Rob Fusari, also known as 8Bit, is an American record producer and songwriter. He has worked with Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, Will Smith, Whitney Houston and Lady Gaga.

Early life

Rob Fusari was born between 1967 and 1968, and raised in Livingston, New Jersey.[1][2] A child prodigy, Fusari won numerous piano competitions at Radio City Music Hall at 8 years old.

Career

Fusari began writing songs while a student at William Paterson University.[3] He started recording demos, and subsequently met hit songwriter Irwin Levine,[4] who was known for writing "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" and several other hits for Tony Orlando & Dawn.

In the late 1990s, Fusari became producing partners with Vincent Herbert. It was at this time that he wrote his first hit single, "No, No, No", which launched Destiny Child's career. In 2001, Fusari produced "Bootylicious" for the group's third studio album Survivor. The song peaked at number 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. In 1999, Fusari produced Will Smith's successful single "Wild Wild West" from the film of the same name.

In 2002, he produced the songs "Train on a Track" by Kelly Rowland and Whitney Houston's "Love That Man", which were both released as singles to varying degrees of success in 2003. The same year, Fusari first worked with Britney Spears on a track titled "Love's Supposed 2 Be", which failed to be included on In the Zone.[5][6]

In 2008, Fusari served as producer on Gaga's Grammy-winning debut album, The Fame.[7] He produced and is credited on five songs: "Paparazzi", "Beautiful, Dirty, Rich", "Again Again", "Brown Eyes" and "Disco Heaven". Fusari also produced and co-wrote "Vanity", "Glitter & Grease", and "Retro Dance Freak".[8]

In 2012, he started an independent music label, Last Quarter Records which is based in New York City. Fusari is currently signed to Sony ATV Publishing.

In May 2016, ABC's follow-up to the classic The Lexicon of Love album was released called The Lexicon of Love II. Fusari co-wrote "Confessions of a Fool", "Singer Not the Song" and "The Ship of the Seasick Sailor" with lead singer Martin Fry. The album entered the UK album charts at #5, the band's first UK Top 10 release since 1990. Fusari toured with ABC on their Lexicon of Love II UK Tour (with full orchestra conducted by Anne Dudley), autumn 2016. In December Fusari and Fry wrote and produced ABC's first ever Christmas song "A Christmas We Deserve" together. BBC Radio 2 put it on the A-list upon release.

Production discography

Key
Indicates single release
# Indicates promotional single release
Title Year Artist(s) Album Co-writer Producer
"No, No, No" 1997 Destiny's Child Destiny's Child check check
"Wild Wild West" 1999 Will Smith
(featuring Dru Hill and Kool Moe Dee)
Wild Wild West
and Willennium
check check
"Bootylicious" 2001 Destiny's Child Survivor check check
"Apple Pie à la Mode" check check
"Happy Face" check check
"Outro (DC-3) Thank You" check check
"You're the Only One" Destiny's Child
(European reissue)
☒ check
"Winter Paradise" 8 Days of Christmas check check
"A "DC" Christmas Medley" ☒ check
"This Christmas" ☒ check
"This Goes Out" 2002 3LW A Girl Can Mack check check
"Past 12" Kelly Rowland Simply Deep check check
"Train on a Track" check check
"No Coincidence" check check
"Love That Man" Whitney Houston Just Whitney check check
"Paparazzi" 2008 Lady Gaga The Fame check check
"Beautiful, Dirty, Rich"# check check
"Again Again" check check
"Brown Eyes" check check
"Disco Heaven" check check
"Vanity"# Non-album single check check
"Retro Dance Freak" 2009 The Fame
(Japanese edition)
check check
"Bang Bang" Melanie Fiona The Bridge check check
"Fever" Adam Lambert For Your Entertainment check ☒
"Glitter and Grease" 2011 Lady Gaga Lady Gaga Presents the Monster Ball Tour: At Madison Square Garden check check
"Shadow" 2013 f(x) Pink Tape ☒ check
"Brave Honest Beautiful" 2015 Fifth Harmony
(featuring Meghan Trainor)
Reflection check check

References

  1. Rose, Lisa. "Lady Gaga files lawsuit of her own against Rob Fusari", The Star-Ledger, 20 March 2010. Accessed 24 February 2011. "The Livingston native, who helped pen and produce such hits as 'Bootylicious' by Destiny's Child and 'Wild Wild West' by Will Smith, was singing a different tune during a taped interview with The Star-Ledger in January."
  2. Kawashima, Dale. Rob Fusari Co-Writes & Produces Top Hits For Destiny's Child, Will Smith And Other Artists, SongWriterUniverse.com. Accessed 24 February 2011.
  3. "William Paterson University - News". Wpunj.edu. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
  4. "Irwin Levine, 58; Wrote 'Yellow Ribbon'". The New York Times. 27 January 1997.
  5. "Rob Fusari Co-Writes & Produces Top Hits For Destiny's Child, Will Smith & Other Artists". Singer Universe. 2003. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  6. "ROB FUSARI PRODUCTIONS". Rob Fusari's Official Website. 2003. Archived from the original on 25 April 2003. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  7. "Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga Win Early Grammys". Billboard. 31 January 2010. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
  8. "Names and Faces: Kathy Griffin speaks out against 'don't ask, don't tell'". The Washington Post. 20 March 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2010.
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