In 2013, as a university pupil, Grammy-nominated producer Khris Riddick-Tynes was mixing tracks for Ariana Grande’s debut album Yours Actually at the back of his political science class at Loyola Marymount College. An expertise that he says, “Was creating one thing, with realizing that we knew it was tight, however then it getting out into the world and blowing up.”
Khris Riddick-Tynes poses with Leon Thomas and Ariana Grande in studio
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Now, over 10 years later, the millennial has labored on music from a plethora of genres, together with hip-hop, pop and all the pieces in between for different prime artists like Drake and rising rap star Lola Brooke. All of this has led him to a number of Grammy nominations over time, together with for SZA’s “Snooze” on the 2024 ceremony.
“Essentially the most intriguing factor about making music, particularly from a younger age, was how we principally make one thing seem out of skinny air,” he tells The Hollywood Reporter. “It doesn’t exist, there’s no concept, there’s no mattress. It’s actually identical to constructing a brand new home on daily basis.”
Khris Riddick-Tynes with Lola Brooke in studio
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The music-making course of begins with a dialog, the music exec says. “I’ve had artists name me 5 o’clock within the morning, ‘Are you able to learn this textual content message? We received to write down a tune about this. I received to get this off my chest,’” he recollects. “The very best songs are those which have phrases in sayings which might be utilized in on a regular basis language.”
The inventive likens on a regular basis language to “these sayings that your aunties, or your mamas, or the web can be saying [that become] the caption-worthy tune title.”
SZA’s double platinum R&B/pop tune “Snooze,” the place Riddick-Tynes says the idea focuses on somebody being underestimated, is one tune with terminology that’s used every day and is relatable.
“This implies one thing to the tradition and it means one thing to so many individuals,” he says. “[The song has] impacted individuals in an actual method.”
As a young person, educating himself how one can make beats and dealing with native artists birthed quite a lot of relationships that led him to being acknowledged by his now mentor and frequent collaborator, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds.
Khris Riddick-Tynes with Babyface on the Women Night time Out album launch occasion
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The singer-songwriter-producer, recognized for his basic hits together with the Ready to Exhale film soundtrack, has taught Riddick-Tynes to be empathetic and affected person along with his artists.
“He offers nice recommendation, whether or not if it’s on an govt facet, he’s been by means of all of it, he’s seen all of it,” Riddick-Tynes says. “That’s one thing that I attempt to provide to quite a lot of younger guys that I work with as nicely. The door’s all the time open … as a result of mentorship is tremendous necessary.”
Whereas Riddick-Tynes believes the music business is altering with streaming and social media, which is “opening up the doorways for lots of children who could not have been uncovered to sure issues,” the Arista Data A&R govt has plans of formally getting ready the subsequent era of creatives.
After graduating from LMU’s regulation faculty, the producer is returning to collaborate along with his former professor to curate a course that may expose college students to different Grammy winners and nominees. The mentors will present the scholars the pathway to success within the music business.
“It’s all about tangibility to me,” he says. “I would like the youngsters to have the ability to have and contact people who find themselves dope at what they do, they usually can see these successes as a result of I believe it’s necessary.”
Till then, followers can count on Riddick-Tynes to remain on the facet of artist improvement “to assist artists get their voice out.”
