Amaire Johnson
Birth placeChester, Pennsylvania, United States
Alma materMusicians Institute
Amaire Johnson
GenreR&B · soul · hip hop
LabelDon Life · FF to Def
OccupationSongwriter · producer · keyboardist · music director · instrumentalist
Backgroundperson

Amaire Johnson is an American producer, songwriter, music director, and multi-instrumentalist who primarily collaborates with rapper Big Sean, and is best known for co-writing and producing Big Sean singles "Moves", "Single Again", "Bounce Back", and "One Man Can Change the World".[1][2] Johnson has contributed to the following Big Sean projects in various capacities: Dark Sky Paradise (2015), Twenty88 (2016), I Decided (2017), Detroit (2019), Detroit II (2020), and Better Me Than You (2024).[3][4] Johnson has also contributed to projects from Schoolboy Q, Isaiah Rashad, Nipsey Hussle, and Jhené Aiko, among others.[3][5] In December 2024, XXL recognized his contribution to Ab-soul's studio album Soul Burger (album cut "Peace") as the "best produced track" on the project.[6]

Influenced by "Motown, early hip-hop, and neo-soul", Johnson is signed to Don Life, Big Sean's production company.[7][8] Johnson also acted as music director and/or performed keyboards alongside Ab-soul and Big Sean during their respective NPR Tiny Desk performances.[9][10]

Early career

Johnson started playing keyboards in church at 15 years old, and moved to Los Angeles in 2012 to attend the Musicians Institute. Upon graduation, he became a musician on the Maroon 5 and Kelly Clarkson-helmed 12th Annual Honda Civic Tour. He next joined Big Sean's touring band as a keyboardist.[11]

Selected songwriting and production credits

TitleYearArtistAlbum
"One Man Can Change the World" (featuring Kanye West & John Legend)2015Big SeanDark Sky Paradise
"On the Way"2016Twenty88Twenty88
"Memories Faded"
"Won’t Be the Same" (featuring Ayo the Producer)Westside BoogieThirst 48, Pt. II
"Sunroof" (featuring Dana Williams)
"Moments" (featuring Big Sean)2017Jhené AikoTrip
"OLLA (Only Lovers Left Alive)" (featuring Twenty88)
"You Are Here"
"Never Call Me" (featuring Kurupt)
"Overstimulated"
"Bad Trip (Interlude)"
"Oblivion (Creation)" (featuring Dr. Chill)
"Psilocybin (Love in Full Effect)" (featuring Dr. Chill)
"Intro"Big SeanI Decided
"Light" (featuring Jeremih)
"Bounce Back"
"Moves"
"Same Time Pt. 1" (featuring Twenty88)
"Owe Me"
"Halfway Off the Balcony"
"Voices in My Head / Stick to the Plan"
"Sunday Morning Jetpack" (featuring The-Dream)
"Inspire Me"
"Bigger Than Me" (featuring Flint Chozen Choir & Starrah)
"Victory Lap" (featuring Stacy Barthe)2018Nipsey HussleVictory Lap
"Million While You Young" (featuring The-Dream)
"The Recipe"2019SiRChasing Summer
"More Thoughts (2019)"Big SeanDetroit (Streaming Edition)
"Harder than My Demons"2020Detroit 2
"Everything That's Missing" (featuring Dwele)
"Don Life" (featuring Lil Wayne)
"Single Again"
"Wat U Sed" (featuring Doechii and Kal Banx)2021Isaiah RashadThe House Is Burning
"Bomb" (featuring Kari Faux)2022Black PartyHummingbird
"On Up"2024Big SeanBetter Me Than You
"Boundaries"
"Pop" (featuring Rico Nasty)Schoolboy QBlue Lips
"Pig Feet" (featuring Childish Major)
"Love Birds" (featuring Devin Malik & Lance Skiiiwalker)
"Peace" (featuring Lupe Fiasco & Punch)Ab-SoulSoul Burger
"Overqualified"2025Durand BernarrBloom
"Do I Look High?" (with Julian Sintonia)2026Isaiah RashadIt's Been Awful

Awards and nominations

YearCeremonyAwardResultRef
2018ASCAP Pop Music AwardsMost Performed Pop Songs ("Bounce Back")[12]
202668th Annual Grammy AwardsBest R&B Song ("Overqualified")[13][14]

References

  1. ^ "Debate Us: 34 Hip-Hop and R&B Hits We Loved In 2017". December 26, 2017. Archived July 5, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  2. ^ Jr, Keith Nelson. "Studio Sessions 124; Smash David talks Tory Lanez's freestyles & creative ways producers make more money". REVOLT. Archived March 26, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  3. ^ "Big Sean Shares New Song "Halfway Off the Balcony"". Complex. Archived December 8, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  4. ^ "Missing in Action: Our Favorite Artists Who Went Silent i...". Complex. Archived December 6, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  5. ^ Magazine, Visionary Artistry (September 14, 2020). "Amaire Johnson: Keyboards Open Doors". Archived May 7, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  6. ^ Coleman II, C. Vernon (December 27, 2024). "Kodak Black, NLE Choppa, Redman and More - New Hip-Hop Projects". XXL Mag. Archived December 27, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  7. ^ Cowie, Del (March 10, 2017). "My Mom Is The First Person I Rapped For". CBC. Archived March 26, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  8. ^ "That's 5 | Amaire Johnson - StockX Exclusive Profile". December 5, 2018. Archived May 17, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  9. ^ Carter, Bobby. "Ab-Soul: Tiny Desk Concert". NPR. Archived August 11, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  10. ^ Carter, Bobby. "Big Sean: Tiny Desk Concert". NPR. Archived June 24, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  11. ^ "Keyboard Magazine presents: Amaire Johnson (Big Sean)". YouTube. February 9, 2015.
  12. ^ "2018 ASCAP Pop Awards". Archived June 25, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  13. ^ "2026 GRAMMYS: See The Full Winners & Nominations List". The Recording Academy
  14. ^ "Amaire Johnson". The Recording Academy