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Pharrell. Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty In last week’s issue of the magazine, we ran a profile of producer Pharrell Williams — who, along with his Neptunes partner Chad Hugo, built the music behind huge numbers of the songs on pop radio in the mid-aughts. (And who, lately, is back to accumulating high-profile production and songwriting credits, many of them with a new and different feel.) My meeting and conversation with him covered a lot of territory that wouldn’t fit in the profile, so here’s an abridged transcript of some highlights, including Michael Jackson rolling on a floor, and musical inspiration found in Dana Carvey’s “Church Lady” skits. I met with Williams in the Manhattan recording studio where he was making a few last adjustments to Azealia Banks’s forthcoming single “ATM Jam.” One of the things we’d wanted to talk with him about was the actual work of production and recording — his gear and software, and what he does when he sits down to make a beat or build a … [Read more...] about Pharrell Williams on Surprise Hits, Daft Punk, and Watching Michael Jackson Laugh

“I’m always speechless when I talk about being nominated. I can’t really wrap my head around the fact that I’m making stuff here, where I’m sitting.” Photo: Iris Gottlieb Kaytranada has what every producer strives for: an in-demand signature sound. His records glide fluidly between four-to-the-floor house beats, hip-hop sample-flipping, and P-Funk style 808 bass lines. He honed the technique as a teenager, and it has since grabbed the attention of some all-star collaborators: Pharrell Williams, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, Anderson .Paak, and Kendrick Lamar. This year, he’s nominated for three Grammys, including Best Dance/Electronica Album for his 2019 sophomore release, Bubba , and Best New Artist. But Kaytranada is hardly new to music ; at 28, he has been building a career in the industry for more than a decade. Although the recognition may be overdue, the thrill of it hasn’t worn off. “I’m Kaytranada, all the way from Montreal, Canada — been making beats since I was … [Read more...] about Kaytranada’s Decade-Long Journey to Best New Artist