Chris Braide

Chris Braide
Birth nameChristopher Braide
Also known asMagical Thinker
OriginWarrington, Lancashire, England
GenresPop, rock
Occupations
  • Songwriter
  • record producer
  • singer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • keyboards
  • guitar
Years active1990s–present
Websitechristopherbraide.com

Christopher Braide is an English songwriter, record producer and singer, formerly based in Malibu, Los Angeles.

First signed as a solo artist by David A. Stewart in the UK and Craig Kallman at Atlantic Records in the US, Braide relocated to Los Angeles to produce and write for artists including Sia, Lana Del Rey, Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj, Christina Aguilera, Selena Gomez, David Guetta, Halsey, Wrabel, Marc Almond, Beth Ditto, Yuna and Beyoncé.

Braide is a frequent collaborator of Sia;[1] together they have written for her own projects, movie soundtracks and for several other artists. Notable songs they have written over the years include "Kill and Run" for The Great Gatsby film and soundtrack, "Helium" for the 2017 Fifty Shades Darker film and soundtrack, "Pretty Isn't Perfect" and "Unstoppable" for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, "God Made You Beautiful" for the Beyoncé film Life Is But a Dream, "Perfume" for Britney Spears,[2] "Blank Page" for Christina Aguilera, and "She Wolf (Falling to Pieces)" for David Guetta featuring Sia. Most recently, their song "Helium" was remixed for MAC cosmetics a collaboration for the cosmetic company's AIDS Fund by David Guetta and Afrojack, and a new single, "Flames", was released by David Guetta.[3][4]

In 2022, the song "Unstoppable" was released to radio as an official single in the United States after gaining popularity through commercials and video-sharing app TikTok.[5] It became No.1 on the Adult Pop Airplay Chart 6 years after its release and is the first record in a quarter of a century to be in the charts for over 100 weeks.

He has a duo group with Geoff Downes (Yes, Buggles, Asia and others), called Downes Braide Association (DBA), since 2012.

Braide has won an Ivor Novello award and been nominated for a Grammy. He is published by BMG Rights Management worldwide and Magical Thinking BMI.

Select songwriting and production discography

[edit]
Year Artist Album Label Song Writer/Producer
2022 Sia Unstoppable Monkey Puzzle/RCA Unstoppable Writer/Producer
2021 Sia Music – Songs from and Inspired by the Motion Picture Monkey Puzzle/Atlantic Music Writer/Producer
2020 Toni Braxton Spell My Name Island Records Saturday Night Writer/Producer
Halsey Astralwerks Honesty Writer/ Producer
Marc Almond Chaos and a Dancing Star BMG All Songs Writer/Producer
2019 Freya Ridings Freya Ridings Good Soldier Still Have You Writer/ Producer
Sia ft Hans Zimmer Seven Worlds, One Planet BBC Out There Writer/ Producer
Evie Irie 5 weeks in LA Republic Vulnerable Writer/ Producer
Natalie Portman / Celeste Vox Lux (soundtrack) Columbia 2 songs Producer
2018 Nicki Minaj Queen Young Money/Cash Money/Republic Come See About Me Writer/ Producer
Sia & David Guetta 7 What A Music/ Warner Flames Writer/ Producer[6]
Sia vs. David Guetta & Afrojack MAC Monkey Puzzle Helium Writer/ Producer[7]
LP Heart to Mouth Vagrant/BMG Recovery Writer/ Producer
Robin Schulz ft Erika Sirola IIII Atlantic Speechless Writer
2017 Sia Ballerina (titled Leap! in the United States) Gaumont Suitcase Writer/ Producer
Robin Schulz Uncovered Warner I Believe I'm Fine Writer/ Producer
Marc Almond Shadows and Reflections BMG Embers Writer/ Producer
Elle King Estee Lauder Ft Kendall Jenner RCA/ Magical Thinker Records Wild Love Writer/Producer
Allie X CollXtion II Twin Music True Love Is Violent Writer/Producer
Wrabel Estee Lauder Ft Magical Thinker & Wrabel Epic/ Magical Thinker Records It's You Writer/ Producer
Meg Mac Low Blows Little Big Man Don't Need Permission Producer
Halsey Hopeless Fountain Kingdom Astralwerks The Prologue Writer
Lea Michele Places Columbia "Heavy Love" Writer
Sia Fifty Shades Darker: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Republic "Helium" Writer/ Producer
Marc Almond Hits and Pieces: The Best of Marc Almond and Soft Cell UMC "A Kind of Love" Writer/ Producer
2016 Sia This Is Acting (Deluxe Version) Columbia "Confetti" Writer/ Producer
"Midnight Decisions" Writer/ Producer
Sia This Is Acting Columbia "Unstoppable"
"Space Between" Writer/ Producer
Rozes/ Elizabeth Mencel Under The Grave
2015 Selena Gomez Revival Interscope Camouflage
Halsey Room 93 Astralwerks/Capitol "Trouble"
Marc Almond The Velvet Trail Cherry Red Records All songs Co-Writer/Producer
Kate Pierson Guitars and Microphones Kobalt "4 songs" Writer/Producer
Katharine McPhee Hysteria eOne Round Your Little Finger
2014 Sia 1000 Forms of Fear Columbia "Eye of the Needle" Writer
"Big Girls Cry" Writer/ Producer
Colbie Caillat Gypsy Heart Universal "Break Free"
Paloma Faith A Perfect Contradiction Epic/RCA "Impossible Heart"
Afrojack Forget the World Universal / Def Jam "Ten Feet Tall"
2013 Lea Michele Louder Columbia "If You Say So"
"You're Mine"
Britney Spears Britney Jean RCA "Perfume"
"Brightest Morning Star" Vocal Producer
Beyoncé Life Is But a Dream Columbia "God Made You Beautiful" Writer/ Producer
Sia The Great Gatsby soundtrack[8] Interscope Records "Kill and Run"[9]
David Guetta featuring Sia Nothing But the Beat 2.0 Virgin Records/ EMI "She Wolf"[10]
Stooshe London with the Lights On Warner Bros "Your Own Kind of Beautiful"[11]
"Perfectly Wrong"
Yuna Nocturnal Verve/ Universal "Rescue"[12]
"Colors"
"Escape"
"Come Back" Producer
Sixth Street "Let Love Come Through Ft Kyle"[13] Writer/ Producer
Sarah Brightman Dreamchaser Decca "Closer"[14]
2012 Lana Del Rey Born to Die[15] Interscope "Million Dollar Man"[16]
Leak "Damn You"
"Queen of Disaster"
"Hollywood's Dead"
Christina Aguilera Lotus RCA "Blank Page"[17]
Paloma Faith Fall to Grace Epic "30 Minute Love Affair"[18] Writer
Yuna Yuna[19] Fader "Lullabies" Writer/ Producer
"Favorite Things"
"Loud Noises"
" Islands "
" Decorate "
Delta Goodrem Child of the Universe[20] Sony Music "Hunter and the Wolves"[21] Producer
"Speed of Life"
"Control"
2011 JLS Jukebox[22] Epic "Killed By Love" Writer/ Producer
Theophilus London Warner Bros "Century Girl" featuring Dev Hynes[23]
Pixie Lott "Turn It Up Louder"[24] Mercury "Doin' Fine (Without You)"[25]
2010 Diana Vickers Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree RCA "The Boy Who Murdered Love"
"N.U.M.B"
"Four Leaf Clover"
"Me and You"
JLS Outta This World[26] Epic "That's Where I'm Coming From"
Olly Murs Olly Murs Epic "Ask Me to Stay" Writer
The Saturdays Wordshaker Fascination/ Polydor "Denial" Writer/ Producer
2009 Cheryl Cole 3 Words Fascination/ Polydor "Don't Talk About This Love" Writer
Lolene The Electrick Hotel Island Def Jam "Beautiful Disaster" Writer/Producer
The Saturdays Chasing Lights Fascination/ Polydor "Chasing Lights"
Westlife Where We Are Syco Music "Reach Out"
Natalie Bassingthwaighte 1000 Stars "1000 Stars"
"Turn The Lights On"
Glenn Tilbrook Pandemonium Ensues Quixotic Records "Little Ships" Writer
"Melancholy Emotion"
2008 Will Young Let It Go RCA "If Love Equals Nothing" Writer/ Producer
Leon Jackson Right Now Syco "Don't Call This Love"
James Morrison Songs for You, Truths for Me Polydor "Save Yourself" Writer
JLS JLS Epic "Heal This Heartbreak"
2007 David Jordan Set the Mood ZTT "Fight the World"
"Only Living Soul"
The Click Five Modern Minds and Pastimes Atlantic Records "Jenny"
"Happy Birthday"
"I'm Getting Over You"
2006 Duncan James Future Past Innocent Records "Sooner or Later"
"Somebody Still Loves You"
"I Come Alive"
"Frequency"
"Letter to God"
Beverley Knight Voice – The Best of Beverley Knight Parlophone Records "Not Too Late for Love" Writer/ Producer
"Who's Gonna Save Your Soul"
The Webb Sisters Daylight Crossing Universal Records "Please" Writer
2004 Jesse McCartney Beautiful Soul Hollywood Records "Because You Live" Writer/ Producer
Diana DeGarmo Blue Skies Sony Music Dreams Writer
Emotional
Lara Fabian A Wonderful Life I Am
Beverley Knight Affirmation Parlophone "Not Too Late for Love" Writer/ Producer
"Tea and Sympathy"
Glenn Tilbrook Transatlantic Ping Pong Quixotic Records "Untouchable"
"Ray and Me" Writer
Lisa Stansfield "The Moment" ZTT "If I Hadn't Got You"
2003 Kylie Minogue Body Language Parlophone Records "After Dark" Writer/ Producer
Play Replay Columbia Records "Let's Get to the Love Part" Writer
Clay Aiken Measure of a Man RCA "This Is the Night"
"Run To Me"
"Invisible"
S Club 7 Best: The Greatest Hits of S Club 7 Polydor "Say Goodbye"
2002 Will Young From Now On Syco Music "Anything Is Possible"
2001 S Club 7 Sunshine Parlophone Records "Have You Ever"
Victoria Beckham Victoria Beckham Virgin Records "I O U"
Rick Astley Keep It Turned On Polydor "Sleeping" Writer/Producer
Emma Bunton A Girl Like Me Virgin Records "Spell It O.U.T" Writer
"Been There, Done That"
Glenn Tilbrook The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook Quixotic Records "Parallel World"
"Morning"
Brian Kennedy Get on with Your Short Life Sony Music "Get on with Your Short Life"
1999 Brian Kennedy Now That I Know What I Want 19 recordings "Now That I Know What I Want"
1996 Cathy Dennis "Am I the Kinda Girl?" Polydor "Run Like a River"

Recording artist

[edit]

In 1993, Braide recorded his first solo album Chapter One - Chris Braide for Polydor Records. The album was produced by Thomas Dolby and Simply Red's Mick Hucknall. In 2014, the album was remastered and released in the UK on Plane Groovy Records[27]

In 1996, Dave Stewart signed Braide to his Warner Bros.-backed label Anxious Records, who released a single co-written with Chris Difford, "If I Hadn't Got You", and second single "Heavenly Rain", followed a year later by the album, Life in a Minor Key,[28] which was co-produced by Braide and David A. Stewart at Electric Lady Studios in New York. The record was released in the US on Atlantic Records and in 2013 a vinyl version was released on Plane Groovy Records.[29][30]

In 2012, Braide teamed up with Geoff Downes under the name "DBA" ("Downes Braide Association"). The result was an album, Pictures of You, released in Summer 2012 on Plane Groovy Records. Since then, they have released three more studio recordings (Suburban Ghosts in 2015, Skyscraper Souls in 2017 and Halcyon Hymns in 2021), and a live album (Live in England in 2019). Celestial Songs was released in September 2023.[31]

Filmography

[edit]

Braide wrote, performed or produced songs on the following film soundtracks:

Advertising campaigns

[edit]

He wrote, performed or produced songs in the following advertising campaigns:

  • Bud Light – Aluminium Super Bowl – 10 ft Tall ft Wrabel (2014)
  • Gillette – Unstoppable/Pretty Isn't Perfect/ Rio Olympic Games (2016)
  • Pocky Sticks – Rescue – Yuna (2016)
  • Estee Lauder ft Kendall Jenner and Elle King / Wild Love (2017)
  • Estee Lauder – See the world with wide-open eyes – It's You ft Magical Thinker and Wrabel (2017)
  • MAC – Helium / Guetta Re-mix (2018)
  • Lancome Paris/ Zendaya ft Sia "Unstoppable" (2019)
  • Samsung Galaxy Sia "Unstoppable" (2022)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "abc Chris Braide". YouTube. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Spears: 'New single hits close to home'". Digital Spy. 2 November 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  3. ^ "Listen: David Guetta and Sia reunite for new single 'Flames'". Axs.com. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  4. ^ "LISTEN: David Guetta, Sia Debut 'Flames'". Iheartradio.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  5. ^ Trust, Gary (13 October 2022). "Sia's 6-Year-Old 'Unstoppable' Hits No. 1 on Adult Pop Airplay Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Chris Braide". Iheartradio.ca.
  7. ^ "Chris Braide". Pmsstudio.com.
  8. ^ "Chris Braide". IMDb.com.
  9. ^ "Sia's Gorgeous 'Great Gatsby' Contribution, "Kill And Run"". Muumuse.com. 25 April 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  10. ^ "She Wolf (Falling to Pieces) – David Guetta | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  11. ^ "Stooshe confirm official tracklisting, songwriting credits for debut album 'London with the Lights On'". Hamasamania.com. 28 April 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  12. ^ "News – Entertainment, Music, Movies, Celebrity". Mtv.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  13. ^ "Let Love Come Through With Kyle (Produced by Chris Braide) — Yuna". Last.fm. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  14. ^ "Dreamchaser – Sarah Brightman | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  15. ^ "Lana Del Rey – 'Born To Die'". Nme.com. 3 February 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  16. ^ "Lana Del Rey – Born To Die". Discogs.com. 3 February 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  17. ^ "Christina Aguilera – Blank Page". Genius.com. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  18. ^ "Paloma Faith – Fall To Grace". Discogs.com. 30 May 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  19. ^ "Yuna – Yuna (2012)". NewAlbumReleases.net. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  20. ^ "Music – Shop New Albums In CD + Vinyl At JB Hi-Fi". Jbhifi.com.au. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  21. ^ "Delta Goodrem – Child Of The Universe". Discogs.com. 26 October 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  22. ^ "Jukebox – JLS | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  23. ^ "Theophilus London Century Girl ft. Chris Braide & Dev Hynes". Nme.com. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  24. ^ Copsey, Robert (22 September 2010). "Pixie Lott confirms LP re-release". Digital Spy. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  25. ^ "Pixie Lott – Turn It Up Louder". Discogs.com. 18 October 2010. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  26. ^ "Outta This World – JLS | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  27. ^ "Chris Braide on perfectsongs.com". Perfectsongs.com. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  28. ^ "iTunes – Music – Life in a Minor Key by Chris Braide". Itunes.apple.com. 4 December 1998. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  29. ^ "Interview with Chris Braide". HitQuarters. 30 August 2010. Archived from the original on 6 October 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  30. ^ "Chapter One by Chris Braide". theorchard. 4 December 1998. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  31. ^ "Downes Braide Association detail brand new studio album". 30 June 2023.
  32. ^ Barfield, Charles (21 August 2018). "Sia & Scott Walker Providing The Music For Natalie Portman Musical Drama Vox Lux". The Playlist. Archived from the original on 23 August 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
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