Carter Lang
{{Short description|American producer, songwriter, musician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Carter Lang
| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
{{Infobox person
| child = yes
| alma mater = Loyola University New Orleans (BS)}}
|genre = {{hlist|R&B|soul|hip hop}}
|label = {{Hlist | Electric Feel{{cite web | url=https://www.electricfeelent.com/publishing/carter-lang | title=Carter Lang – Electric Feel | access-date=November 29, 2022 | archive-date=November 29, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129010002/https://www.electricfeelent.com/publishing/carter-lang | url-status=live }} | Warner Chappell Music{{cite web | url=https://www.wmg.com/news/warner-chappell-music-extends-global-publishing-agreement-grammy-nominated-producer-carter-lang | title=Warner Chappell Music Extends Global Publishing Agreement with Grammy-Nominated Producer Carter Lang | date=November 12, 2021 | access-date=January 16, 2023 | archive-date=January 16, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116202031/https://www.wmg.com/news/warner-chappell-music-extends-global-publishing-agreement-grammy-nominated-producer-carter-lang | url-status=live }}}}
|occupation = {{Hlist | Record producer | songwriter }}
|background = person
}}
Carter Lang is an American record producer and songwriter. He is best known for his production work on SZA's albums Ctrl (2017) and SOS (2022), as well as his contributions to Chicago's burgeoning R&B/Hip-Hop scene.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/carter-lang-interview-ctrl-sza-vic-mensa-8078602/|title=Carter Lang Talks Crafting 'CTRL' With SZA, Working With Vic Mensa & Why Chicago Keeps Winning|first1=Michael|last1=Saponara|magazine=Billboard|date=January 16, 2018|access-date=November 29, 2022|archive-date=November 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129010436/https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/carter-lang-interview-ctrl-sza-vic-mensa-8078602/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.electricfeelent.com/publishing/carter-lang|title=Carter Lang – Electric Feel|access-date=November 29, 2022|archive-date=November 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129010002/https://www.electricfeelent.com/publishing/carter-lang|url-status=live}}{{cite web | url=https://reverb.com/ca/news/interview-carter-lang-on-making-szas-ctrl-and-his-macgyver-home-studio | title=Interview: Producer Carter Lang on Making SZA's "CTRL" and His "MacGyver" Home Studio | date=June 20, 2018 | access-date=January 16, 2023 | archive-date=January 16, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116202351/https://reverb.com/ca/news/interview-carter-lang-on-making-szas-ctrl-and-his-macgyver-home-studio | url-status=live }} Lang was nominated for several Grammy Awards for his work on releases by Post Malone, Doja Cat, Lil Nas X, and Omar Apollo, and won his first two Grammys in 2024 and 2025 for his contributions to SZA's projects.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/warner-chappell-electric-feel-carter-lang-publishing-deal/|title=Warner Chappell and Electric Feel Partner to Strike Publishing Deal with Carter Lang|first1=Kristin|last1=Robinson|magazine=Billboard|date=November 12, 2021|access-date=November 29, 2022|archive-date=November 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129010435/https://www.billboard.com/pro/warner-chappell-electric-feel-carter-lang-publishing-deal/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicweek.com/labels/read/warner-chappell-music-extends-global-publishing-agreement-with-carter-lang/084644|title=Warner Chappell Music extends global publishing agreement with Carter Lang|website=www.musicweek.com|access-date=November 29, 2022|archive-date=November 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129010817/https://www.musicweek.com/labels/read/warner-chappell-music-extends-global-publishing-agreement-with-carter-lang/084644|url-status=live}}
Career
=Musical origins=
Lang, trained in classical piano and bass guitar, formed soul-influenced band "The O'My's" in 2005 with several friends in Chicago.{{cite web | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevebaltin/2023/10/03/qa-super-producer-carter-lang-on-collaborating-with-sza-more/ | title=Q&A: Super Producer Carter Lang on Collaborating with SZA, More | website=Forbes | access-date=October 6, 2024 | archive-date=January 19, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119012722/https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevebaltin/2023/10/03/qa-super-producer-carter-lang-on-collaborating-with-sza-more/ | url-status=live }} This would lead to collaborations with local acts including Chance the Rapper, Vic Mensa, and Mick Jenkins.{{cite magazine | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/the-omys-chance-artist-you-need-to-know-interview-735669/ | title=How the O'My's Found Their Soulful Sound | magazine=Rolling Stone | date=October 12, 2018 | access-date=October 6, 2024 | archive-date=February 8, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208232350/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/the-omys-chance-artist-you-need-to-know-interview-735669/ | url-status=live |author-first1=Dan|author-last1=Hyman}}
=New Orleans, return to Chicago, and SZA=
Lang graduated high school and parted ways with his group, moving from Chicago to New Orleans to attend the Loyola University New Orleans music business program, where he was exposed to a diverse soundscape.{{cite web | url=http://cmm.loyno.edu/school-of-music-industry | title=School of Music Industry | Music and Media | access-date=January 23, 2023 | archive-date=January 23, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123205234/http://cmm.loyno.edu/school-of-music-industry | url-status=live }}{{cite web | url=https://www.offbeat.com/news/loyola-college-of-music-media-named-top-20-music-biz-schools/ | title=Loyola College of Music & Media named Top 20 Music Biz Schools - OffBeat Magazine | date=May 11, 2020 | access-date=January 23, 2023 | archive-date=January 23, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123205221/https://www.offbeat.com/news/loyola-college-of-music-media-named-top-20-music-biz-schools/ | url-status=live }} After graduating from the Loyola College of Music & Media and returning to Chicago four years later, Lang began producing for members of Chicago Hip-Hop collective Savemoney, with whom he grew up. Lang was subsequently introduced to recording artist SZA in 2015 through a joint studio session with mutual friend Peter CottonTale, Chance The Rapper's music director.{{Cite web|url=http://www.songwriteruniverse.com/carter-lang-songwriter-2019.htm|title=Carter Lang Interview - Hit Pop Songwriter & Producer|date=January 16, 2019|website=Songwriter Universe | Songwriting News, Articles & Song Contest|access-date=November 29, 2022|archive-date=November 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129014530/https://www.songwriteruniverse.com/carter-lang-songwriter-2019.htm|url-status=live}} After an initial collaboration at SZA's Lollapalooza set that year, he became a member of her touring band. Lang is credited as a writer and/or producer on 8 tracks from her 2017 debut album, including hit single "Love Galore" and lead single "Drew Barrymore", recorded alongside several other tracks at his Lake Michigan cabin. Amongst productions for other artists (including "Sunflower" for Post Malone and Swae Lee), Lang resumed work with SZA, co-producing and co-writing a majority of her 2022 sophomore album SOS, including top 10 singles “Good Days”, “I Hate U”, “Nobody Gets Me”, and “Kill Bill”, which went #1 on five separate Billboard charts including the Hot 100, and held the #1 spot for 21 total weeks on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.{{cite web | url=https://www.bmi.com/news/entry/bmi-exclusive-in-the-studio-with-carter-lang | title=BMI EXCLUSIVE: In the Studio with Carter Lang | date=December 11, 2023 | access-date=October 6, 2024 | archive-date=October 1, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001232229/https://www.bmi.com/news/entry/bmi-exclusive-in-the-studio-with-carter-lang | url-status=live }}{{cite web | url=https://consequence.net/2023/09/carter-lang-interview-behind-the-boards/ | title=Carter Lang Interview on SZA, Lil Nas X: Behind the Boards | date=September 15, 2023 | access-date=October 6, 2024 | archive-date=January 18, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118072230/https://consequence.net/2023/09/carter-lang-interview-behind-the-boards/ | url-status=live }} He would also work with rapper Doja Cat, creating Top 5 single "Kiss Me More" featuring SZA (later winning the Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance), as well as promotional single "Okloser" from her deluxe album Scarlet 2 Claude.{{cite web | url=https://www.musicweek.com/interviews/read/hitmakers-yeti-beats-on-the-making-of-doja-cat-sza-s-grammy-winning-kiss-me-more/085201 | title=Hitmakers: Yeti Beats on the making of Doja Cat & Sza's Grammy-winning Kiss Me More | access-date=October 6, 2024 | archive-date=May 26, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526023915/https://www.musicweek.com/interviews/read/hitmakers-yeti-beats-on-the-making-of-doja-cat-sza-s-grammy-winning-kiss-me-more/085201 | url-status=live }}
In 2024, Lang won his first Grammy (for Best Progressive R&B Album) as a main producer on SZA album SOS. In 2025, Lang won his second Grammy Award (in the Best R&B Song category) as a writer on SZA's lead single "Saturn" from 2024 SOS reissue Lana.{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/sza-wins-best-randb-song-for-saturn-at-2025-grammys/|title=SZA Wins Best R&B Song for “Saturn” at 2025 Grammys|first=Walden|last=Green|date=February 2, 2025|website=Pitchfork}}
Production and songwriting credits
Credits are courtesy of Discogs, Tidal, Apple Music, and AllMusic.
=Executive-produced/co-written projects=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ Albums with ~ 50% Carter Lang production/songwriting credits or more ! scope="col" style="width:24.5em;"| Album ! scope="col" | Artist ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Label |
| scope="row"| Ctrl
|SZA |2017 |TDE | RCA Records |
|---|
| scope="row"| Ivory (Marfil) Deluxe
|rowspan="2"|2022 |
| scope="row"| SOS
| rowspan="2" |SZA | rowspan="2" |TDE | RCA Records |
| scope="row"| Lana
|2024 |
=Other songwriting credits / productions=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! scope="col" style="width:24.5em;"| Title ! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Artist ! scope="col"| Album |
| scope="row"| "Burnout" (Featuring Eryn Allen Kane)
| 2014 | Saba | ComfortZone |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Wanna Be Cool"
| rowspan="6"|2015 | rowspan="2"|Donnie Trumpet | rowspan="2"|Surf |
| scope="row"| "Just Wait" |
| scope="row"| "All 4 You" (featuring Yuna)
|Kyle |
| scope="row"| "Japanese" (featuring Twista)
|Village Party 2: Heavens Gate |
| scope="row"| "Addicted (Interlude)"
| rowspan="2"|Towkio | rowspan="2"|.Wav Theory |
| scope="row"| "Break You Off" |
| scope="row"| "How Great" (featuring Jay Electronica)
| rowspan="7"|2016 |
| scope="row"| "Shades of Blue"
| rowspan="2"|Vic Mensa | rowspan="2"|There's Alot Going On |
| scope="row"| "There's Alot Going On" |
| scope="row"| "Lonely" (featuring Lornie Chia)
| rowspan="3"|Jamila Woods | rowspan="3"|Heavn |
| scope="row"| "Lately" |
| scope="row"| "Holy" |
| scope="row"| "Don't Matter" |
| scope="row"| "Didn't I (Say I Didn't)"
| rowspan="3"|2017 |
| scope="row"| "I Love You So Much" (featuring Chance the Rapper) |
| scope="row"| "Thirst"
|Midnight Moonlight |
| scope="row"| "Cool" (with Alex Wiley & Calez)
| rowspan="2"|2018 |{{N/A|Non-album single}} |
| scope="row"| "Sunflower"
|Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (soundtrack) & Hollywood's Bleeding |
| scope="row"| "Hollywood's Bleeding"
| rowspan="7"|2019 |
| scope="row"| "Small Worlds" |
| scope="row"| "Wires in the Way"
|Sir |
| scope="row"| "Easy" |
| scope="row"| "I Got You (Always and Forever)" (featuring En Vogue, Ari Lennox & Kierra Sheard)
| rowspan="4"|Chance the Rapper | rowspan="4"|The Big Day |
| scope="row"| "The Big Day" (featuring Francis and the Lights) |
| scope="row"| "Let's Go on the Run" (featuring Knox Fortune) |
| scope="row"| "Zanies and Fools" (featuring Darius Scott & Nicki Minaj) |
| scope="row"| "Good Days"
| rowspan="9"|2020 |SZA |SOS |
| scope="row"| "Thin White Lies"
|Calm |
| scope="row"| "Cinderella Story" |
| scope="row"| "Ain't No Doubts"
| rowspan="2"|Boss Man |
| scope="row"| "I Want Mo" |
| scope="row"| "Hi 5" (featuring Eryn Allen Kane, Grace Weber, Sing Harlem & Yebba)
|Peter CottonTale |Catch |
| scope="row"| "Compromise"
| rowspan="3"|Knox Fortune | rowspan="3"|Stock Child Wonder |
| scope="row"| "Change Up" |
| scope="row"| "Static" |
| scope="row"| "Kiss Me More" (featuring SZA)
| rowspan="11"|2021 |
| scope="row"| "Void"
| rowspan="2"|Lil Nas X | rowspan="2"|Montero |
| scope="row"| "Life After Salem" |
| scope="row"| "What a Life" |
| scope="row"| "Feels Like" |
| scope="row"| "Breath Away" |
| scope="row"| "All Pride Aside" |
| scope="row"| "In The Dark" |
| scope="row"| "Come for Me" (featuring Khalid & Lucky Daye)
|Keys |
| scope="row"| "The Anonymous Ones"
| rowspan="3"|SZA |
| scope="row"| "I Hate U"
|SOS |
| scope="row"| "Love Galore" (Alt version)
| rowspan="6"|2022 |Ctrl (deluxe) |
| scope="row"| "Remind Me" |
| scope="row"| "Conversation" |
| scope="row"| "Arya" (featuring ASAP Rocky)
|Nigo |
| scope="row"| "Happy Hurts"
| rowspan="2"|Lykke Li | rowspan="2"|Eyeye |
| scope="row"| "5D" |
| scope="row"| "Okloser"
| rowspan="21" | 2024 | Doja Cat |
| scope="row"| "¿Cómo Así?"
| rowspan="3"|Kali Uchis | rowspan="3"|Orquídeas |
| scope="row"| "Igual que un Ángel" (with Peso Pluma) |
| scope="row"| "Pensamientos Intrusivos" |
| scope="row"| "Mad In Love" |
| scope="row"| "Saturn"
|SZA |Lana |
| scope="row"| "Good Books"
| rowspan="3"|Lola Young | rowspan="3"|This Wasn't Meant for You Anyway |
| scope="row"| "Messy" |
| scope="row"| "Crush" |
| scope="row"| "Boy Bye" |
| scope="row"| "Be Careful with Me"
| rowspan="3"|Omar Apollo | rowspan="3"|God Said No |
| scope="row"| "Done with You" |
| scope="row"| "While U Can" |
| scope="row"| "Black Void" (with Thundercat and Eryn Allen Kane) |
| scope="row"| "Number One Girl"
|rowspan="2"|Rosé |rowspan="2"|Rosie |
| scope="row"| "Drinks or Coffee" |
| scope="row"| "What Do I Do"
| rowspan="5" |SZA | rowspan="5" |Lana |
| scope="row"| "Diamond Boy (DTM)" |
| scope="row"| "BMF" |
| scope="row"| "Love Me 4 Me" |
| scope="row"| "Crybaby" |
Awards and nominations
References
{{reflist}}
{{SZA}}
{{Grammy Award for Best R&B Song}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lang, Carter}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Loyola University New Orleans alumni
Category:Record producers from Illinois
Category:Songwriters from Illinois