American singer and producer 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.
“Happy” is Pharrell’s latest smash hit a song from the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack album. It also serves as the lead single from Williams’ second studio album, G I R L (2014). The song was written and produced by Williams. It came out on November 21, 2013, alongside a long-form music video. The song was reissued on December 16, 2013, by Back Lot Music under exclusive license to Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music.[1]
“Happy” is a neo soul and funk song on which Williams’ falsetto voice is comparable to Curtis Mayfield. The song has been highly successful, peaking at number one in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and 19 other countries. It has sold over 1.3 million copies in the United Kingdom, and has reached No. 1 on the UK chart on a record three separate occasions.
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.”
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.
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