Malay

**Malay (Music Producer)** **James Ryan Ho**, known professionally as **Malay**, is an American record producer, songwriter, and audio engineer. He is recognized for his genre-blending production style across R\&B, soul, pop, and alternative music. **Early Life and Education** Malay grew up in Bellingham, Washington. His father is Malaysian, and he was introduced to a diverse collection of classic rock and music at an early age. Artists like Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd were instrumental in sparking his interest in music, particularly the guitar, around the age of 13 or 14. Although he showed great potential in wrestling during his school years, he ultimately quit the sport to pursue a career in music. His instruments include the guitar, bass, keyboards, percussion, and trumpet. **Career Progression and Major Achievements** Malay’s professional career spans back to 1998, working as a record producer, songwriter, and engineer. His work gained significant critical acclaim when he collaborated extensively with Frank Ocean. Malay served as a producer on Ocean's seminal 2012 album, *Channel Orange*, which led to him winning the Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards. He is credited with bringing a creative and diverse sonic palette to the projects he works on. Malay also co-produced Zayn Malik’s debut album, *Mind of Mine* (2016). In 2016, he co-founded Britannia Row Recordings in partnership with BMG. **Notable Works and Collaborations** Throughout his career, Malay has produced, written, or engineered tracks for a wide array of high-profile artists across multiple genres. * **Frank Ocean:** *Channel Orange* (2012), *Blonde* (2016), and the song "Wildfire" (ft. Frank Ocean) on John Legend's *Paradise Valley* (2013). * **Zayn:** *Mind of Mine* (2016). * **Lorde:** *Melodrama* (2017). * **Other Collaborators** include John Legend, Alicia Keys, Angel Haze, Yelawolf, Tori Kelly, and Jarryd James.**Current Status** Malay remains active in the music industry as a sought-after producer and music executive. He continues to sign and mentor emerging talent, focusing on developing artists into comprehensive songwriters and record-makers. He operates under his label, Bhamboo LLC.