New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Columbia Records) Global superstar
Pharrell Williams has just announced the release of his Columbia Records debut album, G I R L . Highlighted by his Oscar-nominated hit single "Happy," G I R L will be released worldwide Monday, March 3.
"When Columbia Records presented me with the opportunity to make an album, three things came to mind," says Pharrell. "One was the sense of overwhelming honor that I felt when I realized that they were interested in partnering with me on the album that I had always dreamt of making. Two, it would have to feel festive and urgent. And three, I instantly knew it would be called G I R L. I hope you like it."
Pharrell is currently in London , where he will perform "
Happy" at the BRIT Awards this evening, and on Sunday, March 2 , Pharrell is slated to perform the song on the 86 th Annual Academy Awards. Pharrell will also perform on Germany's Wetten Das and France's Le Grand Journal later this month. This past Sunday, Pharrell kicked off the NBA All-Star Game with an incredible retrospective performance of some of his greatest hits.
"Happy," which was first featured on Despicable Me 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) , has become an international phenomenon and radio smash. Currently #1 on the iTunes' Songs chart in the U.S., the song has topped the chart in more than 175 countries, selling more than 2.3 million downloads worldwide. In addition to jumping to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, "
Happy" has also become the highest-charting Oscar-nominated song in more than a decade. With more than 120 million in audience, the song is currently charting at seven U.S. radio formats—Top 40, Rhythm, AC, Hot AC, Urban, Urban AC, and AAA. Around the world, "
Happy" tops radio charts in 14 countries including Australia , France , Germany , U.K., Belgium , Denmark , Hungary , Ireland , Italy , Netherlands , New Zealand , South Africa , Switzerland , and Poland .
Just last month, Pharrell took home four GRAMMY® awards, including Producer of the Year, Album of the Year for Daft Punk's
Random Access Memories , and Record of the Year as well as Best Pop Duo/Performance for Daft Punk's "Get Lucky." Pharrell has won a career-spanning total of seven GRAMMYs.
Redefining cool for a new generation,
Pharrell Williams is a creative force, using music, fashion, and design to express his distinctive style. From his beginnings as a teenage prodigy and multi-instrumentalist in Virginia Beach back in the early '90s, through enough hits to earn him Billboard 's Producer of the Decade in 2010, to his current status as multi-media superstar, Williams has never stopped creating. Starting his producing career as one half of The Neptunes with Chad Hugo , Williams has helped create such classics as Daft Punk's "Get Lucky,"
Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines," Nelly's "Hot in Herre," Jay-Z's "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)," Britney Spears' "I'm A Slave 4 U," and Justin Timberlake's "Like I Love You."
With over 100 million copies of his productions sold, his music sounds like something no one else has thought of just yet. He's also created a new way of looking at established stars like Snoop Dogg, Madonna, and even the Rolling Stones. Over four albums, Williams and Hugo along with Shae Haley created an unpredictable hybrid as part of the alt-rock/hip-hop group N.E.R.D. His prolific body of work also ranges from designing a sculpture with Tokyo -born artist Takashi Murakami to accessories and jewelry for luxury goods brands Louis Vuitton and Moncler. Now, with his latest venture i am OTHER - a multi-media creative collective that serves as an umbrella for all his endeavors, including Billionaire Boys Club & ICECREAM apparel, textile company Bionic Yarn and dedicated YouTube channel - Williams' vision continues to push pop culture forward.
