Jon Stojan
Photo Credit: Shot by Cam Major at The Orange Lounge Recording Studios
Rich Pilkington has pioneered many frontiers as a music producer and songwriter. Still, he believes one of his greatest achievements has been instilling self-belief in other artists, as a mentor for the next generation of musicians.
“I’ve learned that as creatives, we need to be the biggest supporter and advocate of our work and ability,” he says. “There are days when you question what you’re doing, if something you’ve created is good enough. We get caught up in our heads sometimes but it’s imperative to believe in yourself and what you’re creating, even if no one else does. That’s the only way that you will get to the top.”
Making it to the top is exactly what he has done through hard work and persistence. He has accumulated over 77 million streams as a music producer and songwriter, and he continues to grind to make this number reach his target of 777 million streams.
He has already achieved a number 1 in 5 countries across Asia with ‘Believer,’ a song he wrote and produced for C-Pop star Zhang Zhehan. This song went on to top the worldwide iTunes chart alongside Miley Cyrus and Ed Sheeran upon its release. It has since been performed at shows across Asia and featured as the second track on his highly successful album ‘Datura,’ which has attained over 120 million streams since its release in 2024.
Rich has won the ‘Best Dance Song’ category in the ISC (International Songwriting Competition), one of the largest songwriting and music contests in the world. The judging panel includes Grammy winners, chart-topping artists, and influential music executives. He has also placed songs with some of the biggest DJs including Mark With A K, Robert Falcon, Swanky Tunes and Vigel, and most reputable EDM record labels in the world, including Ultra (Sony) and Armada. These songs have been played on over 600 radio stations globally, charted countless times, including no.1 in various countries on iTunes, and cumulatively attained over 50 million streams.
A passion for music
Photo Credit: Shot by Cam Major at The Orange Lounge Recording Studios
Rich considers himself a thought leader and mentor in his profession. He demonstrates this through leading by example with his own artist project, Leon Taro: “I am regularly coaching artists on their brands, and as I’m doing this on a daily basis I thought it would only be fair to back my coaching with hard evidence. This means creating my own artist project from scratch, releasing independently away from major labels, and showing that it can be done.”
With Leon Taro, he has released over 20 songs in the past 3 years, accumulating over 17 million streams. These songs have featured on Spotify and Apple Editorial playlists, as well as on BBC radio in the UK. They have also featured on ‘Love Island’ TV show, supported across multiple DJ radio shows and he has performed his music at label showcases in Amsterdam at the annual ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event).
He says Leon Taro has also created an outlet for him to write and produce the music he always wanted to make. “I’m regularly writing and producing for others, and whilst it is incredibly enjoyable to do so, I wanted to be able to be completely in control of what I make and release.”
Paying it forward as a role model
Rich helps artists by meeting them where they are creatively and tailoring his production approach to suit the unique needs of each project. Whether starting from scratch with a solo artist, building on demos with songwriters, or fine-tuning the final layers with producers and DJs, he brings a flexible, collaborative spirit to every session.
His background in drumming allows him to excel at creating distinctive rhythms, crafting emotionally resonant soundscapes, and delivering meticulous vocal production.
He’s especially passionate about helping artists develop memorable hooks and compelling toplines that elevate their songs. His technical excellence and personal dealings with artists have earned him much praise.
A thought leader in music circles
In addition to the technical assistance he provides, he has also stepped up as guide and mentor for the artists he produces and writes for. “There are many producers, and artists, out there who focus solely on music creation and nothing else. They think that writing a song, getting it produced, mixed, mastered and then uploading it onto DSPs (digital streaming services) and calling it a day will suffice. But that’s far from it.
Artists need to focus on the marketing, promotion and branding of their artist profiles. I enjoy coaching artists in these areas as they are just as important as making the music itself. Especially if you’re not backed by a label and releasing independently.”
Having a wealth of experience ranging from writing and producing hundreds of songs in television shows on networks including Netflix, Paramount+ and Disney+, to producing a semi-finalist contender to represent Portugal in the Eurovision, it’s clear that Rich has the credentials to help artists build their brand and their careers.
“I’m regularly guiding the artists I work with, and giving them some insight from my 15 years of experience in the industry, trying to help fast track them to grow their own artist brands,” he says.
Currently living in Toronto, Rich is planning to move to LA in the near future, to be at the centre of the music industry and to collaborate and connect with more talented creatives.
He dreams of having songs in the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Top 40 charts, but for now he is enjoying the journey and making the necessary steps to get there one day.