Tricky Stewart

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Tricky Stewart is an American producer, songwriter, music publisher and record executive, born in 1974 in Markham, Illinois. He grew up in a musical family, played guitar and keyboards at twelve and was already writing songs. His older brother, the producer Laney Stewart, put him in touch with the mentor Louis Silas, as a result of which, even before graduating, he supplied songs to Aaron Hall, IMx and Chanté Moore, among others. In 1995, with the support of L.A. Reid, he founded the company RedZone Entertainment, and the studio Triangle Sound, in Atlanta.

Music and breakthrough

His first big success came in 1999 with Who Dat by JT Money. In 2000 he wrote and produced Case of the Ex for Mýa, and then was executive producer of Blu Cantrell's debut album So Blu. He also made Uh Huh for B2K and wrote and produced for Britney Spears, among others, Me Against the Music and Outrageous on In the Zone (2003). He often works with the singer and writer The-Dream. Together they made Umbrella for Rihanna in 2007, Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) for Beyoncé in 2008 and songs for Mariah Carey and Justin Bieber, such as One Time and Baby.

Influence

Stewart has won five Grammys and also signed the singer Frank Ocean to RedZone for his breakthrough. His work shows how in the 2000s the pop sound was shaped by producers behind the scenes: tight rhythms, simple, catchy choruses and R&B singing.

Listening

Mentioned in other articles

• Umbrella SongIn March 2007 Umbrella by Rihanna was released, written by Terius The-Dream Nash and Christopher Tricky Stewart, with Kuk Harrell and Jay-Z.