James Ryan Ho, known professionally as Malay, is an American record producer, songwriter, and

audio engineer An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproduc ...

. He won Best Urban Contemporary Album at the

55th Annual Grammy Awards The 55th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 10, 2013, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ...

for his work on

Frank Ocean Frank Ocean (born Christopher Edwin Breaux; October 28, 1987) is an American singer and songwriter. He has been credited by several music journalism, music critics as a pioneer of the alternative R&B genre. Ocean has won two Grammy Awards and a B ...

's '' Channel Orange'' (2012).

Early life and career

His father is Malaysian. Malay grew up in Bellingham, Washington where he was introduced to classic rock at an early age by his father. Both

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Inducted ...

and

Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experiments ...

sparked his interest in music. While he wrestled in school and showed great potential, he eventually quit the sport to pursue his career in music. He began to teach himself guitar and piano while making money with a local band in Bellingham. During this period he would go on to build a recording studio in his home. He adopted the producer name 'Maylay' during the 1990s, derived from his best friend's native language's word for 'mountain'. Its spelling may have been changed to avoid confusion with another musical artist, Young Maylay, with whom he bears no relation. In the mid-2000s, his skills were noticed and

Jake One Jacob Brian Dutton (born May 11, 1976), known professionally as Jake One, is an American record producer and songwriter.Palermo, Thomas (2008)Jake One Readies New Album, XLR8R, September 5, 2008Matos, Michaelangelo (2004)Rocketship Blowing Up", ...

, a hip-hop producer who recruited him to help with the productions on releases for G-Unit. After working closely with Jake One, Malay moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

where he got a job producing for

MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...

's '' Making the Band''. Afterwards, Malay moved once more to

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

before ultimately settling in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

in 2010. Malay has produced for a number of artists. He was producer for

John Legend John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He began his musical career working behind the scenes for other artists, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Every ...

's album '' Evolver'' (2008), and

's '' channel ORANGE'' (2012); the latter won a number of accolades, including the Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album, as well as 2013 Grammy Award nominations for Album of the Year, Best New Artist, and

Record of the Year The Grammy Award for Record of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without re ...

for "Thinkin Bout You". He also co-produced Zayn's debut album '' Mind of Mine'' (2016). Malay co-founded Britannia Row Recordings in 2016, in partnership with BMG. In 2018, the label signed The Parlor Mob, a rock band based in

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

Discography

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Malay American record producers Living people American people of Malaysian descent American people of Chinese descent Year of birth missing (living people) People from Bellingham, Washington