Thomas Mackenzie Bell (born 22 February 1985), better known by the stage name of Toddla T, is an English DJ, record producer, remixer and songwriter from Sheffield, South Yorkshire.[1]
Toddla T | |
|---|---|
 Toddla T in 2009 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Thomas Mackenzie Bell |
| Born | 22 February 1985 |
| Origin | Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupations | |
| Instruments |
|
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Labels | |
| Spouse | Annie Mac (2018–present) |
| Website | toddlat |
Biography
editBell was raised in Sheffield where he attended King Edward VII School.[2] He started DJing at the age of 14 in the clubs and bars of Sheffield and by the age of 16 had left school to pursue a full-time career in the music industry. His stage name was given to him by the older Sheffield DJs who influenced him and was used to indicate his relative youth.[3] He has two children with his wife, fellow former BBC Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac. Bell is a fan of Sheffield United F.C.[4]
Career
editBell's first album, for 1965 Records, encompasses hip-hop, electro, garage, dancehall and house and was released in May 2009. The major collaborators were Serocee and Mr Versatile. The album also features further collaborations with Matt Helders from the Arctic Monkeys, Benjamin Zephaniah, Roots Manuva, Tinchy Stryder, Joe Goddard, Conna "Three Chainz" Haines and Hervé.[1] He has created a mix album for the London nightclub Fabric.[5]
Bell DJs in clubs and festivals throughout the UK, Europe, North America and Australia. He has a quarterly residency at XOYO[6] and a soundsystem at Notting Hill Carnival.[7] He formerly had a weekly show on BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1Xtra and BBC Asian Network[8] and is involved in recording and producing various artists including Roots Manuva, Skepta, Wiley, Ms. Dynamite & Róisín Murphy. He has remixed Little Dragon, Major Lazer and Hot Chip.[9] In 2010 he signed to the record label Ninja Tune and released Watch Me Dance in 2011. In 2012, Bell started his record label Girls Music with Raf Rundell from The 2 Bears.[10] Toddla is also a producer in his own right, having produced singles such as Young T & Bugsey's "Strike A Pose" and Headie One, AJ Tracey and Stormzy's "Ain't It Different".
In August 2020, Toddla announced that he would be leaving the BBC after 11 years at the end of September.[11]
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Skanky Skanky |
|
| Watch Me Dance |
|
| Foreign Lights |
|
| Out:Side |
|
Compilation albums
edit- FabricLive.47 (2009)
EPs
edit- Do U Know, 1965 Records (2007)
- On Acid, Defected (2014)
- Kensal Road EP, Girls Music (2015)
Singles
edit- "Fill Up Mi Portion", Do U Know (2007)
- "Backchatter (Mica's Version)", Do U Know (2007)
- "Inna Di Dancehall", Do U Know (2007)
- "Girls", Do U Know (2007)
- "Do U Know", Do U Know (2007)
- "Inna Di Dancehall", Do U Know (2007)
- "Manabadman" feat. Serocee & Trigganom (2008)
- "65 Dubplate" feat. Serocee & Trigganom (2008)
- "Soundtape Killin", (2008)
- "Shake It" with Hervé feat. Serocee (2009)
- "Sky Surfing (Dope Man)" (2010)
- "Streets So Warm" feat. Wayne Marshall (2011)
- "Take It Back" feat. Shola Ama & J2K, Ninja Tune (2011)
- "Watch Me Dance" with Roots Manuva (2011)
- "Cherry Picking" feat. Róisín Murphy (2011)
- "My God" - Trojan Sound System vs Toddla T (2011)
- "Alive" with Shola Ama (2012)
- "I Don't Wanna Hear That" with Danny Weed & Jammer (2015)
- "Walkin" - Toddla T meets The Suns of Dub (2015)
- "Big Tune a Drop" - Toddla T vs The 2 Bears (2015)
- "It's All Love" feat. Craig David (2022)
- "We Run the Area" with Idris Elba, General Levy & Naomi Cowan (2023)
Production credits
edit| Title | Year | Artist(s) | Album | Produced with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Boasty" | 2019 | Wiley, Stefflon Don, Sean Paul, Idris Elba | Non-album single | Mucky |
| "Strike a Pose" | Young T & Bugsey, Aitch | Plead the 5th | None | |
| "Pop Boy" | Stormzy, Aitch | Heavy Is the Head | Fred Again | |
| "Better Way to Live" | 2023 | Kneecap, Grian Chatten | Fine Art | None |
| "Sick in the Head" | 2024 | Kneecap | ||
| "Fine Art" | ||||
| "Love Making" | Kneecap, Nino | |||
| "Keep Holding On" | Becky Hill | Believe Me Now? | ||
| "3CAG" | Kneecap, Radie Peat | Fine Art | ||
| "Interlude: Making Headlines" | Kneecap | |||
| "I bhFiacha Linne" | ||||
| "Interlude: Never Gets a Round" | ||||
| "I'm Flush" | ||||
| "Interlude: State of Ya" | ||||
| "Interlude: Amhrán na Scadán" | ||||
| "Drug Dealin Pagans" | ||||
| "Interlude: Kneecap Chaps" | ||||
| "Harrow Road" | Kneecap, Jelani Blackman | |||
| "Parful" | Kneecap | |||
| "Rhino Ket" | ||||
| "Interlude: Last Orders" | ||||
| "Way Too Much" | ||||
| "Tipsy" | Headie One, Aitch | The Last One |
References
edit- ^ a b Mugan, Chris (21 May 2009). "Toddla T - The steel pulse is reinvigorated". Independent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
- ^ "Toddla T still enjoying the rocket ride to stardom - Local Business - Sheffield Telegraph". www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
- ^ "Toddla T". Ninja Tune.
- ^ "Sheffield United 2020/21 Home Kit - available now". Sheffield United F.C. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
- ^ Gervase de Wilde (27 May 2009). "Toddla T interview for Skanky Skanky album". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 31 May 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
- ^ "XOYO - London nightclub". Resident Advisor.
- ^ T, Toddla (22 August 2014). "Toddla T's Guide To Notting Hill Carnival Survival".
- ^ Ben Cooper, Controller of Radio 1. "Media Centre – Radio 1 announces changes to dance music line-up". BBC. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Toddla T". Discogs.com.
- ^ "DJ Toddla T: 'Girls Music is about getting exciting music and sharing it' | Sam Moir | Independent Music Blogs". blogs.independent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 December 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
- ^ "After 11 years at BBC Radio 1 & BBC Radio 1Xtra .. its time to pass the mic .. 📻 🎤". Instagram. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021.
External links
edit- Toddla T – official site
- Toddla T discography at Discogs
- Toddla T Essential Mix at BBC Radio 1
