MJ Cole facts for kids

Matthew James Firth Coleman, known to many as MJ Cole, is a talented English DJ, music producer, and remixer. He is famous for his work in UK garage music.

MJ Cole's Musical Journey

Early Life and Training

MJ Cole was born in London, England. When he was young, he learned to play music in a classical way. He studied the oboe and piano. He was so good that he won special scholarships. These scholarships allowed him to study at the Royal College of Music Junior Department and the City of London School.

Starting in the Music World

After finishing his studies at City University, Cole began working at a music label called SOUR. This label was known for drum and bass music. He worked as a tape operator and sound engineer. This meant he helped record and mix music for artists like Freq Nasty and Ed Rush.

But it was when he worked on remixes for Kym Mazelle that he found his passion. These remixes were in a style called 2-step, which is part of UK garage music. He loved it! From 1997 to 1999, he was the main engineer and producer for a UK garage label called V.I.P. (Very Important Plastic). He also worked as a DJ on a pirate radio station called London Underground FM. He played music alongside other famous DJs like the Dreem Teem.

Breaking Through with "Sincere"

In 1998, MJ Cole wrote and produced his own song called "Sincere". He used a sampler and an Atari ST computer to make the track. This song caught the attention of famous DJ Pete Tong and AM:PM. "Sincere" became one of the first UK garage songs to become a hit. It even made it into the top 40 on the UK Singles Chart.

He then signed with Gilles Peterson's Talkin' Loud record label. In 2000, he released his first album, also called Sincere. This album was a huge success! It had two songs that reached the top 15 on the UK Singles Chart. The album was also nominated for the important Mercury Music Prize and a Brit Award. In 2001, he even won the Best Producer award at the MOBO Awards, beating out famous artists like Dr. Dre! His album sold over 60,000 copies in the UK.

To perform his Sincere album, Cole put together a live band. They played on popular TV shows like Jools Holland's Later Show, Top of the Pops, CD:UK, and The Chart Show. They also performed at the Mercury Music Prize and MOBO Awards. In 2003, he released another album called Cut to the Chase through Talkin' Loud.

New Music and Collaborations

After leaving Talkin' Loud in 2004, MJ Cole started his own record label called Prolific Recordings. He released many singles and EPs (Extended Plays) through his new label. He worked with many other artists, including grime artist Wiley and singer Elisabeth Troy.

In 2014, he helped write and produce a song called "Nobody But You" for Mary J. Blige. He worked on this song with Sam Smith and Jimmy Napes. He also worked with Jimmy Napes again in 2015 on Napes' own Making of Me EP.

He teamed up with T Williams in 2015 for a song called "Privilege". Later that year, he released "Bouldaz" on Disclosure's Method White label.

MJ Cole continued to produce music for many different artists. He produced "Something in the Water" for Example and "Blue Eyes" for Katy B. He also created remixes for famous singers like Amy Winehouse, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, and many more. He released remixes of Jess Glynne's "Hold My Hand" and DJ Fresh and Adam F's "Believer".

In 2016, he released "Alcatraz" on Redlight's Lobster Boy Records. This was followed by "The Rumble" in August 2016. "The Rumble" was a powerful song that mixed different music styles. It featured the talented UK rapper AJ Tracey. Cole said the song showed "the energy of now" in London and was "a fusion of all that is exciting in the U.K. for us."

From 2017 to 2018, Cole released several singles under the 892 label. These included "Pictures in My Head" and "Soak It Up". He also created special "VIP mixes" for some of his singles. In 2018, he released a new EP called "Foundations". He said this project was "a step away from my more traditional form of writing."

Besides producing, writing, and remixing, MJ Cole also travels the world as a DJ. He plays at music festivals and clubs. He has also written music for big TV advertisements, like the Schwartz "The Sound of Taste" campaign. He even wrote a piece called "Lava" for O2. MJ Cole also helped build and design a new recording studio complex in London called The Gin Factory.

Personal Life

MJ Cole enjoys cycling. He has even ridden his bike all the way from Land's End to John o' Groats, which is a very long journey across Great Britain!

Discography

Albums

Singles

• "Sincere" (1998) – featuring Nova Caspar and Jay Dee – UK No. 38
• "Crazy Love" (2000) – featuring Elisabeth Troy – UK No. 10, BPI: Silver
• "Sincere" (remix) (2000) – UK No. 13
• "Hold On to Me" (2000) – featuring Elisabeth Troy – UK No. 35
• "Wondering Why" (2003) – featuring Vula – UK No. 30
• "From the Drop" (2010) – MJ Cole and Wiley
• "Bouldaz" (2015)
• "Alcatraz" (2016)
• "The Rumble" (2016) – MJ Cole and AJ Tracey
• "Pictures in My Head" (2017)
• "Soak It Up" (2018) - MJ Cole and Kojey Radical
• "Waking Up" (2018) – MJ Cole and Freya Ridings