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PEOPLE & ARTS Wednesday 18 december 2019
As Ricky Reed rises, the producer for Lizzo learns balance

By MESFIN FEKADU was very pleasing to say,
Associated Press ‘Somebody was watch-
NEW YORK (AP) — Music ing,’” Reed said.
producer Ricky Reed re- In addition to working with
members the long days Lizzo — whose eight Gram-
and nights in the recording my nominations makes her
studio, as he crafted hits for the show’s top contender
Halsey, twenty one pilots, — Reed also produced for
Jason Derulo and Lizzo with Maggie Rogers, SZA, Maren
zero-time limits or restric- Morris and X Ambassadors
tions. during this Grammys cycle.
But for the father of His got his first big hit in 2013
8-month-old twins and a 2 with Jason Derulo’s “Talk
1/2-year-old toddler, things Dirty,” which peaked at
have changed: On Tues- No. 3 on the Hot 100 and
days and Thursdays, he’s a became a four-times plati-
stay-at-home dad. And he num success. He also has
doesn’t work on the week- produced Top 5 hits like
end. twenty one pilot’s “Ride,”
“My only real work days Halsey’s “Bad at Love,”
are Monday, Wednesday Meghan Trainor’s “No” and
and Friday,” he said. “We Derulo and Snoop Dogg’s
have three kids under 3. It’s In this Dec. 6, 2019, photo Ricky Reed poses for a portrait in Los Angeles. “Wiggle.”
madness. They come first, Associated Press While working on those
second and third on my list hits, he was busy working
of priorities before anything a good musician is that it — but for good reason: Adele’s “Hello.”) with Lizzo. “Truth Hurts” was
else.” takes a ton of energy and He’s celebrating his four “To be honest, I’m always created in 2017 but got a
Reed, 37, said he came effort, but a lot of that en- Grammy nominations. so head down in my work boost after it was featured
up with the new sched- ergy has to go into being Thanks to his success with that I never know what is in the Netflix film “Someone
ule about two months creative with your sched- the year’s most popular going to be the thing that Great,” released in April.
ago — around the time ule, reading the room and singer, Reed earned nomi- connects with people or And “Good as Hell” — cre-
he watched a hit he cre- making adjustments ev- nations for album of the would make a Grammy ated in 2016 on a piano
ated with Lizzo two years ery couple months as the year for Lizzo’s major-label committee feel like, ‘This is he purchased on Craigslist
ago, “Truth Hurts,” top the needs change so that I’m debut, “Cuz I Love You”; the year that I should be that was used at the icon-
Billboard Hot 100 chart — not just off living my music song and record of the nominated.’ ic Sound City Studios (“It
giving him and the artist he producer dream while my year for “Truth Hurts,” which The amount of work that even has the whole Tom
signed to his Nice Life Re- family’s getting beat up,” was No. 1 for seven weeks; I did in the last two years Petty and the Heartbreak-
cording Company in 2015 he said. “It’s good, but you and non-classical producer that sort of culminates in ers’ sticker on the under-
their first No. 1 success. got to pay attention to it.” of the year, an award he this specific discography, I carriage,” Reed excitedly
“What I find with having Reed broke the rules on this competed for at the 2017 beat myself so bad. I beat says) — is spending its sixth
kids and trying to be a particular day to complete Grammys (he lost to Greg up my poor family, too, just week on top of the R&B
good dad and trying to be an interview — a Tuesday Kurstin, who worked on overextending. I will say it charts).q
Breakthrough Entertainer: Zack Gottsagen realizes a dream

By MARCELA ISAZA met Gottsagen at an act- viding that inspiration for
Associated Press ing camp for people with others. He’s become a
LOS ANGELES (AP) — For disabilities. Gottsagen was bonafide celebrity since
Zack Gottsagen, being determined to be an ac- the movie’s release, with
named as one of The Asso- tor, and pleaded with Nil- appearances on shows
ciated Press’ Breakthrough son and Schwartz to make like “The Ellen DeGeneres
Entertainers of 2019 is a his dream come true. The Show,“and will be hon-
confirmation of his suc- 34-year-old recalls grow- ored at the Palm Springs
cess. ing up and watching Chris International Festival with
“It means some people Burke, who also has Down the Rising Star Award. It’s
believe in me ...(and) a lot Syndrome, star in the 1980s been a nonstop ride.
of people love my talent,” TV series “Life Goes On.” “Everything is going on
he said. “He is a really good ac- right now,” he said.
Gottsagen’s appeal is one tor. I always watched his Gottsagen plans to con-
of the reasons why “The show for like thousands tinue acting and said he
Peanut Butter Falcon” has In this Dec. 5, 2019, photo Zack Gottsagen poses for a portrait and thousands of times,” prefers to focus on drama
become one of the year’s in Los Angeles. he said about Burke. because it shows “feel-
most successful indepen- Associated Press Watching someone on ings ... most people would
dent films and was an TV who looked like him probably love to see that.”
unexpected summer hit. facility for an adventure, share the same name is encouraged Gottsagen. But his dream would be to
The movie, which marks and ends up forging an no accident. “The Peanut Burke’s role was ground- star with John Travolta, or
his professional acting de- unlikely friendship with a Butter Falcon” was inspired breaking at the time, and at least play Travolta’s role
but, follows a wrestling- fisherman, played by Shia by Gottsagen and spe- it’s still a challenge for ac- in a reboot of his favor-
obsessed fan named Zack LaBeouf, also on the run. cifically written for him by tors with disabilities to be ite film, “Grease,” which
with Down Syndrome who The fact that both the Tyler Nilson and Michael cast in Hollywood projects. he has watched “many,
leaves his assisted living main character and Zack Schwartz after the pair Now, Gottsagen s pro- many times.”q