If you thought multi-platinum selling singer, songwriter and producer Pharrell Williams had a big year in 2013, just brace yourself. It looks as though 2014 will only elevate his career even more.
Williams, who was a fixture on the Billboard charts last year with hits like Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” and Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” has added yet another accolade to his list.
The N.E.R.D. rapper has received his first Oscar nomination for his work hit record “Happy,” which appeared on the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack album.
According to ABC News, when Williams was asked about his reaction to the nomination, he was literally rendered speechless.
“Uh, I’m speechless,” he said in an interview on Thursday, Jan. 16. “Man, I am over the moon.” He was then asked what he was doing when he received the news of the esteemed nomination. But, once again he was still at a loss for words. “Man, I’m sorry, I don’t know,” he said.
Although he couldn’t recount what he was actually doing at the time he received the news, he did note “Happy” as ‘one of his best works.’ He shared that the most gratifying aspect of the record was that he made it with his eyes closed.
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Williams, also known as Skateboard P., has been quoted for “hearing colors” which sets the tone of his music, so his declaration of the “eyes wide shut” creation is yet façade of his eclectic musicianship. The Lap Dance rapper also recounted that the song was actually recorded a total of nine times before reaching a level of perfection that was satisfactory to his standards.
“It’s some of my best work and that’s because in the process I made it with my eyes closed,” he said. “That’s not a reflection of any sort of superiority in any way, shape or form. I didn’t do a lot of looking around to try and figure it out. I just closed my eyes and made it by feeling it and I think that’s why I am most proud of it.”
However, the Oscar nomination isn’t the only form of recognition he’s received for his blow-out year in music. Williams is a driving force for the 2014 Grammy Awards. He has seven Grammy nominations in five different categories including ‘Record of the Year’, ‘Album of the Year’, and ‘Producer of the Year’.
Image(s) via Wikimedia Commons | Pharrell Williams – Happy Facebook | Pharrell Williams (1) (2)
