Mayer Hawthorne

Andrew Mayer Cohen, known professionally by his stage name Mayer Hawthorne, is an American singer, producer, songwriter, arranger, audio engineer, DJ, and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles, California. In addition to his solo work, Cohen performs and records with the musical groups Tuxedo and Jaded Incorporated, and he has received a Grammy Award nomination.

Cohen was raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where his father played in a band in Detroit. He is Jewish and celebrated his bar mitzvah in 1992 at Temple Beth Emeth in Ann Arbor. His stage name combines his real middle name, Mayer, with Hawthorne Road, the street on which he grew up.

Earlier in his career, Cohen performed as DJ Haircut in the Ann Arbor-based group Athletic Mic League, which relocated to Los Angeles in 2005. Working as a hip-hop DJ, he began recording his own Motown-style tracks to avoid paying sampling fees, singing and playing all instruments without prior vocal training. Label head Peanut Butter Wolf heard the recordings and signed him to Stones Throw Records, insisting the music be turned into an album. Hawthorne released his heart-shaped debut single "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out"/"When I Said Goodbye" in November 2008, followed by "Maybe So, Maybe No"/"I Wish It Would Rain" in April 2009, and his debut album, A Strange Arrangement, in September 2009.

Hawthorne expanded his presence through various projects and appearances. His track "When I Said Goodbye" was featured in the Kanye West and Spike Jonze short film We Were Once a Fairytale, and he contributed vocals to Sebastian's 2011 song "Love in Motion." That same year, he performed with Booker T. Jones and Daryl Hall on Live From Daryl's House, and made television appearances on Conan and the Late Show with David Letterman performing his single "The Walk" from his album How Do You Do. He also released the live EP KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic in 2012.

In 2013, Hawthorne released the single "Her Favorite Song" and the album Where Does This Door Go, which departed from his earlier throwback style. His musical influences range from classic soul icons like Curtis Mayfield, Isaac Hayes, Barry White, Steely Dan, and Smokey Robinson to contemporary artists such as J Dilla and Santigold. He received a Grammy nomination for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package for How Do You Do.

Hawthorne's work has appeared across diverse media. He was featured on the cover of Beyond Race magazine in 2009. His songs have been included in television series such as Ugly Betty, Fringe, Girls, Masters of Sex, and Dear White People, as well as a Blue Moon commercial and the video game Forza Horizon 3. Additionally, his Tuxedo project track "Do It" with Jake One was sampled on Pitbull's 2013 album Global Warming.