Labrinth

Biography

Timothy Lee McKenzie (born 4 January 1989), better known by his stage name Labrinth, is a British singer, songwriter, composer, and record producer. Labrinth signed as a recording artist with Simon Cowell's record label Syco Music in 2010, initially collaborating with the English rapper Tinie Tempah. He appeared as a featured artist: uncredited on the single "Pass Out", but later officially on "Frisky×Frisky4 June 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Frisky4:552Frisky (radio edit)3:393Frisky (TC remix)4:014Frisky (South Rakkas Crew 'Frisky Fuck Me remix')4:55"; then he released his first solo single, "Let the Sun Shine×Let the Sun Shine24 September 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Let the Sun Shine2:592Let the Sun Shine (Joey Negro radio mix)3:133Let the Sun Shine (Dave Spoon remix)5:504Let the Sun Shine (Roller Express remix)4:385Let the Sun Shine (A Star remix)4:12" in September. All three songs peaked in the top five on the UK Singles Chart.
His debut album, Electronic Earth×Electronic Earth2 April 2012 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Climb on Board3:592Earthquake4:353Last Time4:244Treatment4:315Express Yourself4:036Let the Sun Shine3:007Beneath Your Beautiful4:328Sundown5:069Sweet Riot5:0310Vultures4:17 (2012), peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart and spawned four top five singles there. The single "Beneath Your Beautiful×Beneath Your Beautiful18 October 2012 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Beneath Your Beautiful (radio edit)3:562Beneath Your Beautiful (Naughty Boy remix)4:323Beneath Your Beautiful (Rollz remix edit)3:434Beneath Your Beautiful (instrumental)4:325Beneath Your Beautiful (Seamus Haji remix extended)6:02" became his first song to reach the top 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and peaked at number one in the United Kingdom, also receiving a nomination for Best British Single at the Brit Awards. In November 2014, he released the single "Jealous×Jealous21 November 2014 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Jealous4:48", which was later certified Platinum in the UK.
In 2018, Labrinth formed the supergroup LSD with Australian singer Sia and American DJ and producer Diplo. The group released their self-titled debut album the following year. Also in 2019, in October, he composed the score and produced the soundtrack for the first season of the HBO drama series Euphoria. His work received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations, winning one for the single "All for Us×All For Us1 July 2019 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1All For Us3:32". His second album, Imagination & the Misfit Kid×Imagination & the Misfit Kid21 November 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Imagination1:302Misbehaving (The Misfit version)3:133Miracle3:494Juju Woman0:485Dotted Line / Juju Man3:026All for Us3:117The Producer2:438Something’s Got to Give3:509I’m Blessed0:5010Like a Movie2:2011Sexy MF2:5812Where the Wild Things3:1813Mount Everest2:3714The Finale0:2715Oblivion4:13, followed in November. Labrinth also produced Euphoria season 2's soundtrack and composed the score, earning him an additional two Emmy nominations, for the songs "I'm Tired" and "Elliot's Song", both written alongside Zendaya.
He has been referred to as "one of the most important British musicians of his generation". Labrinth has worked with numerous artists as a songwriter and producer including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Eminem, Kanye West, and the Weeknd. His production work on the Weeknd's album Beauty Behind the Madness earned him a Grammy Award for Album of the Year nomination. He also co-produced the soundtrack The Lion King: The Gift, and co-wrote the single "Spirit", alongside Beyoncé and Ilya Salmanzadeh, for which he received nominations at the Grammy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and the Critics' Choice Movie Awards.

Early life

McKenzie was born and raised in Hackney, London, and is of Jamaican descent. He comes from a family of musicians and has eight siblings. Their home was filled with the sound of black gospel music, which their parents loved. When young, he and his eight siblings formed a band called Mac 9. He attended Stoke Newington School and began to pursue a musical career during his school years. His brother, Mac, who is also a music producer, introduced McKenzie at the age of 15 to the art of creating music in his studio. His cousin is the Irish boxer Tommy McCarthy.

2009–2010: Career beginnings

Labrinth started his career by producing the track "Dead End" for recording artist Master Shortie from the album A.D.H.D. (2009). The track generated interest in McKenzie as a producer and songwriter. Guy Moot of EMI Music Publishing offered the artist a publishing deal. From 2010 to 2011, Labrinth mentored the Urban Development Vocal Collective (UDVC) alongside his sister, ShezAr. He also produced multiple tracks for the collective, contributing towards a nine-track project titled Urban Development. The vocalists also provided backing vocals for Labrinth's original tracks.
McKenzie appeared as an uncredited guest artist on British rapper Tinie Tempah's debut single, "Pass Out", released on 28 February 2010. He had also produced and co-written the track. The single debuted at number-one on the UK Singles Chart, number six on the Irish Singles Chart, and number seventy in Australia. Having spent two weeks at the summit in the United Kingdom, "Pass Out" was awarded Best British Single at the 2011 Brit Awards and Best Contemporary Song at the 2011 Ivor Novello Awards. It achieved platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry for surpassing sales of 600,000 copies. Several months later the two artists collaborated for a second time in the release of Tempah's second single, "Frisky×Frisky4 June 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Frisky4:552Frisky (radio edit)3:393Frisky (TC remix)4:014Frisky (South Rakkas Crew 'Frisky Fuck Me remix')4:55", also co-written and produced by McKenzie. The single debuted at number two in the United Kingdom, beaten only by the charity single "Shout" by Dizzee Rascal and James Corden. The track had chart success in Scotland, where it became the duo's second consecutive number one single, also peaking at number three in Ireland.
Throughout 2010, McKenzie continued writing material for a number of high-profile artists, including Professor Green for the track "Oh My God" (Alive Till I'm Dead), Ola Svensson for the track "Let It Hit You" (Ola), and Loick Essien for "Love Drunk×Love Drunk12 September 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Love Drunk3:282Love Drunk (Remix)4:23" (Identity).

2010–2012: Signing to Syco and Electronic Earth

Following chart success as a writer and producer, McKenzie was approached in June 2010 and signed to Simon Cowell's record label, Syco. The signing marked a milestone for the label, with McKenzie becoming the first signing in six years who had not gained exposure on one of Cowell's reality talent shows. Through Syco, Labrinth released his debut single, "Let the Sun Shine×Let the Sun Shine24 September 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Let the Sun Shine2:592Let the Sun Shine (Joey Negro radio mix)3:133Let the Sun Shine (Dave Spoon remix)5:504Let the Sun Shine (Roller Express remix)4:385Let the Sun Shine (A Star remix)4:12", on 27 September 2010 in the United Kingdom. The track debuted at number three in the UK, also reaching number thirty-two in Ireland. Labrinth was featured as an artist a third time on 3 January 2011, with the release of British rapper Devlin's single "Let It Go×Let It Go2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Let It Go (Joker remix)3:552Let It Go (Da Lab Gully mix)4:053Let It Go (Lewi White remix)3:32". This had limited chart success, peaking at number fifty-nine in the UK. He also participated in a remake of Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band's "Express Yourself×Express Yourself7 May 2012 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Express Yourself3:192Express Yourself (Lazy Jay remix)5:493Express Yourself (Oliver Twizt remix)4:284Express Yourself (Rudimental remix)3:485Express Yourself (Wideboys remix)5:18".
Over the course of the next year, Labrinth produced tracks by Yasmin and Ms. Dynamite, as well as the 2011 Children in Need charity single “Teardrop”, on which he also appeared as a guest performer. The single, which was performed both at Children in Need 2011 and Children in Need Rocks Manchester on 17 November 2011 debuted at number twenty-four on the UK Singles Chart.
Labrinth released his second single, "Earthquake×Earthquake21 October 2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Earthquake (radio edit)3:362Earthquake (full version)4:323Earthquake (Benny Benassi remix)5:004Earthquake (Gareth Wyn remix)7:005Earthquake (Noisia remix)6:29", on 23 October 2011 – featuring long-term collaborator Tinie Tempah. The single debuted at number two on the UK chart with first week sales of 115,530 copies – the second highest selling number-two behind X Factor winners Little Mix and their cover of Damien Rice's "Cannonball". The track also saw international chart success, peaking at number twelve in Ireland, number five in New Zealand and number twenty-one in Australia; achieving gold certification from the Australian Recording Industry Association and platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Following a third single release, "Last Time×Last Time18 March 2012 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Last Time4:242Last Time (Knife Party Remix)5:143Last Time (Gareth Emery Remix)5:474Last Time (Monsta Remix)6:36", which was released on 18 March 2012 as a four-track digital EP alongside remixes from Knife Party and Gareth Emery, Labrinth released his debut album Electronic Earth×Electronic Earth2 April 2012 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Climb on Board3:592Earthquake4:353Last Time4:244Treatment4:315Express Yourself4:036Let the Sun Shine3:007Beneath Your Beautiful4:328Sundown5:069Sweet Riot5:0310Vultures4:17 on 2 April 2012.
On 23 May 2012, Labrinth performed at the Cheltenham racecourse to celebrate the occasion of the Olympic torch coming through Cheltenham. He also performed at several university shows including University of Leeds’ Summer Ball, Nottingham Trent University Graduation Ball, and University of Surrey's End of Year Show. On 29 June, Labrinth performed at VG-lista top 20 in Norway in front of a crowd consisting of 90,000 people. Labrinth also performed at GFest in Preston on 8 September 2012 to celebrate Preston Guild 2012. The song "Beneath Your Beautiful×Beneath Your Beautiful18 October 2012 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Beneath Your Beautiful (radio edit)3:562Beneath Your Beautiful (Naughty Boy remix)4:323Beneath Your Beautiful (Rollz remix edit)3:434Beneath Your Beautiful (instrumental)4:325Beneath Your Beautiful (Seamus Haji remix extended)6:02", which features Emeli Sandé was released as the album's sixth single and peaked at number one November 2012 on the UK singles chart, and was Labrinth's first entry into the Billboard Hot 100 at number 34.
In July 2012, it was revealed that Labrinth would be working with Rihanna, which resulted in him co-writing and co-producing her song "Lost In Paradise" from her album 'Unapologetic'. Labrinth also collaborated with Ed Sheeran, producing his and Devlin's single "Watchtower", which was released in August 2012. Labrinth also worked with Sheeran in 2014, and produced his single "Save Myself" from the March 2017 album ÷.
On 25 December 2012, Labrinth released the Atomic EP for free download via SoundCloud. It features Plan B, Devlin, Wretch 32, Ed Sheeran, Maxsta, Lady Leshurr and Etta Bond among others.
In a 2012 interview, OMD frontman Andy McCluskey credited Labrinth and Professor Green as "great" artists who represented "some of the small amount of music that is still actually trying to go forward".

2013–2019: Collaborations and LSD

Labrinth began working on his second studio album in 2013. That year he also appeared on two tracks for Tinie Tempah's second studio album Demonstration: the third single "Lover Not a Fighter" and the album track "It's OK". In July 2013, Labrinth was picked as Elvis Duran's Artist of the Month and was featured on NBC's Today show hosted by Kathy Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, where he performed live his song "Beneath Your Beautiful×Beneath Your Beautiful18 October 2012 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Beneath Your Beautiful (radio edit)3:562Beneath Your Beautiful (Naughty Boy remix)4:323Beneath Your Beautiful (Rollz remix edit)3:434Beneath Your Beautiful (instrumental)4:325Beneath Your Beautiful (Seamus Haji remix extended)6:02".
In October 2014, Labrinth released his single "Jealous×Jealous21 November 2014 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Jealous4:48", which he wrote during a trip to Nashville. The song peaked at number 7 on the UK Singles Chart in December 2014. The single has received acknowledgement from a number of artists including Adele, who listened to the song to help her cry on command while shooting her "Hello" video, and Jessie Ware, who covered it for the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge.
Released in August 2015, Labrinth features on the track "Losers", which he also co-produced, on the Weeknd's album Beauty Behind the Madness. His contribution to the album earned him his first Grammy nomination for Album of the Year at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards. Labrinth later co-produced "Stargirl Interlude" on the Weeknd's 2016 album 'Starboy'. Labrinth also did a duet on the track "Fragile", the lead promotional single from Kygo's debut studio album Cloud Nine.
In 2016, Labrinth worked alongside Mike Posner on Posner's widely successful album At Night, Alone. Labrinth is featured and co-wrote on the sixth single, "Silence". The album was officially released on 6 May 2016. "Silence" was written by both Posner and Labrinth. The song was produced by Posner and Terefe. He also produced and was featured in "Make Me (Cry)", Noah Cyrus' debut single, released on 14 November 2016. Labrinth also featured alongside Cyrus in the song's music video and performances on The Tonight Show and The Late Late Show. The single peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 2017. Over the following 2 years Labrinth and Cyrus continued collaborating, with Labrinth lending writing and production duties to Cyrus' May 2017 single "I'm Stuck", September 2017 single "Again", and August 2018 single "Live Or Die". In December 2016, Labrinth performed a medley of "Frozen" and "Like A Prayer" at the annual Billboard Women in Music event, where Madonna, who had personally selected him to perform, was honored as Woman of the Year.
In May 2017, Labrinth was featured on Sia's single "To Be Human" from the Wonder Woman soundtrack. In September 2017, Apple used Labrinth's song "Misbehaving×Misbehaving15 September 2017 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Misbehaving3:49" in their keynote to announce their Apple Watch Series 3.
On 3 May 2018, Labrinth was announced as a member of the supergroup LSD along with Sia and music producer Diplo. It was the first time the three artists have worked together on a single project. According to Diplo, LSD started when he was invited into the studio to write with Labrinth and Sia. Their first single, "Genius", was released via Columbia Records in the US and Syco Music in the UK the same day, along with a psychedelic cartoon visual and the announcement of a forthcoming album. LSD released their second single "Audio" the next week and their third single "Thunderclouds" in August, followed by a "Thunderclouds" music video featuring dancer and previous Sia collaborator Maddie Ziegler. The latter was used as the promotional song for the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, which helped propel it to the top of Billboard & Clio's Top TV Commercials chart for August and September 2018. It is also LSD's highest-charting single to date, peaking at number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 17 on the UK Singles Chart. In November 2018, the three received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Remixed Recording for their song "Audio (CID Remix Official Dance Remix)". Also in 2018, Labrinth co-produced and featured on Nicki Minaj's track "Majesty" featuring Eminem, which peaked at number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In January 2019, Labrinth starred in a Mini Countryman ad, in which he sings a version of “Don't Fence Me In×Don't Fence Me In15 January 2019 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Don't Fence Me In2:49”. A full version of the song was also released with the campaign launch. Following the release of their single "Mountains", LSD released their debut album Labrinth, Sia & Diplo Present... LSD on 12 April 2019. That month the group released a video for "No New Friends" featuring Maddie Ziegler and made their first live appearance performing the song on Ellen.

2019–2022: Euphoria and Imagination & the Misfit Kid

Following the release of his single "Miracle×Miracle7 June 2019 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Miracle3:49" in June 2019, Labrinth made his scoring debut when he was announced as the lead composer for season 1 of the HBO drama series Euphoria. Inspired by some of the music that Labrinth's manager Adam Leber had shared with him, the show's creator Sam Levinson approached Labrinth to contribute music for the series while he was working on his second solo album. Several of Labrinth's original songs are also featured throughout the season's soundtrack, including "Mount Everest×Mount Everest21 June 2019 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Mount Everest2:37" and "All for Us×All For Us1 July 2019 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1All For Us3:32" featuring vocals from the show's lead actress Zendaya. The season's score was released on 4 October 2019 via Milan Records and Sony Masterworks. Characterized as "a mash-up of electronic, R&B, dance and hip-hop sounds", Labrinth's score was positively received and received praise for "perfectly complementing the journey of the main character." The following year, Labrinth received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his work in Euphoria; Outstanding Music Composition for a Series for the episode "'03 Bonnie and Clyde" and Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics for the song "All for Us", winning the latter as well as an Ivor Novello Award for Best Television Soundtrack.
Labrinth co-wrote and produced Beyoncé's July 2019 single "Spirit" from the soundtrack of the photorealistic remake of The Lion King and companion album The Lion King: The Gift. The single charted on the Billboard Hot 100, was nominated for Grammy and Golden Globe awards, and was shortlisted for the Best Original Song Academy Award. That year Labrinth also collaborated with Kanye West, co-producing and lending vocals to "God Is" from his October 2019 album Jesus Is King.
On 31 October 2019, Labrinth announced his sophomore studio album titled Imagination & the Misfit Kid×Imagination & the Misfit Kid21 November 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Imagination1:302Misbehaving (The Misfit version)3:133Miracle3:494Juju Woman0:485Dotted Line / Juju Man3:026All for Us3:117The Producer2:438Something’s Got to Give3:509I’m Blessed0:5010Like a Movie2:2011Sexy MF2:5812Where the Wild Things3:1813Mount Everest2:3714The Finale0:2715Oblivion4:13 with the single release "Where the Wild Things×Where the Wild Things31 October 2019 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Where the Wild Things3:18". The 15 track album, which features guest appearances from Zendaya and Sia, was released on 22 November 2020. The single "Imagination" was used in Apple's "Made in the UK" advert in July 2020. As part of Apple's 'Behind the Mac' series, the ad features UK creative talent working at MacBook laptops including Labrinth himself.
On 9 October 2020, Labrinth released his single "No Ordinary×No Ordinary9 October 2020 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1No Ordinary3:05", which was used in the Xbox Series X/S launch trailer. Labrinth also wrote and produced two singles for Sam Smith released that year including "Love Goes", which he is also featured on and comes from Smith's album of the same name, and an original Christmas song "The Lighthouse Keeper".
Labrinth composed the score for Netflix original film, Malcolm & Marie, and was featured, alongside Sia, on Major Lazer's "Titans", released in March 2021.
In 2022, he returned to composing Euphoria, for the show's second season, and also made a cameo in episode four "You Who Cannot See, Think of Those Who Can", performing the song "I'm Tired", which later featured on the soundtrack, and score. A music video for "Mount Everest" was released in April.

2023–2026: Ends & Begins, The Kitchen, and Cosmic Opera: Acts I & II

Labrinth's third solo studio album, titled Ends & Begins×Ends & Begins28 April 2023 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1The Feels3:172Kill for Your Love3:123Everything2:164Covering3:135A Turn of Events1:536100 Miles an Hour3:017Never Felt So Alone2:408Only Way Is Up3:179Power Couple2:3010Ends & Begins3:32, was originally scheduled for a release in October 2022, but was eventually released on 28 April 2023 by Columbia Records. It was preceded by the singles "Lift Off×Lift Off29 July 2022 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Lift Off3:05", "Kill for Your Love×Kill For Your Love22 September 2022 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Kill For Your Love3:12", "Iridium×Iridium28 October 2022 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Iridium2:472Kill for Your Love3:123Lift Off3:05", and "Never Felt So Alone×Never Felt So Alone7 April 2023 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Never Felt So Alone2:40", although, following the album's delay, "Lift Off" and "Iridium" were removed from the tracklist.
Labrinth performed at the 22nd Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2023, with Zendaya making a surprise appearance on his set.
In 2024, the soundtrack for the Netflix film The Kitchen was released, which featured Labrinth working with composer Alex Baranowski.
Labrinth released his fourth album Cosmic Opera: Act I on 30 January 2026 through Columbia Records.
On 13 March 2026, Labrinth announced via an Instagram post that all ties with Euphoria were severed, which at the time, he was currently contracted to compose the soundtrack alongside Hans Zimmer for its third season. The post in question read "I’m done with this industry. Fuck Columbia. Double fuck ‘Euphoria.’ I’m out. Thank you and good night." Almost a month later, he revealed in another post that he removed the music he composed for the upcoming season, commenting that he "spoke to HBO" about the decision and "as far as I know, we are cool". He also elaborated more on his exit, saying he left because "when I work for someone, their vision is paramount to me, but I don't let people treat me like shit."

Studio albums

Electronic Earth (2012)
Imagination & the Misfit Kid (2019)
Ends & Begins (2023)
Cosmic Opera: Act I (2026)
Cosmic Opera: Act II (2026)

Score albums

Euphoria (Original Score from the HBO Series) (2019)
Euphoria Season 2 Official Score (From the HBO Original Series) (2022)
The Kitchen (2024)

Soundtrack albums

Euphoria Season 1 (An HBO Original Series Soundtrack) (2021)
Euphoria Season 2 (An HBO Original Series Soundtrack) (2022)