With his soaring ballads and catchy dance-pop numbers, Jason Derulo is a consistent hitmaker, racking up platinum hit after platinum hit since his debut in the 2000s. He shot to stardom while still in his teens and built his reputation as a prolific R&B and rap songwriter, composing tracks for artists ranging from Lil Wayne and Pitbull to Pleasure P.
Born to Haitian parents in Miramar, Florida, Derulo started singing at an early age. He attended performing arts schools in Florida and took some early stabs at music composition, writing his first song at the age of eight. His writing skills began attracting attention, and by his teens, Derulo had begun composing tracks for artists like Lil Wayne, Pitbull, and Pleasure P.
After signing to Warner Bros. subsidiary Beluga Heights, Derulo began making the transition from behind-the-scenes songwriter to mainstream performer. His first hit arrived during the summer of 2009, when he wrapped a sample of Imogen Heap’s “Hide and Seek” around a sleek modern soul beat. Titled “Whatcha Say,” the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 and cracked the Top Ten in other territories, including Canada, Australia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the U.K.