Grant Kirkhope | |
|---|---|
 Kirkhope in 2024 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1962-07-10)10 July 1962 (age 63) |
| Occupations | Composer, voice actor |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Labels | Materia Collective |
| Website | www |
Grant Kirkhope (born 10 July 1962) is a Scottish composer and voice actor for video games and film. Some of his notable works includeGoldenEye 007,Banjo-Kazooie,Donkey Kong 64, andPerfect Dark, among many others. He has won anIvor Novello Award forMario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope and aWorld Soundtrack Award forThe King's Daughter, as well as being nominated forBAFTA,ASCAP, andIFMCA awards. He has also provided the voice for the characterDonkey Kong in many of his game appearances.
Kirkhope was born inEdinburgh, Scotland, where his mother, Margaret Kirkhope, worked as a music hall dancer. Kirkhope's father, Alexander Kirkhope, was works manager of Redpath Brown steel works and was an avid music fan and exposed him to early influences such asFrank Sinatra andGlenn Miller. Kirkhope taught himself to play guitar at age 11 and is classically trained in the trumpet.[1][2] Kirkhope was brought up inKnaresborough, North Yorkshire from the age of five, and attendedKing James's School. Kirkhope played in various bands after leaving theRoyal Northern College of Music, including Zoot and the Roots along with the saxophonist Snake Davis. Kirkhope also spent many years as part of "the Big Bad Horns" which were part of UK rock bandLittle Angels.[1] Kirkhope joinedRare in October 1995,[1][3] he played for two bands called Syar and Maineeaxe where he played the guitar and already knewRobin Beanland, another Rare composer.
Kirkhope is anIvor Novello Awards andWorld Soundtrack Awards winning,BAFTA,ASCAP andIFMCA-nominated composer who has created the soundtrack for various video games.[4] Kirkhope's score forViva Piñata was nominated by BAFTA in the Original Score category in its 2007 awards.[5]
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning was nominated for Best Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media by the International Film Music Critics Association[6] and in the Cue Awards 2012 for Best Overall Score, Best Video Game Score and Grant was also nominated for Best Break Out Composer.[7]
Kirkhope was nominated in the 2015 ASCAP Composer’s Choice Awards for his work on “Civilization: Beyond Earth”[8] and also won the Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media 2015 from the International Film Music Critics Association for the same score.[9]Civilization: Beyond Earth also won Best Score: Video Game at the Cue Awards 2015.[10] He was nominated in the 2016 ASCAP Composer’s Choice Awards for his work onCivilization: Beyond Earth – Rising Tide and was also nominated for Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media 2016 from the International Film Music Critics Association for the same score.[6]Civilization: Beyond Earth – Rising Tide was also nominated for Best Score: Video Game at the Cue Awards 2016.[10]
He won the award for Best Score at the Silicon Beach Film Festival for the score to the feature filmShadows directed by Michael Matteo Rossi in 2020. The score to the animated shortThe Wrong Rock was nominated for Original Score - Short Film (animation) at the Hollywood Media in Music Awards in 2021. The score to the feature filmThe King's Daughter won the People's Vote Award at theWorld Soundtrack Awards in 2022. The score forMario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope was nominated for Score - Video Game and the score for 'The King's Daughter was nominated for Score - Fantasy Film at the Hollywood Music and Media Awards in 2022.
Kirkhope won anIvor Novello Award for his score forMario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope in 2023 and was nominated for Best Video Game Score at theWorld Soundtrack Awards for the same score in 2023.
Kirkhope was also involved in casting the voice actors for theViva Piñata cartoon.[11]
Kirkhope moved to the United States in 2008 to work onKingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and became anaturalized United States citizen in March 2017. As of 2012, he and his family reside in southern California.[1]
| Year | Title | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Killer Instinct 2/Gold | Performed live guitar and trumpet | |
| Donkey Kong Land 2 | Conversion ofDavid Wise'sDonkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest soundtrack | ||
| 1997 | GoldenEye 007 | WithGraeme Norgate andRobin Beanland | |
| Blast Corps | Performed live guitar | ||
| 1998 | Banjo-Kazooie | ||
| 1999 | Donkey Kong 64 | [12] | |
| 2000 | Banjo-Tooie | [13] | |
| Perfect Dark | With Graeme Norgate and David Clynick | [14] | |
| 2002 | Star Fox Adventures | Performed live guitar | |
| 2003 | Grabbed by the Ghoulies | ||
| 2005 | Conker: Live and Reloaded | Performed live guitar | |
| 2006 | Viva Piñata | WithSteve Burke | |
| 2008 | Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise | WithSteve Burke | |
| Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts | With Robin Beanland and David Clynick | ||
| 2012 | Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning | With Mark Cromer | |
| Fart Cat! | |||
| CityVille 2 | |||
| 2013 | Desktop Dungeons | WithDanny Baranowsky | |
| Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse | Remake of theoriginal game's soundtrack by Shigenori Kamiya, along with original compositions | ||
| 2014 | Puzzle Charms | ||
| Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z | |||
| The Enchanted Cave 2 | |||
| Civilization: Beyond Earth | WithGeoff Knorr, Michael Curran and Griffin Cohen | ||
| 2015 | Civilization: Beyond Earth - Rising Tide | With Geoff Knorr and Griffin Cohen | |
| Crypt of the NecroDancer | Special thanks | ||
| Rare Replay | Special thanks | ||
| 2016 | Ghostbusters | ||
| 2017 | Dropzone | ||
| Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle | Also scoredDonkey Kong Adventure DLC | ||
| Yooka-Laylee | With David Wise and Steve Burke | [15] | |
| A Hat in Time | Guest composer | [16] | |
| Tangledeep | |||
| 2019 | Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair | With David Wise, Dan Murdoch and Matt Griffin | [17] |
| Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Guest composer, "Spiral Mountain" arrangement | [18] | |
| Interstellar Space: Genesis | With Ryan McQuinn | [19] | |
| Cadence of Hyrule | Special thanks | ||
| 2020 | World of Warcraft: Shadowlands | WithNeal Acree,David Arkenstone, Jason Hayes, Glenn Stafford and Jake Lefkowitz | |
| Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning | With Mark Cromer | ||
| 2021 | Minecraft Dungeons: Hidden Depths | With Peter Hont and Rostislav Trifonov | |
| 2022 | Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope | WithGareth Coker andYoko Shimomura | [20] |
| 2024 | Street Fighter 6 | Guest Composer, "Annihilation" | |
| 2025 | Star Racer | [21] | |
| Yooka-Replaylee | With Dan Murdoch and Matt Griffin | [22] | |
| TBA | Bradley the Badger | ||
| Lobodestroyo | Guest composer | ||
| Poglings | Guest composer |
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | We Sit. We Drink. No Guns. | Short film |
| 2017 | Mulva Lends a Hand | |
| How to Apply for a Sexual Position | ||
| Heavy Flow | ||
| Killer Charm | ||
| 2018 | Roadmap Jerusalem | |
| Hammer Jackson | ||
| The Wrong Rock | ||
| 2021 | The Handler | |
| Bringing Back Goldeneye | ||
| 2022 | Shadows | |
| The King's Daughter | WithJohn Coda and Joseph Metcalfe | |
| 2023 | The Super Mario Bros. Movie | Composer of theDK Rap fromDonkey Kong 64 (uncredited) |
| TBA | The Charisma Killers† | |
| Murder Syndicate† |
| Year | Title | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Gameoverse† | Composer; withJake Kaufman | [23] |
| † | Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Banjo-Kazooie | Mumbo Jumbo, Jinjo, The Jinjonator, Gravestone, Flower Pot, Gruntling[24] | |
| 1999 | Donkey Kong 64 | Donkey Kong[24][12][13] | |
| 2000 | Banjo-Tooie | Mumbo Jumbo, Jamjars, King Jingaling, Jinjo[24] | |
| 2003 | Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge | Mumbo Jumbo, Jinjo | Archive sound |
| Grabbed by the Ghoulies | Cursed Mummy, Zombie Pirates | ||
| Donkey Kong Country GBA | Donkey Kong | Archive sound | |
| Donkey Konga | |||
| Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour | |||
| Mario Kart: Double Dash | |||
| 2004 | Mario vs. Donkey Kong | ||
| Donkey Kong Country 2 GBA | |||
| 2005 | Banjo-Pilot | Mumbo Jumbo, Jinjo, King Jingaling | |
| Donkey Kong Jungle Fever | Donkey Kong | ||
| Mario Kart Arcade GP | |||
| Donkey Kong Country 3 GBA | |||
| 2006 | Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis | ||
| Donkey Kong Banana Kingdom | |||
| Viva Piñata | Barkbark, Cocoadile, Elephanilla, Rashberry | ||
| 2007 | Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 | Donkey Kong | Archive sound |
| 2008 | Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise | Barkbark, Cocoadile, Elephanilla, Rashberry | |
| Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts | Jamjars | Archive sound | |
| 2009 | Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! | Donkey Kong | Archive sound |
| 2010 | Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! | ||
| 2013 | Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move | ||
| Mario Kart Arcade GP DX | |||
| 2017 | Macbat 64 | Monkey[25] | |
| Yooka-Laylee | Crazy Kirkhope | ||
| 2019 | Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Mumbo Jumbo, Jinjo | Archive sound |
| 2021 | Terrain of Magical Expertise | Captain Gast |
A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
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