Stephan Moccio is a Canadian composer, producer, pianist, arranger, conductor and recording artist. He co-wrote and co-produced the two end credit songs for Fifty Shades of Grey and its soundtrack: "Earned It" (The Weeknd) and "I Know You" (Skylar Grey), with the former being nominated for Best R&B Song and Best Song Written For Visual Media at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, and Best Original Song at the 88th Academy Awards. He also was a producer on the Weeknd's album Beauty Behind the Madness, which was nominated for Album Of The Year at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards.
Moccio co-wrote Celine Dion's hit "A New Day Has Come" with Aldo Nova, which reached and held the number one spot on the Billboard AC Chart for a record-breaking 21 weeks. He also co-wrote Miley Cyrus' single "Wrecking Ball" from her 2013 studio album Bangerz. For the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, Moccio co-wrote the theme song “I Believe” performed by Nikki Yanofsky.
He has collaborated with a diverse roster of artists including Avril Lavigne and Andrea Bocelli as a songwriter, musician and producer.
Early life Stephan Moccio was born to an Italian-Canadian father and a French-Canadian mother. Moccio is fluent in English and French. Growing up in Niagara Falls, Moccio began his piano studies at the age of 3. His musical style and vocabulary are influenced by the musical genres of classical, jazz, pop, hip hop, blues, and dance.
Career Moccio enrolled at the University of Western Ontario where he studied performance and classical piano studies under instructors John Paul Bracey and Jack Behrens. After completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in composition and piano performance in 1994, he was accepted into Berklee College of Music. However, he chose to focus on developing his professional career and instead signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing. During the early years of his tenure at Sony/ATV, Moccio worked as a session musician, in-house producer, arranger and composer, attending rehearsals of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and playing in Toronto jazz clubs and hotel lounges, notably the Four Seasons Hotel's La Serre.
Throughout his nearly 9-year tenure at Sony/ATV, Moccio wrote for several award-winning Canadian and international artists, most notably Celine Dion, Sarah Brightman, and Josh Groban. Moccio spent many months in writing sessions in Nashville, Los Angeles, and New York during these years, which culminated in a lengthy catalogue of songs as musician, songwriter, producer and composer.
It was in 1996 that Moccio's special relationship with television programs began. TV themes he has written, performed and produced include ETalk, Marilyn Dennis Show, W5, Your Morning and for Rogers Sportsnet Central, Hockey Central, and Toronto Blue Jays on Sportsnet.
In 2001, Moccio began work on a melody that would become the chart-topping single "A New Day Has Come" recorded by Celine Dion, released on her album (in both a radio mix version and 3/4 time ballad album version), of the same name in February 2002. The song broke records at the time by maintaining the #1 position on the U.S. Hot Adult Contemporary charts for 21 weeks. The single would make it onto numerous compilation CDs and DVDs in North America. In 2003, Celine Dion titled her live residency Las Vegas show A New Day....
In 2003, Moccio left Sony/ATV Music Publishing Canada to work predominantly under his own publishing company, Sing Little Penguin. He soon moved into his state-of-the-art recording studio in downtown Toronto, where he continued to write, record, produce for both his solo projects and various collaborations with recording artists.
In 2008 Moccio teamed up with songwriter Alan Frew (Glass Tiger) to write "I Believe", the theme song of CTV's and Rogers Media's Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. On March 1, 2010, "I Believe", covered by Nikki Yanofsky, reached 4 x Platinum status (CRIA) in digital sales (over 160,000 digital units sold) in Canada. The same version achieved #1 status on iTunes Canada and Billboard's Canadian Hot 100 for 4 straight weeks in February 2010.
In February 2010, Moccio signed a Worldwide Publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing Group.
In 2012, Moccio was one of the judges of the Canadian reality show, Canada's Got Talent. The show was later cancelled after one season but was revived in 2022.
In August 2013, Moccio moved to Los Angeles and currently works out of his record studio in Santa Monica.
In June 2019, Moccio was honoured by the University of Western Ontario with a Doctor of Music, honoris causa (DMus) degree.
In November 2019, Moccio signed a worldwide record deal with Decca Records.
Moccio is a Yamaha Artist and performs exclusively on Yamaha Pianos.
His album Lionheart was a Juno Award nominee for Instrumental Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2023."Here are all the 2023 Juno nominees". CBC Music, January 31, 2023.
Selected discography
As composer, songwriter or producer Title Artist (Label) Album Year Credit Notes "A New Day Has Come" Celine Dion (Sony) A New Day Has Come 2002 Co-writer (Aldo Nova), background vocals #1 SOCAN Award, BMI Pop Award, SOCAN Classic Song Award, Juno nomination for Single of the Year (2003), Million-air award (over 1,000,000 BDS spins on US radio) • produced by Walter Afanasieff • album 7 weeks at #1 in Canada (6× Platinum - CRIA), #1 US (3xPlatinum - RIAA), #1 Europe (3xPlatinum - IFPI) • 5th best-selling album of 2002 • Vegas show A New Day... "Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)" The Weeknd (Republic) Fifty Shades of Grey Soundtrack 2015 Co-writer, co-producer, piano #3 US Billboard Hot 100 • 4× Platinum (RIAA) • #9 Billboard Hot 100 Year End Chart 2015 "I Believe" Nikki Yanofsky (Decca) Nikki 2010 Co-writer (Alan Frew), producer, piano #1 (4 weeks) Canadian Billboard Hot 100 and certified 4× Platinum (CRIA), nomination - Best AC Song (Canadian Radio Music Awards) • album certified gold (CRIA) "I Know You" Holly Hafermann KIDinaKORNER, Interscope Fifty Shades of Grey: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 2015 Co-writer, co-production "Perfect Gift" The Canadian Tenors (Decca) The Perfect Gift 2010 Co-writer, producer Album #1 Billboard Cross-over Classical chart, certified 3× Platinum (CRIA) "What You Never Know" Sarah Brightman (Angel/EMI) Harem 2003 Writer Also recorded in French for the Canadian release "Tout Ce Que Je Sais" • album certified Gold (CRIA), reaching #29 US Billboard Top 200 and #7 Canada album charts; #1 Classical US Billboard album chart • #5 best-selling crossover album of 2003 (Billboard) "Wrecking Ball" Miley Cyrus (RCA) Bangerz 2013 co-writer Sacha Skarbek, Lukasz Gottwald, Maureen Anne McDonald, Henry Russell Walter, piano 4× Platinum (RIAA) • Produced by Dr. Luke • peaked #1 (3 weeks) on Billboard Hot 100"Hope"Kardinal Offishall (Black Stone Colleagues)Kardi Gras, Vol. 1: The Clash2015Co-writer, producer "Head Above Water" Avril Lavigne (BMG) Head Above Water 2018 co-writer with Avril Lavigne & Travis Clark "Courage" Celine Dion (Columbia) Courage 2019 Co-writer with The New Royales, producer A Family ChristmasAndrea Bocelli, Matteo Bocelli, Virginia Bocelli (Decca / Capitol Records)A Family Christmas2022Producer / Composer
As recording artist Year Album / single details Peak Certifications(sales threshold) CA Quebec Album Chart iTunes Album Chart 2006 Exposure Released: November 14, 2006 Label: Bijou Records (Universal Music Canada) Format: CD, digital download Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 10 1 4 CAN: Gold2020"Fracture" (Single)
Released: April 17, 2020 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2020"Whitby" (Single)
Released: May 1, 2020 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2020"Sea Change" (Single)
Released: May 15, 2020 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2020"Nuit Blanche" (Single)
Released: May 29, 2020 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2020"Le Temps Qui Passe" (Single)
Released: June 12, 2020 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2020"Burgundy" (Single)
Released: July 10, 2020 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2020"Freddie's Theme" (Single)
Released: July 24, 2020 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2020"Ghosts" (Single)
Released: August 14, 2020 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2020Tales of Solace (Album)
Released: August 28, 2020 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio2020"Carol of the Bells" / "Christmas Time is Here" (Singles)
Released: October 22, 2020 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2020Winter Poems (Album)
Released: November 6, 2020 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio2020"Christmas Will Be Different This Year" (Single)
Released: November 13, 2020 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021"Ow" (Single)
Released: January 22, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021"Vol. 1" (Single)
Released: January 29, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021"Earned it (Solo Piano)" (Single)
Released: February 8, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021"Adore" (Single)
February 12, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021"Vol. 2" (Single)
Released: February 26, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021"Matin" (Single)
Released: March 19, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021"Vol. 3" (Single)
Released: March 26, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021"Wrecking Ball - Solo Piano Version" (Single)
Released: March 29, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021"October" (Single)
Released: April 16, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021Vol. 4 (Album)
Released: April 30, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio2021"Tristesse" (Single)
Released: Mat 14, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021Vol. 5 (Album)
Released: May 28, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021"Manolete" (Single)
Released: June 11, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021Vol. 6 (Album)
Released: June 25, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021"Life" (Single)
Released: July 16, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021"Vol. 7" (Single)
Released: July 30, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021"Le Jardin de Monsieur Monet" (Single)
Released: August 25, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021"Fireflies" (Single)
Released: September 10, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021"Halston" (Single)
Released: September 24, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021"Castles in Spain" (Single)
Released: October 8, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021Lionheart (Album)
Released: October 15, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021"Winter Waltz (The Music Box Version)" (Single)
Released: December 10, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2021The Archives (Album)
Released: December 17, 2021 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2022"Blue Monday" (Single)
Released: January 17, 2022 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2022"Owl Light" (Single)
Released: March 4, 2022 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2022"2 Eventide" (Single)
Released: March 11, 2022 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2022"The Night Suite" (Single)
Released: March 18, 2022 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2022"Brian's Song" (Single)
Released: May 27, 2022 Label: Decca Records Writer / Producer: S. Moccio 2023"Once and Now" (Single)
Released: February 24, 2023