Keith Harris releases solo debut studio album ft. Estelle, Jordin Sparks, FAARROW, Chief Wakil, Church Boi, and Tayler Green
After creating excitement in the music industry with the release of his two-track EP featuring ‘Get It’ and ‘Happy We Made It’ and subsequent singles ‘All I Want Is You’ feat. Estelle and ‘Footwerk’, multi-platinum producer and two-time Grammy award winner Keith Harris is finally revealing his highly anticipated solo debut studio album: The Keith Harris Experience Vol 1. Over the course of his career, Harris has collaborated with a number of world class superstars, including Madonna, The Black Eyed Peas, John Legend, Usher, and Mariah Carey to name a few; but now the iconic producer has his eyes set on a solo project that will redefine his musical career for the future.
Gazing upon his saturated portfolio, The Keith Harris Experience Vol 1 embodies just that -- a blend of genres he has refined to produce his own sound. Born in the birthplace of house music at the time of its peak, the Chicago-native has roots embedded in the city’s once-underground niche of house and footwork. Using his decades of experience, the multi-instrumentalist expertly infuses elements from pop, hip-hop, and dance music to develop a signature sound now stamped in his name.
Throughout the album, Harris collaborates with a number of renowned and aspiring artists, including UK superstar Estelle, American Idol winner Jordin Sparks, as well as newcomers FAARROW, Chief Wakil, Church Boi, and Tayler Green. Harris’ chemistry among the collaborators is apparent, leading to producing multiple tracks with each artist.
Previously released last month, ‘All I Want Is You’ was a sultry sneak peek of what to expect in the studio album -- Estelle and Church Boi combine alluring vocals with Harris’ gorgeous horn arrangements to create a groovy R&B, house-inspired track.
Joining Harris’ roster of collaborators, Jordin Sparks makes an appearance in two of the album’s tracks, ‘Radiating’ and ‘Solid Gold’. In both songs, Harris tailors his production to a more pop-heavy style. Fusing his catchy melodic beats with Sparks’ soaring vocals, the magic they produce is apparent in the heart wrenching finished product.
‘Happy We Made It’ with Somali sister duo FAARROW was released alongside ‘Get It’, which were the first tracks made public off Harris’ solo project. His collaboration with FAARROW is a heartfelt song pivoted into a more introspective territory, where the sisters use their own immigrant experience to color the track with a personal message of hope and uplift. On the other hand, ‘Get It’ gets into Harris’ upbeat style, initially starting off slow with deep bass guitar notes, but then suddenly erupting into a stripped-down sweatbox of a dance track inspired by Chicago’s underground footwork scene. Harris, Chief Wakil, and Church Boi take you on a musical journey, oozing sexy and seductive with a deep and dirty twist. Using his unmatched talent to blend many instruments together in the track, including the piano, saxophone, as well as his iconic drumming, ‘Get It’ is one of Harris’ tell-tale exemplary tracks showcasing his multi-instrumental ability.
In a number of tracks, Harris collaborates with ambitious artists Chief Wakil, Taylor Green, and Church Boi, including the opening track on the EP. ‘Push Through It’ starts the album off strong with commanding vocals and hard hitting beats -- there’s something about these collaborator’s synergy that catches your attention immediately, which is also apparent in their club-stopper song ‘Like Whoa’. Lastly, these same four acts worked together on ‘Footwerk’ -- inspired by the footwork scene itself, the track grasps onto a faster and groovier vibe.
Overall, The Keith Harris Experience Vol 1 isn’t just a cohesive musical masterpiece, but also Harris’ own personal musical story for an eager audience. Throughout the album’s entirety, you can distinguish a signature upbeat, groovy sound that Keith Harris himself has made his own. Marked as the prolific producer’s debut solo studio album, the finished product has fans and colleagues alike hungry for what’s to come next.
About Keith Harris
An acclaimed 2-time Grammy-winning producer and songwriter, Keith Harris has collaborated with a who’s who of today’s pop and R&B superstars including Black Eyed Peas, Madonna, John Legend, Usher, Fifth Harmony, Nicki Minaj, Mary J. Blige, Kelis, Macy Gray, Mariah Carey and more.
Born and raised on Chicago's South Side, Harris began his career playing with the city's New Friendship Baptist Church gospel choir. After graduating from Berklee School of Music, Harris became one of the most in-demand session drummers in the business. Named "the hottest drummer in hip-hop” by Drum! Magazine, Harris also received coverage in Rolling Stone and Vibe.
In 2020, Harris had the unique distinction of hitting the Billboard Top 10 producers chart in both the dance/electronic and Latin categories. He also had a hand in producing and writing The Black Eyed Peas biggest hit ‘Ritmo (Bad Boys For Life)’ featuring J. Balvin, with over half a billion streams.