Grammy winner amazed at attic song success
A young Scottish music prodigy has spoken of his amazement at picking up a Grammy award for a song written in a makeshift studio in his aunt’s attic.
Glaswegian Blair Ferguson, who works under the name BLK Beats, was recognised at the glittering ceremony in Los Angeles early yesterday morning, UK time, for his work on SZA’S hit Snooze.
The former Kelvinside Academy pupil was in the running for five awards, including for the SZA album SOS, which went straight in at number one on America’s Billboard 200 chart.
The 20-year-old, who started making music in his bedroom when he was just 15, decided to concentrate on a career in the music industry after an injury forced him to abandon ambitions to become a basketball player when he was 16.
Ferguson has generated huge interest in the industry since sending work to thousands of producers and songwriters that he had made from his bedroom in Glasgow during the Covid lockdown. As well as SZA, he has also worked with Lil Tecca, Diddy, 24kgoldn and Justin Bieber.
Ferguson co-wrote and coproduced Snooze, which was named best R&B song at the event, where Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and Billie Eilish were also honoured.
Speaking backstage at the awards, Ferguson said: “I feel amazing. It's incredible to be here, being from Scotland and representing the country. It’s not something that happens to people from there very often.
“I have to say a huge thanks to the whole team, SZA and my co-producers. It’s been an incredible experience. The song came from a very weird time in my life. I was staying at my aunt's place and it was just this weird world where I was just trying to find my place in the industry.
“It really became very special because of that experience in my life. The idea was founded there, it grew arms and legs and now we're standing here. All my family back home were celebrating. It's incredibly late for them, but they’ve been texting me a lot and I’ve spoken to them a good bit.”
Asked about his plans and which other acts he would like to work, Ferguson replied: "More Grammys. I'm still young, so I've got to get more. For me, being from Scotland and being a big folk guy, I love Bon Iver, that’s a huge one for me. Noah Kahan is just killing it and Boygenius are incredible. There’s definitely a whole world out there that I’m going to venture into.”
Speaking previously about how he managed to break into the industry, Ferguson said: “I went onto Wikipedia and looked up every single album on the Billboard chart. I searched for every writing credit and sent DMS to hundreds, if not thousands, of producers. As soon as artists wanted to use my work, I thought maybe I had something.”
Ferguson, who was recently signed by Warner Music Group, said: “I hope my success gives encouragement to other producers and artists to be able to achieve their goals in the industry. Talent is important, but stay positive, keep believing in yourself, listen to the voices of experience.”
I hope my success gives encouragement Blair Ferguson