Josh Gudwin, a producer and engineer, is responsible for managing multiple email and text chains while on the move as a gatekeeper for Justin Bieber song submissions. One particularly long thread is with Stefan Johnson of the songwriting-production team Monsters and Strangerz. What is the topic? “Ghost,” Bieber’s latest hit which has racked up 12.9 billion streams, according to the pop star’s label, Def Jam.
“Ghost” has been ensconced in the Top 10 of Billboard’s Hot 100 chart since February 19. It has risen to No. 7. This is due to the 830 million global streams and 255 million domestic streams. It did reach No. It did reach No. 1 on the Pop radio format. And as the industry heads into Grammy week, where Bieber’s “Justice”Album is up for eight awards. This song is poised to reach critical mass.
“Ghost” is one of three records featuring Bieber’s vocals in the Top 40 that Gudwin has vocal-produced and engineered. The other two are the KID LAROI’s “Stay” and Wizkid’s “Essence”Tems. “It was one of the songs you hear and you know there’s something special about it,” says Gudwin, Variety’s Hitmaker of the Month for April. “I knew it was going to resonate deeply with Justin.”
Gudwin makes his rounds among the various rooms of the Henson Recording Studio lot in Hollywood. He scans his communications with Johnson, tracing the course of events. “Ghost.”Johnson sent Gudwin the song after Jon Bellion sent it to Bieber as a demo.
Says Gudwin of his filtering process for songs: “Once you once you’re familiar with a song, you start to like it. I make sure that I’m not liking a song because I’m familiar with it. You have to remove yourself from the attachment you have developed for the song because you’ve listened to it over and over again.
“Sometimes, I can tell a song is going to be a hit based on a demo,”He continues. “Sometimes it exposes itself after Justin’s voice is on it. Also, Justin is at a point in his career where he understands that he might not necessarily like a song, but once he puts his voice on it, he might see the potential in the song. If I’m pushing it, he’ll try it. It usually shows right away if a song is going to work or not.”
Gudwin recorded and produced Bieber’s vocals in Henson’s Studio B, and mixed them in the compound’s mixing room.
“I’m constantly mixing Justin’s songs,” says Gudwin who has his hands — and ears — on upwards of 400 songs per calendar year. “When Justin hears a newer version of the song, unless he doesn’t like what’s happening, he doesn’t say anything about it. I take that in two ways. One, he’s listening. And two, as a silent approval. If there is back and forth, he lets me know what he wants, and I change it immediately. When Justin is good on the mix, if the producers want any revisions, they are usually small things, so as to not spook or trigger Justin, because he’s already signed off it.”
This “mix as you go” style has been Gudwin’s default with Bieber since the two began working together in 2010 when Gudwin was engineering under renowned songwriter/producer/arranger/engineer, Kuk Harrell (Rihanna, Cardi B). Gudwin stepped into his position as Bieber’s personal vocal producer and engineer, as well as the mixer for the majority of Bieber’s material in 2012 when Gudwin went on tour with Bieber to record “Believe Acoustic.”
Josh Gudwin
Gudwin has recorded more than 20 Top 20 hits with Bieber, including the No. 1 songs “Despacito (Justin Bieber Remix),” “Love Yourself,” “What Do U Mean,” “Sorry”And “Stuck with You.” Over the course of his time with the singer, Gudwin organically moved into his position as one of the album producers, composer, A&R and primary mixer for “Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe).”
“Mixing is the cleanest transfer of energy,”Gudwin. “I put everything into the songs and it gives it right back to me by sounding and feeling amazing.”
Gudwin received three Grammy nominations for this year. Two were for his work in the music industry. “Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe)” — album of the year and record of the year for “Peaches.” He is also nominated for best engineered album, non-classical for the Marías album, “Cinema.” Gudwin already has three Grammy Awards, which he’s won in categories as diverse as best Latin pop or Urban album to best contemporary Christian album to best dance recording (for Silk City and Dua Lipa’s “Electricity, pictured above). He’s also won six Latin Grammys, most notably for his work on chart-topping Bad Bunny and J Balvin albums. These trophies have been displayed on every surface in his studio. It would present a display challenge to add to the collection.
Gudwin never imagined that he would find space for future Grammys. He joined the Marines in September 2000, after having dropped out of college. Gudwin decided to enroll at Full Sail University, his home state in Florida, after visiting friends in Los Angeles who were all recording music in their apartments.
Gudwin “I joined the Marines because I was looking for a challenge. I used the G.I. Bill to pay for Full Sail. Ten years later, I was inducted into their Hall of Fame. Now, we’re close to wrapping the 11th album I’ve done with Bieber and the magnitude of it all is really hitting me. All I can say is I’m grateful.”
Josh Gudwin