'Drive' producer Blake Slatkin discusses creating the F1 anthem alongside musical legends Ed Sheeran and John Mayer.

      Blake Slatkin began playing Ed Sheeran and John Mayer songs on his guitar at the age of 10. Now, he finds himself in the Oscar conversation for "Drive," a track he recorded with Sheeran and Mayer for the soundtrack of Apple’s Brad Pitt racing film F1.

      What advice does he have for those aspiring to be professional musicians?

      “Just be a fan. Be the biggest music fan, love music, and work harder than anyone else,” he shares in an interview that can be viewed above or here.

      “The best advice I ever received was from my mentor, who told me, ‘Think of your career like a snowball; you just keep adding to it, and eventually it will get big enough to roll down the hill.’”

      That mentor was record producer Benny Blanco, with whom Slatkin interned before becoming one of the music industry’s most successful producers himself. He refrained from sharing his music with Blanco for four years to ensure it was worthy.

      Slatkin, who was raised in Los Angeles, began as a fan with dreams of something greater.

      “I just wanted to be a rock star. Honestly, it was Ed and John and their music that inspired me to pick up a guitar initially. They influenced me, and I learned by covering their songs. I used to perform on stage and sell tickets to my friends and teachers, doing small gigs around town.

      “When I discovered the role of a producer and realized there were people behind the music I loved—who could work in various genres over the years—I knew immediately that was what I wanted to do. There was never anything else I considered.”

      His career as a producer has been incredibly successful.

      Slatkin has worked with artists like Justin Bieber, Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Gracie Abrams, Omer Fedi, 24kGoldn, The Kid Laroi, and many others. He earned a Record of the Year Grammy for Lizzo’s "About Damn Time."

      For “Drive,” Slatkin formed a supergroup that included Dave Grohl on drums, Pino Palladino on bass, and Rami Jaffee on keys.

      He describes the role of a record producer as simply “ensuring that the best possible song comes to fruition, using whatever means necessary—whether it's gathering the right team, doing it yourself, or being a supportive therapist to an artist and guiding them to write an incredible song by themselves.”

      He continues: “Every artist I work with is different, which is why I love my job; no day is the same.”

      The creation of "Drive" began with getting Sheeran and Mayer, longtime friends, into the same room. Their early attempts closely mirrored what made it onto the final record.

      “Ed said, ‘John, give me a rock riff.’ The first thing John played on guitar was that riff,” Slatkin recalls. “Then Ed sang the verse into the scratch microphone, followed by the hook, and that became the demo, with just melodies and some rough lyrics. Later, Ed and I polished the lyrics, while John and I focused on production.”

      The song serves as the finale for F1, presenting a clean, exhilarating anthem that evokes a sense of release and a fresh start, full of promise and energy. You can listen to it here.

      “I strive to create a sound that feels effortless,” Slatkin states. “That’s the key—making it seem like a magic trick, like everything just unfolds perfectly when you want it to. But reaching that point takes effort. It’s work.”

      Main image: Blake Slatkin. MovieMaker.