Blue May (born 1986) is a British music producer, songwriter, musician, mixing engineer, programmer and creative director. Based in Los Angeles, he has collaborated with artists including Lily Allen, Kano, Joy Crookes, Suki Waterhouse, and Jorja Smith.
In 2016 May received the MOBO Award for Best Album for Kano's Made in the Manor, which was also nominated for the Mercury Prize. He was again shortlisted for the Mercury Prize in 2020 (for Kano's Hoodies All Summer); 2022 (for the Crookes album, Skin); and 2024 (for the Ghetts album On Purpose, with Purpose).
Early life and education May was born in Wales and raised in London. He was exposed to a wide range of music as a child and grew up listening to David Bowie, Gipsy Kings, Al Green, Jimi Hendrix, Nina Simone, Nirvana, and Prince, among others. He began playing the guitar when he was 10.(2007, Oct 13), "British Breakthrough Talent", Music Week, p. 18 He attended the BRIT School, where he played with Tawiah and Jodi Milliner, who later became frequent collaborators.
Career May began his career in production in his early 20s and produced his first major label artist in 2009. In a 2025 interview with Variety he said "I didn’t know how to hold the pressure of A&R people and the manager and still represent the artist. it was a complete failure." He subsequently discovered the importance of "shutting out the noise of the music industry" and in part designed XXVII, his first large studio, to do so. He won the MOBO Award for Best Album and received four Mercury Prize nominations between 2016 and 2024.
May first worked with Lily Allen as the creative director for her 2018 tour. In December 2024, Allen and May began working on Allen's fifth album, West End Girl, with a team of writers, producers, and players that May and co-executive producer Kito put together. It was written and recorded in 16 days at his home studio in the Hollywood Hills. May co-executive produced, produced, mixed and co-wrote all of West End Girl's 14 songs. Released in October 2025, the album, which documents the collapse of Allen's marriage, received widespread critical acclaim. A five-star review by Hannah Ewens in The Independent was headlined ''West End Girl: A Brutal, Tell-all Masterpiece"; Chris Willman described it as "deliriously brilliant pop" in Variety; and The Guardian's Alexis Petridis praised "the striking prettiness of its tunes" and the "boldness and quality of its songwriting."
Personal life May lives in the Hollywood Hills. He has a pitbull, Moobi.
Selected discography YearArtistTitleAlbum/EPSong(s)SongwriterCreditNotes 2014KindnessOthernessEngineer, mixer2016Claire MaguireStranger Things Have HappenedExecutive producer, producer, mixer2016Kano Made in the ManorProducer, mixerMercury Prize nomination; Best Album MOBO, Best Album 2017Suki Waterhouse"Brutally"Producer, mixerWaterhouse's first release 2018Leon VynehallNothing Is StillEngineer, mixer2019KanoHoodies All SummerExecutive producer, producer, mixerMercury Prize nomination 2019Africa ExpressEgoliProducer, mixerNon-profit South African music collective founded by Damon Albarn; Egoli features Moonchild Sanelly and Radio 123 2020Yellow Days "A Day in a Yellow Beat"Producer, Mixer 2021Joy CrookesSkinExecutive producer, producer, mixer Mercury Prize nomination, Album of the Year 2022Sudan ArchivesNatural Brown Prom QueenMixer2022Suki WaterhouseMilk Teeth Producer, mixer EP2023Jorja Smith"What If My Heart Beats Faster?"Producer2024GhettsOn Purpose, with PurposeMixer Mercury Prize nomination2024Suki WaterhouseMemoir of a SparklemuffinProducer, mixer2025Joy CrookesJuniperExecutive producer, producer, mixer 2025Lily AllenWest End GirlExecutive producer, producer, mixer
References
External links Blue May on Instagram