Items19The creator’s order
  1. 1BeyoncéBeyoncéBorn 4 Sept 1981Parkwood gave Beyoncé an organisation through which music, film and performance could be developed together. Black Is King makes that structure visible: co-director Kwasi Fordjour brought years of work within her team to a production involving many other artists and specialists. Start with his…0i
  2. 2Lady GagaLady GagaBorn 28 Mar 1986The Haus of Gaga made the creative team part of the artist's public identity. Nicola Formichetti's fashion direction, Sarah Tanno's make-up and Frederic Aspiras's hair work offer identifiable contributions to a visual language that extends beyond any one outfit. Their collaborations also changed…0i
  3. 3Taylor SwiftTaylor SwiftBorn 13 Dec 1989Folklore offers an unusually clear view of Swift choosing a small creative circle for a change of musical scale. Aaron Dessner joined the established partnership with Jack Antonoff, bringing instrumental ideas that prompted new songs during remote collaboration. The Long Pond Studio Sessions then…0i
  4. 4Billie EilishBillie EilishBorn 18 Dec 2001Eilish and Finneas show how a creative team can remain small without remaining static. Their long-running songwriting and production partnership developed new ways of working as her confidence and technical involvement grew. For Hit Me Hard and Soft, learning to assemble her own vocal takes gave…0i
  5. 5LordeLordeBorn 7 Nov 1996Lorde's work with Jim-E Stack on Virgin demonstrates that building a team can involve changing its centre. Their accounts of the sessions describe a productive exchange around rhythm, texture and emotional directness, with Stack's production helping give the songs a different physical character.…0i
  6. 6Charli XCXCharli XCXBorn 2 Aug 1992Charli's partnership with A. G. Cook helped turn adventurous production into a sustained pop language. His role has included creative direction as well as musical collaboration, while the wider circle brought other distinctive talents into the work. Start with their accounts of making records…0i
  7. 7RobynRobynBorn 12 Jun 1979Founding Konichiwa Records gave Robyn a practical framework for shaping how her music was made and released. She brought trusted people from her earlier career into the organisation, while collaborators such as Klas Åhlund helped define its musical possibilities. Her interviews are especially…0i
  8. 8Janelle MonáeJanelle MonáeBorn 1 Dec 1985Wondaland placed Monáe within a creative community whose contribution extended beyond backing a solo performer. Chuck Lightning and Nate Wonder helped develop music and imagery, while the collective provided a setting for the elaborate fictional worlds around the records. Start with Monáe's account…0i
  9. 9David BowieDavid BowieBorn 8 Jan 1947Bowie's reinventions were supported by carefully chosen combinations of musicians and studio collaborators. On Heroes, Tony Visconti's production work and Brian Eno's treatments sat alongside the rhythm section of Carlos Alomar, George Murray and Dennis Davis, with Robert Fripp adding another…0i
  10. 10Prince (musician)Prince (musician)Born 7 Jun 1958The Revolution complicates the image of Prince as a completely solitary creator. Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman's accounts describe musical exchange, experimentation and contributions that deserve to be heard as more than support for a famous bandleader. Start with the records from that period and…0i