Niagara musician Moccio earns Oscar nomination
It’s a collaboration that got Niagara Falls-born songwriter Stephan Moccio a ticket to both the Grammy Awards and Oscars.
Earned It, the sultry single Moccio co-wrote with The Weeknd for the movie Fifty Shades of Grey, earned an Oscar nomination Thursday for original song.
It goes with three Grammy nominations Moccio shares for the single and The Weeknd’s album Beauty Behind the Madness.
It’s a flurry of recognition for the 43-year-old pianist who attended Saint Paul high school.
Contacted Thursday, Moccio was quick to acknowledge Fifty Shades of Grey director Sam Taylor-Johnson and music supervisor Dana Sano.
The much-derided film is also up for multiple Razzie awards — celebrating the year’s worst films — but with Moccio’s help it’s also an Oscar nominee.
“I write and produce music passionately, and the simple task for me at the piano has always been to create songs that move people,” said Moccio. “To be recognized in this fashion is beyond expectation and a wonderful gift to receive.”
Earned It reached No. 3 on Billboard’s U.S. singles chart, and was among Rolling Stone’s list of 50 best songs of 2015. Moccio cowrote the song with three other writers.
He also co-produced and cowrote several other songs on The Weeknd’s album, helping it top the charts in the U.S. and Canada.
Moccio’s career has provided hits for several artists, including Celine Dion (A New Day Has Come), Miley Cyrus (Wrecking Ball) and Josh Groban (My Heart Was Home Again).
Years after vowing to compose the Olympic theme song for Canada one day, his single I Believe — co-written with Glass Tiger’s Alan Frew — became CTV’s official song for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
In 2012, he joined Martin Short and opera singer Measha Brueggergosman as judges on Canada’s Got Talent.
He also has three albums of his own, most recently 2012’s Elements.
He was inducted onto the Niagara Falls Arts and Culture Wall of Fame in 2007.
“The best advice my mother gave me was, you are your best server,” Moccio told The Review in 2012. “I took that to heart and I love saying that — nobody can go get what you want other than yourself.” The Grammy Awards will be held Feb. 15. The Oscars follow Feb. 28.
I write and produce music passionately, and the simple task for me at the piano has always been to create songs that move people. To be recognized in this fashion is beyond expectation and a wonderful gift to receive.” Stephan Moccio