Naughty Boy

Shahid Khan (born 1 January 1985), often credited by his artist and production name Naughty Boy, is a British DJ, songwriter, record producer and musician. In 2012, Khan signed a three-year publishing deal with Sony ATV, as well as a recording contract to release one album under Virgin EMI Records. Khan launched himself as a record producer under the moniker "Naughty Boy" and now runs a production company called Naughty Boy Recordings.

Most notably, Naughty Boy has produced two top-ten records for UK rappers Chipmunk and Wiley, both featuring a then-unknown singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé. Naughty Boy and Sandé formed a strong writing and production partnership, leading to Sandé landing her own record deal with Virgin and EMI. Sandé went on to be named the Critics Choice for the 2012 BRIT Awards, and release her debut album Our Version of Events (2012), a record which was mostly produced and co-written with Naughty Boy. Khan spent 2011 and 2012 working on records for the likes of Leona Lewis, JLS, Cheryl Cole, Jennifer Hudson, Alesha Dixon and Tinie Tempah, amongst others.

In 2013, Naughty Boy prepared for the release of his debut album, Hotel Cabana. The set features prominent collaborator Sandé, as well as others such as Ed Sheeran, Gabrielle and many others. It is preceded by the release of the top-ten single "Wonder" (featuring Sandé), the number one hit "La La La", featuring Sam Smith and "Lifted", another collaboration with Sandé. His debut album peaked at number two in the UK.

On 19 October 2013, Naughty Boy's La La La was awarded 'Best Song' & 'Best Video' at the MOBO Award's 18th Anniversary.^[1]

Early life

Shahid Khan was born 1 January 1985 to parents originally from Pakistan, in Watford, Hertfordshire.^[2] Initially Khan was studying Business and Marketing at London Guildhall University (now London Metropolitan University), but dropped out after his first semester and began working various jobs.^[3] Amongst other places, Khan worked at Dominos Pizza and Watford General hospital.^[4] It was during this period of his life that he "decided to follow his ambition to write and produce his own music, under the name Naughty Boy Recordings."^[3] In the background, Khan was recording songs in his parents' garden shed in Charlock Way in Watford, Hertfordshire.^[3] The finances allowed Khan to upscale production from the garden shed to a studio in Ealing, West London. Eventually the aspiring producer got noticed by music executives and was awarded a three-year contract with Sony ATV, and a one-album record deal with Virgin Records (EMI Records).^[3][4]

To establish Naughty Boy Recordings, Khan applied to The Princes Trust in 2005, where he was awarded a grant of £5,000 to help start up his business. Speaking to the Watford Observer in 2009 about the opportunity, Khan said "The Prince's Trust has a scheme where they want to help people who they feel can set up their own business. I wanted to make music but I didn't have any equipment. They said they wanted to help me."^[3] That same year, Khan appeared on Channel 4's hit day-time gameshow Deal or No Deal, where he won £44,000, further enabling him to purchase equipment and begin recording.^[4] The producer now bases his recordings at his studio in Ealing, West London.^[3]

Music career

2009–12: Beginnings and producing

Emeli Sandé frequently writes with Naughty Boy.

The producer burst on to the music scene in 2009, by co-writing and producing Chipmunk's hit single "Diamond Rings", featuring a then unknown Emeli Sandé.^[4] Khan would once again work with Sandé, this time on Wiley's "Never Be Your Woman" (2010), a cover of White Town's "Your Woman" (1997).^[4] Khan and Sandé's affiliation would not end there. They would continue to make music together, resulting in Sandé also getting a record deal with Virgin Records, and subsequently Khan songwriting and producing the majority of Sandé's debut album, Our Version of Events. Naughty Boy was formally introduced and credited as an artist on Sandé's second single "Daddy", though he doesn't actually sing on the track.

Khan has also worked with Alesha Dixon, JLS, Lily Allen, Alexandra Burke and Jennifer Hudson.^[3][4] He also produced records for Professor Green, Cheryl Cole and Tinie Tempah.^[5] Khan worked with Sandé to produce and co-write Leona Lewis' 2012 comeback single "Trouble" which features Childish Gambino.^[6] Khan also wrote and produced "When It Hurts" and "Mountains" for Lewis' album Glassheart; However, "Mountains" was re-recorded by Sandé and put on her own album Our Version of Events.^[7] He also worked on records for Rihanna including "Half of Me" (co-produced with StarGate),^[8] "Side Effects of You" for Fantasia Burrino^[9] and co-produced "Craziest Things" with will.i.am for Cheryl Cole.^[10]

2012–present: Hotel Cabana

Khan also spent time, throughout the development of his career, working on his own debut album titled Hotel Cabana, which is scheduled to be released under his moniker "Naughty Boy" by Virgin EMI Records in 2013.^[5] The album's first single "Wonder" features frequent collaborator Sandé on the lead vocals.^[11] It was released on 30 September 2012 and also was the leading single from the re-release of Sande's debut album, Our Version of Events, after already appearing on the US version of the album.^[12] It peaked at number ten on the UK Singles Chart.^[13]

British singer-songwriter Gabrielle also worked with Naughty Boy for Hotel Cabana on a song called "Hollywood", which was initially tipped to be the album's second single, with the album following in February 2013.^[14][15] Gabrielle also revealed that fellow British songwriter Ed Sheeran and British rapper Tinie Tempah will also feature on Hotel Cabana.^[14] Both Tempah and Sheeran have worked with Naughty Boy on previous records. It is the album's title song, "Hotel Cabana" which features Tempah.^[16] A trailer for Hotel Cabana was premiered on Naughty Boy's VEVO account on 20 September 2012. It states Hotel Cabana is "directed by Naughty Boy, starring Emeli Sande, Tinie Tempah, Professor Green, Gabrielle and George The Poet".^[17] Of the album, Khan has stated, "I want it to be an album for our time; it has a concept to it, so it's more like a film in some respects, I view it like I’m not just a producer – I’m a director too".^[18] However, it until May 2013, that the second single "La La La" featuring Sam Smith was released. It reached number one in the UK,^[19] three in Ireland^[20] and three in Scotland.^[21] The album was released on 26 August 2013.^[22] It peaked at number two in the UK.

After completing work on his own album, in 2013 Khan resumed production for other artists. He worked on pop records for American singer Britney Spears, as well as joining Spears' sessions with producer William Orbit.^[23] British singer Lily Allen also asked Khan to produce records for her upcoming album.^[24] Additionally, he teamed up with Sandé and Katy Perry in New York for a song set to appear on Perry's upcoming album, Prism (2013).^[25]

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

As lead artist

As a featured artist

Writing and production discography

References

Notes

• ^{^[A]} Although Hotel Cabana did not chart on the Australian Albums Chart, it did reach number 30 on the Digital Albums Chart.^[27]
• ^{^[B]} "Never Be Your Woman" was released as a standalone single in 2010, an alternative version dubbed "Never Be Your Woman (Bonus Track)" features on the album, Hotel Cabana.
• ^{^[C]} "Daddy" did not chart on the Ultratop's Belgian Flanders Single's Chart, but it did chart at number 12 on the Ultratip chart, the top-100 songs which haven't made the Ultratop 50.^[45]
• ^{^[D]} "Daddy" did not chart on the Ultratop's Belgian Wallionia Single's Chart, but it did chart at number 8 on the Ultratip chart, the top-fifty songs which haven't made the Ultratop 50.^[46]

Citations

External links

• Hotel-cabana.com