2016 is ending on a high for songwriters-producers Michael and Anthony Hannides after they scooped the Global Impact Award at the ASCAP Awards last month for co-writing and producing the smash international #1 hit Pillowtalk for Zayn Malik.
The former One Direction member isn’t the only artist the Hannides brothers have collaborated with however; both Craig David and Ella Henderson have also had songs penned and produced by the duo and 2017 looks set to be just as exciting with many artists lined up both here and in the United States!
The boys, whose production name is Make You Know Love (MYKL), spoke to me about the success of Pillowtalk, future collaborations and how their participation on the X Factor is now a thing of the past….
Congratulations on winning an ASCAP award? How did it feel accepting your awards?
It’s a huge honour to receive an ASCAP award especially as some of the greatest song writers and artists over many generations have won it before us. It was a very humbling experience.
You were presented the Global Impact award for co-writing Zayn Malik’s hit debut single ‘Pillowtalk’. What inspired you to write the track?
We created the song in a very organic way. What inspired us to write it were collective experiences of what happens in an intimate relationship.
The song topped the US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. Did you expect such great success?
You can never expect that kind of success, you can only hope it becomes successful. Finishing a great song is the most important thing for us, after that it’s down to outside influences that you have no control over. For us, there was no greater chart position than having a billboard number one.
How was it working with Zayn?
We made a lot of happy memories working with Zayn and it was a moment of time in our lives we will never forget. We became friends which made us able to create freely without any ego.
Which other artists have you collaborated with?
We’re working with a lot of artists, some new and some established – we’re looking forward to 2017.
Who would you like to work with in the future?
We’re very fortunate to be working with a lot of the artists we love. In the future who knows! As long as the songs are great, we’re happy.
Your production name is MakeYouKnowLove or MYKL for short. Who came up with this?
We wanted to create a brand for our music under ‘Michael’ but felt that was a little boring so made that into MYKL and then made it into an abbreviation for MakeYouKnowLove. It’s become a universal message. We wanted to bring more feelings and more heart into songs, where people can feel fully connected to the message.
What made you decide to put your singing skills aside and concentrate on writing and producing?
We could grow more as people being more in the background and less in front of the camera. We needed time to learn our craft without the distractions. However, we have not stopped singing, as we vocal produce and vocal our own demos. We’re also currently working on our own artist project which we are really excited about!
When you now look back now, are you proud of what you have achieved since your X Factor participation?
Absolutely; we wouldn’t change any part of our journey, not the good or the bad. The music industry is very testing of character and through struggles you can become stronger. We believe everything happens for a reason and we are very grateful for where we are today and thankful for our family’s ongoing support over the years!
Do you have any regrets?
No regrets. That doesn’t mean we haven’t got things wrong in the past. But you can’t change what’s happened, only what’s happening.
What plans are in the pipeline?
We have ideas of what we want to achieve in the future but what’s more important is to stay focused on the work we’re doing right now and hope for the best.
Wishing Michael and Anthony all the best for the future and may next year be your greatest yet!
Andrea
xxx
