Mayer Hawthorne cut his teeth in his hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he started
making beats and DJing at the height of Detroit hip-hop. Since his debut heart-shaped
single, Just Ain't Gonna Work Out, dropped via Stones Throw in 2008, Hawthorne has
released four LPs, raking in accolades from esteemed publications like GQ, Vanity Fair, New
York Times Magazine, Playboy, and Rolling Stone. From NPR's proclamation of his imminent
stardom to BBC Music's endorsement of his authentic soul, his artistry has captured the
hearts of critics and fans alike. With appearances on Conan, Letterman, Kimmel, The Today
Show, and beyond, Hawthorne's cultural impact is undeniable.
Your favorite artist's favorite artist, Hawthorne opened for Amy Winehouse on her tragic
final tour and served as direct support for Bruno Mars twice. He crafted modern yacht rock
jams with Pharrell poolside in Miami and John Mayer called his debut the "album of the
year" on Twitter. His songs have soundtracked episodes of HBO's Girls, the end credits of
the final episode of Ugly Betty, and is the only non-Kanye song in the famed Spike Jonze
directed short film, We Were Once A Fairytale. Hawthorne has written and produced the
lion's share of his catalog, and apart from his solo work, he collaborates with producer Jake
One on their boogie funk super-group, Tuxedo, which is now three albums and multiple
world tours deep.
After the release of his last album Man About Town on Vagrant Records in 2016, Hawthorne
launched the next phase of his career as a producer and writer for fellow artists. Recent
credits include Jordan Ward's single "Lil Baby Crush" released through Interscope
Records,"Truth or Dare" by Chika featuring Freddie Gibbs, and most notably "Options
featuring JID" from Doja Cat's double platinum album Planet Her, which earned him
another Grammy nomination. When the pandemic struck, Hawthorne took to YouTube,
where he started the "Wine & Vinyl Hour" live streaming series, spinning rare records for
his global community of viewers and reaching them in the most intimate of settings; at
home.
Hawthorne's insane personal vinyl collection and party rocking experience make him the
go-to DJ for celebs like Kendall Jenner and Kourtney Kardashian as well as brands like
Levis, GQ and Seth Rogan's Houseplant. Though he's lived in Los Angeles for over a
decade, Hawthorne has not forgotten his blue collar roots. His photo hangs on the wall at
Lafayette Coney Island in Detroit, and he performed for over 100,000 people at the Big
House in Ann Arbor in the middle of heavy snowfall during the 2014 NHL Winter Classic.
While Hawthorne got his start making hip-hop and neo-soul, his aesthetic sensibilities
balloon beyond any genre parameters, and beyond music itself. Anyone who remembers
that early heart-shaped seven-inch, and Hawthorne's Grammy-nominated How Do You
Do album packaging knows he's attuned to design. (A look at his renovated Los Feliz
bungalow says as much.)
This summer, Hawthorne debuted "The Pool," a swirling, smoke-filled slapper that guides
the listener towards transcendence. Written and produced by Hawthorne, this song is
where rebelliousness and carefree living intertwine, inviting you to embrace the thrill of
psychedelic adventures. "I wanted this song to feel dangerous. Like you're screaming down
a hot desert road on a Harley, high on mushrooms and you might lose control."