Yonatan Watts has already had an impeccable 2021, working with high-profile artists and defining himself in the music industry. Yonatan will be someone to keep an eye out for with his incredible producing capabilities; it is only a matter of time before he becomes a household name.

He has co-produced records like “Main Thing” by American singer Ariana Grande, “GLE” by American rapper Desiigner, “Weak all Week” by American singer Eric Bellinger — which says a lot about his reach and what he’s capable of.

His production style is unique and distinct. In a recent interview, Watts said that artists such as Stevie Wonder, Usher, B2k, Tank, Justin Timberlake, Tyrese, played a major role in his musical influences.

As someone who has a lot more dope projects on the way, he can’t wait to show people what he’s capable of. Keep reading to learn more about his journey and how he got started in music.

What city are you from/ Where are you based now?
I’m from Toronto, Canada but now based out of Los Angeles, CA.

What is your producer name? What is your real name? How did you get your producer name?
My producer name is actually “Yonatan Watts” which is my birth name, I felt as if it was unique enough to standout and be my stage name so I kept it as that.

At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music?
Believe it or not, I started music really early in my life and it came from a love of Japanese/ anime culture mixed with black culture soul and R&B. I used to listen to the these songs of my favorite manga/anime and used to sing them and make my own versions. Eventually people kept telling me that I had a natural gift for singing.

Has your upbringing played a role in shaping who you are and defining your sound today? If so, how?
My parents having such a rich pallet when it came to music, inspired me to define my sounds based off of what I was hearing in the household on a regular basis. It shaped my taste and when it came to singing, I would eventually make better decisions based from the music I was hearing and mimicking.

How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?
My sound would best be described as the perfect fusion between generations. I’m born between 1989-1995, which was the time in which you were perfectly between two different generations and saw technology when it emerging, to what it is today. That being said, I’ve always aimed to blend the old with the new.

What ultimately inspired you to dedicate yourself to a music career?
Based off my success at a young age, I knew that singing was going to be something that stayed with me for a long time. When I was 18, I was in the national TV show “Canadian Idol” in which i made it past the Top 100 all the way to duets, at this point I knew that I was meant to do music.

What’s one reason you are passionate about music and what inspires you?
To me, it’s the feeling and the transformative nature of music that can shift moods and can make people feel. When I used to listen to old CD’s and vinyls, the music touched me in a way that nothing else could. This feeling I knew I had to continue feeling for the rest of my life.

Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?
My hobbies outside of music involve culinary and outdoor activity and travel. Anyone that knows me, knows I love to eat great food from some of the best restaurants, wherever I can find them.

Who are some of your main musical influences?
Stevie Wonder, Usher, B2k, Tank, Justin Timberlake, Tyrese, the list goes on. (This list is my list from when I first started making music).

What are some of your music career goals for the future?
To work with Beyonce, Jay-Z, Bruno Mars, and a few other individuals who inspire me. In the future, I will also be creating a label and signing new acts and developing them.

Tell us about your most recent project?
The project I’m currently promoting is my production input on a Billboard No. 1 album, Ariana Grande’s positions (deluxe) album. The song is called “main thing.” And I’m proud and honored to be apart of the production on this song. It’s currently out so please go stream it!

What has the response been like to that project?
The response has been phenomenal, my inbox has been filling up and my phone has been ringing; I’m blessed.

What are some projects you’ve done in the past that you are most proud of and why?
One of the biggest breakthrough’s of my career to date, has been the record I just co-produced for Ariana Grande called “Main Thing.” This was released on Feb 19, 2021 and has already garnered millions of streams worldwide in short amount of time. We expect the album to go platinum sometime this year. I recently co-produced Desiigner’s latest single “GLE” with Akeel Henry, this came out January 2021 and is already an instant classic for Desiigner fans worldwide. Also produced a single for Eric Bellinger called “Weak all week” with Xeryus (guitarist) in which also recently dropped in December of 2020. Eric dropped visuals for the song almost immediately creating a depth and longevity to the song. I also did “Material“ with Eric Bellinger and Hitmaka, later last year. Also did two records from a recent Def Jam records artist “Saint Bodhi” on her album “Mad world” and I co-produced the title track “Mad World” and also one of her singles “Zombie” in which she created visuals to accompany the song. Another notable song I had a hand in production with was “Bestie” with Dame Dolla and Lil Durk with Omar Grand and Marley Waters.

What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects we should be on the lookout for?
I have some pretty amazing things coming out soon, we have a song with Jordin Sparks that’s going to be amazing, music from Tamar Braxton coming out soon; and some massive projects that I can’t mention but will be phenomenal.

What message do you hope fans take away from your production skills?
One thing I want fans to take away is that I’m a real producer/singer/songwriter … I’m diverse and can’t fit in a box because I was always surprise people with what I can do. I’ve always had a motto which is “no limitations.” I can’t wait for everyone to hear what’s coming next.