Grammy for Scots producer who wrote huge SZA hit

A 20-year-old music producer whose career began in his Glasgow bedroom has won a Grammy award for his work on a winning track.

Blair Ferguson made his contribution to SZA's smash hit Snooze from a makeshift studio while staying with his aunt.

The track won the gong for best R&B song in last night's Los Angeles ceremony.

He said it was "incredible" to be a winner at the Grammys representing his home country.

Despite being relatively unknown in Scotland, Blair has already worked alongside stars such as Justin Bieber and Diddy.

He contributed to his first top US top 10 album when he was just 16.

Under the name BLK Beats, the former Kelvinside Academy pupil wrote the original demo for SZA's hit song Snooze, which features on her SOS album.

The song peaked at number two in the US Billboard charts in July and is the only song to have spent the whole of 2023 in the Billboard Hot 100.

In September it hit number 18 in the UK charts.

Ferguson also contributed to albums nominated in this year's Grammys, including SOS by SZA and Girls Night Out by Babyface.

"It came from a very weird time in my life," he said. "I was staying at my aunt's place and it was just this weird world where I was just trying to find my place in the industry.

"The idea was founded there and it grew arms and legs and now we're standing here."

He said his whole family stayed up to watch awards at home in Scotland and were celebrating into the night.

Asked what his plans were for the future, he replied: "More Grammys. I'm still young so I've got to get more."

Ferguson started making his own music when he was just 15 and quickly developed a talent for creating melodies and sample tracks.

He started sending his music to hundreds of producers and songwriters in the music industry, with hopes that one could be picked up by an artist.

Less than a year later, the Covid pandemic hit and he told his parents that he wanted to leave school and pursue a career in music.

Within months, he had written a song for hip hop artist Lil Tecca for his album Virgo World which charted in the US Billboard top 10.

Ferguson went on to work with other big artists including Diddy, 24kGoldn, and Justin Bieber.

Ferguson now splits his time between Los Angeles and Scotland, where he still shares a flat with four school friends in Edinburgh.

"I had a makeshift studio and I was in a bit of limbo," he said.

"But I made the original demo for Snooze and sent it through to my friend and co-producer Leon Thomas and they expanded on the session - and the rest was history."

He said he initially thought the song was too laidback to chart well.

"But I was completely wrong," he said. "Which is very nice, the charts completely ate it up.

"SZA is just a genius and she's able to transform any record with the way she comes up with a melody. I don't think any other artist could have made that track."