Former Leeds Conservatoire student Ed Thomas is credited as a songwriter on FKA twigs’ GRAMMY Award winning album, Eusexua. He co-wrote the track ‘Wanderlust’ for the experimental artist’s third studio album, which was named Best Dance/Electronic Album at the annual ceremony in Los Angeles.
Ed Thomas. Photo credit: @bitterrocc
A songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist, Ed has built an impressive and diverse portfolio since his first cut with electronic duo Chase & Status in 2010. Since then, his work has amassed over 1.5 billion combined streams across a wide range of genres including R&B/Soul, Rap, Drum & Bass and House.
He has written and produced for an array of other critically acclaimed and globally recognised artists, including Jorja Smith, Stormzy, Bryson Tiller, Amaarae, Jayda G, Cat Burns, Maisie Peters, Ben Böhmer and Nia Archives.
Ed completed his course at the conservatoire in 2006, continues to work with contacts made as a student, and has returned to the institution several times to support emerging talent.
During a masterclass he said, “Whilst I was studying at the conservatoire I touched on a lot of things and I think possibly the most important thing was the songwriting elements of the course that I was doing, with the time and the space to do it that I think you’re only really going to get afforded if you come somewhere like here. Because real life moves fast and sometimes you’ve got to slow the pace down to really get inside a song and understand what makes a song.
“Being able to spend that whole time having access to studios, having access to the tutors and the staff here to come in and bounce ideas off, whilst you have all of this time to create I think was wicked. That in particular I felt was amazing. Whatever you study here there’s osmosis throughout everybody that’s here.”
Ed’s success serves as an example of the global impact of Leeds Conservatoire graduates, plus the institution’s longstanding commitment to nurturing creative talent and fostering collaboration.
