Burnett's tuneful ability became apparent at an early age. Starting piano lessons at just four years old, his music instructor noted his natural talent to play songs by ear.[7] As he got older, Burnett's love of music would only grow stronger. By the time he was in ninth grade he was playing in a professional band around the city. Music production software FL Studio (formerly FruityLoops) would introduce him to the art of producing and recording his own music. A student of his craft, Burnett coupled his inherent passion with a fierce dedication to honing his skills, earning a Bachelor of Music degree from the Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[8]
In 2007, Burnett was introduced to Grammy Award-winning producer Matthew Samuels, known commonly as Boi-1da, thus beginning a mentorship that would change his life and career. Under Samuels' guidance Burnett continued to hone his sound and technique, officially signing to Boi-1da Productions in 2010 where he and Evans would thrive as the production power-duo behind some of the biggest hits in hip hop and R&B. Notable among Burnett's earliest achievements was his production on "Not Afraid," the lead single on rapper Eminem's seventh studio album, Recovery, and the sixteenth song in Billboard history to debut at number one.[9] The track earned Burnett a Grammy Award-nomination for "Best Rap Song" in 2011.[10][7]
Ending his Boi-1da deal in 2013, Burnett and partner Evans moved on to cultivate Canadian R&B artist, Daniel Caesar. The two are the principal producers for Caesar's debut album, Freudian, which was nominated for two awards at the 60th Annual Grammys.[6] Today, Burnett continues to lend his expertise in studio production, live show curation, musical direction and management to several of today's leading artists.
Artistry
Record production
Production was Burnett's first love and a talent that catapulted him to success at a very early age. By just 21 years old, his unique ear led him to co-produce music for some of the industry's biggest names, including Drake, Eminem, Keri Hilson, Nas, Lil Wayne and DJ Khaled. Today, that list has expanded to include Daniel Caesar, Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, Childish Gambino, Kelly Rowland, Jessie Reyez and Ellie Goulding.[10] His sound and production style were heavily influenced by his Christian upbringing, taking inspiration from gospel music. As he matured, his musical style followed suit and took form through consistent experimentation, practice, and the tutelage of Boi-1da.[11] Today, Burnett's work is unified across genres by a soulful, powerful sound.
Musical direction
A producer at heart, Burnett's wheelhouse soon expanded to include not only studio production, but live show curation and musical direction. He is the visionary behind the live performances for singers Daniel Caesar, Charlotte Day Wilson, Jessie Reyez, Willow Smith, and Queen Naija among others. From composing musical arrangements to scouting, hiring and rehearsing their bands, Burnett is a conduit of creativity, building harmonies both in music and within the teams that create it.[12][13]
Management
Burnett served alongside longtime music partner Jordan Evans as the co-manager to Grammy Award-winning artist, Daniel Caesar. In partnership with Evans and Caesar, Burnett founded the independent record label Golden Child Recordings. They currently co-manage fellow Canadian rising star, Charlotte Day Wilson.[7][10]
