Warren "Oak" Felder (born November 9, 1980)[1] is a Turkish songwriter and record producer based in Atlanta and Los Angeles. He is known for his work as part of the production duo Pop & Oak, and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2015.
Warren "Oak" Felder | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Warren Felder III |
| Also known as | Oakwud |
| Born | November 9, 1980 Istanbul, Turkey |
| Origin | Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2005-present |
| Member of | Pop & Oak |
Early life
editFelder was born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey.[1][2] He studied network technologies and artificial intelligence at Istanbul Technical University,[3] and then moved to the United States in 2001 to attend Georgia Tech.[1][4] His nickname comes from his Turkish name, Okay.[5]
Career
editWhile at Georgia Tech, Felder recorded a demo with the singer/songwriter Sterling Simms, which led to a meeting with L.A. Reid and resulted in Felder writing and producing a track on a Mariah Carey album in 2005.[1]
Around 2009, Felder became production partners with Pop Wansel as the production duo Pop & Oak.[6] Their first big hit was "Your Love", the lead single on Nicki Minaj's 2010 debut studio album Pink Friday.[1][2] Other notable songs they have written and produced include six tracks on Elle Varner's 2012 album Perfectly Imperfect, including the singles "Only Wanna Give It to You" and "I Don't Care";[6] nine songs on Kehlani's debut album SweetSexySavage;[1] and six tracks on Alessia Cara's 2015 debut album Know-It-All, including the singles "Here" and "Scars to Your Beautiful",[7] which both went to number 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 charts.[8]
Felder was nominated for a 2015 Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for writing Usher's single "Good Kisser";[9][10] produced two songs on the Alicia Keys album Girl on Fire, which won the 2014 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album;[11] wrote and produced "Invincible", the lead single from Kelly Clarkson's 2015 album Piece by Piece;[11] wrote and produced "Clumsy", the second single from the 2016 Britney Spears album Glory;[7] and wrote and produced five tracks on Demi Lovato's 2017 album Tell Me You Love Me, including the lead single "Sorry Not Sorry",[1][12] winning a 2019 BMI Pop Award for the single.[13] He has also written and produced songs for artists including Trey Songz, Rihanna, Miguel, Kehlani, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Lopez, Mario, Tamia, ZZ Ward, and Sabrina Carpenter.[2][7][11][5][14] He was named as a top producer by BMI in 2012 and 2013,[15][16] and won a 2017 BMI Pop Award for co-writing Alessia Cara's "Here",[17] and a 2018 BMI Pop Award for co-writing her single "Scars to Your Beautiful".[18] He also wrote and produced three tracks on Lizzo's 2019 major label debut Cuz I Love You,[19] wrote and produced the top 40 single "Who Do You Love" by The Chainsmokers featuring 5 Seconds of Summer, and is working on new music with Kehlani, Demi Lovato, and Alessia Cara in 2019.[20]
Felder is published by Reservoir, and managed by Lucas Keller and Peter Coquillard at Milk & Honey.[21][22] He is on the board of directors of the Mechanical Licensing Collective, which works to increase the royalty money from streaming companies to songwriters.[20]
Personal life
editFelder is married and lives in Atlanta, Georgia, and has a studio in Los Angeles, California.[11]
Awards
edit| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Grammy Award | Best R&B Song | "Good Kisser" by Usher | Nominated[9] |
| 2017 | BMI Pop Award | Songs | "Here" by Alessia Cara | Won[17] |
| 2018 | BMI Pop Award | Songs | "Scars to Your Beautiful" by Alessia Cara | Won[18] |
| 2018 | BMI Pop Award | Songs | "Sorry Not Sorry" by Demi Lovato | Won[13] |
| 2022 | Children's and Family Emmys | Outstanding Short Form Program | We the People | Won |
Discography
editWriting and producing credits
edit| Song | Year | Artist | Album | Songwriter | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Ain't No Way (You Won't Love Me)" | 2005 | Chris Brown | Chris Brown | ||
| "Ain't Enough" | 2006 | 3LW | Point of No Return | ||
| "Hurry Up" | 2007 | Che'Nelle | Things Happen for a Reason | ||
| "Lookin'" | |||||
| "Kryptonite" (featuring Rich Boy) |
Mario | Go | |||
| "Why" | |||||
| "Mile In These Shoes" | Jennifer Lopez | Brave | |||
| "Betcha Never Had" | J. Holiday | Back of My Lac' | |||
| "Superhuman" (featuring Keri Hilson) |
2008 | Chris Brown | Exclusive: The Forever Edition | ||
| "Single" | Sterling Simms | Yours, Mine & The Truth | |||
| "Jump Off" (featuring Sean P) |
|||||
| "Sex In the City" | |||||
| "Chilosa" | Prima J | Prima J | |||
| "I Can Change Your Life" | Lloyd | Lessons in Love | |||
| "90's Baby" | Karina Pasian | First Love | |||
| "Show Off" | 2009 | Ginuwine | A Man's Thoughts | ||
| "Open the Door" | |||||
| "Orchestra" | |||||
| "Hot Mess" | Ashley Tisdale | Guilty Pleasure | |||
| "Hair" | |||||
| "Robot Love" | Allison Iraheta | Just Like You | |||
| "Your Love" | 2010 | Nicki Minaj | Pink Friday | ||
| "Save Me" | |||||
| "Unusual" (featuring Drake) |
Trey Songz | Passion, Pain & Pleasure | |||
| "Collard Greens & Cornbread" | Fantasia | Back to Me | |||
| "Hands Tied" | Toni Braxton | Pulse | |||
| "Top Floor" | 2011 | Wiz Khalifa | Rolling Papers | ||
| "Marvin & Chardonnay" (featuring Kanye West & Roscoe Dash) |
Big Sean | Finally Famous | |||
| "Rainbow" | Jessie J | Who You Are | |||
| "I Need This" | |||||
| "Only Wanna Give It to You" (featuring J. Cole) |
2012 | Elle Varner | Perfectly Imperfect | ||
| "Sound Proof Room" | |||||
| "I Don't Care" | |||||
| "Not Tonight" | |||||
| "Leaf" | |||||
| "So Fly" | |||||
| "Right By My Side" (featuring Chris Brown) |
Nicki Minaj | Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded | |||
| "Fire Burns" | |||||
| "Use Me" | Miguel | Kaleidoscope Dream | |||
| "Where's the Fun in Forever" | |||||
| "Fire We Make" (featuring Maxwell) |
Alicia Keys | Girl on Fire | |||
| "Limitedless" | |||||
| "Numb" (featuring Eminem) |
Rihanna | Unapologetic | |||
| "Bassline" | Chris Brown | Fortune | |||
| "Wanted" | 2013 | Tiwa Savage | Once Upon a Time | ||
| "Written All Over Your Face" | |||||
| "Without My Heart" | |||||
| "V.S.O.P." | K. Michelle | Rebellious Soul | |||
| "Allie Jones" | Mayer Hawthorne | Where Does This Door Go | |||
| "Her Favorite Song" | |||||
| "Crime" (featuring Kendrick Lamar) |
|||||
| "Corsican Rose" | |||||
| "The Crying Game" (featuring Jessie Ware) |
2014 | Nicki Minaj | The Pinkprint | ||
| "Good Kisser" | Usher | Hard II Love (Japanese edition) | |||
| "Going Under" | K. Michelle | Anybody Wanna Buy a Heart? | |||
| "Something About the Night" | |||||
| "Drake Would Love Me" | |||||
| "Chasing Time" | Azealia Banks | Broke With Expensive Taste | |||
| "Break Your Heart Right Back" (featuring Childish Gambino) |
Ariana Grande | My Everything | |||
| "Seal Me With a Kiss" (featuring De La Soul) |
Jessie J | Sweet Talker | |||
| "Wonderful" | Mary J. Blige | Think Like a Man Too (OST) | |||
| "Seventeen" | 2015 | Alessia Cara | Know-It-All | ||
| "Here" | |||||
| "Outlaws" | |||||
| "I'm Yours" | |||||
| "Overdose" | |||||
| "Scars to Your Beautiful" | |||||
| "Deal" | Miguel | Wildheart | |||
| "What's Normal Anyway" | |||||
| "Leaves" | |||||
| "Invincible" | Kelly Clarkson | Piece by Piece | |||
| "Alone In Your Heart" | Monica | Code Red | |||
| "Trade Hearts" (featuring Julia Michaels) |
Jason Derulo | Everything Is 4 | |||
| "Love Falls Over Me" | Tamia | Love Life | |||
| "Sandwich and a Soda" | |||||
| "Clumsy" | 2016 | Britney Spears | Glory | ||
| "Counterfeit" | Jordan Fisher | Jordan Fisher | |||
| "Sleep Like a Baby" | K. Michelle | More Issues Than Vogue | |||
| "Yes Girl" | Bea Miller | Non-album single | |||
| "How Far I'll Go" | Alessia Cara | Moana OST | |||
| "Distraction" | 2017 | Kehlani | SweetSexySavage | ||
| "Piece of Mind" | |||||
| "Not Used to It" | |||||
| "Everything Is Yours" | |||||
| "Advice" | |||||
| "Escape" | |||||
| "In My Feelings" | |||||
| "Hold Me By the Heart" | |||||
| "Thank You" | |||||
| "Sorry Not Sorry" | Demi Lovato | Tell Me You Love Me | |||
| "Sexy Dirty Love" | |||||
| "Daddy Issues" | |||||
| "Only Forever" | |||||
| "Games" | |||||
| "The Deep" (featuring Joey Purp) |
ZZ Ward | Non-album single | |||
| "Ghost" | The Storm | ||||
| "Let It Burn" | |||||
| "Hold On" | |||||
| "Burning Bridges" | Bea Miller | Chapter One: Blue | |||
| "Warmer" | Chapter Two: Red | ||||
| "To the Grave" | Chapter Three: Yellow | ||||
| "Either Way" (featuring Joey Bada$$) |
Snakehips with Anne-Marie | Non-album single | |||
| "Out of Your Mind" (featuring Alison Wonderland) |
2018 | The Presets | Hi Viz | ||
| "I Don't Lack Imagination" | E^ST | Life Ain't Always Roses | |||
| "Stop Myself (Only Human)" | Calum Scott | Only Human | |||
| "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" | Alessia Cara | Revamp: The Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin | |||
| "Growing Pains" | The Pains of Growing | ||||
| "7 Days" | |||||
| "Trust My Lonely" | |||||
| "All We Know" | |||||
| "Easier Said" | |||||
| "Sue Me" | Sabrina Carpenter | Singular: Act I | |||
| "Coming to My Senses" | Alina Baraz | The Color of You | |||
| "I Don't Even Know Why Though" | |||||
| "Who Do You Love" (featuring 5 Seconds of Summer) |
2019 | The Chainsmokers | World War Joy | ||
| "Like A Girl" | Lizzo | Cuz I Love You | |||
| "Soulmate" | |||||
| "Better In Color" | |||||
| "FML" | Mabel | High Expectations | |||
| "Just a Boy" | Olivia O'Brien | Was It Even Real? | |||
| "Pushing 20" | Sabrina Carpenter | Singular: Act II | |||
| "Take Off All Your Cool" | |||||
| "Sunday" | Jessica Mauboy | Hilda | |||
| "Birthday" | 2020 | Anne-Marie | Therapy (Japanese Edition) | ||
| "I Love Me" | Demi Lovato | Non-album single | |||
| "Ting Ting Ting" (with Oliver Heldens) |
Itzy | It'z Me | |||
| "Change Your Life" (featuring Jhené Aiko) |
Kehlani | It Was Good Until It Wasn't | |||
| "This Is What They Say" | Carly Rae Jepsen | Dedicated Side B | |||
| "Ooh Laa" | John Legend | Bigger Love | |||
| "Actions" | |||||
| "Favorite Place" | |||||
| "Blossom" | Azealia Banks | Fantasea II: The Second Wave | |||
| "The Art of Starting Over" | 2021 | Demi Lovato | Dancing with the Devil... the Art of Starting Over | ||
| "Lonely People" | |||||
| "Melon Cake" | |||||
| "The Kind of Lover I Am" | |||||
| "15 Minutes" | |||||
| "My Girlfriends Are My Boyfriend" (featuring Saweetie) |
|||||
| "California Sober" | |||||
| "Good Place" | |||||
| "Starting Now" | Brandy | Disney Princess Remixed — An Ultimate Princess Celebration | |||
| "FREAK" (Feat. Yungblud) | 2022 | Demi Lovato | Holy Fvck | ||
| "SKIN OF MY TEETH" | |||||
| "SUBSTANCE" | |||||
| "EAT ME" (featuring Royal & the Serpent | |||||
| "HOLY FVCK" | |||||
| "29" | |||||
| "HAPPY ENDING" | |||||
| "HEAVEN" | |||||
| "CITY OF ANGELS" | |||||
| "BONES" | |||||
| "WASTED" | |||||
| "COME TOGETHER" | |||||
| "DEAD FRIENDS" | |||||
| "HELP ME" (featuring Dead Sara) | |||||
| "FEED" | |||||
| "4 EVER 4 ME" | |||||
| You Only Love Me | 2023 | Rita Ora | You & I |
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g Dale Kawashima, "Interview with Oak Felder, Hit Writer/Producer for Alessia Cara, Demi Lovato, Nicki Minaj And Other Artists," Songwriter Universe, September 7, 2017.
- ^ a b c DeVon Hyman, "Pop and Oak – Get Familiar With the Production Duo," Parle, April 29, 2012.
- ^ "GRAMMY-Nominated Oak Felder Gets and Gives Advice". BMI.com. July 19, 2018.
- ^ "Producers: A Q&A with Oak Felder". American Songwriter. June 18, 2018.
- ^ a b "How 'Oak' Felder Quietly Became One of R&B's Most Important Producers". Rolling Stone. October 17, 2018.
- ^ a b "Producer Duo Pop and Oak Talk Sparkle, Elle Varner and Alicia Keys," Singersroom, February 1, 2012.
- ^ a b c Nolan Feeney, "Britney Spears' 'Glory': Inside the making of her ninth album," Entertainment Weekly, August 11, 2016.
- ^ Gary Trust, "Alessia Cara Scores Second Pop Songs No. 1 With 'Scars to Your Beautiful'," Billboard, January 23, 2017.
- ^ a b "Warren 'Oak' Felder," grammy.com. Accessed October 20, 2017.
- ^ "Grammys 2015: Complete list of nominees," Los Angeles Times, February 8, 2015.
- ^ a b c d Gail Mitchell, "Producer Oak Felder Talks Kelly Clarkson, Khalid and More: 'I Love That I Can Fly Under the Radar'," Billboard, May 23, 2017.
- ^ Nolan Feeney, "Demi Lovato: Fans will know 'exactly what I'm talking about' on my new album," Entertainment Weekly, September 12, 2017.
- ^ a b "Sting, Imagine Dragons and Martin Bandier Honored at BMI's 67th Annual Pop Awards". BMI.com. May 15, 2019.
- ^ "Sabrina Carpenter New Single "Pushing 20"". 360 Magazine. March 8, 2019.
- ^ "Mariah Carey, Drake, Lil Wayne, EMI Music Publishing & More Honored at BMI Urban Awards," BMI, September 8, 2012.
- ^ "Just In: Pop Wansel & Oak Felder Recognized At BMI Awards As Top Producers In 2013," uwishunu.com, August 23, 2013.
- ^ a b "Barry Manilow Honored as BMI Icon at 65th Annual BMI Pop Awards," BMI, May 10, 2017.
- ^ a b "Mark Ronson Receives the BMI Champion Award at the 66th BMI Pop Awards". BMI.com. May 8, 2018.
- ^ "REVIEW: Lizzo showcases vocal prowess on debut album". Daily Trojan. April 21, 2019.
- ^ a b "Producer Oak Felder Talks Lizzo, Demi Lovato and Need for More Female Producers: 'Music Can't Be One-Dimensional'". Billboard.com. September 13, 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
- ^ "Reservoir inks JV with Grammy-winning songwriter Warren 'Oak' Felder". Music Business Worldwide. 2017-12-05. Retrieved 2019-06-08.
- ^ "Reservoir inks global publishing deal with songwriter and producer Warren 'Oak' Felder". Music Business Worldwide. 2022-02-02. Retrieved 2022-02-22.