With over 100 million
copies of his productions sold, his music sounds like something no one else has thought of just yet. He's also created a new way of looking at established stars like SnoopDogg, Madonna, and even the Rolling Stones. Over four albums, Williams and Hugo along with Shae Haley created an unpredictable hybrid as part of the alt-rock/hip-hop group N.E.R.D. His prolific body of work also ranges from designing a sculpture with Tokyo-born artist Takashi Murakami to accessories and jewelry for luxury goods brands Louis Vuittonand Moncler. Now, with his latest venture i am OTHER a multi-media creative collective that serves as an umbrella for all his endeavors, including Billionaire Boys Club , ICECREAM apparel, textile company Bionic Yarn and dedicated YouTube channel Williams' vision continues to push pop culture forward.
In his two decade career, Pharell Wiliams
went from being Teddy Riley's protégé to one of the most respected songwriters and producers of his generation. As one half of The Neptunes, he and his partner Chad Hugo has worked with just about everyone that can be named within various genres. While leading the funk-rock outfit N.E.R.D., Williams wanted to attempt a solo career. He did so twice- once on the 2003 single "Frontin'" and again in 2006 with the release of his long-delayed Interscope Records debut "In My Mind". Musically, the album was well-produced- but the songwriting left a lot to be desired. He split duties between rapping and singing, all the while consuming himself with the limited scope of topics such as sex and wealth. When the album tanked, Williams returned to N.E.R.D. and his short run as a solo artist had been all but forgotten. N.E.R.D. quietly released their fourth album "Nothing" in 2010, which became the unofficial swan song for the group. As time went on, Williams continued to produce on his own- both under his own name as well as under The Neptunes. However, a change was not too far behind for him.
Redefining cool for a new generation, Pharrell Williams is a creative force, using music, fashion, and design to express his distinctive style. From his beginnings as a teenage prodigy and multi-instrumentalist in Virginia Beach back in the early '90s, through enough hits to earn him Billboard's Producer of the Decade in 2010, to his current status as multi-media superstar, Williams has never stopped creating. Starting his producing career as one half of The Neptunes with Chad Hugo, Williams has helped create such classics as Daft Punk's "Get Lucky," Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines," Nelly's "Hot in Herre," Jay-Z's "I Just Wanna Love U (Give it 2 Me)," Britney Spears's "I'm A Slave 4 U," and Justin Timberlake's "Like I Love You."
G I R L is Pharrell's highly anticipated new album, and features the hit single, "Happy", an international phenomenon and radio smash. "Happy" was first featured on Despicable Me 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). It is nominated for an OSCAR this year for Best Original Song, and Pharrell will perform "Happy" on the OSCARs on March 2nd, on ABC.
"Happy" has sold more than 2.3 million tracks worldwide, and has topped the chart in more than 175 countries. Currently in the US, the song generates over 120 million weekly audience impressions across 6 radio formats - Top 40, Rhythm, Hot AC, Urban, Urban AC, and AAA. "Happy" has also just been certified Platinum.
In addItion to the excitement of Pharrell's new album, he just took home four Grammy Awards, including including Producer of the Year, Album of the Year for Daft Punk s Random Access Memories, and Record of the Year as well as Best Pop Duo/Performance for Daft Punk's "Get Lucky".
