36 Facts About Jon Hopkins

Jonathan Julian Hopkins was born on 15 August 1979 and is an English musician and producer who writes and performs electronic music.

Jon Hopkins began his career playing keyboards for Imogen Heap, and has produced but contributed to albums by Brian Eno, Coldplay, David Holmes and others.

Jon Hopkins was born in 1979 in Kingston upon Thames and grew up in nearby Wimbledon.

Jon Hopkins first became aware of electronic music after hearing early house music on the radio at the age of seven or eight, and became a fan of Depeche Mode and the Pet Shop Boys.

At the age of 12 Jon Hopkins began studying piano at the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music in London, where he continued until age 17.

When Jon Hopkins was 14 he got his first computer, an Amiga 500, and started programming MIDI material.

Jon Hopkins decided to audition as well, and was hired to handle both keyboard and samples, while Abrahams was hired as guitarist.

Jon Hopkins toured with the new band for the entirety of 1998.

In 1999 Jon Hopkins signed with boutique London label Just Music as a solo artist, and began recording his debut album Opalescent.

Jon Hopkins released his second album, Contact Note, on Just Music in 2004 while still working as a studio musician.

The album slowly gained an underground following but failed to take off, and led Jon Hopkins to become disillusioned with his solo career, and take a break from writing to learn how to become a producer.

Shortly afterwards Jon Hopkins produced King Creosote's album Bombshell, which initiated his relationship with the Fence Collective.

Jon Hopkins co-wrote tracks with DJ and composer David Holmes for Holmes' Holy Pictures album, and remixed for James Yorkston.

In 2007, Jon Hopkins was invited by Eno, who was producing Coldplay's upcoming album Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, to join the band in the studio for a day.

Jon Hopkins ended up staying and contributing to the album for the next year, co-producing several tracks and playing organs, harmoniums, and other keyboard instruments on others.

Coldplay asked Jon Hopkins to serve as the pre-show DJ and opening act for their 2008 world tour.

Jon Hopkins toured with the band for six months through England, the United States, and Japan.

Jon Hopkins performed at venues including Madison Square Garden and the London O2 Arena, with crowds as large as 20,000 people.

In 2008 Jon Hopkins was commissioned by choreographer Wayne McGregor to compose music for Entity, a production of McGregor's "Random Dance" group.

Jon Hopkins has co-writing or producing credits on albums by artists such as David Holmes and Dan Arborise.

Jon Hopkins is known for remixing a variety of artists, including Wild Beasts, Nosaj Thing, Imogen Heap, Four Tet, and James Yorkston.

Jon Hopkins developed an intense live show to support the release, resulting in club and festival performances across Europe and the United States.

Jon Hopkins secured supporting slots with The xx, Royksopp, and Four Tet.

Jon Hopkins is not a button-pushing man of presets; he is a bona fide composer and a trained pianist.

Jon Hopkins [is] capable of producing music as epic, soaring and emotional as any power ballad in his own way.

In June 2009 Jon Hopkins was invited by Brian Eno to play some solo shows at the Luminous Festival at the Sydney Opera House.

In 2009, Jon Hopkins collaborated with Brian Eno and Leo Abrahams to score the Peter Jackson film The Lovely Bones.

In early 2010, Jon Hopkins composed the score for the short film Rob and Valentyna in Scotland directed by Eric Lynne, which won an honourable mention for the short film-making award at Sundance.

Also in 2010 Jon Hopkins was commissioned to create the soundtrack for the British science fiction film Monsters, which was directed by Gareth Edwards.

Jon Hopkins collaborated with Tunng on the EP Seven Gulps of Air in 2009, which was commissioned by designer Christopher Kelly for London Fashion Week.

In 2010 Jon Hopkins collaborated with Leo Abrahams and Brian Eno to create the album Small Craft on a Milk Sea.

In 2011 Jon Hopkins collaborated with Scottish musician King Creosote to create the album Diamond Mine, which featured lyrics and vocals by Creosote sung over musical backdrops arranged and recorded by Jon Hopkins.

Jon Hopkins wrote the score for the 2013 film by Kevin Macdonald, How I Live Now.

In 2014 Jon Hopkins co-produced the song "Midnight" for Coldplay's 2014 album Ghost Stories, and released an EP titled Asleep Versions on 10 November.

Jon Hopkins has performed at music festivals such as Moogfest, Mutek, Beacons Festival, and Electric Zoo, and at venues such as Madison Square Garden and the London O2 Arena.

Jon Hopkins began using Logic because his old system was not powerful enough to include the video for film soundtracks.