Leah Jacqueline Cooney, known professionally as Haywood (formerly Leah Haywood), is an Australian record producer and songwriter.

Born in New Zealand, she grew up in Perth, Western Australia, and recorded a top-40 album, Leah, released in 2001 on Epic Records, which contained her top-10 single, "We Think It's Love". Two more top-40 hits followed with "Crazy" in 2000 and "Takin' Back What's Mine" in 2001. She also performed backing vocals for Celine Dion on "That's the Way It Is", the 1999 hit single from Dion's album All the Way... A Decade of Song. Haywood's song "Summer of Love" was the theme for Channel Ten Australia at the Start of 2002. She opened for Ricky Martin on the Australian leg of his International tour.

Haywood was nominated as Best Female Artist at the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) Music Awards of 2001. "We Think It's Love" was nominated for Most Performed Australian Work at the 2001 Australian Performing Rights Association (APRA) Awards. In 2002, Haywood and husband, Daniel Pringle, relocated to Los Angeles to run Dreamlab, their production and songwriting company.

Career Haywood was born in New Zealand, but moved to Perth, Western Australia, at a young age, where she trained on piano and vocals before moving to Sydney by 1999. She signed with Epic Records (Australia) to release her debut single, "We Think It's Love", in February 2000, which peaked at number 7 on the ARIA Singles Chart. Two more Top 40 hits followed with "Crazy" in August and "Takin' Back What's Mine" in April 2001. Her debut album, Leah, followed in July and peaked in the Top 40 on the ARIA Albums Chart.

In 2002, Haywood moved to Los Angeles, California with her husband, Daniel James, and started Dreamlab, a production and songwriting company managed by Advanced Alternative Media Inc.. A discography of songs written, co-written and/or produced by Leah Haywood/Dreamlab may be viewed on the AAM website.

From their Los Angeles studio, Haywood and James, as Dreamlab, co-wrote and co-produced Aly and AJ's debut top 40 single "Rush" and produced eight tracks on the record; which has sold in excess of a million records worldwide. They have worked with actors Emmy Rossum and Keanu Reeves on their respective musical endeavours, and had further releases in 2008, including Epic Records rock band, Automatic Loveletter. Dreamlab co-wrote half the tracks and produced the entire record for Ryan Cabrera. They have printed a limited number of copies of their electronica EP self-titled Dreamlab. An LP version was completed by late 2008.

Also in late 2008, Haywood provided background vocals for the ballad "Out from Under" sung by American pop singer Britney Spears off her sixth studio album, Circus. In 2009, Haywood co-wrote Perth singer Cassie Davis' third single, "Do It Again", and "Pieces", a track on Allison Iraheta's debut album Just Like You, she also wrote "Masquerade" for Ashley Tisdale's second album, Guilty Pleasure . She is also known to have co-written and produced at least two tracks from Australian singer Amy Pearson's upcoming second studio album Aftershock, and these are the title track "Aftershock" and "Doctor Love". In 2011, Haywood co-wrote three songs on American singer-songwriter Demi Lovato's third studio album "Unbroken"; "Hold Up", "Mistake" and title track "Unbroken". Also co-wrote "Hit the Lights" by American singer Selena Gomez from When the Sun Goes Down. Haywood also co-wrote and co-produced the track "Marilyn Monroe" by American rapper Nicki Minaj from Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded.

In 2020, Haywood co-wrote "Lovesick Girls" by South Korean girl group Blackpink from their debut studio album, The Album.

In March 2021, Haywood released her first single in 20 years as an artist under the new stage name Haywood, titled "Cheers to Us" featuring Jackson Foote of American pop duo, Loote. A second single, "Backbeat", was released in June with "Bleeder", the third single, released in August. In April 2022, Haywood and her husband were nominated at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards for their work on Justin Bieber's Justice album track, "Off My Face". Haywood's second studio album (and first under the "Haywood" stage name), Pressure on My Heart, was released in July 2022.

Discography

Studio albums TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions AUS Leah Released: 23 July 2001 Label: Sony Music Australia (499827.2) Format: CD 40 Pressure on My Heart Released: 15 July 2022 Label: Palm Tree Records (Joint venture with Sony Music Entertainment) Format: Digital download, streaming—

Singles + List of singles, with selected chart positions Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications AlbumAUS "We Think It's Love"2000 7 ARIA: GoldLeah "Crazy" 31 "Takin' Back What's Mine"2001 18 "Summer of Love" 87 "Just to Make You"2002 — "Cheers to Us" (featuring Loote)2021 —Pressure on My Heart "Backbeat" — "Bleeder" — "Swear On Love" (with Petey Martin) — "New York" —Pressure on My Heart "Thinking of God"2022 — "Human to Fall Apart" — "I Told You" (with Loote & Petey Martin) —

Note After resuming her music career in 2021, from "Cheers to Us" onwards, Haywood began being credited as just "Haywood".

Production and songwriting credits Year Artist Album Details1999Celine DionAll The Way, A Decade Of SongVocals, ("That's the Way It Is")2002Mandy MooreStuart Little 2 soundtrackWriter, ("Top of The World")2005Aly & AJInto the RushProducer, Writer, ("Rush","In a Second") Producer ("No One", "Collapsed", "Out of the Blue", "Something More", "Protecting Me", "I Am One of Them")2006Vanessa HudgensVProducer, Writer, ("Promise", "Drive", "Afraid")2007The Cheetah GirlsTCGProducer, Writer, ("So Bring It On", "Uh-Oh")2008Britney SpearsCircusVocals, ("Out from Under")Vanessa HudgensIdentifiedProgrammer, Arranger ("Did it Ever Cross your Mind", "Papercut")Ryan CabreraThe Moon Under WaterProducer, Writer ("Say", "Relax", "Say You Will", "In Between Lights", "Should've Kissed You") Producer ("I Will Remember You", "Please Don't Lie To Me", "How Bout Tonight")Jordan PruittPermission to FlyProducer, Writer ("One Love", "Simple Things")Michael PaynterProducer, Co-Writer, ("Lay My Armour Down", "Let Go")2009Selena Gomez & the SceneOriginal Motion Picture Hollywood SoundtrackProducer, Writer ("Magical")Miley CyrusHannah Montana 3Producer, Writer, ("Supergirl")Ashley TisdaleGuilty PleasureProducer, Writer ("Masquerade")Cassie DavisDifferentlyProducer, Writer ("Do It Again")Camera Can't LieDays & DaysProducer, Writer ("The One That Got Away")LoveHateHeroAmerica UnderwaterProducer, Co-Writer ("America Underwater")2010The WantedThe WantedProducer, Co-Writer ("Say It on The Radio")Debi NovaProducer, Writer ("Drummer Boy")Allison IrahetaJust Like YouProducer, Writer ("Pieces")SoundGirlSomething to Dream AboutProducer, Co-Writer ("Hero")BC JeanProducer, Writer ("Shattered", "Get All Over Me")2011Demi LovatoUnbrokenProducer, Co-Writer ("Unbroken", "Mistake", "Hold Up")Selena Gomez & the SceneWhen the Sun Goes DownProducer, Co-Writer ("Hit the Lights")ChariceInfinityProducer, Co-Writer ("Louder")Girls' GenerationGirls' GenerationCo-Writer ("I'm in Love With the Hero", "Beautiful Stranger", "Born to Be a Lady")AveryProducer, Co-Writer ("Go Screw Yourself", "That Girl", "Next Level")2012Nicki MinajPink Friday: Roman ReloadedCo-Producer, Co-Writer ("Marilyn Monroe")Bridgit MendlerHello My Name Is...Producer, Co-Writer, Mixer ("Blonde")2013Nikki WilliamsGlowingCo-WriterSelena Gomez Stars DanceProducer, Co-Writer ("Like A Champion", "Write Your Name", "Music Feels Better", "Lover In Me") Selena Gomez Come & Get It Vocal Producer2014The VeronicasThe VeronicasProducer, Writer ("Cruel", "Teenage Millionaire") 2015Selena GomezRevival Producer, Writer ("Sober", "Good For You", "Camouflage", "Survivors", "Perfect", "Cologne") 2017Bea MillerChapter Two: Red Producer, Writer ("Like That") Fifth Harmony Fifth Harmony Producer, Writer ("Make You Mad", "Messy") 2019Kygo & Chelsea Cutler Not OK Producer, WriterKaty Perry Never Really Over Producer, WriterMarshmello (with YUNGBLUD & blackbear) Tongue Tied Producer, Writer2020BlackpinkThe AlbumProducer, Co-writer ("Lovesick Girls")2021Alan Walker Fake a Smile Producer, Writer Justin Bieber Off My Face Producer, Writer Jonas Blue & LÉON Hear Me Say Producer, Writer

Awards and nominations APRA Awards The APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually.

! scope="row" rowspan="1"| 2020 | rowspan="1"| "Never Really Over" (by Katy Perry) (co-written by Haywood) | Most Performed Pop Work

ARIA Music Awards The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987. Year Nominated work / Recipient Category Result 2001 Takin' Back What's Mine - Leah Haywood Best Female Artist

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards, or Grammys, are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. The ceremony honors outstanding achievements in the music industry, with awards of the most popular interest presented during the live televised event. Year Nominated work Category Result 2022 Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe) - Justin Bieber (as a writer and producer on the album) Album of the Year

References

External links Dreamlab Official Myspace Layer Cake Records Official Website AAM Management Website