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Rob Bisel

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Rob Bisel
Bisel in 2023
Bisel in 2023
Background information
Birth nameRobert Bisel
Born1992
Genres
Occupations
  • Producer
  • engineer
  • mixer
  • songwriter
  • multi-instrumentalist
Years active2015–present
Websiterobbisel.com

Rob Bisel is an American music producer, engineer, mixer and songwriter. A Grammy award winner and 13-time nominee, he has worked with artists including SZA, Doja Cat, Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, Harry Styles and Don Toliver.[1] [2]

Early life and education

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Bisel was raised in Moraga, California. Although he sang in the school choir and played bass, he was mainly interested in music production. He began recording friends in his bedroom when he was 14, and at 17 got an internship at Studio 880 in Oakland.[3]

Bisel studied music at the University of Michigan. During the summers, he interned for Mark Needham, an engineer and mixer who had worked with artists including Fleetwood Mac and The Killers. Bisel learned from watching Needham mix and later cited him as an influence.[4]

Career

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Rick Rubin, Shangri-La, Kendrick Lamar, Doja Cat, Grammys

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Following his college graduation Bisel moved to LA, where he met Dana Nielsen, an engineer who worked frequently with Rick Rubin at Rubin's Shangri-La studio. He was hired as a runner at the studio in 2014, and later worked with Rubin as an assistant engineer and engineer. Bisel said that Rubin inspired him, "fueling his hunger to dive deeper into production." [3]

In addition to Rubin, at Shangri-La Bisel engineered for artists and producers including Mark Ronson, Travis Scott, and Harry Styles. He also served as an engineer on Kendrick Lamar's Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers during the six-month period that Lamar recorded at Shangri-La. In 2022, he worked with Lamar once again, earning a Record of the Year Grammy nomination for "The Heart Part 5" and an Album of the Year nomination for Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. Bisel was nominated for Grammy awards in the same two categories for engineering Doja Cat's album Planet Her and the single "Kiss Me More" the previous year.[5][3]

SZA and SOS

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In 2020, Rubin recommended Bisel to SZA, who had booked Rubin's studio and home in Kauai to begin recording her second album, the follow up to her multi-platinum debut, Ctrl They spent a week in Kauai, "just vibing and coming up with song ideas", before returning to Los Angeles. They picked up their collaboration in LA and were working at SZA's home in Malibu at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. SZA invited Bisel to shelter-in-place at her house, and together they continued to work on the album.[6] In a 2023 interview, Bisel said: "It was a pretty crazy situation, because she was used to going to big studios with tons of people coming in and out, and suddenly it was just the two of us, and I had to step into much more of a Rick Rubin producer role than just be the typical engineer. It gave me the space to present beats to her that I had made, alone or with others. If she liked the beat, she recorded over it. She also ended up really liking the way I recorded and mixed her vocals, which led to me mixing songs as well.” [3]

The album, SOS, was released in December 2022. Bisel engineered the album, mixed 10 songs, and co-produced 11 of the album's 23 tracks. He also co-wrote 15 songs, including the double-platinum single I Hate U and Kill Bill, which was the #1 song on the US Hot R&B/Hip Hop charts for 23 weeks, breaking the chart's record for weeks at #1.[7][8] The album was #1 on the Billboard charts for ten weeks,[9] and #1 on the R&B/Hip Hop for a record-breaking 41 weeks.[10] Bisel hit #1 on the R&B producer chart in May 2023.[11] He was nominated for eight Grammy awards for his work on SOS in 2024, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year.[12]

Personal life

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Bisel lives in Los Angeles. His recording studio, Ponzu, is named after his dog.[3]

Grammy Awards

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Year Nominee / work Award Result Reference
2024 SOS (SZA) Album of the Year Nominated [5]
SOS Best Progressive R&B Album Won [5]
"Kill Bill" (SZA) Best R&B Performance Nominated [5]
"Kill Bill" Record of the Year Nominated [5]
"Kill Bill" Grammy Award for Song of the Year Nominated [5]
"Snooze" (SZA) Best R&B Song Won [5]
"Ghost in the Machine" (SZA and Phoebe Bridgers) Best Pop Duo/Group Recording Won [5]
"Low" (SZA) Best Melodic Rap Performance Nominated [5]
Girls Night Out (Babyface) Best R&B Album Nominated [5]
2023 Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers Album of the Year Nominated [5]
"The Heart Part 5" (Kendrick Lamar song) Record of the Year Nominated [5]
2022 Planet Her (Doja Cat album) Album of the Year Nominated [5]
"Kiss Me More" (Doja Cat song) Record of the Year Nominated [5]

Selected discography

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Year Artist Title Credit Notes Ref(s)
2015 The Ruen Brothers Point Dune Mixing Assistant [13]
2016 DRAM Big Baby D.R.A.M. Engineer [13]
Kanye West The Life of Pablo Production assistant [13]
2017 Eminem Revival Editor/Assistant Engineer [13]
Neil Young & Promise of the Real The Visitor Assistant engineer [13]
Jovanotti Oh, Vita Assistant engineer [13]
Billy Corgan Ogilala Assistant Engineer [13]
Brent Faiyaz Sonder Son Engineer [13]
Warbly Jets Warbly Jets Engineer [13]
Sonder Into Mastering EP [13]
2018 The Smashing Pumpkins Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun Editor, assistant engineer, mixing assistant [13]
Muse Simulation Theory Assistant engineer [13]
Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper A Star Is Born (soundtrack) Assistant engineer [13]
The Ruen Brothers All My Shades of Blue Mixing Assistant [13]
Neil Young & Promise of the Real Paradox (soundtrack) Assistant engineer [13]
Towkio WWW. Engineer/mixer [13]
Garren Sean End of the Night Mixing, mastering [13]
Brent Faiyaz Make Luv Engineer, mastering [13]
Sonder "One Night Only" Mastering [13]
2019 JackBoys JackBoys Engineer [13]
Harry Styles Fine Line Engineer [13]
Neil Young & Crazy Horse Colorado Assistant engineer [13]
Madison Ryann Ward Beyond Me Engineer [13]
Daniel Caesar Case Study 01 Engineer [13]
Jovanotti Jova Beach Party Engineer [13]
Tyler, The Creator IGOR Assistant Engineer [13]
Bakar "Hell n Back" Assistant Engineer Single [13]
Kate Tempest The Book of Traps and Lessons Assistant engineer [13]
Asante sleek boy Mastering Remixes EP [13]
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real Turn Off The News (Build A Garden) Assistant engineer [13]
Mark Ronson Late Night Feelings Assistant engineer [13]
Laundry Day Homesick Engineer [13]
The Avett Brothers Closer Than Together Editor, assistant engineer [13]
Santana In Search Of Mona Lisa Editor, assistant engineer EP [13]
2020 SZA "Good Days" Vocal producer, engineer Single [13]
Megan Thee Stallion Good News Engineer [13]
SZA "Hit Different" Songwriter, additional production, engineer [13]
The Strokes The New Abnormal Assistant engineer [13]
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real Naked Garden Assistant engineer [13]
Louis Tomlinson Walls Engineer [13]
2021 SZA "I Hate U" Producer, songwriter, engineer
mixing, mastering
Single [13]
Jean Dawson "Ghost"" Producer Non-album single [13]
SZA "The Anonymous Ones" Producer, engineer Single [13]
Kali Uchis Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) Engineer, mixing [13]
James Blake Friends That Break Your Heart Engineer [13]
Summer Walker Still Over It Engineer [13]
Isaiah Rashad The House Is Burning Engineer, mixing [13]
Various Artists Space Jam: A New Legacy Engineer Soundtrack [13]
Baird "Beluga v2 (feat Berhana)" Mixer, mastering Single [13]
Sonder and Jorja Smith "Nobody But You" Mixer, mastering Single [13]
Doja Cat Planet Her Engineer Grammy-nominated for Album of the Year
and Record of the Year
(for "Kiss Me More")
[13][5]
Santana Blessings and Miracles Engineer [13]
2022 SZA SOS Producer, songwriter, engineer, mixer
guitar, keyboards
[13]
SZA "Kill Bill" Producer, writer, engineer, mixer Single [13]
Fousheé Softcore Producer [13]
Chloe George Penny Producer EP [13]
Babyface Girls Night Out Producer, keyboards, drum programming [13]
SZA Ctrl Mixer Deluxe edition [13]
ImaniCarolyn Into the Blue Light Mixer [13]
Doechii She / Her / Black Bitch Engineer EP [13]
Kendrick Lamar Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers Assistant engineer Grammy-nominated for
Album of the Year
[13][5]
Kendrick Lamar "The Heart Part 5" Engineer Grammy-nominated for
Record of the Year
[13][5]
Baird BIRDSONGS, Vol. 3 Mixer [13]
2023 Don Toliver Love Sick Producer [13]
Reneé Rapp "I Hate Boston" Songwriter [13]
Wallice Mr. Big Shot Producer [13]

References

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  1. ^ Hiatt, Brian (January 29, 2023). "The Making of SZA's Chart-Topping 'SOS'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  2. ^ Monroe, Jazz (February 4, 2024). "SZA Wins Best Progressive R&B Album for SOS at 2024 Grammys". Pitch Fork. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Inside Track: SZA 'Kill Bill'". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  4. ^ "Mark Needham Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Rob Bisel | Artist | GRAMMY.com". www.grammy.com. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  6. ^ Mamo, Heran (October 11, 2023). "Meet SZA's Secret Weapons: Her 'SOS' Producers". Billboard. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  7. ^ Anderson, Trevor (September 28, 2023). "SZA's 'SOS' Breaks Record for Most Weeks at No. 1 on Top R&B Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  8. ^ Conteh, Mankaprr (October 3, 2023). "What's Behind SZA's Biggest Year Yet? Work, Wonder, and 'Weird Shit'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  9. ^ Sisario, Ben (February 21, 2023). "SZA Makes It Nine Weeks at No. 1, and Rihanna Returns to Top 10". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  10. ^ Tuccillo, Andrea. "SZA's 'SOS' breaks a 'Billboard' chart record". Power 106.9 - Omaha's #1 For Hip Hop & Hits. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  11. ^ Zellner, Xander (May 12, 2023). "Rob Bisel Hits No. 1 on R&B Producers Chart Thanks to SZA Hits". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  12. ^ France, Lisa Respers (November 10, 2023). "Grammy nominations 2024: See the full list of nominees". CNN. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn "Rob Bisel Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
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