Benjamin Hudson McIldowie (born 26 June 1979) known professionally as Mr Hudson, is an English recording artist, songwriter & producer. His debut album with band The Library in 2007 titled A Tale of Two Cities featured the single "Too Late, Too Late". In 2008 Mr Hudson signed to Kanye West's GOOD Music label and began work on his second album. He also featured on West's 2008 album, 808s & Heartbreak as co-producer on the track "Streetlight" & featured vocal on "Paranoid". Mr Hudson dropped the band moniker of The Library for his second album Straight No Chaser in 2009, spawning the Number 2 single "Supernova" featuring Kanye West. In early 2010 Mr Hudson featured on Jay-Z's top 10 single "Young Forever" from the album The Blueprint 3 & also features on the track "Why I Love You" from West & Jay-Z's Watch The Throne album. 2011 and 2012 saw Mr Hudson set up his own studio and start writing & producing for other acts such as Josh Kumra, Wretch 32, Eliza Doolittle & Sway. He also began a collaboration with Rosie Oddie called BIGkids for which he co-wrote and produced the album Never Grow Up released in October 2012. He is currently writing the third Mr Hudson album. Early lifeedit: Born in Birmingham, Hudson grew up in the Handsworth area of the city (Dudley Road) and attended King Edward's School, Birmingham in Edgbaston. He attended Oxford University, where he read English Literature at St Anne's College. Historyedit: 2007-08: A Tale of Two Citiesedit: One of his first appearances was on JUMPOFF producer battleks in 2001 alongside Gunther Thompson. Mr Hudson first came to prominence after being featured on Later with Jools Holland on 8 December 2006. Later with Jools Holland, the band's debut LP, titled A Tale of Two Cities, was released in 2007 to strong reviews and received national airplay on Jo Whiley and Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 shows. The production on the band's debut album uses acoustic guitar interspersed with piano, backing vocals and bass guitar, steelpan, electric drums and unusual rhythm patterns. Two of the tracks from A Tale of Two Cities are covers; "On The Street Where You Live", is a cover of a number from the musical My Fair Lady and "Everything Happens to Me" was popularised by Frank Sinatra and Chet Baker. In 2007, Mr Hudson and The Library embarked on a tour through twelve British libraries as part of the 'Get It Loud' initiative, and also supported Amy Winehouse on her tour, along with Paolo Nutini, Mika and Groove Armada. During the summer of 2007 they appeared at several UK festivals, such as Glastonbury, T in the Park, The Big Chill, V Festival, Godiva Festival, and Bestival. In October 2007, the band played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in support of The Police. They also supported Kanye West on his Europe leg of his Glow in the Dark Tour, performing in Dublin, Belfast and other European cities. In 2008, Mr Hudson began recording as a solo artist. Although the name 'The Library' was no longer used, these musicians formed his backing band for live performances. On 11 November 2008, "There Will Be Tears" was given its first UK radio airplay on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show as 'The Hottest Record in the World Right Now'. 2009-2010: Straight No Chaseredit: Sessions for Straight No Chaser initially started at Gizzard Studios in Bow, East London. Ed Deegan who had previously worked at Toe Rag Studios near by was acting as engineer, but Mr Hudson received an offer from Kanye West to produce his album. Mr Hudson is featured on Paranoid on Kanye West's fourth album, 808s & Heartbreak. He also co-produced "Street Lights" as well as supplying additional vocals on "Say You Will" and "Amazing". Kanye West has stated: "I believe Mr Hudson has the potential to be bigger than me, to be one of the most important artists of his generation". The single Supernova was premiered on May 13, 2009 on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show and then released on July 19, 2009. It debuted at Number 2 in the UK singles chart on July 26, 2009. Calvin Harris remixed the track. Mr Hudson's new album - Straight No Chaser was released on 4 August 2009 (via GOOD Music and Mercury Records), executive produced by Kanye West. "I wanted to make a mainstream record, not structured or ornate," he explains. "The first album feels like an Escher drawing, all these layers and you don't know where you're going at any point. The way the songs are written and produced on this one is much more direct. It's not trying to reinvent the wheel. It's straight, no chaser."10 In an interview, singer Ben Hudson was asked to describe the album: "My mission statement was to make a pop record, but not a throwaway pop record. My heroes are people like Bowie and Prince and Damon Albarn. I didn't want to do anything niche. Kanye threw down the gauntlet. He said, 'Let's see if we can make you a popstar'. I was like 'Let's have a go!'. It's a bit more widescreen, a bit more punchy, but the eclecticism of the first record's still there. There's a tune where I'm a cross between Deliverance and Sade". In the autumn of 2009 Mr Hudson supported Calvin Harris on his UK tour. Mr Hudson's headline tour to support the album Straight No Chaser was in October 2009. Before the year was out, Hudson made a featured appearance on Jay-Z's The Blueprint 3, the track, "Young Forever", was a reworking of Alphaville's 1984 song "Forever Young". In May 2010 Mr Hudson embarked on a sold out national UK tour, with supporting Jay Z in Birmingham & Manchester arena shows plus Isle of Wight & Wireless festivals. In 2010, Mr Hudson collaborated with British dubstep artist Caspa on the track "Love Never Dies (Back for the First Time)", which is a new version of a previous Caspa track known simply as "Back for the First Time". Rapper Nero appeared on the remix. On 29 July it was named by BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe as his Hottest Record in the World Today. 2011-present: BIGkidsedit: Mr Hudson featured on Jay-Z and Kanye West's album Watch the Throne, appearing on "Why I Love You". He has also worked on writing and producing tracks for Josh Kumra, "Hand Of Cards" for The Voice runner up Tyler James on his album A Place I Go and later on the UK top ten single "Charge" by Sway. 2011 & 2012 saw Mr Hudson write & collaborate with a range of different Artists and release an album with Rosie Oddie under the name BIGkids. The first single from their debut album Never Grow Up was "Heart Sing", released on 12 August 2012. The album was released 7 October 2012. So far in 2013 Mr Hudson has released a song via soundcloud "Fred Astaire". This was released in mid March. In a interview with Fender Mr Hudson says "he's got plans to release three albums over the next 18 months." Awardsedit: Q Awards 2009 Q awards - Best Breakthrougth Act - Won, , MOBO Awards 2009 Best UK Act - Nominated, Best Video "Supernova" - Nominated, , UMA Awards UK & France 2009 Best Collaboration ft Kanye West - "Supernova" - Nominated, Best Newcomer - Nominated, Best R&B Act - Nominated, , MOBO Awards 2010 Best Song "Playing with Fire" - Won,

Source: Wikipedia

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