Mr Hudson | |
|---|---|
 Mr Hudson performing at Lovebox Weekender in London, 2009 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Benjamin Hudson McIldowie |
| Born | (1979-06-26)26 June 1979 (age 45) |
| Origin | Birmingham, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 2006–present |
| Labels | |
| Member of | Mr Hudson and the Library |
| Spinoff of | Kanye West |
| Website | mrhudson |
Benjamin Hudson McIldowie (born 26 June 1979), better known by his stage nameMr Hudson, is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer fromBirmingham, England. He formed the bandMr Hudson and the Library in 2006, for which he served as lead vocalist, and signed with American rapperKanye West's record label,GOOD Music through a joint venture withMercury Records as a solo act two years later. He is best known for his guest performance on West's 2009 single "Paranoid", as well as his songwriting contributions to "Say You Will" and "Street Lights", and "Heartless"; all four appeared on West's fourth album,808s & Heartbreak (2008).
That same year, Hudson guest performed onJay-Z's 2010 single "Young Forever," which peaked within the top ten of both the USBillboard Hot 100 andUK Singles Chart. His debut studio album,Straight No Chaser (2009) entered theUK Albums Chart at number 25; its single, "Supernova" (featuring Kanye West) peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart.[1] Hudson featured onJay-Z andKanye West's albumWatch The Throne (2011), appearing on "Why I Love You"[2]
Hudson then began writing and producing for other acts includingPaloma Faith andDuran Duran on the 2014 albumPaper Gods.[3][4] In 2016 Hudson collaborated withJP Cooper to write "September Song" and "She’s On My Mind".[5] Other Hudson collaborations include those withFuture andMiley Cyrus,Vic Mensa andDJ Snake.[6][7][8] He won aGrammy Award for his work onJohn Legend's 2020 albumBigger Love.[9]
Born inBirmingham, Hudson grew up in theHandsworth area of the city (Dudley Road) and attendedKing Edward's School, Birmingham in Edgbaston. He attended Oxford University, where he readEnglish Literature atSt Anne's College, Oxford.[citation needed]
Before Mr Hudson formed 'Mr Hudson and the Library' he was in 'Mansize', 'The Hudson Sound' and 'Phoenix Green'. 'The Hudson Sound' and 'Phoenix Green' featured Ali Forbes, Jarvy Moss, Ben Westwood and Mr Hudson's brother Jon McIldowie. They enjoyed considerable success in the Birmingham area and elsewhere with a regular spot at Ronnie Scott's in Birmingham. 'Mansize' featured later collaboratorRobin French.
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Hudson embarked on his music career when he formedMr Hudson and the Library, composed of Maps Huxley akaRobin French (bass), Wilkie Wilkinson (drums), Joy Joseph (steel drums, vocals) andTorville Jones (piano). The first result, an EP entitledBread & Roses, came out via Deal Real in October 2006.[10] The group toured with Amy Winehouse in early 2007 in support of their debut album,A Tale of Two Cities, released through Deal Real/Mercury.[11] Mr. Hudson was first featured onLater with Jools Holland on 8 December 2006.[12]
The production on the band's debut album uses acoustic guitar interspersed with piano, backing vocals and bass guitar,steelpan,electric drums and unusual rhythm patterns. Two of the tracks fromA Tale of Two Cities are covers; "On the Street Where You Live", is a cover of a number from the musicalMy Fair Lady and "Everything Happens to Me" was popularised byFrank Sinatra andChet Baker.
In 2007,Mr Hudson and the Library embarked on a tour through twelve British libraries as part of the 'Get It Loud' initiative, and also supportedAmy Winehouse on her tour, along withPaolo Nutini,Mika andGroove Armada.[13] During the summer of 2007 they appeared at several UK festivals, includingGlastonbury,T in the Park,The Big Chill,V Festival,Godiva Festival, andBestival. In October 2007, the band played at theMillennium Stadium in Cardiff in support ofThe Police. They also supportedKanye West on his Europe leg of hisGlow in the Dark Tour, performing inDublin,Belfast and other European cities.
In 2008, Mr. Hudson began recording as a solo artist. Although the name 'The Library' was no longer used, these musicians formed his backing band for live performances.
Sessions for Straight No Chaser initially started at Gizzard Studios in Bow, East London. Ed Deegan who had previously worked at Toe Rag Studios near by was acting as engineer, but Mr. Hudson received an offer from Kanye West to produce his album. Mr. Hudson appears on Kanye West's fourth album,808s & Heartbreak featured on "Paranoid". He also co-produced "Street Lights" as well as supplying additional vocals on "Say You Will" and "Amazing". Kanye West has stated:"I believe Mr. Hudson has the potential to be bigger than me, to be one of the most important artists of his generation".[14] The single Supernova was premiered on 13 May 2009 on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show and then released on 19 July 2009. It debuted at Number 2 in the UK singles chart on 26 July 2009. Calvin Harris remixed the track.
Mr Hudson's new album –Straight No Chaser was released on 4 August 2009 (viaGOOD Music andMercury Records), executive produced byKanye West."I wanted to make a mainstream record, not structured or ornate," he explains. "The first album feels like anEscher drawing, all these layers and you don't know where you're going at any point. The way the songs are written and produced on this one is much more direct. It's not trying to reinvent the wheel. It's straight, no chaser."[10]
In an interview, singer Ben Hudson was asked to describe the album: "My mission statement was to make a pop record, but not a throwaway pop record. My heroes are people likeBowie andPrince andDamon Albarn. I didn't want to do anything niche. Kanye threw down the gauntlet. He said, 'Let's see if we can make you a popstar'. I was like 'Let's have a go!'. It's a bit more widescreen, a bit more punchy, but the eclecticism of the first record's still there. There's a tune where I'm a cross betweenDeliverance andSade".[15]
In 2009, Hudson guested onPlaying with Fire byN-Dubz.[16]
In the autumn of 2009, Mr. Hudson supportedCalvin Harris on his UK tour. Mr. Hudson's headline tour to support the albumStraight No Chaser was in October 2009. Before the year was out, Hudson made a featured appearance onJay-Z'sThe Blueprint 3, the track, "Young Forever", was a reworking ofAlphaville's 1984 song "Forever Young".In May 2010 Mr. Hudson embarked on a sold out national UK tour, with supporting Jay Z in Birmingham & Manchester arena shows plus Isle of Wight & Wireless festivals.
In 2010, Mr. Hudson collaborated with Britishdubstep artistCaspa on the track "Love Never Dies (Back for the First Time)", which is a new version of a previous Caspa track known simply as "Back for the First Time". Rapper Nero appeared on the remix. On 29 July it was named byBBC Radio 1 DJZane Lowe as his Hottest Record in the World Today.[17] Mr. Hudson was featured on Jay-Z and Kanye West's albumWatch the Throne (2011), appearing on "Why I Love You".
In 2012 Hudson was featured on the UK Top 10 single "Charge", bySway.[18]
In March 2013, Mr. Hudson debuted the new single "Fred Astaire" viaSoundCloud.[citation needed] "Fred Astaire" would later be released as a commercial single in August of the same year, with accompanying video directed by prominent English portrait and fashion photographerRankin and photographer Vicky Lawton. Since then he has released additional tracks taken from the album: "Move" withRankin shooting the video exclusively for Hunger TV,[19] in December 2013 and "Step into The Shadows" featuringIdris Elba in May 2014.[20]
In November,Epic Records recording artistFuture released the track "Real and True" featuringMiley Cyrus & Mr. Hudson in the US.[21] The track was co written by Mr. Hudson with the video shot by photographerRankin. December 2013 saw the release ofRebecca Ferguson’s album entitledFreedom with the track '‘Beautiful Design'’ which Mr. Hudson co wrote & produced.[citation needed] 2014 saw the release ofIdris Elba'sIdris Elba presents Mi Mandela on which Hudson features and co-produced.[22] The same year Hudson collaborated withPaloma Faith on the track "Take Me" on her third studio albumA Perfect Contradiction.[23]
Hudson spent most of 2014 writing and producingPaper Gods byDuran Duran, released 11 September 2015.[24] Lead singerSimon le Bon had this to say of Hudson's involvement: "Him coming on board was a very crucial stage actually, it glued it all together. Before we had a bunch of different songs and he brought it together and gave it a direction. He also gave us the confidence to leave each other’s space, and this is the first time we have got this on an album."[25] In October 2015, Hudson released a single titled, "Dancing Thru It", followed by the critically acclaimed "Hey You".[26]
5 August 2016 saw the release of Mr. Hudson's co-write & feature withDJ Snake, "Here Comes The Night" from Snake's debut albumEncore.[27] The acoustic version was released on 7 April in the remix package[28]
16 September 2016, Hudson's co-write forJP Cooper’s "September Song" was released.
8 January 2017 appeared as a special guest at the Celebrating David Bowie concert at the O2 Brixton Academy with Gary Oldman & Mike Garson, singing a rendition of Bowie's "Starman".[29] Hudson sang with Bowie's band, Mike Garson, Gail Ann Dorsey, Earl Slick and more for the ‘Celebrating David Bowie’ shows in London, New York and Los Angeles. He has continued to tour with the line up in 2018 in the UK, Europe and the USA.[30]
Hudson's features and co-writes in 2017 include withVic Mensa "Almost There" for Mensa'sMasterpiece EP,[31] "She's on My Mind" byJP Cooper,[32] "Beatnik Trip" byGin Wigmore[33] and Bearson "Cold War".[34]
Hudson also released two of his own tracks late in 2017. "Can't Forget You"[35] released on 29 September and "Coldplay"[36] featuring Vic Mensa, world premiered on 5 December with Zane Lowe on Beats1 Radio.[37]
Mr. Hudson's co-write withAlexander DeLeon ‘Zombie Love’ was released on 30 March followed by his track withJanelle Monáe feat Zoe Kravitz "Screwed" on 27 April, taken from the albumDirty Computer.[38] Mr. Hudson appeared onKanye West andKid Cudi’s collaboration album "Kids See Ghosts" where he sang the outro to the final song, "Cudi Montage". Hudson's co-write forJonas Blue featuringJoe Jonas "I See Love" was released 29 June for theHotel Transylvania 3 soundtrack.[39] On 10 AugustJake Shears' debut solo album was released, on which Hudson co-wrote the tracks "Clothes Off", "Mississippi Delta", and "Big Bushy Mustache".[citation needed]
Hudson co-wrote and featured on 'Deserve It' fromVic Mensa’sHooligans EP, released on 13 December followed by his co-write withJP Cooper 'Cheerleader' on 14 December.[40][41]
Faustix's single "Thorns" released on 29 March by Big Beat/Atlantic was co-written by Hudson.[42]
On 19 April 2019 Hudson revealed his first new original song in 10 years, titled "Antidote", written and produced withJon Hume.[43] Hudson's co-write with Hopium, "I Forget My Name", was released on 17 May followed by Hudson's second solo single "Chicago" featuringVic Mensa.[44][45] He later confirmed that both "Antidote" and "Chicago" would feature on his albumWhen the Machine Stops, released 21 June 2019.
In addition to Mensa,When the Machine Stops also features Schae,Taylor Bennett, Josh Dean,Petite Noir, andGoody Grace. In an interview withSpindle Magazine,[46] Hudson described his influences in making the album as:
My inspirations are often non-musical. Movies like Blade Runner. TV shows like Black Mirror. And of course literature in the form of E.M. Forster's "The Machine Stops". I tend to listen to older music for inspo. I’m much more likely to be listening to Chet Baker or Nat King Cole or The Ink Spot
On 28 May 2019, Taylor Bennett's albumThe American Reject was released featuring a Hudson co-write and feature on the track "I Miss You".[47] On 28 June, Hudson's co-write with Lontalius "Make My Dreams Come True" was released.[48]
Hudson's co-write withSamm Henshaw andDJ Khalil "Rise" is featured on theGodfather of Harlem soundtrack curated bySwizz Beatz.[49]
On 21 February 2020JP Cooper’s "Bits & Pieces" was released, co-written and produced by Hudson.[50] June 2020 saw Hudson's writing and production work featured onJohn Legend's albumBigger Love for track "Never Break".[51] Later on 26 June "Too Close", a song Hudson co-wrote withJP Cooper, was released as part of the EP also titledToo Close which also includes "Bits & Pieces".[52] In December 2020Taylor Bennett released his track "Don’t Wait Up" featuring and co-written by Mr Hudson.[53] 26 February 2021 Hudson's production and co-write with Goody Grace "21 & Jaded" was released.[54] In March 2021 Hudson's work withJohn Legend on "Never Break" received aGrammy Award for Best R&B album.[55] On 23 April 2021Charlotte Cardin released "Je Quitte" which was co-written and produced by Hudson and in May 2022 won multipleJuno awards and reached platinum sales in Canada.[56][57] In June 2021San Holo released the albumBB U OK? with the track "The Great Clown Pagliacci" sampling Hudson's "Closing Time". May 13, 2022 saw the release of Johan Lenox's interlude track "Burning Sky" co-written & featuring Hudson from the albumWDYWTBWYGU.[58]
Releases in 2022 for Hudson includeThe 1975 "About You" from the albumBeing Funny in a Foreign Language,[59] Lloyiso "Run",[citation needed] Lenii "Already Famous",[60]Henry Wagons "Cover My Eyes",[61] Ampersounds (Fred Falke and Zen Freeman) "Nightdrive",[62]Harry Hudson EPA Deer in Headlights,[63]GuiltyBeatz "Universe",[64] and Zachary Knowles "Wrong Side"[65]
Hudson’s first release of 2023 was Neve’s track "Should Have Been Us" followed in April by his co-write & feature "Memories" with French duo Picard Brothers.[66] Also in April, Renao’s track "Blind" featured Hudson as a co-writer, and in August, "Looping" withCharlotte Cardin was released from herJuno Award-winning album99 nights.[67][68]
In October 2023Duran Duran released their 16th album Danse Macabre. Hudson co-wrote & producedDanse Macabre andConfessions In The Afterlife[69]
In 2024 Hudson's collaborations included releases withStefflon Don "Dem Evil" from the albumIsland 54, Beth Morgan's "Shy Love" and Sofia Isella's "Sex Concept" from the EPI Can Be Your Mother.[70][71] Later that same year Hudson featured on and co-wrote "Without Words", his second release withSan Holo and in July "Waiting On A Blue Sky" withJP Cooper.[72][73]
17 January 2025,JP Cooper released Hudson-cowritten "Talking To Strangers" from his upcoming album.[74] In late January the same year "Dog’s Dinner" Hudson’s collaboration with Sofia Isella was released from Sofia’s forthcoming EP.[75]
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