Muse-Letter 006 - Free Packs & Who is Boi-1da??

Muse-Letter 006 - February 6th, 2023

Yoooo! What's good fam! 

Welcome back to The Muse-Letter. This week we covered the viral music producer, Fred Again and the wicked things he did in 2022. We also gave the limelight to a producer that has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry. Being a music producer can mean we go under the radar, so I'm loving being able to give producers the credit they deserve with the Muse-Letter. 

Also - to thank you for being a part of the Muse-Letter community, I've included a free pack in today's edition. Check it out!

This Week in Producer News 📰

Who is Boi-1da and how has he contributed to Hip-hops's biggest hits?

Boi-1da is a 36-year-old Canadian producer that’s been in the business for a decade and landed four nominations at the 2023 Grammys, including the prestigious Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical. He's sitting at the top of the music industry and has maintained his position by keeping his mindset the same as when he started the journey. 

Boi-1da became known after working as one of Drake’s beatsmiths on “Best I Ever Had,” “Over,” and the grammy-winning “God’s Plan.” He then went on to produce “Work” with Rihanna, and Kanye West’s 'Donda'. 

Boi-1da spoke with grammy.com about his decade-long career in the music industry. His answer to how he has managed to stay relevant this long was, “There have been many times where I’ve created sounds and it gets emulated and everybody starts doing it. You can be mad and sit there and be like, "Yo, everybody’s biting my style." I feel like I’m just that creative where I can move on to the next thing and be like "Okay, cool, you guys can have that. I’ll make something else."

Boi-1da has worked with many artists and has had many hit songs. His biggest songs of the year that he produced were “Heated”, "Churchill Downs," and then "N95," which he collaborated on with Beyonce, Drake, Jack Harlow, and Kendrick Lamar. 

Boi-1da admits, “I wasn’t around for the process of Beyoncé making that song, but I was heavily involved in the production. Whenever I work with Drake or someone like Beyoncé, it’s on easy mode. You have something they like, they usually know exactly what they want to do with it and you just trust ‘em completely. Sometimes, I’m hands off, I’m like, "Cool, y’all like it? Here you go. I know what you guys do and you guys do that."

When he’s not working with A-listers he says, “I find, working with newer artists, you have to play more of a mentoring role. But I find with other people, it’s about finding your use and being a utility. I didn’t have a mentor. I didn’t have YouTube, I didn’t have tutorials, and I had to figure out everything [on my own]. I lived in Durham, Ontario, there was absolutely nothing to do, nothing going on. There was no way of reaching out to artists or reaching out to producers. So it’s like, if I could be some kind of mentor or do anything for anybody, I do it because I never had it. 

Boi-1da finishes the interview by letting us know what to expect in 2023. 

“I’m working on a compilation album right now. It’s gonna be really dope, a lot of your favourite artists, a lot of new artists you’ve never heard of. A lot of dope music and I’m really excited to finish it and put it out.” 

“It’s been in the works for a while. I’ve started and stopped it a few times because I’m really a perfectionist and I want to get it right. I’m not caring about numbers, I want to make the best project. I want people to hear it and be like "Wow, this is amazing." I care more about that than anything, which is why I’ve started and stopped it so many times. Music changes and I really just want to get it perfect.”

It’s awesome to see producers getting the recognition they deserve. Not all producers are well known, but they're behind many of our favourite tunes and it's wicked for them to be awarded for their work.

Article of The Week 📜

Fred Again's creative music-making process, solo music, and viral Boiler Room performance

Fred Gibson, aka house musician Fred Again, is currently one of the best-connected people in the music industry. Fred has gained major popularity since 2022 with his viral debut boiler room performance, the release of his album ‘Actual Life 3’, and his interview with Zane Lowe from Apple Music. This popularity has carried on into 2023 with his secret concert in Melbourne, Australia selling out in 30 seconds. The people want Fred Again. 

Fred was coached by Brian Eno as a teenager and has since made his name in the industry as a writer/producer on tracks with artists Ed Sheeran’s ‘Bad Habits’, George Ezra’s ‘Shotgun’, Stromzy's ‘Own It’, and Charli XCX’s ‘After The Afterparty’ to name a few. Fred won Producer of the Year in 2020 at the Brits when he was 26, making him the youngest recipient to win the award. 

Fred started releasing his own music with a trilogy of albums that blend house beats, common sounds, and conversations he collects on his phone. He finds inspiration from his life and puts it into his albums. Each album is inspired by his life with the first being about a friend who became ill and passed away, and the second about coming to terms with that pain and grief. The third relates to the world opening up again post-pandemic which was listed at number four on the UK album charts in October 2022. 

Fred has been secretive about what happens now he has finished the album trilogy and said to BBC, “I've been totally changed by how people have taken the music in. 100%. 

"Like, I write music for a different reason now. I don't think I can understand it, 'cos I'm right in it but I'm sure there have been big changes.

"And I'm eternally grateful to the people who have made that the case."

Fred stays true to himself by maintaining his music-creating process and style. He continues to make tracks on his iPhone in train stations or sitting on London’s South Bank while he watches life carry on around him. 

"It affects the music in every way, having people around," he says "That's the main thing to me. Like a conveyor belt of people that consciously and unconsciously inspire you.”

Fred’s reputation is growing and he is collaborating and producing hits with more and more A-listers like Little Mix, Ellie Goulding, Burna Boy, Shawn Mendes, and Clean Bandit. The message he has taken from working with them is to trust his instincts. 

"Burna Boy would be the best example of the power of instinct," he says.

"Like, he just allows it to flow out of him, and I think most of the energy is spent on creating environments where that can most freely take place. Whether that's where you are, or who you're with, or whatever - that's the thing worth protecting."

Fred gives a peek into his early life, creative process and signature production style in an interview with Zane Lowe at Apple Music. He discusses all things music but also the inspiration his family has for his music. An important aspect of his concerts is having a large portrait screen displayed behind him on stage that allows the audience to see what’s going on and creates a connection with the crowd. Fred says, “represents an iPhone that just shows all the bits from my phone and other people’s… That is very much part of the DNA of the music.”

The best part in my opinion is seeing Fred display his wicked musicianship and how he creates whole songs with an MPC drum machine/sampler. Zane is enjoying it so much that when Fred goes to speak, he tells him to carry on. I’m sure people agree with me when I say I’m glad he does as it’s so cool to watch. 

Fred discusses his life, creative process, and shows off some of his skills in the Apple Music interview with Zane Lowe. Check it out!

Free Pack 🎼

Harp Chronicles LITE Sample Pack

The most beautiful harp melodies at your fingertips!

Plugin of the Week 🔌⚡

The Soundtoys 5 Plugin Bundle brings together an entire range of audio effects into one powerful collection.

Saturate, compress, and distort with Decapitator, Radiator, and Devil-Loc. Get a virtual history of echo and delay hardware with EchoBoy and PrimalTap. Transform your vocals with Little AlterBoy. Recreate classic studio pitch, chorus, and widening effects with Crystallizer and MicroShift. Take modulation to new levels with the beat-synced rhythmic effects of PanMan, Tremolator, FilterFreak, and PhaseMistress.

All of these elements are proven, powerful tools, trusted by professional mix engineers, musicians and sound designers everywhere.

Recent YouTube Video 🎬

I Hired a Harp Player and We Made Insane Beats!

Check out my recent YouTube video where I hired a harp player and we made insane beats!

Thanks for reading this week's newsletter. I hope you enjoyed it and look forward to providing you with more content that helps you level up throughout 2023. In the meantime, make sure to take a look at the top-quality sounds I use on my website! 👇🏿

YouTube | TsunamiAudio | Instagram | Twitter | Discord 

If you have any questions, ideas, or suggestions feel free to hit me up on IG!  @prodbyocean

Appreciate you, fam.

-Ocean