Oak Felder Explained

Warren "Oak" Felder
Birth Name:Warren Felder III
Birth Date:9 November 1980
Birth Place:Istanbul, Turkey
Origin:Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Years Active:2005-present
Current Member Of:Pop & Oak

Warren "Oak" Felder (born November 9, 1980)[1] is a Turkish songwriter and record producer based in Atlanta and Los Angeles. He is known for his work as part of the production duo Pop & Oak, and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2015.

Early life

Felder was born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey.[1] [2] He studied network technologies and artificial intelligence at Istanbul Technical University,[3] and then moved to the United States in 2001 to attend Georgia Tech.[1] [4] His nickname comes from his Turkish name, Okay.[5]

Career

While at Georgia Tech, Felder recorded a demo with the singer/songwriter Sterling Simms, which led to a meeting with L.A. Reid and resulted in Felder writing and producing a track on a Mariah Carey album in 2005.[1]

Around 2009, Felder became production partners with Pop Wansel as the production duo Pop & Oak.[6] Their first big hit was "Your Love", the lead single on Nicki Minaj's 2010 debut studio album Pink Friday.[1] [2] Other notable songs they have written and produced include six tracks on Elle Varner's 2012 album Perfectly Imperfect, including the singles "Only Wanna Give It to You" and "I Don't Care";[6] nine songs on Kehlani's debut album SweetSexySavage;[1] and six tracks on Alessia Cara's 2015 debut album Know-It-All, including the singles "Here" and "Scars to Your Beautiful",[7] which both went to number 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 charts.[8] Felder was nominated for a 2015 Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for writing Usher's single "Good Kisser";[9] [10] produced two songs on the Alicia Keys album Girl on Fire, which won the 2014 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album;[11] wrote and produced "Invincible", the lead single from Kelly Clarkson's 2015 album Piece by Piece;[11] wrote and produced "Clumsy", the second single from the 2016 Britney Spears album Glory;[7] and wrote and produced five tracks on Demi Lovato's 2017 album Tell Me You Love Me, including the lead single "Sorry Not Sorry",[1] [12] winning a 2019 BMI Pop Award for the single.[13] He has also written and produced songs for artists including Trey Songz, Rihanna, Miguel, Kehlani, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Lopez, Mario, Tamia, ZZ Ward, and Sabrina Carpenter.[2] [7] [11] [5] [14] He was named as a top producer by BMI in 2012 and 2013,[15] [16] and won a 2017 BMI Pop Award for co-writing Alessia Cara's "Here",[17] and a 2018 BMI Pop Award for co-writing her single "Scars to Your Beautiful".[18] He also wrote and produced three tracks on Lizzo's 2019 major label debut Cuz I Love You,[19] wrote and produced the top 40 single "Who Do You Love" by The Chainsmokers featuring 5 Seconds of Summer, and is working on new music with Kehlani, Demi Lovato, and Alessia Cara in 2019.[20]

Felder is published by Reservoir, and managed by Lucas Keller and Peter Coquillard at Milk & Honey.[21] [22] He is on the board of directors of the Mechanical Licensing Collective, which works to increase the royalty money from streaming companies to songwriters.[20]

Personal life

Felder is married and lives in Atlanta, Georgia, and has a studio in Los Angeles, California.[11]

Awards

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2015Grammy AwardBest R&B Song"Good Kisser" by Usher
2017BMI Pop AwardSongs"Here" by Alessia Cara
2018BMI Pop AwardSongs"Scars to Your Beautiful" by Alessia Cara
2018BMI Pop AwardSongs"Sorry Not Sorry" by Demi Lovato
2022Children's and Family EmmysOutstanding Short Form ProgramWe the People

Discography

Writing and producing credits

Song Year Artist Album Songwriter Producer
"Ain't No Way (You Won't Love Me)"2005Chris BrownChris Brown
"Ain't Enough"20063LWPoint of No Return
"Hurry Up"2007Che'NelleThings Happen for a Reason
"Lookin'"
"Kryptonite"
MarioGo
"Why"
"Mile In These Shoes"Jennifer LopezBrave
"Betcha Never Had"J. HolidayBack of My Lac'
"Superhuman"
2008Chris Brown
"Single"Sterling SimmsYours, Mine & The Truth
"Jump Off"
"Sex In the City"
"Chilosa"Prima JPrima J
"I Can Change Your Life"LloydLessons in Love
"90's Baby"Karina PasianFirst Love
"Show Off"2009GinuwineA Man's Thoughts
"Open the Door"
"Orchestra"
"Hot Mess"Ashley TisdaleGuilty Pleasure
"Hair"
"Robot Love"Allison IrahetaJust Like You
"Your Love"2010Nicki MinajPink Friday
"Save Me"
"Unusual"
Trey SongzPassion, Pain & Pleasure
"Collard Greens & Cornbread"FantasiaBack to Me
"Hands Tied"Toni BraxtonPulse
"Top Floor"2011Wiz KhalifaRolling Papers
"Marvin & Chardonnay"
Big SeanFinally Famous
"Rainbow"Jessie JWho You Are
"I Need This"
"Only Wanna Give It to You"
2012Elle VarnerPerfectly Imperfect
"Sound Proof Room"
"I Don't Care"
"Not Tonight"
"Leaf"
"So Fly"
"Right By My Side"
Nicki Minaj
"Fire Burns"
"Use Me"MiguelKaleidoscope Dream
"Where's the Fun in Forever"
"Fire We Make"
Alicia KeysGirl on Fire
"Limitedless"
"Numb"
RihannaUnapologetic
"Bassline"Chris BrownFortune
"Wanted"2013Tiwa SavageOnce Upon a Time
"Written All Over Your Face"
"Without My Heart"
"V.S.O.P."K. MichelleRebellious Soul
"Allie Jones"Mayer HawthorneWhere Does This Door Go
"Her Favorite Song"
"Crime"
"Corsican Rose"
"The Crying Game"
2014Nicki MinajThe Pinkprint
"Good Kisser"UsherHard II Love (Japanese edition)
"Going Under"K. MichelleAnybody Wanna Buy a Heart?
"Something About the Night"
"Drake Would Love Me"
"Chasing Time"Azealia BanksBroke With Expensive Taste
"Break Your Heart Right Back"
Ariana GrandeMy Everything
"Seal Me With a Kiss"
Jessie JSweet Talker
"Wonderful"Mary J. BligeThink Like a Man Too (OST)
"Seventeen"2015Alessia CaraKnow-It-All
"Here"
"Outlaws"
"I'm Yours"
"Overdose"
"Scars to Your Beautiful"
"Deal"MiguelWildheart
"What's Normal Anyway"
"Leaves"
"Invincible"Kelly ClarksonPiece by Piece
"Alone In Your Heart"MonicaCode Red
"Trade Hearts"
Jason DeruloEverything Is 4
"Love Falls Over Me"TamiaLove Life
"Sandwich and a Soda"
"Clumsy"2016Britney SpearsGlory
"Counterfeit"Jordan FisherJordan Fisher
"Sleep Like a Baby"K. MichelleMore Issues Than Vogue
"Yes Girl"Bea Miller
"How Far I'll Go"Alessia CaraMoana OST
"Distraction"2017KehlaniSweetSexySavage
"Piece of Mind"
"Not Used to It"
"Everything Is Yours"
"Advice"
"Escape"
"In My Feelings"
"Hold Me By the Heart"
"Thank You"
"Sorry Not Sorry"Demi LovatoTell Me You Love Me
"Sexy Dirty Love"
"Daddy Issues"
"Only Forever"
"Games"
"The Deep"
ZZ Ward
"Ghost"The Storm
"Let It Burn"
"Hold On"
"Burning Bridges"Bea Miller
"Warmer"
"To the Grave"
"Either Way"
Snakehips with Anne-Marie
"Out of Your Mind"
2018The PresetsHi Viz
"I Don't Lack Imagination"E^STLife Ain't Always Roses
"Stop Myself (Only Human)"Calum ScottOnly Human
"I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues"Alessia Cara
"Growing Pains"The Pains of Growing
"7 Days"
"Trust My Lonely"
"All We Know"
"Easier Said"
"Sue Me"Sabrina Carpenter
"Coming to My Senses"Alina BarazThe Color of You
"I Don't Even Know Why Though"
"Who Do You Love"
2019The ChainsmokersWorld War Joy
"Like A Girl"LizzoCuz I Love You
"Soulmate"
"Better In Color"
"FML"MabelHigh Expectations
"Just a Boy"Olivia O'BrienWas It Even Real?
"Pushing 20"Sabrina Carpenter
"Take Off All Your Cool"
"Sunday"Jessica MauboyHilda
"Birthday"2020Anne-MarieTherapy (Japanese Edition)
"I Love Me"Demi Lovato
"Ting Ting Ting"
ItzyIt'z Me
"Change Your Life"
KehlaniIt Was Good Until It Wasn't
"This Is What They Say"Carly Rae JepsenDedicated Side B
"Ooh Laa"John LegendBigger Love
"Actions"
"Favorite Place"
"Blossom"Azealia Banks
"The Art of Starting Over"2021Demi LovatoDancing with the Devil... the Art of Starting Over
"Lonely People"
"Melon Cake"
"The Kind of Lover I Am"
"15 Minutes"
"My Girlfriends Are My Boyfriend"
"California Sober"
"Good Place"
"Starting Now"BrandyDisney Princess Remixed — An Ultimate Princess Celebration
"FREAK" (Feat. Yungblud)2022Demi LovatoHoly Fvck
"SKIN OF MY TEETH"
"SUBSTANCE"
"EAT ME" (featuring Royal & the Serpent
"HOLY FVCK"
"29"
"HAPPY ENDING"
"HEAVEN"
"CITY OF ANGELS"
"BONES"
"WASTED"
"COME TOGETHER"
"DEAD FRIENDS"
"HELP ME" (featuring Dead Sara)
"FEED"
"4 EVER 4 ME"
You Only Love Me2023Rita OraYou & I

Notes and References

  1. Dale Kawashima, "Interview with Oak Felder, Hit Writer/Producer for Alessia Cara, Demi Lovato, Nicki Minaj And Other Artists," Songwriter Universe, September 7, 2017.
  2. DeVon Hyman, "Pop and Oak – Get Familiar With the Production Duo," Parle, April 29, 2012.
  3. News: GRAMMY-Nominated Oak Felder Gets and Gives Advice . BMI.com . July 19, 2018.
  4. News: Producers: A Q&A with Oak Felder . American Songwriter . June 18, 2018.
  5. News: How 'Oak' Felder Quietly Became One of R&B's Most Important Producers . Rolling Stone . October 17, 2018.
  6. https://singersroom.com/content/2012-02-01/producer-duo-pop-and-oak-talk-sparkle-elle-varner-and-alicia-keys/#ixzz1lYjJjs9u "Producer Duo Pop and Oak Talk Sparkle, Elle Varner and Alicia Keys,"
  7. Nolan Feeney, "Britney Spears' 'Glory': Inside the making of her ninth album," Entertainment Weekly, August 11, 2016.
  8. Gary Trust, "Alessia Cara Scores Second Pop Songs No. 1 With 'Scars to Your Beautiful'," Billboard, January 23, 2017.
  9. https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/warren-%E2%80%9Coak%E2%80%9D-felder "Warren 'Oak' Felder,"
  10. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-grammys-2015-nominees-winners-list-story.html "Grammys 2015: Complete list of nominees,"
  11. Gail Mitchell, "Producer Oak Felder Talks Kelly Clarkson, Khalid and More: 'I Love That I Can Fly Under the Radar'," Billboard, May 23, 2017.
  12. Nolan Feeney, "Demi Lovato: Fans will know 'exactly what I'm talking about' on my new album," Entertainment Weekly, September 12, 2017.
  13. News: Sting, Imagine Dragons and Martin Bandier Honored at BMI's 67th Annual Pop Awards . BMI.com . May 15, 2019.
  14. News: Sabrina Carpenter New Single "Pushing 20" . 360 Magazine . March 8, 2019.
  15. https://www.bmi.com/news/entry/2012_bmi_urban_music_awards "Mariah Carey, Drake, Lil Wayne, EMI Music Publishing & More Honored at BMI Urban Awards,"
  16. http://www.uwishunu.com/2013/08/just-in-pop-wansel-oak-felder-take-home-bmi-award-for-top-producers-in-2013/ "Just In: Pop Wansel & Oak Felder Recognized At BMI Awards As Top Producers In 2013,"
  17. https://www.bmi.com/news/entry/pop-2017 "Barry Manilow Honored as BMI Icon at 65th Annual BMI Pop Awards,"
  18. News: Mark Ronson Receives the BMI Champion Award at the 66th BMI Pop Awards . BMI.com . May 8, 2018.
  19. News: REVIEW: Lizzo showcases vocal prowess on debut album . Daily Trojan . April 21, 2019.
  20. News: Producer Oak Felder Talks Lizzo, Demi Lovato and Need for More Female Producers: 'Music Can't Be One-Dimensional' . 18 September 2019 . Billboard.com . September 13, 2019.
  21. Web site: Reservoir inks JV with Grammy-winning songwriter Warren 'Oak' Felder. 2017-12-05. Music Business Worldwide. en-US. 2019-06-08.
  22. Web site: 2022-02-02. Reservoir inks global publishing deal with songwriter and producer Warren 'Oak' Felder. 2022-02-22. Music Business Worldwide. en-US.