Pharrell Williams is an Oscar-nominated American singer and songwriter best known for his hit song “Happy.” In 2016, he produced the biographical drama film ‘Hidden Figures,’ which he also produced as a record and film producer. The film, which was based on the same-named book, was a big success and received several accolades, including the ‘Hollywood Film Award.’ It was also nominated for three ‘Oscars.’ Williams is also a successful businessman who has worked for companies such as ‘Adidas’ and ‘Moncler.’ He has loved music since he was a child. He started performing at a young age with his friend Chad Hugo. With a friend, he founded ‘The Neptunes,’ a record producing partnership. When they began producing rap artists like Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Jay-Z, ‘The Neptunes’ became well-known. They’re also well-known for their work on Justin Timberlake’s debut studio album, ‘Justified.’ ‘In My Mind,’ Williams’ solo debut studio album, was released in 2006. It is one of his most successful compositions, debuting at number three on the ‘US Billboard 200.’ In 2014, he released his second album, ‘Girl,’ which was likewise a big success.
Childhood and Adolescence
Pharrell Williams was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in the United States, on April 5, 1973. Pharaoh is his father’s name, and Carolyn is his mother’s. Pharrell is the oldest of their three children.
‘Princess Anne High School’ and ‘Kempsville High School’ were his high schools. He met Chad Hugo, with whom he eventually created ‘The Neptunes,’ when they were both in seventh grade. He would subsequently admit in interviews that he used to be a nerd and that he was different from other kids.
Career of Pharrell
In the 1990s, Pharrell Williams collaborated with Chad Hugo to form ‘The Neptunes,’ a record production partnership. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, they effectively contributed to the works of a number of artists. They were known for generating popular songs including Jay Z’s ‘I Just Wanna Love U’ and Britney Spears’s ‘I’m a Slave 4 U.’
They released an album named ‘The Neptunes Present… Clones’ in 2003 after a few previous popular works. On the ‘US Billboard 200,’ the album reached number one. It garnered largely positive feedback as well. The album featured Pharrell’s breakthrough solo hit, “Frontin,” which reached number five on the “US Billboard Hot 100.” It was also the 34th best-selling song in the United States in 2003.
‘In My Mind,’ Williams’ debut studio album, was released in July 2006. It turned out to be a resounding success. On the ‘US Billboard 200,’ it debuted in third place. Despite the fact that numerous songs from the album were leaked online before its release, the album went on to sell over 142k copies in its first week.
He worked with other well-known vocalists over the following few years, including Shakira and Jennifer Lopez. Lopez’s successful song “Fresh Out the Oven” credits him as a co-writer and producer.
He composed the soundtrack for the animated comedy film ‘Despicable Me’ in 2010. He worked with American singer Adam Lambert the next year, co-writing two tracks for Lambert’s second studio album, ‘Trespassing.’ The music for the 84th ‘Academy Awards’ was composed and produced by him.
Pharrell Williams wrote the soundtrack for the animated film ‘Despicable Me 2’ in 2013, which was a sequel to ‘Despicable Me.’ His song “Happy,” which he wrote for the film, went on to become a worldwide smash. The song not only reached number one on the ‘US Billboard Hot 100,’ but it was also nominated for a ‘Oscar.’ It was also the first single off his second album, ‘Girl.’
In March of 2014, he released his second studio album, ‘Girl.’ The album was a big hit, reaching number one in 12 different countries. Within a year, it had sold 591k copies in the United States. The majority of critics gave it positive reviews.
Williams was also named as a new coach on the popular TV singing competition ‘The Voice’ in the same year. Williams was also a co-composer for the soundtrack of the successful superhero film ‘The Amazing Spiderman 2’ in 2014.
He worked on the popular biographical drama film ‘Hidden Figures’ as a producer and composer in 2016. The film was a great hit and was nominated for an Academy Award.
He composed the third installment of the ‘Despicable Me’ series, ‘Despicable Me 3,’ the following year. The movie was a box office success. In the same year, he collaborated with ‘Chanel’ and ‘Adidas’ to create 1000 pairs of sneakers.
He narrated the 3D computer animated film ‘The Grinch’ in 2018.
Williams launched ‘Something in the Water,’ a three-day music festival on the Virginia Beach Oceanfront in early 2019, with many well-known performers performing.
Pharrell composed five songs for the 2019 epic hit musical picture ‘The Lion King,’ his third collaboration with German composer Hans Zimmer.
Major Projects
Pharrell Williams’ first album, ‘In My Mind,’ is considered one of his most important compositions. The album was a commercial success, debuting at number three on the ‘US Billboard 200,’ selling 142k copies in its first week. ‘Can I Have It Like That,’ ‘How Does It Feel,’ ‘Best Friend,’ and ‘Angel’ were among the album’s songs. The album was also a great hit in other countries, reaching number eight on the ‘Canadian Albums’ chart and third on the ‘Dutch Albums’ chart.
‘Girl,’ Pharrell Williams’ second studio album, and also one of his most successful works. The album reached number two on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States. It includes singles like ‘Gust of Wind’ and ‘Hunter,’ as well as the Oscar-nominated song ‘Happy,’ which served as the album’s lead single. It was also quite popular in other countries, reaching number one on the ‘UK Albums’ and ‘Norwegian Albums’ charts. The majority of the feedback was good.
Williams is a co-producer on the 2016 biographical drama picture ‘Hidden Figures,’ which was a critical and commercial success. Theodore Melfi directed the film, which was based on Margot Lee Shetterly’s non-fiction book of the same name. Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Kevin Costner appeared in the film. The picture became a commercial success, grossing more than $230 million worldwide. The film won a number of accolades, including three ‘Oscar’ nominations. The majority of the feedback was good.
Achievements & Awards
Among other accolades, Pharrell Williams has won 13 Grammy Awards and six Billboard Music Awards. He’s also been nominated for two ‘Academy Awards.’ He received two ‘BBC Music Awards’ in 2014, in the categories of ‘International Artist of the Year’ and ‘Song of the Year (Happy)’.
He received the ‘People’s Choice Award’ for ‘Favorite R&B Artist’ in 2015.
Personal Experiences
Pharrell Williams married Helen Lasichanh, a model and fashion designer, in 2013. Rocket Williams, the couple’s son, was born in 2008. The couple welcomed three more children in 2017, a set of triplets.
Estimated Net Worth
Pharrell Williams’ net worth is believed to be $200 Million.