Amir Amor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amir Amor
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Amir Amor during an interview in 2013
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Amir Izadkhah |
| Also known as | Analog Kid |
| Born | 23 March 1985 Tehran, Iran |
| Origin | London, England, UK |
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| Years active | 2002–present |
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Amir Izadkhah (born March 23, 1985), known as Amir Amor, is a talented music producer, musician, singer, and songwriter. He is from both Iran and England. From 2011 to 2022, he was part of the popular band Rudimental, known for their drum and bass music.
Amir also started his own music company and studio in London called Major Tom's. He has worked with many famous artists like Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, Charli XCX, and MNEK, helping them create their music. With Rudimental, he won a Brit Award for Best Single of the Year and a Mobo Award for Best Album. His music has sold millions of copies worldwide. The Guardian newspaper called him the "number one new producer to watch." NME magazine also listed him as one of the "20 hottest producers in music right now."
Contents
Early Life and Music Discovery
Amir Amor was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1985. His early childhood was challenging due to conflict in his home country. In 1992, Amir, his mother, and sister moved to London. They faced difficulties settling in and learning English.
Amir often explored London on his own. During this time, he found a cassette player that could record over existing music. He started experimenting by beatboxing over songs. This was his first step into making music.
Later, his family found a stable home in London. Amir began to feel more settled. He discovered hip hop, graffiti, and pirate radio stations. He learned how to do graffiti and collected many cassettes of hip hop, funk, soul, and electronic music.
When he was 14, Amir found a music production software demo. He accidentally created his first song, a garage track called "Jaws." This song became popular at his school and even sold on cassettes. This experience showed him the exciting world of music production.
Career Beginnings
Amir's passion for music grew. He started visiting recording studios in London, learning as much as he could. He found a place called Tribal Tree, a studio and youth club that taught music skills to young people. Even though it was full, Amir's persistence earned him a spot.
At Tribal Tree, he learned how to program beats. He also realized that he could make a living from creating music. Plan B, a musician who had recently finished the course, taught Amir his first chords. The club's founder, Kevin Osbourne, even let Amir use the studio after hours. Eventually, Amir became a tutor at the youth club himself.
First Steps in Production
Amir used Osbourne's studio to create a demo EP. Osbourne suggested he enter a songwriting competition run by The Prince's Trust. Amir won the competition and used the prize money to buy his first computer, a guitar, and a bass. He taught himself to play by listening to artists like Parliament-Funkadelic and Jimi Hendrix.
Amir then teamed up with Plan B to produce his first album, Paint It Blacker: The Bootleg Album. This album featured hip hop beats mixed with songs by artists like The Rolling Stones and Radiohead. This project helped Amir develop his unique style of blending live sounds with electronic music. After this, Plan B signed with 679 Records, and Amir started getting hired to create beats for other producers.
He also toured as a musician with different bands. During this time, Amir reconnected with his brother, Shahrokh Izadkhah, who was also a musician. They started a company together called Future Instruments.
In 2009, Amir convinced Nick Worthington, a music executive, to visit him during a recording session. This meeting led to a partnership to open a studio called Major Toms. This studio became a place for Amir to create new music and work with other artists. At Major Toms, Amir produced several albums and worked with artists like Sam Smith, Charli XCX, and MNEK.
Joining Rudimental
In 2011, Amir faced challenges with his studio, Major Toms. He decided to turn it into a commercial studio space and expand it into a record label. He partnered with a small dance record label called Black Butter Records, run by Henry Village. This label had a group called Rudimental.
Amir's manager, Nick Worthington, started sending him tracks from Black Butter. One demo was called "Feel the Love." Amir worked on developing and producing this song. He tried to get a publishing deal for Major Toms and offered "Feel the Love" to different record labels. Asylum Records was interested and signed it as a single.
Amir had not yet met the members of Rudimental. They considered different names for the song, like "Rudimental featuring Amor Amor." But they decided to keep it simple, and Amir's name was only in the production credits.
After the song was signed, Rudimental finally met Amir at Major Toms. They worked together, and Amir produced and wrote more songs for them, including "Not Giving In" and "Spoons." He also added the final touches to "Feel the Love."
Success with Rudimental
On May 14, 2012, "Feel the Love" was released and quickly became number one on the UK Singles Chart. This was a huge success for Asylum Records. Asylum then offered Rudimental and Amir an album deal. They asked Amir to focus all his production efforts on Rudimental's music. The band then invited him to join, and they started touring heavily.
For Rudimental's live shows, Amir played bass, guitar, and keyboards with an 11-piece band. Their shows featured guest singers, a brass section, and live drums, creating a unique mix of electronic and live instruments.
Rudimental's first live show at BBC Hackney Weekend was a huge hit. They became the most shared act, even more popular than Kanye West. The BBC called them the "Festival Band of the Summer." Their energetic live shows have headlined festivals around the world. In 2013, they also toured with famous bands like Prodigy and The Stone Roses.
In 2013, Amir also earned a bachelor's degree in Commercial Music from the University of Westminster.
Rudimental's second album, We the Generation, came out in October 2015. They also worked on a third album with many famous artists like Bobby Womack, George Clinton, and Nile Rodgers.
Today, Amir continues to produce music as Amir Amor. He still runs Major Toms and develops "Future Instruments," a company that creates tools for making music. On October 21, 2022, Rudimental announced a "new era" with only three members pictured, suggesting Amir left the group that year.
Awards
Amir's work with Rudimental has received many awards and nominations. In 2013, they were nominated for a Mercury Prize. They won the 2014 Brit Award for Best Single of the Year for "Waiting All Night" and a Mobo Award for Best Album. They also received many nominations at the MTV Europe Music Awards. Their music has earned multiple platinum awards for high sales in countries like the United Kingdom and Australia.
