Chester Hansen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chester Hansen
Hansen at the 2017 Haldern Pop Festival
Background information
Birth name	Chester Anton Mathias Hansen
Born	(1992-05-01) May 1, 1992 (age 33) Ottawa, Ontario
Origin	Toronto, Ontario
Occupation(s)	Musician songwriter producer
Instruments	Bass guitar upright bass guitar keys
Years active	2010–present

Chester Anton Mathias Hansen (born May 1, 1992) is a Canadian musician and songwriter. He is best known as the bassist for the band BADBADNOTGOOD. Chester Hansen has won a Grammy Award for his songwriting. He has helped write hit songs for famous artists like Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Daniel Caesar, and Kali Uchis.

Chester Hansen's Music Journey

Chester Hansen was born in Ottawa, Ontario, on May 1, 1992. He grew up in the Nepean area of the city. He went to Canterbury High School, which is a special school for arts. Chester started playing piano when he was young. In high school, he switched his main focus to playing the bass guitar. As a teenager, he began making and releasing his own music. His early music mixed hip-hop, jazz, and electronic sounds.

Forming BADBADNOTGOOD

In 2010, Chester went to Humber College in Toronto to study music. During his first year, he met two other music students, Alexander Sowinski and Matthew Tavares. They started playing music together. This group soon became the band BADBADNOTGOOD.

The band became very popular in 2011. They posted videos online of themselves playing jazz versions of songs by the group Odd Future. Their first album came out that same fall. Chester left college in February 2012 to focus on the band.

Success with BADBADNOTGOOD

With BADBADNOTGOOD, Chester Hansen has released five full-length albums. One of these albums was a special project with the rapper Ghostface Killah. The band has also been nominated twice for the Polaris Music Prize. This award celebrates the best Canadian albums.

Working as a Songwriter and Producer

In the early 2010s, Chester started working closely with producer Frank Dukes. Chester, along with his bandmates, created original music. This music was often used by other hip-hop artists for their songs. Besides playing in BADBADNOTGOOD, Chester also writes and produces music for other artists. This means he helps create new songs and works with musicians in the recording studio.

Chester Hansen's Musical Style

Chester Hansen's bass playing style is often compared to music from the 1960s and 1970s. People notice his deep, warm bass sound. One music expert said that Chester connects old musical styles with modern bands and music.

Instruments Chester Hansen Plays

As a bassist, Chester often uses a Gibson Grabber and an old Gibson SB-300 bass guitar. When he plays live shows, he uses different types of bass equipment. These include specific Gallien-Krueger amplifiers and speakers. He has mentioned that he likes to use thick, flat-wound strings on his bass. He also sets them a bit higher off the neck.

Besides bass, Chester often plays keyboards on recordings. He also has perfect pitch. This means he can identify any musical note just by hearing it.

BADBADNOTGOOD Albums

Chester Hansen has released these albums with BADBADNOTGOOD:

• BBNG (2011)
• BBNG2 (2012)
• III (2014)
• Sour Soul (with Ghostface Killah) (2015)
• IV (2016)
• Talk Memory (2021)

Songs Chester Hansen Helped Create

Chester Hansen has worked as a producer and songwriter on many songs. Here are some of the well-known songs he helped create:

Songs Produced with BADBADNOTGOOD

• Kendrick Lamar: "...." from .... (2016)
• GoldLink: "Fall in Love" (featuring Cisero) (2016)
• Daniel Caesar: "Get You" (2016)
• Kali Uchis: "After the Storm" (featuring Tyler, the Creator and Bootsy Collins) from Isolation (2018)
• Khalid and Swae Lee: "The Ways" from Black Panther (2018)

Other Songs and Projects

Chester Hansen has also contributed to these projects:

• The Living Sound System – Night of the Living Sound System (2011); played keys
• Talib Kweli – "What's Real" (featuring RES) from Gravitas (2013)
• Drake – "0 to 100 / The Catch Up " (2014)
• Yuna – "Broke Her" (2014)
• Rihanna – "... Me" from ANTi (2016)
• Lil Pump – "Flex Like Ouu" from Lil Pump (2017)
• Aminé – "Yellow" from Good for You (2017)
• Charlotte Day Wilson – "Doubt" (2017); helped write, played bass and guitar
• Charlotte Day Wilson – "Let You Down" and "Funeral" from Stone Woman EP (2018); played bass
• Matty – Déjàvu (2018); played bass, helped write
• Jerry Paper – Like A Baby (2018); played bass
• Ben L'Oncle Soul – "Next To You" feat. Yuna and "I Love This Game" from Addicted to You (2020); played bass
• Steve Arrington – "Good Mood" from Down To The Lowest Terms: The Soul Sessions (2020); played bass
• JID - "Stars" (ft. Yasiin Bey) from The Forever Story (2022); helped write

Awards and Nominations

Chester Hansen has received several awards and nominations for his work.

Awards with BADBADNOTGOOD

Awards as a Producer and Songwriter

Images for kids

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  Chester Hansen performing in 2017