Joel Little
Joel Little (born 13 February 1983) is a New Zealand record producer, musician and Grammy Award-winning songwriter.[1][2] He is best known for his work as a writer and producer with artists Lorde, Taylor Swift, Broods, Sam Smith, Imagine Dragons, Ellie Goulding, Khalid, Elliphant, Jarryd James, Shawn Mendes, Marina Diamandis and the Jonas Brothers.
Joel Little | |
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Born | Auckland, New Zealand | 13 February 1983
Occupation(s) |
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Instruments |
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Years active | 2003–present |
Labels | Dryden Street |
Associated acts |
Career
Little trained at the Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand (MAINZ) in Auckland, and began his career as singer and guitarist of the pop punk band Goodnight Nurse. The band released two studio albums, Always and Never (2006) and Keep Me on Your Side (2008) both of which peaked at number five on the New Zealand top 40 albums chart. Over the two albums, the band had five singles in the New Zealand top-40 from 2004 to 2008.[3]
Along with Goodnight Nurse guitarist Sam McCarthy, Little produced and co-wrote the majority of the debut album by McCarthy's new group, Kids of 88.[4] The album, Sugarpills, was released in 2010 and debuted at number two in the New Zealand album chart.[5] It featured three hit singles, "My House", "Just a Little Bit" and "Downtown", all co-written by Little. "Just a Little Bit" went on to win Single of the Year at the 2010 New Zealand Music Awards.[6]
In 2011, Little set up his own production studio, Golden Age, in Morningside, Auckland.[7]
In 2012, Little co-wrote and produced, recorded and mixed The Love Club EP by Lorde at Golden Age.[8] Singles "Royals" and "Tennis Court" both charted at number one in New Zealand in 2013,[9] with the EP achieving gold certification in New Zealand and Platinum certification in Australia.[10][11] Little also co-wrote, produced, mixed, engineered and played the instruments on the debut Lorde album, Pure Heroine, which was released worldwide on 30 September 2013.[12]
In early September 2013, Little and co-writer Lorde were shortlisted for "Royals" in the 2013 Silver Scroll Award, which honours outstanding achievement in songwriting of original New Zealand pop music.[13] They went on to win this award,[14] at a ceremony on 16 October.[1][2] He also won a Grammy Award on 26 January 2014, alongside Lorde, winning Song of the Year for "Royals".
Little produced Auckland-based pop duo Broods' single, "Bridges", subsequent EP, Broods, and their 2014 album, Evergreen.[15]
In 2019, Little co-wrote and co-produced four songs with American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her seventh studio album Lover, including "Me!", "You Need to Calm Down", "The Man", and "Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince". Little and Swift also co-wrote and co-produced a fifth track, "Only the Young", which was left off the album and released in 2020 in conjunction with Miss Americana, a documentary on Swift's life and career which Little also appeared in.[16]
As of 2014, Little is based in Los Angeles.[17]
Discography
With Goodnight Nurse
- Always and Never (2006) Festival Mushroom Records
- Keep Me on Your Side (2008) Warner Music New Zealand
Production and writing credits
Year | Artist | Album | Song | Co-writer: | Producer or co-producer: |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | Isaac Dunbar | "love, or the lack thereof' | |||
Jarryd James | P.M. | "Miracles" | |||
Bishop Briggs | "Higher" | ||||
Amy Shark | TBA | "Everybody Rise" | |||
Lennon Stella | Three. Two. One. | "Jealous" | |||
Gracie Abrams | Non-album single | "21" | |||
Taylor Swift | Non-album single | "Only the Young" | |||
2019 | Tove Lo | Sunshine Kitty | "Mistaken" | ||
Bishop Briggs | "Jekyll & Hide" | ||||
Foster The People | Pick U Up | "Pick U Up" | |||
Taylor Swift | Lover | "Me!" (feat. Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco) | |||
"You Need to Calm Down" | |||||
"The Man" | |||||
"Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince" | |||||
Bishop Briggs | Champion | "Champion" | |||
"Jekyll & Hide" | |||||
"I Tried" | |||||
K Flay | "Sister" | ||||
Noah Kahan | Busyhead | "False Confidence" | |||
"Mess" | |||||
"Hurt Somebody (with Julia Michaels)" | |||||
"Young Blood" | |||||
"Cynic" | |||||
"Save Me" | |||||
"Sink" | |||||
"Tidal" | |||||
Jonas Brothers | Happiness Begins | ''Happy When I'm Sad'' | |||
James Bay | "Peer Pressure" | ||||
Noah Kahan | "Mess" | ||||
MARINA | Love + Fear | "Handmade Heaven" | |||
"To Be Human" | |||||
"Life Is Strange" | |||||
Terror Jr | Unfortunately, Terror Jr | "Pretty" | |||
Jarryd James | "Slow Motion" | ||||
Broods | Don't Feed the Pop Monster | "Life After" | |||
"Too Proud" | |||||
2018 | Lennon Stella | Love Me - EP | "La Di Da" | ||
Imagine Dragons | Origins | "Birds" | |||
NAO | Saturn | "Yellow of the Sun" | |||
Amy Shark | Love Monster | "Never Coming Back" | |||
6lack | East Atlantic Love Letter | "Switch" | |||
Daya | "Safe" | ||||
Shawn Mendes | Shawn Mendes | "Youth (feat. Khalid)" | |||
"Queen" | |||||
Mikky Ekko | "Moment" | ||||
Robinson | "Nothing To Regret" | ||||
Alison Wonderland | Awake | "Church" | |||
"No" | |||||
"Okay" | |||||
"Easy" | |||||
"Cry" | |||||
"Happy Place" | |||||
"Awake" | |||||
Kailee Morgue | Medusa | "Unfortunate Soul" | |||
Noah Kahan | "Come Down" | ||||
Noah Kahan | Hurt Somebody | "Hurt Somebody" | |||
"Catastrophize" | |||||
"Passenger" | |||||
2017 | Kesha | The Greatest Showman Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | "This Is Me" | ||
Lorde | Melodrama | "Supercut" | |||
"Green Light" | |||||
Bebe Rexha | All Your Fault: Pt. 2 | "The Way I Are (Dance with Somebody) (feat. Lil Wayne)" | |||
Imagine Dragons | Evolve | "Whatever It Takes" | |||
Ruth B | Safe Haven | "Mixed Signals" | |||
"Dandelions" | |||||
"Unrighteous" | |||||
"If This Is Love" | |||||
"Young" | |||||
"If By Chance" | |||||
"World War 3" | |||||
"Safe Haven" | |||||
"In My Dreams" | |||||
"First Time" | |||||
Khalid | American Teen | "Young Dumb & Broke" | |||
"8teen" | |||||
"Therapy" | |||||
Noah Kahan | "Young Blood" | ||||
"Sink" | |||||
2016 | Tove Lo | Lady Wood | "Imaginary Friend" | ||
Brooke Fraser | A Sides | "Therapy" | |||
Jarryd James | High | "1000x (feat. Broods)" | |||
"Claim My Love" | |||||
"How Do We Make It" | |||||
Broods | Conscious | "Free" | |||
"We Had Everything" | |||||
"Heartlines" | |||||
"Hold the Line" | |||||
"Freak of Nature (feat. Tove Lo)" | |||||
"Recovery" | |||||
"Couldn't Believe" | |||||
"Full Blown Love" | |||||
"Worth the Fight" | |||||
"Bedroom Door" | |||||
"Conscious" | |||||
Fitz and the Tantrums | Fitz and the Tantrums | "Do What You Want" | |||
2015 | Elliphant | Living Life Golden | "Step Down" | ||
"Where Is Home (feat. Twin Shadow)" | |||||
Ellie Goulding | Delirium | "Paradise" | |||
"The Greatest" | |||||
Half Noise | "Inside" | ||||
Jarryd James | Thirty One | "Do You Remember" | |||
"Give Me Something" | |||||
"This Time (Serious Symptoms, Simple Solutions)" | |||||
"Underneath" | |||||
"Undone" | |||||
"Regardless" (feat. Julia Stone) | |||||
"High" | |||||
"Sure Love" | |||||
Daniel Johns | Aerial Love EP | "Aerial Love" | |||
"Late Night Drive" | |||||
Talk | "Aerial Love" | ||||
"Cool On Fire" | |||||
"Warm Hands" | |||||
"Dissolve" | |||||
Lorde | The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | "Yellow Flicker Beat" | |||
"Meltdown" | |||||
"Ladder Song" | |||||
"Flicker (Kanye West rework)" | |||||
2014 | Elliphant | One More EP | "One More (feat. MØ)" | ||
Priory | Weekend | "Weekend" | |||
Sam Smith | In the Lonely Hour: Deluxe Edition | "Reminds Me of You" | |||
Broods | Evergreen | "Mother & Father" | |||
"Everytime" | |||||
"Killing You" | |||||
"Bridges" | |||||
"L.A.F" | |||||
"Never Gonna Change" | |||||
"Sober" | |||||
"Medicine" | |||||
"Evergreen" | |||||
"Four Walls" | |||||
"Superstar" | |||||
2013 | Broods | "Never Gonna Change" | |||
"Pretty Thing" | |||||
"Bridges" | |||||
"Sleep Baby Sleep" | |||||
"Taking You There" | |||||
"Coattails" | |||||
Lorde | Pure Heroine | "Tennis Court" | |||
"400 Lux" | |||||
"Ribs" | |||||
"Buzzcut Season" | |||||
"Team" | |||||
"Glory and Gore" | |||||
"Still Sane" | |||||
"White Teeth Teens" | |||||
"A World Alone" | |||||
"No Better" | |||||
2012 | The Love Club | "Bravado" | |||
"Royals" | |||||
"Million Dollar Bills" | |||||
"The Love Club" | |||||
"Biting Down" | |||||
Timomatic | Timomatic | "AYO (That's What I Like)" | |||
2010 | Dane Rumble | The Experiment | "What Are You Waiting For?" | ||
Awards and nominations
APRA Awards (Australia)
The APRA Awards (Australia) are annually held by Australasian Performing Right Association to honour outstanding music artists and songwriters of the year.[18]
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | Ella Yelich-O'Connor and Joel Little | Outstanding International Achievement Award | Won | [19] |
2016 | Jarryd James and Joel Little | Pop Work of the Year | Won | [20] |
APRA Silver Scroll Awards (New Zealand)
The New Zealand APRA Awards are held by the Australasian Performing Right Association to honour the finest songwriters and composers.[21]
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | Ella Yelich-O'Connor and Joel Little for "Royals" | APRA Silver Scroll | Won | [14] |
2014 | Broods and Joel Little for "Bridges" | APRA Silver Scroll | Nominated | [22] |
Ella Yelich-O'Connor and Joel Little for "Team" | Most Performed Work in New Zealand | Won | [23] | |
Ella Yelich-O'Connor and Joel Little for "Royals" | Most Performed Work Overseas | Won | [23] | |
2015 | Ella Yelich-O'Connor and Joel Little for "Yellow Flicker Beat" | APRA Silver Scroll | Nominated | [24] |
Joel Little and Jarryd James for "Do You Remember" | APRA Silver Scroll | Shortlisted | [25] | |
Joel Little, Georgia Nott and Caleb Nott for "L.A.F." | APRA Silver Scroll | Shortlisted | [25] | |
Ella Yelich-O'Connor and Joel Little for "Royals" | Most Performed Work Overseas | Won | [26] | |
2017 | Ella Yelich-O'Connor, Jack Antonoff and Joel Little for "Green Light" | APRA Silver Scroll | Won | [27] |
ASCAP Pop Music Awards
The annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards are held by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers to honour the songwriters and publishers of the most performed pop songs.[28]
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | Ella Yelich-O'Connor and Joel Little for "Royals" | Most Performed Songs | Won | [29] |
2015 | Ella Yelich-O'Connor and Joel Little - "Team" | Most Performed Songs | Won | [30] |
Ella Yelich-O'Connor and Joel Little - "Royals" | Most Performed Songs | Won | [30] |
Golden Globe Awards
The Golden Globe Awards were established in 1944 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to celebrate the best in film and television.[31]
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | Ella Yelich-O'Connor and Joel Little for "Yellow Flicker Beat" | Best Original Song | Nominated | [32] |
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.[33]
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | Lorde, artist; Joel Little, producer; Joel Little, engineer/mixer; Stuart Hawkes, mastering engineer for "Royals" | 56th Annual Grammy Awards – Record of the Year | Nominated | [34] |
Ella Yelich-O'Connor and Joel Little, songwriters for "Royals" | 56th Annual Grammy Awards – Song of the Year | Won | [35] |
New Zealand Music Awards
The New Zealand Music Awards are awarded annually to musicians of New Zealand origin, by Recorded Music NZ.
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | Joel Little for Pure Heroine | Best Engineer | Won | [36] |
Joel Little for Pure Heroine | Best Producer | Won | [36] | |
2015 | Joel Little for Evergreen | Best Producer | Nominated | [37] |
2016 | Joel Little for Conscious | Best Engineer | Won | [38] |
Joel Little for Conscious | Best Producer | Won | [38] |
References
- Lorde's Silver Scroll 'a big deal' for co-writer Joel Little Archived 15 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine. 3 News NZ. 16 October 2013.
- Lorde takes out top Silver Scroll. Radio NZ. 16 October 2013.
- "GOODNIGHT NURSE IN NEW ZEALAND CHARTS". charts.nz. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
- "Kids of 88 – Sugarpills". All Music. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
- "KIDS OF 88 IN NEW ZEALAND CHARTS". charts.nz. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
- "2010 Winners". NZ Music Awards. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
- "Golden Age". NZ Musician. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
- "Lorde – The Love Club EP". Discogs. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
- "DISCOGRAPHY LORDE". charts.nz. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
- "12 August 2012". Official NZ Music Charts. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
- "Royals". Aria Charts. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
- "The 16-year-old is already a chart-topper in her native New Zealand. Is America next?". Billboard. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
- "APRA Silver Scroll Awards 2013 Finalists Announced". The Corner. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
- Jenkins, Lydia (16 October 2013). "Lorde's Royals wins APRA Silver Scroll award". NZ Herald. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
- Lipshutz, Jason (5 December 2013). "New Zealand's Broods Signs To Capitol in U.S., Preps Debut Album with Lorde's Producer". Billboard. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
- Willman, Chris (21 January 2020). "How Midterm Elections Inspired Taylor Swift's New Song, 'Only the Young'". Variety. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
- Duff, Michelle (14 November 2014). "Joel Little: The man behind Lorde". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
- "Awards | APRA AMCOS". Australasian Performing Right Association (Australia). Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- "2014 APRA Music Award winners announced". ABC Online. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
- "2016 APRA Music Award winners announced". Australasian Performing Right Association. 5 April 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
- "Silver Scroll Awards | APRA AMCOS NZ". Australasian Performing Right Association (New Zealand). Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- "'APRA Silver Scrolls Finalists Announced". Stuff.co.nz. Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
- "APRA Silver Scroll Awards 2014 - The Winner". APRA:AMCOS. APRA:AMCOS. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
- "'Diverse, original and assured' - Silver Scroll finalists announced". One News. TVNZ. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
- "2015 TOP 20 + 1981 TOP 5". APRA AMCOS. APRA AMCOS. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
- "2015 APRA Silver Scroll Awards – the winners". Scoop. Scoop. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
- "Lorde's 'Green Light' wins top Silver Scroll". NZ Herald. 15 November 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- Gundersen, Edna (24 April 2014). "Tom Petty, fun. honored at ASCAP Pop Music Awards". USA Today. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
The annual event recognizes the songwriters and publishers of the most performed ASCAP songs on the 2013 pop charts.
- "Most Performed Songs". ASCAP. Archived from the original on 24 April 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
- "ASCAP Most Performed Songs 2015". ASCAP. ASCAP. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
- "History of the Golden Globes". Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- Lynch, Joe (11 December 2014). "2015 Golden Globe Nominees: Lorde & Joel Little, Lana Del Rey, Trent Reznor & More". Billboard. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
- "Grammy Awards: Overview". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on 27 October 2009.
- "Lorde takes home two Grammys". Stuff. Fairfax. 27 January 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
- "Grammy nominations 2014: The complete list". LA Times. 6 December 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
- "Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards - 2014 Categories". VNZMA. VNZMA. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
- "NZ Music Awards 2015 Tech Finalists Announced". Under the Radar. UTR. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
- "Vodafone New Zealand Music Artisan Awards: producer Joel Little wins big". Stuff. Fairfax. Retrieved 20 October 2016.