Naughty Boy

Shahid Khan (Urdu: شاهد خان‎; born 1 January 1985),^[1] known by his stage name Naughty Boy, is an English DJ, record producer, songwriter 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 runs his own production company called Naughty Boy Recordings.

Naughty Boy has produced two top-ten records for UK rappers Chipmunk and Wiley, both featuring Emeli Sandé. Naughty Boy and Sandé later formed a 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 co-written/produced with Naughty Boy. Khan spent 2011 and 2012 working on records for Leona Lewis, JLS, Cheryl Cole, Jennifer Hudson, Alesha Dixon and Tinie Tempah, among others.

In 2013, Naughty Boy released his debut album Hotel Cabana. The set features prominent collaborator Sandé, as well as Ed Sheeran, Gabrielle and others. It was 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' and 'Best Video' at the MOBO Award's 18th Anniversary.^[2]

Early life

Shahid Khan was born 1 January 1985 in Watford, Hertfordshire.^[1] His parents being originally from Pakistan, Khan is of Pakistani decent.^[3] Initially Khan was studying Business and Marketing at London Guildhall University (now London Metropolitan University), but during his first semester he decided to drop out and did various part-time jobs Dominos Pizza and Watford General hospital.^[4][5] He "decided to follow his ambition to write and produce his own music, under the name Naughty Boy Recordings."^[5] In the background, Khan was recording songs in his parents' garden shed in Charlock Way in Watford, Hertfordshire.^[5] The finances allowed Khan to upscale production from the garden shed to a studio in Ealing, West London. Eventually he got a three-year contract with Sony ATV, and a one-album record deal with Virgin Records (EMI Records).^[4][5]

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."^[5] 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.^[5]

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 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] Sandé later earned a record deal with Virgin Records, with Khan co-writing/producing her 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 perform on the track.

Khan has also worked with Alesha Dixon, JLS, Lily Allen, Alexandra Burke and Jennifer Hudson.^[4][5] He also produced records for Professor Green, Cheryl Cole and Tinie Tempah.^[6] Khan worked with Sandé to produce and co-write Leona Lewis' 2012 comeback single "Trouble" which features Childish Gambino.^[7] 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.^[8] He also worked on records for Rihanna including "Half of Me" (co-produced with StarGate),^[9] "Side Effects of You" for Fantasia Burrino^[10] and co-produced "Craziest Things" with will.i.am for Cheryl Cole.^[11]

2012–14: 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.^[6] The album's first single "Wonder" features frequent collaborator Sandé on the lead vocals.^[12] 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.^[13] It peaked at number ten on the UK Singles Chart.^[14]

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.^[15][16] Gabrielle also revealed that fellow British songwriter Ed Sheeran and British rapper Tinie Tempah will also feature on Hotel Cabana.^[15] Both Tempah and Sheeran have worked with Naughty Boy on previous records. It is the album's title song, "Hotel Cabana" which features Tempah.^[17] 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".^[18] Of the album, Khan's opinion of it was "It has a concept to it, so it's more like a film in some respects", claiming "I'm not just a producer – I'm a director too".^[19] However, it did not happen until May 2013, that the second single "La La La" featuring Sam Smith was released. It reached number one in the UK,^[20] three in Ireland^[21] and three in Scotland.^[22] The album was released on 26 August 2013.^[23] 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.^[24] British singer Lily Allen also asked Khan to produce records for her upcoming album.^[25] 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).^[26]

2015–present: Second studio album

In March 2015, it was confirmed that Naughty Boy had worked with then-One Direction member Zayn Malik for one of the tracks of his second album.^[27] Malik exited the band shortly after this announcement, which led to many One Direction fans blaming Naughty Boy for Malik's departure.^[28]

On 16 September 2015, Naughty Boy announced that he would release a song titled "Runnin' (Lose It All)" featuring Beyoncé and Arrow Benjamin. On the same date he shared the artwork for the single, its lyrics, a 15-second sound snippet along with a video through his Instagram account and began a countdown until its online release.^[29][30] The following day, on 17 September 2015, "Runnin'" premiered online. It was available for digital download on the iTunes Store on 18 September 2015.^[31]

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

As lead artist

As a featured artist

Writing and production discography

Awards and nominations

In January 2015, Khan was nominated for the Young Achiever award at the British Muslim Awards.^[62]

Brit Awards

iHeartRadio Music Awards

MOBO Awards

YouTube Music Awards

References

Notes

• ^{^[A]} Although Hotel Cabana did not chart on the Australian Albums Chart, it did reach number 30 on the Digital Albums Chart.^[33]
• ^{^[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.

Citations

External links

• Hotel-cabana.com