The Swaggernautz Explained

The Swaggernautz[1] [2] [3] is a songwriting and production duo based in Los Angeles, composed of Singaporean songwriter-producer Tat Tong and American Idol Season 10 alumnus Jovany Javier. Their combined discography has gone 60× platinum, with over 20 #1 hits out of over 60 Top 20 hits worldwide.[4]

Early life and history

As a child in Singapore, Tong studied piano and composition at Yamaha Music Foundation.[5] In 2001, he accepted a scholarship from the Singapore Armed Forces to study Computer Science at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, and following that, worked in the Republic of Singapore Navy for 6 years before transitioning to a full-time music career in 2011.[6]

Growing up in Harvey, Louisiana,[7] Javier worked as a shipbuilder[8] before auditioning for American Idol Season 10 in 2011.[9] After finishing in the Top 12 male finalists,[10] he proceeded to perform at 27 military installations in 12 countries on an Armed Forces Entertainment World Tour,[11] with stops including Japan,[12] Korea,[13] Guam,[14] Australia, and Hawaii.[15]

Tong and Javier started collaborating as The Swaggernautz in 2013.[16]

Current career

Since its inception, the duo has had releases with artists across North America, Central/South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, including Luis Fonsi, Demi Lovato, Troye Sivan, Monsta X, Kaskade, CNCO, Sebastian Yatra, Juanes, CD9, Alvaro Soler, Aitana, ShiNEE, JJ Lin, Vanness Wu, and Wang Lee Hom.[17] [18]

In the Latin music space, they co-produced and co-wrote the Mandarin remix of "Despacito" by Luis Fonsi featuring JJ Lin.[19] [20] [21] [22] [23] They also co-wrote "Apaga La Luz"[24] from Fonsi's 2019 album "Vida" which was nominated for Best Latin Pop Album in the 62nd Grammy Awards,[25] reached #1 on Billboard's US Top Latin Albums and US Latin Pop Albums, #18 on the Billboard 200, and was certified 22× platinum in the United States.[26] [27] They co-wrote and co-produced "Estoy Enamorado De Ti"[28] from CNCO's self-titled 2018 album which reached #1 on Billboard's US Top Latin Albums, #33 on the Billboard 200, and was certified platinum in the United States.[29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34]

Their US discography includes Troye Sivan's debut single "Happy Little Pill"[35] from his 2014 TRXYE album and 2015 Blue Neighborhood album, which were certified Gold in Australia,[36] Gold in the United States,[37] charted at #1 on iTunes in 66 countries,[38] and reached #5 on the Billboard 200 chart.[39] They also co-wrote American DJ Elephante's single "Age Of Innocence" featuring Trouze and Damon Sharpe which charted at #18 on the Billboard Dance charts.[40]

Besides producing and writing music, the duo also speaks at and cohosts the Gamechangers Music Seminar series, with events in the United States, Spain, and Singapore.[41] [42] [43]

Partial Discography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wapea fusiona sus ritmos y culturas. Orozco. Gisela. chicagotribune.com. 2019-12-16.
  2. Web site: Little Red Book: Home-grown passions taken beyond borders. 2017-09-20. The Straits Times. en. 2019-12-16.
  3. Web site: WAPEA, el dúo que fusiona culturas y lo refleja en su música. Villegas. Ginayra Alvarado. orlandosentinel.com. 2019-12-16.
  4. News: Playing to a global beat. Tan. Dylan. July 1, 2016. The Business Times. Singapore Press Holdings.
  5. Web site: S'porean Navy scholar with computer science degree makes mark in international pop music and EDM. Tan. Jeanette. Mothership.sg. Mothership.sg.
  6. News: Local music producer-songwriter Tat Tong and DJ Declan Ee find success in US. Mathews. Kevin. February 26, 2016. TODAYOnline. Singapore Press Holdings.
  7. Web site: Even Idols Have Heroes. Bouton. Amy. Jefferson Life. Issuu. 4 February 2017.
  8. News: American Idol: Season 10 - Steven Tyler's delightful bleeps; Brett Loewenstern learns to love himself.. Meizel. Katherine. 21 January 2011. Slate. 4 February 2017.
  9. Web site: Jovany Javier. IMDb. 11 February 2017.
  10. Web site: 'American Idol': The Top 12 Guys. Caramanica. Jon. 2011-03-02. ArtsBeat. en-US. 2019-07-30.
  11. Web site: Jovany Barreto. BandsInTown.com. 4 February 2017.
  12. News: 'American Idol' singers delight Yokota audience. Okubo. Grant. 11 August 2011. Stars and Stripes. 4 February 2017.
  13. News: Idols to bring bit of home to ROK. Hurwitz. David. 1 August 2012. Stripes Korea. 4 February 2017. Stars and Stripes.
  14. News: American Idol World Tour For U.S. Armed Forces Ends On Guam. 27 August 2012. Pacific News Center News First. 4 February 2017.
  15. News: American Idols make a stopover at joint base April 15. 21 April 2012. Ho'okele: Pearl Harbor-Hickham News. 4 February 2017.
  16. Web site: Songwriting 101 with The Swaggernautz. MIC at UCLA. en-US. 2019-07-29.
  17. Web site: Repertoire Search. . BMI.com. BMI.com.
  18. Web site: Wapea, el dúo multicultural que busca su inspiración en la diversidad. www.laconexionusa.com. en. 2019-07-30.
  19. News: Luis Fonsi and JJ Lin Team Up for 'Despacito' In Mandarin and Spanish: Exclusive. Fonseca. Selma. November 20, 2017. Billboard.
  20. Web site: Listen to Luis Fonsi's 'Despacito' Spanish-Mandarin Version with JJ Lin. Billboard. 2019-12-16.
  21. Web site: Dance hit 'Despacito' now remixed as a Mandarin-Spanish song. The Jakarta Post. en. 2019-12-16.
  22. Web site: 林俊傑與馮西合作推出洗腦神曲《Despacito》中文版《緩緩》正式上線. 台灣英文新聞. 台灣英文新聞. 2019-12-16.
  23. Web site: Luis Fonsi canta 'Despacito' em mandarim. Comercial. Rádio. Rádio Comercial. pt. 2019-12-16.
  24. Web site: Apaga la Luz - Luis Fonsi Song Info. AllMusic. en-us. 2019-07-30.
  25. Web site: Luis Fonsi. 2019-11-26. GRAMMY.com. en. 2019-12-15.
  26. Web site: Gold & Platinum. RIAA. en-US. 2019-07-30.
  27. Web site: Luis Fonsi Chart History. Billboard. 2019-07-30.
  28. Web site: Estoy Enamorado De Ti - CNCO Song Info. AllMusic. en-us. 2019-07-30.
  29. Web site: CNCO Chart History. Billboard. 2019-07-30.
  30. Web site: Gold & Platinum. RIAA. en-US. 2019-07-30.
  31. Web site: CNCO compone nuevo álbum. Diario La Prensa. es-HN. 2019-12-16.
  32. Web site: CNCO estreia novo álbum. Tecnólogicas. Data Page-Soluções. 2018-04-07. DM Online. pt-BR. 2019-12-16.
  33. Web site: CNCO lanza hoy su nuevo álbum a nivel mundial. Ecuador. Metro. Metro Ecuador. es. 2019-12-16.
  34. Web site: CNCO e Luan Santana anunciam lançamento de Mamita. Brasil. Redação LatinPop. 2018-03-22. LatinPop Brasil. pt-BR. 2019-12-16.
  35. Web site: Troye Sivan's Debut Single Is Composed By A Singaporean. Malinda-White. Kyle. PopSpoken. PopSpoken.
  36. Web site: ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2014 Singles. ARIA. Australia Recording Industry Association.
  37. Web site: Gold & Platinum. RIAA. en-US. 2019-07-29.
  38. Web site: Troye Sivan Shoots To #1 On iTunes (In 55 Countries!) With Debut EP, 'TRXYE'. Stern. Bradley. Idolator.com. Idolator.
  39. Web site: Troye Sivan's 'Youth' soars into Top 40. Benjamin. Jeff. FUSE. fuse.tv.
  40. News: Making the Cut. Tan. Dylan. December 4, 2015. The Business Times. Singapore Press Holdings.
  41. Web site: BMI Writers Talk Business at Gamechangers Music Seminar in Beverly Hills. . BMI. BMI.
  42. Web site: Could Singapore be the new Sweden of pop songwriting?. 2015-12-24. Could Singapore be the new Sweden of pop songwriting? Editorial Bandwagon - Live music, bands and concert guide for Singapore, Manila and Jakarta. en. 2019-07-30.
  43. Web site: The Embassy Commemorates World Intellectual Property Day Through Music. 2019-05-31. U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Spain and Andorra. en-US. 2019-07-30.
  44. Web site: "行走的CD"再上线 林俊杰携JFJ团队亮相《天生是优我》 _音乐要闻_娱乐频道. ent.rednet.cn. 2019-12-16.
  45. Web site: Kings For A Day. KKBox.com. KKBox. 4 February 2017.
  46. Web site: CD9 cantará en Boca del Río, Veracruz, como parte de "Evolution Tour". Notimex. 2016-08-03. HoyTamaulipas. spanish. 2019-12-16.
  47. Web site: ¡CD9 el fenómeno!. México. LOS40. 2016-04-11. LOS40MX. es. 2019-12-16.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "The Swaggernautz".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.