | – | 33 | 34 | 20 | 11 | – | – | 1 | Pocketful of Sunshine | |
| 2008 | "We Break the Dawn We Break the Dawn "We Break the Dawn" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Michelle Williams. It was written by Solange Knowles, Andrew Frampton and Wayne Wilkins and produced by Wilkins and Frampton for Williams' third studio album Unexpected... " (Michelle Williams Michelle Williams (singer) Tenitra Michelle Williams , commonly known as Michelle Williams, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress... ) |
– | – | – | – | 47 | – | – | – | 4 | Unexpected Unexpected (Michelle Williams album) Unexpected is the third solo studio album by American singer Michelle Williams, released via Columbia Records and Music World Entertainment in North America on October 7, 2008 . It is Williams' first full length dance-influenced commercial pop album, moving away from the gospel style of her... |
| "Energy Energy (Keri Hilson song) "Energy" is the debut single by American recording artist Keri Hilson. The song was written and produced by The Runaways, consisting of Louis Biancaniello, Sam Watters, Rico Love, and Wayne Wilkins, for her studio album In a Perfect World… and In a Perfect World..... " (Keri Hilson Keri Hilson Keri Lynn Hilson is an American R&B singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Decatur, Georgia, Hilson began her music career as a songwriter, penning tracks for several artists in the mid-2000s as part of the five-person production and songwriting team, The Clutch... ) |
55 | – | – | – | 43 | 78 | 21 | 72 | – | In a Perfect World... In a Perfect World... In a Perfect World... is the debut studio album of American singer-songwriter Keri Hilson, released March 24, 2009 on Zone 4. Originally planned for a 2007 release, it was pushed back numerous times into 2009, amid her label's budget issues and minor single releases... |
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| "T-Shirt T-Shirt (song) "T-Shirt" is the first solo single released by Barbadian singer Shontelle from her album Shontelligence. It is her second official single following the release of 2007's "Roll It" which was released only in select European countries... " (Shontelle Shontelle Shontelle Layne , known professionally as Shontelle, is a Barbadian singer, and songwriter. She released her debut album Shontelligence in November 2008. Her sophomore album, No Gravity, was released in September 2010... ) |
– | – | – | 26 | 6 | 36 | – | – | 1 | Shontelligence Shontelligence The album has received generally mixed reviews from music critics.Ben Ratliffe of The New York Times gave the album a mixed review stating that:Alex Macpherson of The Guardian gave the album a mixed 3/5 stars stated that:... |
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| 2009 | "Battlefield Battlefield (song) "Battlefield" is a song performed by American recording artist Jordin Sparks, taken from her second studio album of the same name. The song was written by Wayne Wilkins, Ryan Tedder, Louis Biancaniello and Sam Watters. It was released as the album's lead single in the United States on May 8, 2009... " (Jordin Sparks Jordin Sparks Jordin Brianna Sparks is an American pop / R&B singer-songwriter and actress. She hails from Glendale, Arizona who rose to fame as the winner of the sixth season of American Idol. Sparks won when she was 17 years old, making her the youngest winner in Idol history... ) |
4 | – | 40 | 9 | 11 | 10 | – | 6 | – | Battlefield Battlefield (album) Battlefield is the second studio album by American R&B and pop singer Jordin Sparks. It was first released on July 17, 2009 in Australia and Ireland, July 20 in the UK and from July 21 worldwide, on Jive Records... |
| "Sweet Dreams Sweet Dreams (Beyoncé Knowles song) "Sweet Dreams" is a song by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce . Originally titled "Beautiful Nightmare", the song leaked in March 2008, eight months prior to the album's release. Written and produced by Knowles, James Scheffer, Wayne Wilkins, and... " (Beyoncé Beyoncé Knowles Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child... ) |
2 | – | 8 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 48 | 2 | 1 | I Am… Sasha Fierce I Am… Sasha Fierce I Am... Sasha Fierce is the third studio album by American R&B recording artist Beyoncé. It was released on November 18, 2008, by Columbia Records. The album was released in dual disc format, in which both discs represent a contrasting facet to Knowles' personality and musical style... |
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| "Touch My Hand" (David Archuleta David Archuleta David Archuleta, is a former United States Air Force Airman of Okinawan stationary troops and is currently an American male kickboxer.-Biography:... ) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | David Archuleta David Archuleta (album) David Archuleta is the self-titled debut album of American Idol season 7 runner-up David Archuleta. It was released on November 11, 2008, in the United States, under Jive Records. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on January 29, 2009. The first single, "Crush", was released to radio on... |
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| "Battle Cry Battle Cry (song) "Battle Cry" is the third and final single released by Barbadian singer Shontelle from her album Shontelligence. It was the third single taken from the album following "T-Shirt" and "Stuck with Each Other"... " (Shontelle Shontelle Shontelle Layne , known professionally as Shontelle, is a Barbadian singer, and songwriter. She released her debut album Shontelligence in November 2008. Her sophomore album, No Gravity, was released in September 2010... ) |
– | – | – | – | 61 | – | – | – | – | Shontelligence Shontelligence The album has received generally mixed reviews from music critics.Ben Ratliffe of The New York Times gave the album a mixed review stating that:Alex Macpherson of The Guardian gave the album a mixed 3/5 stars stated that:... |
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| "Fight for This Love Fight for This Love "Fight for This Love" is a song by British recording artist Cheryl Cole, taken from her debut studio album, 3 Words. Initially, the song was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland as the lead single on 16 October 2009 by Fascination Records however, in 2010 it was also released in Europe as the... " (Cheryl Cole Cheryl Cole Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls... ) |
54 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 3 Words 3 Words 3 Words is the debut studio album from British pop singer Cheryl Cole, released on 23 October 2009 by Fascination Records. The project is Cole's first solo release following a break from releasing material with her band Girls Aloud whom after seven years have enjoyed five successful albums and... |
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| "No More No More (Cassie Davis song) "No More" is the fourth single taken from Cassie Davis' debut album Differently. The song was released to Australian radio 28 September 2009... " (Cassie Davis Cassie Davis Cassie Davis is an Australian singer, songwriter and producer from Perth, Western Australia. In addition to vocals, Cassie can also play the guitar, piano, keyboard and sampler, all of which she plays at some point on her debut album, Differently.... ) |
90 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Differently Differently Differently is the debut album by Australian singer Cassie Davis and was released on 14 August 2009. Davis herself is writing and producing most of the album, with the help of producers Printz Board, Rodney Jerkins and Wayne Wilkins.- Singles :... |
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| 2010 | "Strip Me Strip Me (song) "Strip Me" is a song performed by British singer-songwriter Natasha Bedingfield. The song is the title track and second single from her third studio album and was co-written and co-produced by Ryan Tedder. The song was sent to US radio on 31 August 2010 and later to online music stores on 21... " (Natasha Bedingfield Natasha Bedingfield Natasha Anne Bedingfield is a British pop singer and songwriter. Bedingfield debuted in the 1990s as a member of the Christian dance/electronic group The DNA Algorithm with her siblings Daniel Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle... ) |
– | – | – | – | – | 91 | – | – | – | Strip Me Strip Me Strip Me is the third studio album by British singer-songwriter Natasha Bedingfield. Originally due for release on 9 November 2010, the album's release was pushed back to 7 December 2010 on Phonogenic Records... |
| "Promise This Promise This "Promise This" is a song by British recording artist Cheryl Cole, taken from her second studio album Messy Little Raindrops. It was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland as the album's lead single on 24 October 2010 by Fascination Records... " (Cheryl Cole Cheryl Cole Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls... ) |
59 | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | Messy Little Raindrops Messy Little Raindrops Messy Little Raindrops is the second studio album by British recording artist Cheryl Cole, released on 29 October 2010 by Fascination Records. The project is the follow-up to Cole's multi-platinum debut solo album 3 Words , following seven successful years as a member of girl group Girls Aloud... |
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| 2011 | "The Flood The Flood (Cheryl Cole song) "The Flood" is a song by British recording artist Cheryl Cole. The song was written by Priscilla Hamilton and Wayne Wilkins, for Cole's second studio album, Messy Little Raindrops . It was released on January 2, 2011 through Fascination Records, as the album's second and, to date, final single... " (Cheryl Cole Cheryl Cole Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls... ) |
– | – | – | 26 | 18 | – | – | – | – | |
Musical Influences
Wilkins has cited artists such as Michael JacksonMichael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, David Foster
David Foster
David Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
, Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
, Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
, John Williams
John Williams
John Towner Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career spanning almost six decades, he has composed some of the most recognizable film scores in the history of motion pictures, including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Superman, the Indiana Jones films, E.T...
, and Oscar Peterson
Oscar Peterson
Oscar Emmanuel Peterson was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. He was called the "Maharaja of the keyboard" by Duke Ellington, "O.P." by his friends. He released over 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, and received other numerous awards and honours over the course of his career...
as having a major influence on his style and tastes.
Songwriting
With his writing techniques, Wilkins prefers to start with chord progressions as opposed to lyrics. He has said he attempts to be a “vessel” in which music just flows out of him naturally. He prefers writing and producing together to see the song all the way through both processes to make sure it’s a hit. When writing Wilkins chooses not to use many sounds but only what is completely necessary. He says he tends to write simple lyrics that people can grasp with a running theme throughout the song. He likes to write simple chords to pop songs and focuses on the melody. When he can Wilkins prefers co-writing. Generally Wilkins focuses on the music and the melody and collaborates with lyricists.Mixing and Engineering
Early in his career Wilkins worked under mixing engineer Mark “Spike” Stent of EMIEMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
. Wilkins knows how to record and also professionally mix recordings. Wilkins prefers to record an artist where they are most comfortable so he travels to where the artist is with portable gear.
Gear
Wilkins’ gear generally consists of an Apple Logic, a MacBook ProMacBook Pro
The MacBook Pro is a line of Macintosh portable computers introduced in January 2006 by Apple. It replaced the PowerBook G4 and was the second model, after the iMac, to be announced in the Apple–Intel transition...
and an Apogee Symphony Mobile System. Wilkins has stated his gear allows him to record anywhere in the world.
Wayne Wilkins Music Group/Ego Frenzy/Blow The Speakers
Wilkins runs his own production company Wayne Wilkins Music Group, and publishing companies, Ego Frenzy and Blow The Speakers. Producers and songwriters T-Wiz, Ollie Spano, and David Glass are signed to Ego Frenzy. Wilkins is currently interested in developing new artists. Wilkins has said that he scouts new talent on youtubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
and myspace
Myspace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
.