Richard X - Work Ethic

Work Ethic

Richard X has been approached to work with many artists, but stays selective. "It's very much who tickles my fancy," he told BBC News. He has turned down a number of artists: "I am particular and probably turn down 90% of what I'm offered - I think it drives a few people around me mad. We try not to forget it's art and not just a job." He often works with people who are seen "as having similar ideals of creating innovative, forward thinking pop music", according to HitQuarters. Richard X says, "It's not so much a vision, more an ethos. I like the artist who stands alone or has the ideas that at first seem a little left of centre. Rather than chase a style, where you inevitably end up sounding second best, it's easier to do something new. If the artist is attempting something new they are creating a benchmark rather than trying to reach one."

He treats every song as a potential single. He says, "Each track has to stand alone. The song, the production and everything together. My reference point is always imagining finding it on a seven-inch in a second hand shop when you were younger." Richard X cites this as a reason that he usually collaborates with artists on individual tracks: "I've always been about singles it's bite sized, to the point, and let's be honest with some of the artists out there you really don't need to hear much beyond the hit."

Richard X also prefers to co-write songs, rather than solely producing them.