Starsmith
{{BLP sources|date=July 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Starsmith
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| alt =
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_name = Finlay Dow-Smith
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1988|07|08}}
| origin =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}}
| birth_place = Bromley, England
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- Record producer
- songwriter
- musician
}}
| instrument = {{flatlist|
- Drums
- synthesizer
- saxophone
- piano
- guitar
- bass
- vocals
}}
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| years_active = 2009–present
| associated_acts = {{flatlist|
}}
| website =
}}
Finlay Dow-Smith (born 8 July 1988), known professionally as Starsmith, is a British songwriter, record producer and DJ.
Smith's best known for co-writing and serving as the primary producer for Ellie Goulding's debut album Lights, which was met with critical and commercial success. Following its release in 2010, it went straight to No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart. The album has gone on to sell over 2,000,000 copies worldwide. He teamed up with Goulding again on her second studio album, Halcyon (2012), producing and co-writing three songs on the album,{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/halcyon-mw0002411263|title=Halcyon - Ellie Goulding | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic|accessdate=12 July 2020|website=AllMusic}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/474608/macklemore-ryan-lewis-score-top-billboard-200-debut-mumford-still-no-1|title=Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Score Top Billboard 200 Debut, Mumford Still No. 1|date=17 October 2012|website=Billboard.com|accessdate=12 July 2020}} and eight years later, he collaborated on four tracks from her fourth studio album Brightest Blue (2020).
Smith has co-written and produced several hits during his music career, including: "Good Thing" by Zedd and Kehlani, "Crybaby" by Paloma Faith, and "I'll Be There" by Jess Glynne which went to number one in the UK and was nominated for Best Single at the 2019 Brit Awards.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-46837246|title=Brit Awards 2019: Full list of winners|date=20 February 2019|accessdate=12 July 2020|website=Bbc.co.uk}} As well as producing "Hold My Hand" by Jess Glynne, and "Real Love" by Clean Bandit and Jess Glynne. Some of his notable work as a DJ includes his remixes for the singles "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga, and "I Am Not A Robot" by Marina and the Diamonds.{{Cite web |title=The Most Definitely {{!}} Starsmith – Now I Feel Good |url=http://themostdefinitely.com/starsmith-now-i-feel-good/ |access-date=2024-08-16 |language=en-US}}
For his contributions as record producer, Smith has been nominated for Producer of the Year at the 2018 A&R Awards,{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/the-ar-awards-2018-finalists-revealed/|title=The A&R Awards 2018 finalists… revealed!|date=27 September 2018|website=Music Business Worldwide|accessdate=12 July 2020}} He also was recognized by the Music Producers Guild with nominations for Breakthrough Producer of the Year in 2011, and for his work as DJ he earned a nomination for Remixer of the Year in 2012.{{Cite web|url=https://mpg.org.uk/mpg-awards/2011-short-lists/|title=2011 Short Lists|date=21 January 2014|website=The Music Producers Guild|accessdate=12 July 2020}}
Career
He studied a classical music degree at the University of Surrey,{{Cite web|url=http://www.surrey.ac.uk/msr/news/stories/2012/93586_updates_on_achievements_in_music_and_sound_recording.htm|title=Updates on achievements in Music and Sound Recording - University of Surrey - Guildford|date=28 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128144018/http://www.surrey.ac.uk/msr/news/stories/2012/93586_updates_on_achievements_in_music_and_sound_recording.htm|accessdate=9 December 2020|archive-date=28 January 2013}} majoring in performance on saxophone and graduating in 2009. He met Ellie Goulding during his final year and together they started creating what would become her debut album, which was then signed to Polydor Records a few months after he graduated.
Starsmith toured with Goulding in 2009 and 2010, and also played with her on Later... with Jools Holland in 2009, playing bass guitar. He is a noted instrumentalist, additionally playing piano and guitar, but his main instrument is the saxophone.
In December 2011, he was the subject of an episode of the Red Bull and Vice documentary series, The Producers.{{Cite web|url=http://www.vice.com/en_uk/the-producers/episode-5-starsmith|title=Episode 5: Starsmith | The Producers | VICE|work=VICE |date=7 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111207151856/http://www.vice.com/en_uk/the-producers/episode-5-starsmith|accessdate=9 December 2020|archive-date=7 December 2011}} In March 2014, the track "Dead In The Water" that he co-wrote and produced with Ellie Goulding was included in the promotion and soundtrack for the film Divergent,{{Cite web|url=http://www.divergentsoundtrack.com/news/divergent-track-listing-revealed|title=Divergent Track Listing Revealed!|date=10 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310012328/http://www.divergentsoundtrack.com/news/divergent-track-listing-revealed|accessdate=9 December 2020|archive-date=10 March 2014}} which opened at No.1 at the Worldwide Box Office.{{Cite news|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/movies/2014/03/24/Divergent-based-on-young-adult-book-series-is-No-1/stories/201403240028|title='Divergent,' based on young adult book series, is No. 1|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|accessdate=12 July 2020}}
In 2015, he co-wrote and produced seven songs with Jess Glynne on her number one debut album I Cry When I Laugh, including the single "Hold My Hand", which spent four weeks at number 1 in the UK and sold over two million copies worldwide. In 2017, he collaborated with Paloma Faith on her number one album The Architect, co-writing and producing five songs. Their first writing session together resulted in the lead single "Crybaby". That year he also wrote songs with Jessie Ware for her album Glasshouse and with Rae Morris for her album, Someone Out There. He worked with Cloves and her longtime writing partner Justin Parker on singles from her debut album. "Bringing the House Down", their first collaboration, was released in early 2018 as the album's lead single.{{Citation |title=Bringing the House Down (Stripped) by CLOVES on Apple Music |date=2018-02-16 |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/bringing-the-house-down-stripped/1445040634?i=1445040764 |access-date=2024-08-16 |language=en-US}}{{Citation |title=One Big Nothing by CLOVES on Apple Music |date=2018-09-28 |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/one-big-nothing/1434372448 |access-date=2024-08-16 |language=en-US}} He co-wrote and produced the lead single "I'll Be There" for Jess Glynne's second album. The song went to number one in the UK, achieving their second chart-topper, and third top 3 single together.
In 2020, Smith reunited with Goulding, and worked on four songs for her fourth studio album Brightest Blue.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/elliegoulding/videos/its-ok-i-can-post-my-solos-always-get-cut-starsmith/10154962459256642/|title=It's ok I can post my solo's always get cut 🤪 Starsmith|accessdate=12 July 2020|website=Facebook.com}}
In August 2024, Smith released his first song as a lead artist since 2011, titled "Leave Me Slowly" which he co-wrote with longtime collaborator, Ellie Goulding and Sarah Troy. The song includes uncredited lead vocals from Goulding.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVibHnArCdg |title=Starsmith - Leave Me Slowly (Visualizer) |date=2024-08-15 |last=Starsmith |access-date=2024-08-16 |via=YouTube}} It was released via Headroom and Another Rhythm Records.{{Cite web |last=Dork |date=2024-08-12 |title=The Track Forecast: Max effort: 'Diet Pepsi' shows Addison Rae is more than just another social media pop star |url=https://readdork.com/features/the-agenda/the-track-forecast-addison-rae/ |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=Dork |language=en-US}}
Discography
= Extended plays =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of extended plays, with selected details !Title !Details !Track listing !Ref. |
| scope="row" |Lesson One
|
| scope="row" |
|
|---|
Singles
= As lead artist =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of singles released as lead artist ! scope="col" style="width:160px;" |Title !Year !Album !Ref. |
| scope="row"|"Give Me a Break"/"Knucklebuster"
|2010 |{{N/a|Non-album single}} |
|---|
| scope="row" |"Leave Me Slowly"
|2024 |{{tba}} |
== Promotional singles ==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of promotional singles by Starsmith ! scope="col" style="width:160px;" |Title !Year !Album !Ref. |
| scope="row" |"Lesson One"
| rowspan="2" |2011 | rowspan="2" |Lesson One |
|---|
| scope="row" |"Champion" |
= Remixography =
| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" |
| Year
! Artist ! Song Title ! Time |
|---|
| rowspan="16" | 2009
| Private | "My Secret Lover" | 4:01 |
| Elviin
| "In Colour" | 4:44 |
| Bombay Bicycle Club
| "Always Like This" | 4:06 |
| Frankmusik
| "3 Little Words" (Starsmith Remix) | 3:29 |
| Marina and the Diamonds
| "I Am Not a Robot" (Starsmith 24 Carat Remix) | 5:18 |
| Little Boots
| "New in Town" (Starsmith Remix) | 5:30 |
| The Twang
| "Barney Rubble" (Starsmith Remix) | 5:24 |
| Girls Can't Catch
| "Keep Your Head Up" (Starsmith Club Mix) | 5:18 |
| The Mission District
| "So Over You" (Starsmith Remix) | 3:29 |
| Team WaterPolo
| "Letting Go" (Starsmith Remix) | 4:29 |
| Frankmusik
| "Better Off as Two" (Starsmith Holiday in the Heath Remix) | 4:29 |
| Passion Pit
| "Sleepyhead" (Starsmith Remix feat. Ellie Goulding) | 3:19 |
| Animal Kingdom
| "Signs and Wonders" (Starsmith Remix) | 4:17 |
| Paloma Faith
| "New York" (Starsmith Remix) | 3:36 |
| Lisa Mitchell
| "Coin Laundry" (Starsmith Remix) | 4:49 |
| Lady Gaga
| "Bad Romance" (Starsmith Remix) | 4:56 |
| rowspan="5" | 2010
| Mika | "Blame It on the Girls" (Not on the Starsmith Remix) | 6:17 |
| Timbaland featuring Katy Perry
| "If We Ever Meet Again" (Starsmith Remix) | 5:21 |
| N.E.R.D.
| "Hot-n-Fun" (Starsmith Club Remix) | 5:35 |
| Beyoncé
| "Why Don't You Love Me" (Starsmith Remix – Radio Edit) | 3:34 |
| Robyn
| "Hang with Me" (Starsmith Remix) | 6:04 |
| rowspan="3" | 2011
| "Jona Vark" (Starsmith Remix) | 4:58 |
| Lady Gaga
| "Born This Way" (Starsmith Remix) | 6:45 |
| Marina and the Diamonds
| "Radioactive" (Starsmith Rework) | 4:37 |
| 2012
| "We Got It Wrong" (Starsmith Remix) | 6:03 |
| rowspan="4" | 2013
| "Drunk Dial" (Starsmith Remix) | 5:37 |
| Matthew Koma
| "Parachute" (Starsmith Remix) | 5:18 |
| Hall & Oates
| "I Can't Go For That" (Starsmith Rework) | 4:48 |
| Betty Who
| "Somebody Loves You" (Starsmith Remix) | 6:24 |
| 2014
| Joywave | "Tongues" (Starsmith Remix) | 4:39 |
=Songwriting and production credits=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" style="width:160px;"| Title
! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Artist(s) ! scope="col" style="width:180px;"| Album ! scope="col" | Credits ! scope="col" | Written with ! scope="col" | Produced with |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Under the Sheets"
| rowspan="2"| 2009 | rowspan="2"| Ellie Goulding | Under the Sheets EP / Lights | rowspan="2"| Co-writer/Producer | - |
| scope="row"| "Fighter Plane"
| - |
| scope="row"| "Hollywood"
| rowspan="14"| 2010 | rowspan="5"| Producer | - | Richard Stannard, Ash Howes |
| scope="row"| "Hurtful"
| Pieces | - | Grizzly, Tommy Tysper |
| scope="row"| "Starry Eyed"
| rowspan="7"| Ellie Goulding | rowspan="7"| Lights | - | - |
| scope="row"| "Guns and Horses"
| - | - |
| scope="row"| "The Writer"
| - | - |
| scope="row"| "Every Time You Go"
| rowspan="10"| Co-writer/Producer | Elena Goulding, Jonathan Fortis | - |
| scope="row"| "I'll Hold My Breath"
| - |
| scope="row"| "This Love (Will Be Your Downfall)"
| - |
| scope="row"| "Salt Skin"
| - |
| scope="row"| "You'll Never Get to Heaven"
| Song from the Tainted | - |
| scope="row"| "Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love)" |
| scope="row"| "Yeah Yeah" {{small|(featuring Travie McCoy)}} | - |
| scope="row"| "Human"
| rowspan="2"| Ellie Goulding | rowspan="2"| Bright Lights | - |
| scope="row"| "Animal"
| - |
| scope="row"| "Burn"
| rowspan="4" | 2011 | - |
| scope="row"| "High"
| Big Sean | Co-writer | - | - |
| scope="row"|"Lesson One"
| rowspan="2" |Starsmith | rowspan="2" |Lesson One | rowspan="2" |Writer/Producer | - | |
| scope="row"|"Champion"
| - | - |
| scope="row"| "Dead in the Water"
| rowspan="3"| 2012 | rowspan="3"| Ellie Goulding | rowspan="3"| Halcyon | rowspan="5"| Co-writer/Producer | - |
| scope="row"| "The Ending"
| - |
| scope="row"| "Without Your Love"
| - |
| scope="row"| "Us and Ours"
| rowspan="8"| 2013 | rowspan="6"| Mark Owen | rowspan="6"| The Art of Doing Nothing | Mark Owen, Benjamin Mark, Jamie Norton |
| scope="row"| "S.A.D." {{small|(featuring Ren Harvieu)}} | Mark Owen, Benjamin Mark, Jamie Norton |
| scope="row"| "End of Everything"
| rowspan="4"| Co-writer | Mark Owen, Benjamin Mark, Jamie Norton | - |
| scope="row"| "Ghost"
| Mark Owen, Benjamin Mark, Jamie Norton | - |
| scope="row"| "Morning Belle"
| Mark Owen, Benjamin Mark, Jamie Norton | - |
| scope="row"| "The Lamb"
| Mark Owen, Benjamin Mark, Jamie Norton | - |
| scope="row"| "Somebody"
| rowspan="2"| Fenech-Soler | rowspan="2"| Rituals | rowspan="2"| Co-writer/Producer | Daniel Fenech-Soler, Andrew Lindsay, Ross Duffy, Benjamn Duffy | Fenech-Soler, Ross Duffy, Ben Duffy |
| scope="row"| "Glow"
| - | Fenech-Soler, Ross Duffy, Ben Duffy |
| scope="row"| "Better"
| rowspan="2"| 2014 | Co-writer/Producer | Jessica Newham, Scott Hoffman | - |
| scope="row"| "Real Love" {{small|(with Jess Glynne)}} | New Eyes / I Cry When I Laugh | rowspan="3"| Producer | - | Clean Bandit, The Six |
| scope="row"| "Hold My Hand"
| rowspan="10"| 2015 | - |
| scope="row"| "Fight for Love"
| Kwabs | - | Al Shux |
| scope="row"| "Staring at the Sun"
| Mika | Additional producer | - |
| scope="row"| "Preach"
| M.O | {{n/a|Non-album single}} | rowspan="15"| Co-writer/producer | Fransesca Connolly, Edward Thomas, Joel Compass, Fredrick Gibson, Annie Ashcroft | - |
| scope="row"| "Gave Me Something"
| rowspan="5"| Jess Glynne | rowspan="5"| I Cry When I Laugh | Jessica Glynne, Andrew "Knox" Brown, Janee Bennett | Knox Brown |
| scope="row"| "Ain't Got Far to Go"
| Jessica Glynne, Janee Bennett | Knox Brown |
| scope="row"| "You Can Find Me"
| - |
| scope="row"| "It Ain't Right"
| Jessica Glynne, James Newman | - |
| scope="row"| "No Rights No Wrongs"
| Jessica Glynne, Andrew "Knox" Brown, Janee Bennett, Jonathan Coffer, James Newman | Knox Brown |
| scope="row"| "Don't Follow Me"
| Feline | Ella McMahon, Natalia Hajjara | Jay Reynolds |
| scope="row"| "Is It Love" {{small|(featuring Yeah Boy)}} | rowspan="3"| 2016 | 3lau | {{n/a|Non-album single}} | Justin Blau, Jonathan Curtis | 3lau |
| scope="row"| "Power"
| Lil Empire | - |
| scope="row"| "Better by Your Side" {{small|featuring Tom Aspaul)}} | Aeble | Better by Your Side | Tom Aspaul | - |
| scope="row"| "California Numb"
| rowspan="11"| 2017 | Cloves | One Big Nothing | Kaity Dunstan, Justin Parker | Ian Barter |
| scope="row"| "I Don't Know"
| {{TBA}} | Molly Kate Kestner, Amy Wadge | - |
| scope="row"| "Crybaby"
| Paloma Faith, Lindy Robbins, Cleo Tighe | - |
| scope="row"| "Good Times"
| Talking | - |
| scope="row"| "First Time"
| Jessica Ware, James Newman | - |
| scope="row"| "Evolution" {{small|(featuring Samuel L. Jackson)}} | rowspan="6"| Paloma Faith | rowspan="6"| The Architect | rowspan="4"| Producer | - |
| scope="row"| "I'll Be Gentle" {{small|(with John Legend)}} | - |
| scope="row"| "Politics of Hope" {{small|(featuring Owen Jones)}} | - |
| scope="row"| "Still Around"
| - |
| scope="row"| "Pawns" {{small|(featuring Baby N'Sola, Janelle Martin and Naomi Miller)}} | rowspan="2"| Co-writer/Producer | - |
| scope="row"| "My Body"
| Paloma Faith, Andrew "Knox" Brown, Janee Bennett | Knox Brown |
| scope="row"| "Bloodstains"
| rowspan="14"| 2018 | Rhys Lewis | Bad Timing EP | rowspan="1"| Co-writer | Rhys Lewis, Ian Barter, O. Martin | - |
| scope="row"| "Family Man"
| No Shame | Additional producer | - |
| scope="row"| "Dancing with Character"
| rowspan="6" | Co-writer/Producer | Rachel Morris, Benjamin Garrett | - |
| scope="row"| "Bringing the House Down"
| rowspan="3"| Cloves | rowspan="3"| One Big Nothing | Kaity Dunstan, Ariel Rechtshaid, Justin Parker | - |
| scope="row"| "Kiss Me in the Dark"
| Kaity Dunstan, Justin Parker | - |
| scope="row"| "Hit Me Hard"
| Kaity Dunstan, Justin Parker | - |
| scope="row"| "I'll Be There"
| rowspan="4"| Jess Glynne | rowspan="4"| Always in Between | Jessica Glynne, Camille Purcell, Henrik Michelsen, Edvard Erfjord, Jerker Hanssen | Electric |
| scope="row"| "Won't Say No"
| Jessica Glynne, Janee Bennett, Clarence Coffee Jr. | - |
| scope="row"| "Rollin"
| Producer | - | Fred Gibson |
| scope="row"| "Million Reasons"
| rowspan="4"| Co-writer/Producer | Jessica Glynne, Sara Hjellstrom, Nirob Islam | - |
| scope="row"| "Final Breath"
| rowspan="2"| Paloma Faith | rowspan="2"| The Architect: Zeitgeist | Paloma Faith, Stephan Moccio, Clarence Coffee Jr. | - |
| scope="row"| "Older"
| Paloma Faith, Cleo Tighe | - |
| scope="row"| "High Hopes"
| rowspan="2"| Rationale | rowspan="2"| High Hopes EP |
| scope="row"| "73"
| rowspan="1"| Co-writer | - |
| scope="row"| "Hallelujah"
| rowspan="4"| 2019 | Hallelujah | Additional producer | - |
| scope="row"| "Like I Love You"
| Shells | Like I Love You | rowspan="11" | Co-writer/Producer | Shells | - |
| scope="row"| "The Corner"
| Dermot Kennedy, Scott Harris | - |
| scope="row"| "Good Thing"
| {{TBA}} | Cleo Tighe, Lostboy | Zedd |
| scope="row"| "How It Goes"
| rowspan="14" | 2020 | rowspan="2"| Oh Wonder | rowspan="2"| No One Else Can Wear Your Crown |
| scope="row"| "Drunk On You"
| Oh Wonder, Larzz Principato |
| scope="row"| "Pieces"
| Navvy | The Final Pieces EP | Navvy, Rory Adams | - |
| scope="row"| "Get Away"
| People You Follow | - |
| scope="row"| "Lonely People"
| Hyyts | |Hyyts, Rationale | |
| scope="row"| "How Deep Is Too Deep"
| rowspan="4"| Ellie Goulding | rowspan="4"| Brightest Blue | - |
| scope="row"| "Cyan" |
| scope="row"| "Tides"
| - |
| scope="row"| "Woman"
| rowspan="2"| Producer | Joe Kearns, Eli Teplin | - |
| scope="row"| "SOS"
| Hyyts | SOS | - |
| scope="row"|"Lose"
| Niki | Moonchild | rowspan="4"| Co-writer/Producer | Nicole Zefanya, Teddy Sinclair | Bēkon |
| scope="row"|"Grow"
| Josie Man | Grow | Josie Man, Hannah Yadi, Josh Scarbrow | - |
| scope="row"|"99%"
| Gracey | The Art of Closure | Al Shux |
| scope="row"|"Monster"
| Infinite Things | Paloma Faith, MNEK | - |
| scope="row"|"Hypnosis"
| rowspan="2" |2023 | rowspan="2" |Ive | rowspan="2" |Co-writer |Risc, Elof Loelv |
| scope="row" |"Baddie"
|Big Naughty, Perrie, Ryan S. Jhun |Ryan S. Jhun, Risc, Alawn |
| scope="row"|"Leave Me Slowly"
|2024 |Starsmith |{{TBA}} |Co-writer/Producer |Ellie Goulding, Sarah Troy | - |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of awards and nominations received by Starsmith !scope="col" style="width:160px;"| Award !Year !Category !Nominee/Work !Result !Ref. |
| scope="row"|A&R Awards
|2018 |Producer of the Year | rowspan="3" |Himself |{{Nominated}} |
|---|
| rowspan="2" scope="row" |Music Producers Guild Awards
|2012 |Remixer of the Year |{{Nominated}} |
| 2011
|Breakthrough Producer of the Year |{{Nominated}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.soundcloud.com/starsmith Starsmith] at SoundCloud
{{Authority control}}
Category:Musicians from the London Borough of Bromley
Category:English pop musicians
Category:English male saxophonists
Category:English multi-instrumentalists
Category:English record producers
Category:Alumni of the University of Surrey
Category:21st-century British saxophonists