We lately had a possibility to interview GRAMMY award profitable songwriter/producer Antonio Dixon. Throughout our dialog, we talked with him about his early beginnings with The Underdogs in addition to a number of the hits he penned together with “O” by Omarion and “Bare” by Marques Houston. We additionally contact on his partnership with Babyface which has led to placements for Beyonce and Ariana Grande. Lastly we speak about his work on Toni Braxton’s upcoming album.
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YouKnowIGotSoul: You had been a part of The Underdogs manufacturing group with individuals like Harvey Mason Jr, Damon Thomas, Tank, Eric Dawkins and Steve Russell. What had been these studio periods like?
Antonio Dixon: We had a lot enjoyable. It was unreal. We might spend lots of time simply speaking and hanging out. I equate it to virtually being on a basketball group. All people knew their function they usually had been comfy with it. So far as my function, I really feel like I used to be the multi-purpose particular person. I may play and organize and I used to be comfy sufficient to offer preparations. Tank is a beast and he would perform a little little bit of every little thing too. Any of us may spark an concept and we might take a look at every particular person’s concept and construct it from there. It actually began to turn out to be an meeting line. For instance, Tank and I wrote “O” for Omarion and it might be Harvey chopping the vocals on Omarion whereas Tank and I are within the different room writing one other report for him able to go.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Speak concerning the artistic course of for “O” by Omarion.
Antonio Dixon: The idea got here from Tank really. It was the GRAMMY night time so we had been watching the TV and we had been making an attempt to determine an anthem for Omarion. He gave me the idea and I used to be like “Let’s do it!”. We got here up with some stuff collectively and we demoed it that night time. We additionally wrote “I’m Tryna” that very same night time. We wrote it and I feel the following day or two, we performed it for the remainder of the blokes. All people else was on board and liked it. I keep in mind a number of days later, Omarion reduce it and the remainder is historical past.
YouKnowIGotSoul: You guys additionally did “Bare” by Marques Houston. Take me to that track.
Antonio Dixon: Very related course of really. I personally really feel like Tank ought to have stored “Bare” for himself as a result of his model is unbelievable. Our purpose was to construct a relationship with the artist and see what they’d and what they had been lacking. We might take all of that data and also you simply file it. We might undergo ideas in our heads and that was our course of. We might speak our manner right into a track.
YouKnowIGotSoul: What’s your method in relation to working with artists on a number of albums such as you’ve achieved with Toni Braxton?
Antonio Dixon: Artists ought to develop and evolve. Giving them model 2.zero by no means works. With Toni Braxton, after we did the final album and the report “Lengthy As I Reside”, she was telling me how she wished to do one thing that was grown and attractive. She wished one thing that was extra mature they usually aren’t going all up within the membership. For me, it was simply doing one thing for the steppers. That’s the place that track got here from. I simply anted to create one thing that was mellow and had slightly little bit of feeling to it. We knew what the refrain was going to be based mostly on what I used to be taking part in. We wrote that track pretty shortly. We did it in about 30 minutes and he or she recorded it. Whenever you’re engaged on the following venture with the artist, the purpose is to make them develop and evolve. You must give them one thing slightly extra thrilling. It might be their first venture the place they’re in love or one the place they’re in a nasty relationship. One of many issues that works for me is when an artist begins working with one other producer, what I attempt to do is fill in what’s lacking. I’m not thinking about beating a report. I attempt to be a giant fan of whoever they work with. I say issues like “Possibly you’re lacking that comfortable ballad”. I attempt to fill within the blanks and that’s my method in relation to the writing.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Speak concerning the work you guys did on Tank’s “Intercourse, Love & Ache” album.
Antonio Dixon: “Heartbreaker” is among the solely songs that was autobiographical to me personally. I used to be going via a difficulty in my relationship and it actually wrote itself. I talked to him about it and we wrote it proper on the spot. With the album, we had constructed a brotherhood with Tank. It wasn’t nearly us being within the studio. We went paintballing and had barbecues. We wrote a bunch of songs and he’s so wonderful. It was iron sharpening iron. It was certainly one of his greatest information as effectively and it’s unlucky it doesn’t get the publicity it deserves. It was such a tremendous time.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Once we take heed to a few of Tank’s new music, it’s a distinct sound and us as conusmers, we would like evolution however we additionally need it to sound near what we grew up loving. What’s that steadiness like for you as a producer?
Antonio Dixon: I feel us as producers, we cope with the identical wrestle generally. I consider producers are within the service trade. Our job is to offer what you’re on the lookout for and in addition present what the label desires. We’ve got to steadiness what we love versus what tends to work. Typically we now have to cope with the truth that individuals don’t wish to hear change however we additionally know we will’t do what we’ve already achieved. I feel it’s nearly writing a terrific track. Typically it’s not concerning the manufacturing, it’s concerning the songwriting. You’ll be able to have all of the manufacturing sounds, but it surely must be concerning the track.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Speak about breaking away from The Underdogs and forming The Pentagon with Eric Dawkins in 2009. You guys did some nice work like “Phrases” by Bobby V and “When It Hurts” by Avant.
Antonio Dixon: At that specific time, I simply wished a change. I by no means wished to only be labeled as an R&B producer. I’ve achieved Gospel information in addition to Pop songs. I simply love music. I wished to crossover like how Babyface or Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis did. At the moment, I felt like The Underdogs wanted to evolve and I simply wished to do extra. We parted methods and I wished to do one thing else. With The Pentagon, we wished to create some totally different information. That’s how we approached it. It was totally different as a result of it wasn’t about what we did with The Underdogs.
YouKnowIGotSoul: You’ve been writing with Babyface over the previous few years for the likes of Beyonce and Ariana Grande. How did that partnership start?
Antonio Dixon: I met Babyface in 2004 throughout The Underdogs period. We really did a complete album that also isn’t launched. “Can’t Cease Now” was from there in addition to “The Loneliness”. However we did a complete album, so from that period, we simply constructed a relationship. I liked his music and thankfully he liked mine. Quick ahead, I used to be working at his studio and he informed me he desires to construct a partnership with me. I stated “Duh!”. We began an organization collectively and greater than something, I wished to verify I used to be an individual that added to his work. I didn’t wish to be a taker. I wished to be somebody that introduced one thing to the desk. Proper after we selected the partnership, the primary venture we labored on was Beyonce’s “four” album after which Ariana Grande’s debut album.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Speak about what you and Babyface are doing with Toni Braxton proper now and naturally she simply put out the one ‘Do It”.
Antonio Dixon: That was one I did for her. I had the music ready already. We labored on some concepts within the studio. I despatched Toni simply the music and he or she referred to as me straight away and he or she was like “I feel I do know what the track goes to be about”. She got here again into the studio when she got here on the town and we reduce it straight away. I’ve labored with Toni since her “Libra” album so I take a look at her as my massive sister. We simply attempt to determine what she desires to do and we take heed to lots of information. We simply catch her within the second of what she’s loving and attempt to provide you with some issues. We’re nonetheless within the strategy of engaged on that one. The following report popping out is “Dance” which is for people who wish to go rollerskating. It has some 70’s disco to it. That’s going to be the following single popping out. I’m ending up on that venture.