John Stephen Sudduth, known professionally as Mikky Ekko, is an American singer, songwriter and record producer from Nashville. He co-wrote and was featured on Rihanna's 2013 single "Stay", which charted in multiple countries, becoming his first-charting material. Ekko released his debut studio album, Time, in 2015 through RCA Records. Fame, his second album, was released in 2018 on Interscope Records.
Early life John Stephen Sudduth was born in Louisiana and is the son of a preacher. He eventually moved to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a music career. He began working as a songwriter for other artists, but realized that he wanted to be a singer.
Career 2008–12: Career beginnings In 2009, Sudduth partnered with producer Tim Lauer and engineer Dan Hansen to record an a cappella version of "Sedated", released under the name Mikky Ekko. That led to his first EP Strange Fruit, which released February 15, 2009. In September 2009, he toured with the Nashville-based collective group Ten Out of Tenn.
Lauer and Hansen collaborated with Ekko for his 2010 EPs, Reds and Blues. "Who Are You, Really?", one of the tracks from Reds, caught the attention of experimental hip hop producer Clams Casino. It was featured in no fewer than six TV series episodes (Teen Wolf, Ringer, Pretty Little Liars, True Blood, The Blacklist and Reign). The video for "Feels Like the End", his second official single, produced by Nick Ruth and Ekko, was released to YouTube on September 25, 2012, with the digital release following on September 25. "Pull Me Down", written and produced by Ekko and Casino, was released digitally on October 30, 2012. The official video was uploaded to YouTube on November 16, 2012. Ryan Hemsworth released a remix of the song to iTunes on December 7, 2012.
2012–16: Breakthrough and Time In November 2012, Ekko was featured on singer Rihanna's seventh studio album Unapologetic on the track "Stay", which became a single in 2013. The song, originally written by Ekko and English songwriter Justin Parker, charted in multiple countries, becoming Ekko's first-charting material. It gave Ekko his first entry on the UK Singles Chart, charting at number four, and on the US Billboard Hot 100 at three. The song charted in the top five of 19 countries, including in Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand and Switzerland. It has sold an approximate 10 million copies globally, making it his best selling single. Ekko performed "Stay" together with Rihanna for the first time at the 2013 Grammy Awards on February 10, 2013. Mikael Wood of Los Angeles Times positively reviewed the performance and wrote that it was the most memorable moment of the night.
Ekko released his first official music video on February 6, 2013, for his third single "Pull Me Down" through his VEVO account. "Who Are You, Really?" was featured during the closing credits of HBO's season six premiere of "True Blood" on June 16, 2013. Ekko premiered the video for "Kids" through VEVO on July 8, 2013. It was released via iTunes on September 8, 2013. Ekko co-wrote the song "We Remain" for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, performed by Christina Aguilera.
Ekko's debut album was titled Time. In March 2015, the song "Smile" was used in the trailer for the teen drama Paper Towns. "Watch Me Rise" became an opening theme for the EFL Championship on Sky Sports. In April 2015, Ekko was picked as Elvis Duran's Artist of the Month and was featured on NBC's Today show hosted by Kathy Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb and broadcast nationally where he gave a live performance of "Smile".
2016–2018: Fame In 2016, Ekko began working on his next project, entitled Fame. Produced by Jay Joyce, the album was recorded in Nashville. The album's first single, "Blood on the Surface", released October 13, 2017. Paper Magazine premiered the song on October 12, 2017, describing it as "synthy retro". "Light the Way", a second song, was released on October 20, 2017. Fame was released on November 2, 2018.
Discography
Studio albums Title Album details Time Released: January 16, 2015 Label: RCA Formats: CD, digital download Fame Released: November 2, 2018 Label: Interscope Formats: CD, digital download
Extended plays Title Details Strange Fruit Release: February 15, 2009 Format: Digital download Label: Catapult Reds Release: June 29, 2010 Format: Digital download Label: Colour and Sound Collective Blues Release: December 14, 2010 Format: Digital download Label: Colour and Sound Collective Tracks Release: February 8, 2013 Format: Digital download Label: RCA Advance Copy Release: March 2, 2018 Format: Digital download Label: Interscope
Singles As lead artist Date Title Album 2012 "We Must Be Killers" "Feels Like the End" Tracks "Pull Me Down" 2013 "Kids" 2014 "Smile" Time 2015 "Watch Me Rise" 2017 "Blood on the Surface" Fame "Light the Way" 2018 "Not the One" "Moment" "What's It Like Now"
Promotional singles Date Title Album 2014 "Mourning Doves" Time "Time" 2015 "U" 2018 "Cherish You" Fame
Songwriting/production credits + Writer/Production/Featured Artist Credits Year TitleArtist AlbumWriterProducerFeat / VocalistVocal Producer 2012 "Paint It Red"Two Inch Punch xx 2013 "Stay"Rihanna (feat Mikky Ekko) Unapologeticxxxx"We Remain"Christina AguileraHunger Games Catching Fire Soundtrackx 2014 "Stranger"Chris Malinchak (feat Mikky Ekko) xx2015"Don't Let Go" Giorgio Moroder (feat Mikky Ekko)Déjà Vuxx"Surf"Vince StaplesSummertime '06xx2016"Be Somebody"Clams Casino (feat. A$AP Rocky & Lil B)32 Levelsx"Into The Fire"Clams Casino (feat Mikky Ekko)32 Levelsxxxx"Blast"Clams Casino32 Levelsx"Claim My Love"Jarryd JamesHighxx2017"Sideline"NiiaIx2018"Break Me Down"Steve AngelloHumanxx"Black Tux, White Collar"A$AP RockyTestingxx"Where We Start"Vance JoyNation of Twox2019"Days in the East"DrakeCare Packagex"Beyond the Pale"Cold War KidsNew Age Norms 1x2020"Drown"Martin Garrix (feat Clinton Kane)Non-album singlex"Promised Land"Future Utopia (feat Mikky Ekko)12 Questionsxxxx"Fear or Faith Pt 2"Future Utopia (feat Idris Elba)xxMMXX - IIIDiplo (feat Mikky Ekko)MMXXxxxxMMXX - IXDiplo (feat Mikky Ekko)xxxx2021"Breaks My Back"Meg MyersNon-album singlex"Lovesick"Maroon 5Jordixx 2022 "Cry On Me"Ella Henderson (feat Mikky Ekko)Everything I Didn't Sayxx"Collider Particles"Madison CunninghamRevealerx"Coast"Hailee Steinfeld (feat Anderson .Paak)x"Before We Panic"TOBi (feat Mikky Ekko)xxx2023"Fire Sign"TRY (feat Mikky Ekko)xxx"Last Breath"Ari AbdulCCTVxx2023"Long Way To Go"Pink feat The LumineersTrustfallx"I Don't Wanna Be Like You"Ruel4th Wallx"Set Yourself On Fire"x"In Pieces"Chloe BaileyIn Piecesxx"The Hardest Part"Olivia Dean (feat Leon Bridges)x"How Do I Love Again"Rowan DrakeDear Ellax"Lose Control"Teddy SwimsI've Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1)x"The Door"x"Suitcase"x"Bad Tattoo"CannonsHeartbeat Highwayx"Devastation"X Ambassadors w/ Pamex"Set It On Fire"Jenny Owens YoungAvalanchex"Biting My Tongue"Duncan LaurenceSkyboyx"Growing Up Is Hard"Chelsea CutlerStellariax"Drain Me"Towa BirdAmerican Heroxx"Looking For"Brenn!x2024"World Brand New"Bowen YoungUsx"Red Sky"21 Savage American Dreamxxx"Spokane, Washington"Benjamin Francis LeftwichSome Things Breakxx"Lesson Learned"Matt Hansenx"Hammer To The Heart"Teddy SwimsI've Tried Everything But Therapy (Pt 1.5)x"Victory Garden"The Lone Bellowx"To The Bone"Bowen YoungUsxx"UFO"Smith and Thellx"Let Go"Kygo (feat Sasha Sloan)KYGOx"Blame"Lucky Daye (feat Teddy Swims)Algorithmx"Funeral"Teddy Swimsx"Big Love"Suki WaterhouseMemoir of a Sparklemuffinx"Bad Dreams"Teddy SwimsI've Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2)x"The End"BilmuriAmerican Motorsport (420cc Edition)x"Too Late"x"Human"Marc ScibiliaMore To Thisx"Dark Room"A Calmer Placexx"Memory Of A Day"PhantogramMemory of a Dayx"I Wanna Know"x"Attaway"x"Pushing DaisiesAshe feat Suki Waterhousex2025"Not Your Man"Teddy SwimsI've Tried Everything But Therapy (Pt 2)x"Funeral"x"You're Kind of Crazy"x"Bad Dream"x"Black & White"Teddy Swims feat Muni Longx"If You Ever Change Your Mind"Teddy Swimsx"Hammer To The Heart"x"Shine A Light Inside"Joshua RadinOne Day Homex"You're Not The One"Mike PosnerThe Beginningx"Don't Wanna Cry"Selena Gomez & Benny BlancoI Said I Love You Firstx"How Does It Feel To Be Forgotten"x"Don't Take It Personally"x"Talk"x"A New Pair of Eyes"EyedressStonerx"I Wanna Move to Brooklyn"JP SaxeArticulate Excusesx"Free Drugs"Teddy SwimsI've Tried Everything But Therapy - Complete Editionx"Dancing With Your Ghost"x"Apple Tree"Noah CyrusI Want My Loved Ones To Go With Mex"I Can't Lose"Jonas BrothersGreetings From Your Hometownx"give me a break!"Michael Clifford feat. waterparksSIDEQUESTx"The Feeling Never Went Away"Sam RyderHeartlandx"Ain't Dead Yet"Sam BarberMusic For The Soulx"Shy"Reneé RappBite Mex"I Think I Like You Better When You're Gone"x"You'd Like That Wouldn't You"x"Orphan"Kenny HooplaOrphanx"Do You Still Love Me"Obed Padillax"Waves"Blk Odyssyxx"50K"Obed Padillax"Stay (If You Wanna Dance)"Myles Smithx"Heartbreak"Blk Odyssyxx"Eyes Closed"Jisoo feat Zaynx"APOLOGIZE"BLK ODYSSYMOOD CONTROLxx"I'll Find You"5 Seconds of SummerEveryone's a Star!x"Keep Smiling"CelesteWoman of Facesx"587"Kelsea BalleriniMount Pleasant Commentaryx"Earthshaker"PhantogramNon-album singlex"In My Head"Phantogram (with Whethan)x"Bully"Jonas BrothersGreetings From Your Hometownx"Bleed Me Slow"Bryant BarnesSolacex"Don't Say"x"Last Year"x2026"Refuge"Dermot KennedyThe Weight Of The Woodsx"RAINFOREST"Obed PadillaRODEO CLOWN - ACT I - EPx"ONE NIGHT"x"Lose That Light"Loreen feat. 6lackWildfirex"White Noise"Holly HumberstoneCruel Worldx"HONEST"BilmuriKinda Hardx"SHYT FYST"x"Nursat"ZaynKonnakolx"Betting Folk"x"Used to the Blues"x"5th Element"x"Prayers"x"Fatal"x"Take Turns"x"Like I Have You"x"Loving The Way I Do"x"Breathe"x"Nothing Like Being In Love"Maisie PetersFlorescencex"Knowing What I Know Now"ClockClockOut Of The Dark EPx"Handle"Ravyn LenaeBlue Islandx"Codeine"Gabriella RoseI Just Wanna Be Lovedx
Notes
References
External links
Myspace