Greg Kurstin

Greg Kurstin
Name	Greg Kurstin
Birth name	Gregory Allen Kurstin
Birth date	1969
Birth place	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Record producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer
Years active	1980s–present
Associated acts	Beck, Sia, Adele, Foo Fighters, Paul McCartney, Pink, Kelly Clarkson

Greg Kurstin is an American record producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer known for his work with mainstream and alternative artists across pop, rock, and electronic music. He has produced and co-written chart-topping songs and albums for a wide range of musicians and has received multiple industry awards. Kurstin's career spans studio collaborations, solo instrumental releases, and high-profile live performances.

Early life and education

Kurstin was born in Los Angeles and grew up in a milieu influenced by the Los Angeles music scene, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Hollywood Bowl, and studio work around Sunset Strip. He studied piano and composition and was exposed to jazz clubs like the Knitting Factory, venues such as the Troubadour and the Roxy Theatre, and conservatory environments similar to the Curtis Institute of Music and the Juilliard School. Early mentors and local teachers pointed him toward scenes centered on musicians associated with Motown, Pacific Jazz, Blue Note, Columbia Records, and Verve Records.

Career

Kurstin's early career included work in the Los Angeles underground and collaborations with artists connected to labels such as Geffen Records, Capitol Records, and Island Records. He became known for session work on projects linked to producers affiliated with Atlantic Records, RCA Records, and Columbia Records, and played live and studio gigs with musicians who later worked with Warner Bros. Records and Universal Music Group artists. Over time Kurstin built partnerships with high-profile artists connected to venues like Madison Square Garden, Wembley Stadium, and the Royal Albert Hall, and with industry figures associated with the Grammy Awards, the BRIT Awards, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Songwriting and production work

Kurstin has co-written and produced songs for a diverse group of performers connected to major releases on labels such as Epic Records, Sony Music, and Def Jam Recordings. Collaborators include artists signed to Columbia, RCA, and Atlantic such as Adele, Sia, Kelly Clarkson, Pink, Foo Fighters, and Beck, and songwriters and producers who have worked with acts like Rihanna, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Paul McCartney. His production credits span albums and singles that charted on the Billboard Hot 100, the UK Singles Chart, and the ARIA Charts, and have been nominated for or won awards from the Recording Academy, the American Music Awards, and the Ivor Novello Awards.

Solo projects and releases

In addition to his production career, Kurstin has released solo instrumental and collaborative records, working with labels and distribution channels associated with independent outlets and major distributors. His solo releases connect to a lineage of instrumentalists and composers who have recorded for labels like Nonesuch Records, ECM Records, and Warp Records, and parallel artists who released experimental and ambient works under Touch, Sub Pop, and 4AD. Live appearances for his solo work have been staged in festivals and venues such as Coachella, Glastonbury, SXSW, and NPR-hosted sessions.

Awards and recognition

Kurstin's work has been recognized by major institutions including the Recording Academy, the BRIT Awards, the Grammy Awards, the Ivor Novello Awards, and industry bodies tied to ASCAP and BMI. He has contributed to albums and singles that have won Grammy Awards, BRIT Awards, ARIA Awards, and been shortlisted for awards associated with the Mercury Prize and the Academy Awards. Publications and outlets like Rolling Stone, Billboard, The New York Times, The Guardian, and Pitchfork have profiled artists he collaborated with and have documented chart achievements on the Billboard 200 and the Official Albums Chart.

Musical style and influences

Kurstin's production and songwriting reflect influences drawn from a broad array of artists and traditions connected to labels and scenes including Blue Note, Motown, Stax Records, Atlantic Records, and the British Invasion. His style synthesizes elements associated with artists from the Beatles and Paul McCartney to modern producers linked to Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, Mark Ronson, and Nigel Godrich, and songwriters comparable to Burt Bacharach, Carole King, and Brian Wilson. Instrumental approaches on his records evoke traditions tied to jazz pianists of the Blue Note era, electronic innovators on Warp Records, and studio auteurs associated with Abbey Road Studios, Olympic Studios, and Sunset Sound.

Personal life

Kurstin maintains a private personal life while living and working between Los Angeles and other recording centers linked to New York City, London, and Nashville. His professional network includes musicians, engineers, arrangers, and executives connected to record labels such as Columbia, Island, Capitol, and Atlantic, and he participates in industry events at venues such as the Dolby Theatre, Royal Albert Hall, and the Grammy Museum.

Category:American record producers Category:American songwriters Category:Musicians from Los Angeles