Mura Masa

Alexander George Edward Crossan, known professionally as Mura Masa, was born on April 5, 1996, in Castel, Guernsey. His early musical journey involved playing various instruments in local punk, hardcore, deathcore, and gospel bands. At the age of 15, he began self-producing music, discovering electronic artists like Hudson Mohawke, James Blake, Cashmere Cat, and Sbtrkt through YouTube. Influenced by bands such as Gorillaz and The Smiths, he started creating electronic songs using Ableton Live at 16, subsequently uploading them to SoundCloud under the moniker Mura Masa, inspired by the Japanese swordsmith Muramasa Sengo. His initial sound combined elements of hip hop, East Asian music with instruments like Shakuhachi flutes, and glitchy electronica.

Crossan’s track “Lotus Eater” gained early recognition, being played on BBC Radio 1 by Zane Lowe, Annie Mac, Huw Stephens, and Phil Taggart. After moving to Brighton to study English literature at the University of Sussex, he began performing live, selling out shows at the Green Door Store in Brighton and Electrowerkz in London. In 2014, he released his mixtape “Soundtrack to a Death” via SoundCloud, which was later distributed globally by Jakarta Records. This early success laid the groundwork for his professional career. In 2015, he signed to his own label, Anchor Point Records, in partnership with Polydor Records and Interscope Records, demonstrating an early ambition for creative control and supporting other artists.

His debut EP, “Someday Somewhere,” released in April 2015, featured UK vocalists Nao, Denai Moore, and Jay Prince, with lead track “Firefly” selected for BBC Radio 1’s In New Music We Trust playlist. The EP’s track “Lovesick” topped the Spotify Viral charts in both the UK and US. In 2016, a collaborative version of “Lovesick” featuring ASAP Rocky peaked at number 59 on the UK singles chart and received an official music video. Mura Masa’s self-titled debut album in 2017 earned nominations for Best Dance/Electronic Album and Best Recording Package at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards. His remix of Haim’s “Walking Away” secured a Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical, at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019, solidifying his reputation within the music industry. Recently, he produced PinkPantheress’s “Boy’s a Liar” (2022), which reached number two on the UK chart, and its remix with Ice Spice peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, further highlighting his contemporary relevance and collaborations with leading artists.