‘Tis the season to be happy – and very happy is Pharrell Williams, who’s been having a super great start to the new year after an even more successful previous one, with the global smash hits ‘Blurred Lines’ and ‘Get Lucky’ dominating the charts in 2013. The American rapper, producer, fashion designer, singer-songwriter, drummer and mogul who’s also a 4-time Grammy winner is set to release a new album this year – which will hopefully accompany an Oscar win.
Nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song for the track ‘Happy,’ which is taken off the soundtrack of the animated movie ‘Despicable Me 2,’ the song is also Vodacom’s national anthem here in SA for their summer campaign. His first ever Academy Award nod, Pharrell says: “‘I am so grateful to the Academy. This is such a huge honour and surprise. I love animated films … I have since I was a kid, and working with Chris Meledandri, the Illumination team and Universal Pictures was one of the most memorable experiences I’ve ever had. What can I say … I’m HAPPY!’
To top it off, this single has just surpassed the 500,000 mark and retained the top spot on the UK charts for a third week. Fending off competition from Pitbull and Ke$ha, it sold almost 120,000 copies over the past week.
Let’s hope he stays smiling when the Grammy Awards go down this Saturday. The two biggest records of 2013 which he produced are up for Grammy’s: Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” and Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky.” With 5 other nominations, could we see the N.E.R.D rapper in the ultimate prime of his career? Catch the Grammys going down on 26 January in LA – to be broadcast live on Channel O.