Ilya Salmanzadeh
Swedish singer (born 1986)
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Ilya Salmanzadeh (Persian: ایلیا سلمانزاده; /sɑːlmənˈzɑːdə/; born 19 September 1986), known mononymously as Ilya, is an Iranian-born Swedish songwriter, producer, and singer.[1] He rose to prominence outside of Sweden after co-writing and producing Ariana Grande's hit single "Problem" for her second studio album My Everything (2014).[2] He is a six-time Grammy Awards nominee, including three nominations for Album of the Year: Thank U, Next (2020), Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe) (2022), Special (2023).[3]
Career
Ilya Salmanzadeh was born in Iran, raised in Denmark, and moved to Sweden at age 11.[4] In 2005 at the age of 19, he sang with Warner/Chappell Music in Stockholm, Sweden. In 2009, he graduated from the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California. "Miss Me", Mohombi & Nelly's song in 2010, was Ilya's first internationally acclaimed production.[5][6] In 2011, he produced "Mama" and "Reba" from The Lonely Island's Grammy-nominated album, Turtleneck & Chain.[7][8] In 2013, he produced Cher Lloyd's song, "I Wish", and Fifth Harmony's award-winning song, "Me & My Girls".[9][10]
Alongside Max Martin, he co-wrote and produced Ariana Grande's "Problem" and Jennifer Lopez's "First Love" in 2014.[11][2][12][13][14] "Problem" went on to become one of the fastest-selling singles in iTunes history before winning a Teen Choice Award, VMA and EMA months later.[15][16][17][18] In June 2014, Ilya was nominated for the Denniz Pop Awards, an annual prize handed out to up-and-coming musicians.[19][20][21] "Bang Bang", co-produced by Ilya, was released as a joint single by Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj on 29 July 2014 to universal acclaim.[22][23] In January 2015, Ellie Goulding's "Love Me Like You Do", co-written by Ilya, was released for the soundtrack album to the motion picture, Fifty Shades of Grey, becoming the most-streamed song in a week on Spotify.[24] In May 2015, he remixed Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" with Kendrick Lamar, which became his first No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100.[25][26]
He co-wrote and produced large parts of Ariana Grande's later albums Sweetener and Thank U, Next. In 2019, Salmanzadeh co-wrote and produced Beyoncé's Grammy-nominated song "Spirit". He also worked on the production of Labrinth's singles "Miracle" and "Oblivion" (which features Sia), both taken from his sophomore solo album, Imagination & the Misfit Kid.[citation needed] In 2025, he co-wrote and produced several songs on Ed Sheeran's album Play, including the singles "Azizam", "Old Phone" and "Sapphire". Sheeran credited Salmanzadeh with providing him the idea of writing a song inspired by the producer's Persian heritage, which went onto become "Azizam".[27][28]
Discography
Singles
- As lead artist
- 2007: "Used To Be"[29]
- As featured artist
- 2009: "Get You on the Pool" (Kocky & Trash featuring Ilya)[citation needed]
- 2011: "Got It Like That" (Lazee ft. Ilya)[30]
Production discography
Ilya's works include:[31][32][33][34]
| Year | Title | Album | Songwriter | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | "Karma" (featuring David Jassy) | Darin Zanyar – Flashback | ||
| "Road Trip" | ||||
| 2010 | "Miss Me" (ft. Nelly) | Mohombi – MoveMeant | ||
| 2011 | "Alienized" | Linda Pritchard – Alive | ||
| "Crying in the Rain" | ||||
| "Dance Your Tears Away" | ||||
| "Erase & Rewind" | ||||
| "Glorious" | ||||
| "Miracle" | ||||
| "Not Even Hello" | ||||
| "On Time" | ||||
| "Rise Again" | ||||
| "Satellite" | ||||
| "Stuck in a Riddle" | ||||
| "Got It Like That" | Lazee – Supposed II Happen | |||
| "Explosive Love" | Eric Saade – Saade Vol. 2 | |||
| "Feel Alive" | ||||
| "Mama" | The Lonely Island – Turtleneck & Chain | |||
| "Reba (Two Worlds Collide)" (ft. Kenan Thompson) | ||||
| "Finally Free" | Kimberley Locke – Four for the Floor | |||
| 2012 | "Get Started" | David Lindgren – Get Started | ||
| "Bastard" | Amanda Fondell – Bastard | |||
| 2013 | "Can't Hold Back" | Anton Ewald – A | ||
| "We Are a Crowd" | The Lonely Island – The Wack Album | |||
| "Me & My Girls" | Fifth Harmony – Better Together | |||
| "I Wish" (ft. T.I.) | Cher Lloyd – Sorry I'm Late | |||
| 2014 | "One Last Time" | Ariana Grande – My Everything | ||
| "Problem" (ft. Iggy Azalea) | ||||
| "First Love" | Jennifer Lopez – AKA | |||
| "Bang Bang" (Jessie J with Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj) | Jessie J – Sweet Talker Ariana Grande – My Everything |
|||
| "Dreamers" | Mohombi – Universe | |||
| "Grow Old With You" | ||||
| "Just Like That" | ||||
| "Save Me" | ||||
| "Comeback" | Ella Eyre – Feline | |||
| "Santa Tell Me" | Ariana Grande – Christmas Kisses | |||
| 2015 | "Love Me like You Do" | Ellie Goulding – Fifty Shades of Grey (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | ||
| "Things I Didn't Say" | Adam Lambert – The Original High | |||
| "City Dove" | Tori Kelly – Unbreakable Smile | |||
| "Back It Up" (ft. Pitbull) | Prince Royce – Double Vision | |||
| "Back It Up" (ft. Jennifer Lopez & Pitbull) | ||||
| "Bad Blood" (ft. Kendrick Lamar) | Taylor Swift – 1989 | |||
| "Good Thing" (ft. Nick Jonas) | Sage the Gemini – Bachelor Party | |||
| "Around the World" (ft. Fetty Wap) | Natalie La Rose – Around the World | |||
| "One in a Million" | Hilary Duff – Breathe In. Breathe Out. | |||
| "Confident" | Demi Lovato – Confident | |||
| "Mr. Hughes" | ||||
| "On My Mind" | Ellie Goulding – Delirium | |||
| "Codes" | ||||
| "Pay My Rent" | DNCE – Swaay | |||
| "Toothbrush" | ||||
| "Focus" | Ariana Grande – Dangerous Woman | |||
| 2016 | "Bad Decisions" | |||
| "Everyday" (ft. Future) | ||||
| "Greedy" | ||||
| "Into You" | ||||
| "Side to Side" (ft. Nicki Minaj) | ||||
| "Sometimes" | ||||
| "Still Falling for You" | Ellie Goulding – Bridget Jones's Baby: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | |||
| "Don't Talk About It" | Tove Lo – Lady Wood | |||
| "Fire Fade" | ||||
| "They Don't Know" | Ariana Grande – Trolls: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | |||
| "What U Workin' With?" | Gwen Stefani & Justin Timberlake – Trolls: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | |||
| "DNCE" | DNCE – DNCE | |||
| "Pay My Rent" | ||||
| "Toothbrush" | ||||
| "Zoom" | ||||
| 2017 | "Lions" | Skip Marley – Lions | ||
| "Calm Down" | Skip Marley – Calm Down | |||
| "Act My Age" | Katy Perry – Witness | |||
| "Ain't About What You Got" | Star cast – Star (season 1) soundtrack | |||
| "Would You Mind" | PRETTYMUCH – Would You Mind | |||
| "End Game" (ft. Ed Sheeran and Future) | Taylor Swift – Reputation | |||
| "Refugee" | Skip Marley – Refugee | |||
| "Teacher" | PRETTYMUCH – Teacher | |||
| "Open Arms" | PRETTYMUCH – Open Arms | |||
| 2018 | "Raindrops (An Angel Cried)" | Ariana Grande – Sweetener | ||
| "God Is a Woman" | ||||
| "Everytime" | ||||
| "Breathin" | ||||
| "No Tears Left to Cry" | ||||
| "Close To Me" (ft. Swae Lee) | Ellie Goulding & Diplo – Brightest Blue | |||
| "Last Goodbye" (ft. Tove Styrke & Stefflon Don) | Clean Bandit – What Is Love? | |||
| 2019 | "Bloodline" | Ariana Grande – Thank U, Next | ||
| "Bad Idea" | ||||
| "Ghostin" | ||||
| "Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored" | ||||
| "Tu Vecina" (ft. Ty Dolla Sign) | Maluma – 11:11 | |||
| "Miracle" | Labrinth – Imagination & the Misfit Kid | |||
| "Spirit" | Beyoncé – The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | |||
| "How Do You Sleep?" | Sam Smith – Love Goes | |||
| "Don't Call Me Angel" | Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, Lana Del Rey – Charlie's Angels: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | |||
| "How It's Done" | Kash Doll, Kim Petras, Alma, Stefflon Don – Charlie's Angels: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | |||
| "Bad to You" | Ariana Grande, Normani, Nicki Minaj – Charlie's Angels: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | |||
| "Nobody" | Ariana Grande, Chaka Khan – Charlie's Angels: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | |||
| "How I Look on You" | Ariana Grande – Charlie's Angels: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | |||
| "Motivation" | Normani – Motivation | |||
| 2020 | "I'm Ready" | Sam Smith & Demi Lovato – Love Goes | ||
| "Worry About Me" (feat. blackbear) | Ellie Goulding − Brightest Blue | |||
| "My Oasis" (feat. Burna Boy) | Sam Smith − Love Goes | |||
| "High On Your Supply" | Katy Perry − Smile | |||
| 2021 | "Oh Na Na" (with Myke Towers and Tainy) | Camila Cabello – Familia | ||
| "Alone Together" | Westlife − Wild Dreams | |||
| 2022 | "Lightning"[35] | Charli XCX – Crash | ||
| "Unholy" | Sam Smith – Gloria | |||
| "I Love Your Girl" | Mabel – About Last Night... | |||
| "Grrrls" | Lizzo – Special | |||
| 2023 | "Brrr" | Kim Petras – Feed the Beast | ||
| 2024 | "Bye" | Ariana Grande – Eternal Sunshine | ||
| "Don't Wanna Break Up Again" | ||||
| "Saturn Returns Interlude" | ||||
| "Eternal Sunshine" | ||||
| "True Story" | ||||
| "The Boy Is Mine" | ||||
| "Yes, And?" | ||||
| "We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)" | ||||
| "I Wish I Hated You" | ||||
| "Imperfect for You" | ||||
| "Never Ending Song" | Conan Gray - Found Heaven | |||
| "Lonely Dancers" | ||||
| "The Final Fight" | ||||
| "New Woman" (ft. Rosalía) | Lisa – Alter Ego | |||
| "It's OK I'm OK" | Tate McRae – So Close to What | |||
| 2025 | "All Of The Same Lights" | Sabliess – Chaotic | ||
| "Sapphire" | Ed Sheeran - Play | |||
| "Azizam" | ||||
| "Old Phone" | ||||
| "Symmetry" | ||||
| "Camera" | ||||
| "Don't Look Down" | ||||
| "Heaven" | ||||
| "Medicine" | Khalid - After the Sun Goes Down | |||
| "In Plain Sight" | ||||
| "Nah" | ||||
| "Impulsive" | ||||
| "Tank Top" | ||||
| "Whenever You're Gone" | ||||
| "Dunbstruck" | ||||
| "Rendezvous" | ||||
| "True" | ||||
| "Instant" | ||||
| "Momentary Lovers" | ||||
| "Yes No Maybe" | ||||
| "Angel Boy" | ||||
| "Hurt People" | ||||
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Grammy Award | Best Comedy Album | Turtleneck & Chain (songwriter & producer) | Nominated | [8] |
| 2014 | Radio Disney Music Awards | Best Song to Rock Out to With Your BFF | "Me & My Girls" (producer) | Won | [36] |
| Catchiest New Song | "I Wish" (songwriter & producer) | Nominated | [37] | ||
| Denniz Pop Awards | Rookie Songwriter/Producer | Himself | Nominated | [21] | |
| Swedish Music Publishers Prize | Year's Breakthrough | Nominated | [38] | ||
| Teen Choice Awards | Song: Female Artist | "Problem" (songwriter & producer) | Won | [39] | |
| MTV Video Music Award | Best Female Video | Nominated | [40] | ||
| Best Pop Video | Won | [41] | |||
| Best Collaboration | Nominated | [42] | |||
| Best Lyric Video | Nominated | [43] | |||
| MTV Europe Music Awards | Best Song | Won | [44] | ||
| 2015 | People's Choice Awards | Favorite Song | "Bang Bang" (producer) | Nominated | [45] |
| Favorite Album | My Everything (songwriter, producer & programmer) | Nominated | [45] | ||
| Grammy Award | Best Pop Duo/Group Performance | "Bang Bang" (producer) | Nominated | [46] | |
| Best Pop Vocal Album | My Everything (songwriter, producer & programmer) | Nominated | [46] | ||
| Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | Favorite Song of the Year | "Bang Bang" (producer) | Won | [47] | |
| "Problem" (songwriter & producer) | Nominated | [48] | |||
| iHeartRadio Music Awards | Best Collaboration | "Bang Bang" (producer) | Won | [49] | |
| "Problem" (songwriter & producer) | Nominated | [50] | |||
| Radio Disney Music Awards | Song of the Year | "Problem" (songwriter & producer) | Won | [51] | |
| ASCAP Pop Music Awards | Writer Among the Most Performed Songs | Himself | Won | [52] | |
| Billboard Music Award | Top Soundtrack | Fifty Shades of Grey (songwriter) | Nominated | [53] | |
| MTV Europe Music Awards | Best Song | "Bad Blood" (producer) | Won | [54] | |
| "Love Me like You Do" (songwriter) | Nominated | ||||
| Latin Grammy Award | Best Urban Song | "Back It Up (Spanish Version)" (songwriter & producer) | Nominated | [55] | |
| American Music Award | Top Soundtrack | Fifty Shades of Grey (composer) | Nominated | [56] | |
| Collaboration of the Year | "Bad Blood" (producer) | Nominated | |||
| 2016 | People's Choice Awards | Favorite Song of the Year | Nominated | [57] | |
| "Love Me like You Do" (songwriter) | Nominated | ||||
| Golden Globe Award | Best Original Song | Nominated | [58] | ||
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Best Song | Nominated | [59] | ||
| Grammy Award | Best Pop Solo Performance | Nominated | [60] | ||
| Best Song Written for Visual Media | Nominated | ||||
| Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media | Fifty Shades of Grey (songwriter) | Nominated | |||
| 2022 | Grammy Award | Album of the Year | Justice (producer & songwriter) | Nominated | [8] |
| 2023 | Grammy Award | Album of the Year | Special (producer, engineers & mixer) | Nominated | [8] |
| 2025 | Grammy Award | Best Dance Pop Recording | Yes, And? (producer) | Nominated | [8] |
See also
Notes
- Additional vocal producer