5 Questions With… Alex Da Kid

Producer/songwriter Alex Da Kid visited The Recording Academy's headquarters in Santa Monica, Calif., on Sept. 23 and participated in an installment of 5 Questions With…, discussing topics such as the creative process, his career, mentoring, social media, and current projects.

"I'm influenced by so many different things," said Alex Da Kid when asked about his influences. "I'm influenced more by life than individual musicians. I definitely feel like I draw from everything, it's more than just one individual singer."

Born Alexander Grant, Alex Da Kid grew up in London and was playing professional soccer by the age of 17, before suffering a knee injury. At the age of 19 he began honing his musical craft through the use of production software Fruity Loops. He then enrolled at University College London to study audio technology and landed an internship at Island Records. Subsequently, Alex Da Kid signed with Universal Music Publishing Group and burst onto the music scene producing hits such as B.o.B.'s "Airplanes" featuring Hayley Williams and Eminem's "Love The Way You Lie" featuring Rihanna. Other artists he has worked with include Akon, Estelle, Jennifer Lopez, Slash, and Rob Thomas.