By the mid-2000s, Swedish songwriter and producer ILYA — who was then in his late teenagers — was “grinding, grinding, grinding” with out gaining a lot momentum. It wasn’t till years later, due to a fortuitous assembly, that his profession lastly took off.
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ILYA, now 38, remembers how assembly producer Shellback modified his life, because the latter launched him to the acclaimed and mysterious Max Martin. Quickly after, ILYA scored his first smash hit co-producing and co-writing on Ariana Grande and Iggy Azalea’s 2014 collaboration “Drawback,” which hit No. 2 on the Billboard Scorching 100. His working relationship with Martin — and Grande — has continued, most not too long ago on the pop star’s sixth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, Everlasting Sunshine.
The album produced two Scorching 100 No. 1s: lead single “Sure, And?” and “We Can’t Be Pals (Watch for Your Love),” each of which credit score ILYA. However these are from far the one hits he’s had a hand on this 12 months; ILYA’s 2024 credit additionally embody Conan Grey, Coldplay and Tate McRae, the latter of whom ILYA helped rating her highest Scorching 100 debut up to now with “It’s okay I’m okay.”
“It wasn’t that lengthy after [McRae’s 2023 second album] Suppose Later that we had been within the studio once more,” says ILYA, who reveals that they ideated her present smash earlier than Suppose Later even arrived. “It was simply an concept that simply popped again into our life and we had been like, ‘Truly, let’s end this factor.’ It’s simply been steady since that.”
You’ve labored with Tate earlier than. What’s your metric of, “I wish to preserve this relationship going?”
These days, it’s simply good vibes. I don’t wish to be careworn at work as a result of I’ve been doing it for such a very long time now. So my major factor is rather like, can we simply have enjoyable within the studio?
When did classes begin after her 2023 album, Suppose Later?
It was slightly steady as a result of she loves writing and being within the studio. “It’s okay I’m okay” is a type of data the place it was like, “Let’s simply have enjoyable; let’s make one thing bizarre.” I feel it exhibits a brand-new facet to her. The extra I’ve labored along with her, the extra I really feel like she is aware of herself as an artist. This one was [started] earlier than Suppose Later — she knew that it wasn’t proper for that second, however she picked it again up and we actually labored to make it into her imaginative and prescient of what she was seeing the track as. That, to me, is actually wonderful to see.
Inform me extra about how the track got here collectively.
The refrain began as a joke. We had been in Sweden writing, and when she’s within the studio and so targeted, she doesn’t wish to eat or drink something. She’s similar to, “I want to complete this track now.” Me being the way in which I’m, I’m all the time like, “Would you like one thing to drink? Would you like one thing to eat?” And she or he can be like, “It’s OK, I’m OK,” [always] in the identical notice. And I used to be similar to, “Wait, that’s really sort of catchy.” And now it’s a track. I prefer it as a result of it got here from her — that’s how she says it.
Do you will have a favourite a part of this track?
It’s more durable for me to pay attention in that sense, as a result of I’m part of the track. However I do love when folks pinpoint little particulars that you just’ve put there on function. I like that.
You need to let go of analyzing. As soon as the track is out, relying on how folks [react] to it, I’m additionally affected on how I’m listening. If a track comes out and it doesn’t work or it’s not a giant factor, then I’m attempting to investigate why it wasn’t as a substitute of simply having fun with the track. However these days I’m slightly bit higher at that.
Your credit in 2024 embody different notable tasks equivalent to Ariana Grande’s Everlasting Sunshine. With the Grammys approaching, what are your hopes?
I feel subsequent 12 months’s Grammys [ceremony on Feb. 2] goes to be insane. I’m hoping we’re going to get nominated, however it’s going to be such a aggressive 12 months. It could be the most effective Grammys in a very long time within the sense of who’s going to be nominated and what potential performances there could be. There was a lot good music this 12 months.
This text initially appeared within the Oct. 5 situation of Billboard.
