Star producer RedOne eyes Michael Jackson release
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Grammy-nominated producer RedOne, who helped Lady Gaga top charts around the world, believes that music he worked on with Michael Jackson before the singer's death could yet be released.
The 37-year-old producer, born in Morocco and steeped in European pop and rock after spending several years in Sweden, recorded with the "king of pop" in Las Vegas in 2008 and 2009 and in Los Angeles in 2009, before Jackson's death aged 50.
While the results are far from the finished product, RedOne, whose real name is Nadir Khayat, believes he has enough material to work on for a record, although any release would have to involve agreement with Jackson's record label and estate.
"I have big plans," he told Reuters at a recording studio in London, where he has been working with other artists.
"There is material that could come out (from the Jackson sessions)," he added.
"In case I'm going to release something, I would do it for charity, for something that he would have been proud of, because you always felt like everybody wanted to take advantage of him through his life," said RedOne, considered one of the world's top producers after his partnership with Lady Gaga.
Recalling his collaboration with Jackson, he said: "The music we were doing was good, really good ... very energetic, uplifting. It's sad that we never finished the material.
"Michael always has been focused on having hits, not having songs, so he always records a lot of songs and takes the best of them and that's his formula which I love. We were doing good quality music and it's never been finished."
RedOne has been nominated for four Grammys -- the music industry's top honors -- ahead of the January 31 ceremony, where stars will perform a tribute to Jackson.
Hits in an instant
RedOne said he was initially reluctant to work with Lady Gaga, who did not have a record contract when they first met.
But they immediately clicked, Lady Gaga was signed by a major label soon after and the rest, said RedOne, "is history."
"It happens so quick, we know each other, we're good musically," he said of his collaboration with the flamboyant 23-year-old New Yorker.
"We're not overthinking. We just do what we feel right ... Before you know it the song is pretty much done.
"I'm not saying that is the way it should be, but in this case that's what happened -- we wrote Just Dance in one hour. Done. Poker Face? One hour. It just happened. Magic."
Their success has opened countless doors to RedOne, who said he was determined to concentrate on quality not quantity.
He has just been recording with Alexandra Burke and Kylie Minogue, among others.
"To me I was expecting a diva, you know, somebody who's going to be like (that) because she's been doing it for so long," he said of Minogue, who is expected to release a new album later this year.
"It was fun, easy to work with her. We did three songs in two days ... (and) we said we're going to do more songs in LA."
RedOne attributed his success to his upbringing in Morocco, where he had access to a broad range of musical styles particularly because he was one of nine children.
He also said he enjoyed the success and recognition that producing brought, particularly because it came without the trappings of fame. And his biggest wish? To work with U2.
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