Michael Wyckoff Explained

Michael Wyckoff
Background:non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth Name:Michael Everett Wyckoff
Alias:R!OT
Birth Date:5 March 1994
Origin:Los Angeles, California, United States

Michael Everett Wyckoff (born March 5, 1994) is an American film composer, record producer, and pianist. He is also known by his stage name R!OT. Among his credits are Boneworks,[1] Bonelab, Pitch Perfect 3, and Over the Moon.

Life and career

Wyckoff was born and grew up in the Los Angeles community of Van Nuys. He began taking piano lessons at the age of 4. Wyckoff attended California State University Northridge for Film Scoring.

In 2012, Wyckoff started his R!OT project by launching the youtube channel "riotedm",[2] and began uploading original music and remixes performed on the Novation Launchpad. His videos gained popularity,[3] giving him over 300,000 subscribers as of 2020. In 2014, his unofficial remix of Animals by Martin Garrix went viral and gained over 75 million views across various online platforms.

In 2013, Wyckoff met Brandon Laatsch. Wyckoff scored various films for Laatsch, and in 2016 Laatsch formed the video game company "Stress Level Zero" alongside Alex Knoll. Wyckoff was brought on as their composer[4] to write the soundtracks for Hover Junkers (2016), Duck Season (2017), Boneworks (2019), And Bonelab with Jonathan LaMarche. Boneworks received high sales and acclaim, becoming the highest selling VR game at that date.[5]

In 2013, Wyckoff was introduced to Christina Grimmie through a mutual friend, Jonathan LaMarche, and joined her touring band; he contributed keyboards so that Christina, a known pianist, could focus on singing and interacting with the crowd. In 2014, his song with Miles Pinto, "Rinse It", was featured in the film Moms' Night Out.[6] In 2015 he was asked by Toyota to create original music using only sounds recorded at their production facilities for their Gifony campaign. In 2016, Wyckoff produced the official remix of Fool's Gold by Aaron Carter, as well as Sit Still Look Pretty by Daya.[7] The R!OT remix of Sit Still, Look Pretty was featured in the New York Times.[8] R!OT was also asked to remix Keiynan Lonsdale's "Higher", Dirty South's "All of Us", and Jayceeoh's "Elevate".

In 2016, R!OT performed at Entertainment Weekly's Popfest.[9] In 2017 Wyckoff produced official remixes for both Aaron Carter's Sooner Or Later[10] on Sony Records and Christina Grimmie's Invisible on Republic records.

In 2017, Wyckoff was signed by Harvey Mason Jr. as a producer, and joined Mason's team in Korea to co-produce various Kpop tracks. Wyckoff, along with Mason and his team, wrote "Diamond" by EXO which peaked at no. 1 on billboard, was no 1. on iTunes in 51 countries and sold over 2 million physical copies,[11] "Vroom Vroom" by EXO-CBX which peaked at no. 2 on billboard and no.1 on itunes in 36 countries,[12] "Butterflies" by Red Velvet which peaked at no. 1 on billboard,[13] and "Hands on Me" which was featured on the tv show Produce 101.[14] He also contributed music to Pitch Perfect 3 as well as programmed the Launchpad light sequences for all of Anna Kendrick's Launchpad scenes in the film. Wyckoff also contributed music to the films All Rise, Valley Girl and Over The Moon.

In 2018, Wyckoff composed the score for the Brian Skiba film, Chokehold. In 2018 Wyckoff produced "New Heroes" by Ten with Jon Asher and Shawn Hook, which peaked on Billboard at no. 4,[15] and "Honest" by Key with Jon Asher and Dylan Bernard, which peaked on Billboard at no. 9.[16] Also In 2018, his Launchpad work as R!OT was featured in the documentary Pad Culture alongside other electronic artists Madeon, M4SONIC, Nev, Exige, and Kaskobi.[17] In 2018 he released his collaboration with DMC world champion Yuto, "Inari", on Oyotodayo Records. Inari was featured in the Survios game "Electronauts".

In 2019, he scored the film Morok. His self titled track "R!OT" was featured in Season 1, episode 2 of Whiskey Cavalier. Also in 2019 his R!OT project was signed to Harvey Mason Jr.'s label Hundredup. His first EP under the label, "Hopeless", featured Jake Barker and Paula DeAnda.[18] In 2020 he co-scored the Bruce Willis film Hard Kill with Rhyan D'Errico and Jared Forman.[19] He also produced the Tao single "Ice Cream" with Ryan Yoo and Fei Yu. He co-produced Christina Grimmie's posthumous single "Cry Wolf" with Marcus Grimmie and Jonathan LaMarche.[20]

In 2022 he wrote the music for Bonelab.

Discography

Production credits

YearSongArtist
2017DiamondEXO
2018HonestKey
2018ButterfliesRed Velvet
2018Vroom VroomEXO-CBX
2018Hands On MeProduce 101
2020Ice CreamTao
2022Rainbow HaloRed Velvet

Film credits

YearTitleDirectorStudio(s)
2014Moms' Night OutThe Erwin BrothersAffirm Films
2017Pitch Perfect 3Trish SieUniversal Pictures
2017ChokeholdBrian SkibaFilmpool
2018All RiseAnthony MandlerEntertainment Studios
2020MorokDaria Nazarova
2020Over The MoonGlen KeaneNetflix
2020Valley GirlRachel Lee GoldenbergLionsgate Films
2020Hard KillMatt EskandariEmmett/Furla Oasis

Video games

YearTitleDeveloperNotes
2016Hover JunkersStress Level ZeroComposer
2017Duck SeasonStress Level ZeroComposer
2019ElectronautsSurviosLicensed "Inari"
2019BoneworksStress Level ZeroComposer
2021Deemo IIRayarkComposer
2022ThymesiaOverBorder StudiosComposer
2022BonelabStress Level Zerocomposer

Selected R!OT Discography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Boneworks Review . December 15, 2019 . IGN.
  2. Web site: Feel Those Pre-Summer Vibes with May's New Releases [Playlist]]. D. J.. Liz. EDM.com - The Latest Electronic Dance Music News, Reviews & Artists. June 2020 .
  3. Web site: Melodics artists . Melodics.
  4. Web site: Boneworks Now on Oculus Rift Platform. VRGear. Staff. February 21, 2020.
  5. Web site: 'Boneworks' Outpaces 'Beat Saber' to 100K Units, Earns an Estimated $3M in First Week. Ben. Lang. December 30, 2019.
  6. Web site: Music from Moms' Night Out. Tunefind.
  7. Web site: Daya - Sit Still, Look Pretty (R!OT Remix). October 4, 2016.
  8. News: Sure, Daya Wants to Visit the Club. But She Doesn't Want to Live There. (Published 2016). Jon. Caramanica. The New York Times. October 21, 2016.
  9. Web site: EW PopFest: See the Photos. EW.com.
  10. Web site: Sooner Or Later - R!OT Remix. June 2, 2017. open.spotify.com.
  11. Exo. Billboard.
  12. Exo-CBX. Billboard.
  13. Red Velvet's 'RBB' Earns Group's Biggest U.S. Album Sales Week, First No. 1 on World Digital Song Sales. Billboard.
  14. Web site: Produce 101 – Hands on Me. genius.com.
  15. World Digital Song Sales Chart. Billboard.
  16. KEY!. Billboard.
  17. Web site: Pad Culture | Novation. novationmusic.com.
  18. Web site: Hopeless. February 14, 2020. open.spotify.com.
  19. Web site: The top 9 movies on Netflix this week, from 'The Christmas Chronicles 2' to 'Hard Kill'. Travis. Clark. Business Insider.
  20. Web site: Christina Grimmie's Family Announces Release Date For Anticipated Single 'Cry Wolf'. Access. August 14, 2020 .
  21. Web site: R!OT & Patrick John Lu take it back to the 80s for "Wake Up to the Music". Tayo. Odutola. December 2, 2017. EARMILK.
  22. Web site: R!OT x Jake Barker 'Right Now' : Vibrant pop tune can't but get you up and dancing.. August 3, 2020.