PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Xenomania

«There can be few production outfits that have done more to define the sound of British pop over the past few years than Brian Higgins and his writing and production team at Xenomania.

Since 2000, Xenomania has written, produced and remixed tracks for a string of successful artists including Sugababes, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Dannii and Kylie Minogue plus Texas, defining a sound and style that brings with it almost guaranteed success.

According to Higgins, Xenomania is so named because it represents a "love of everything", and the outfit's production work certainly reflects that, incorporating a diverse range of influences and styles while retaining a distinctly ndividual and recognisable sound.

It is Xenomania's flagship artists however, Girl Aloud, with whom they are most commonly associated. Since their formation o the back of Popstars in 2002, Xenomania has written and produced for the group exclusively, playing a defining role in their success.

Girls Aloud's fith and most recent album, entitled Out Of Control, was released in November last year and has provided perhaps the greatest recognition of Xenomania's talents yet. The album debuted at number one on the UK charts with the first single The Promise topping the charts and giving the group their fourth number one. The single also helped the girls to their first Brit Award in the publicly voted Best Single category.

The Xenomania writing and production team includes Nick Coler, Giselle Sommerville, Miranda Cooper, Lisa Cowling, Tim Powell and Matt Gray, while their successes last year also took in Gabriella Cilmi and Alesha Dixon. The latest string to their bow is coming in the shape of Vagabond, the recent Geffen signing whose debut is due later this year.»

Labels: awards, pictures, Xenomania