YoungKio
{{Short description|Dutch record producer (born 1999)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = YoungKio
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Kiowa Roukema
| alias =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1999|12|3}}
| birth_place = Purmerend, Netherlands
| origin =
| instrument = {{flatlist|
}}
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- Record producer
- songwriter
}}
| years_active = 2016–present
| label = {{hlist|Victor Victor|UMPG{{Cite web|url=https://www.austin360.com/entertainmentlife/20190729/austin-company-behind-lil-nas-xs-record-breaking-old-town-road|title=The Austin company behind Lil Nas X's record-breaking 'Old Town Road'|website=Austin360|date=29 July 2019|access-date=31 July 2019|quote=...and his producer Young Kio, who has signed a publishing deal with Universal...}}|Cash Gang}}
| associated_acts = {{flatlist|
}}
| website =
}}
Kiowa Roukema (born 3 December 1999), professionally known as YoungKio, is a Dutch record producer and songwriter. He is best known for producing "Old Town Road", by American rapper Lil Nas X in 2019. Since the rise in popularity of "Old Town Road", YoungKio signed to Victor Victor Worldwide, Universal Music Publishing Group and French record producer CashMoneyAP's record label and production collective Cash Gang. He is of Surinamese descent.
Career
Roukema first started producing beats in 2016. He began producing on the popular digital audio workstation FL Studio, which his friend gifted to him.{{cite web |last1=Cea |first1=Max |title=YoungKio, the Dutch Producer of Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road," Is Living His Dreams |url=https://www.gq.com/story/youngkio-old-town-road-interview |website=GQ |publisher=GQ |access-date=23 April 2019}} Roukema's early and current influences include producers Wheezy and TM88.{{cite web |last1=Kenny |first1=Brody |title=A conversation with YoungKio and Abe Batshon: "...The artist can just flip it and just make it into something completely different" |url=https://www.thefourohfive.com/music/article/a-conversation-with-youngkio-and-abe-batshon-the-artist-can-just-flip-it-and-just-make-it-into-something-completely-different-155 |website=thefourohfive |publisher=The 405 |access-date=10 May 2019}} He later stated, "In my opinion, I became good at it pretty fast." He began posting his type beats on YouTube and sold leases for $30.{{cite web |last1=Lamarre |first1=Carl |title='Old Town Road' Producer YoungKio on How Lil Nas X's Song Came to Life |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8504409/old-town-road-producer-youngkio-interview-lil-nas-x |website=Billboard |publisher=Billboard |access-date=28 March 2019}} With this money, he saved up to purchase a year-long membership to the beat store hosting platform BeatStars.{{cite web |last1=Payne |first1=Ogden |title=Meet YoungKio, The 19-Year-Old Netherlands Producer Behind 'Old Town Road' |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/ogdenpayne/2019/05/30/meet-youngkio-the-19-year-old-netherlands-producer-behind-old-town-road/#518d1f3e5515 |work=Forbes |access-date=30 May 2019}}
In 2018, one of Roukema's beats was leased by American rapper Lil Nas X for his song "Old Town Road". The beat sampled the 2008 Nine Inch Nails song "Ghost IV – 34". The song was released independently on December 3, 2018, and gained popularity on social video sharing app TikTok. Since the rise in popularity of "Old Town Road", Roukema has done interviews with Forbes, GQ, and many other publications. He has also flown to Los Angeles to work with producers like CashMoneyAP, and appeared in the "Old Town Road" music video. He has since been hired to produce beats for prominent artists like Lil Pump and Rico Nasty.
Production discography
= Charted singles =
Notes{{notelist-ua}}
References
{{Reflist}}
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Category:Dutch record producers