Pharrell Williams has been revealed as the new Chief Creative Officer at ROLI and will help co-design the next generation of music creation devices. Williams is also the newest investor, taking co-ownership of the London-based startup. 

“Music touches all of us, and for a long time I’ve been passionate about finding ways to share the power of music with more people. When I met Roland Lamb and ROLI, I immediately felt we were working towards exactly the same goals, and so I’m super excited that we’re kicking off this partnership,” Williams said.

ROLI’s mission is to change the way producers and musicians make music. The company is most well known for their award-winning Seaboard musical instrument, a new take on a piano keyboard that has a continuous, touch-responsive surface in place of the traditional keyboard.

The first collaboration between ROLI and Williams comes via ROLI’s free mobile app, NOISE. A new studio pack entitled ‘Happy by Pharrell’ deconstructs the chords, basslines, and vocals of “Happy,” giving you the raw materials to build your own song. NOISE also lets you create beats, melodies, and songs with a huge library of sounds directly on your phone or tablet. Check out the demo for the ‘Happy by Pharrell’ studio pack:

Williams has become a creative influencer in more than just music over the course of his career. He once stated that as a kid he was a nerd and often did things that made him stand out from his peers. His risk-taking creativity has earned him 10 Grammy Awards, as well as an Academy Award nomination as a producer on the film, Hidden Figures.

Founder and CEO of ROLI, Roland Lamb, said: “We’re always looking for creative artists to work with, and Pharrell embodies creativity — not only in his music but also in many other areas like design and fashion.”

We’re excited to see what Williams will bring to the ROLI company. Stay tuned more updates and let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. 

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