Toddla T

Sheffield-born DJ/producer Thomas Mackenzie Bell (aka Toddla T) fuses an eclectic mix of electronic styles, with a preference for dancehall, hip-hop, electro, and house. Bell’s journey began at age 14 when he took up DJ’ing for the first time, quickly securing sets at local bars and clubs. Within two years, he had picked up enough steam to leave high school and pursue music full-time. By 2009 he had signed to 1965 Records for the release of his debut album, Skanky Skanky. The album contained elements of hip-hop, electro, garage, dancehall, and house, and featured a number of guests, including Matt Helders (Arctic Monkeys), Roots Manuva, Tinchy Stryder, Joe Goddard, and Hervé. The record was well-received by critics and gave Bell a massive career boost. Before long he was hosting weekly shows on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra; he had taken part in Fabric London’s mix series with Fabriclive 47, and he’d remixed a variety of respected artists, including Hot Chip, Jack Penate, Ladyhawke, and Tricky. In 2010 Bell moved to London, at the same time switching record labels to Ninja Tune. The following year he readied his sophomore record, Watch Me Dance, which was influenced by his time spent in Jamaica — and recording with Major Lazer. After being introduced to Raf Rundell (2 Bears) through friend and collaborator Joe Goddard, Bell launched his own label, Girls Music; both Rundell and Bell used the label as a platform to showcase a broad variety of artists, featuring releases from Roska, DJ Q, Ashley Beedle, and Roses Gabor. Bell also put out releases on the label, albeit in the form of Toddla T Sound, a collaborative group set up in 2013 that also included Serocee, DRS, and Shola Ama. Even though he maintained a substantial public profile, Bell spent the next few years focusing on his personal life after the birth of two children with his partner Annie Mac. By 2017, Bell was back in the studio, collaborating heavily with singer Andrea Martin; they worked on so much material that Bell based his third album, Foreign Light, around the collaborations. ~ Liam Martin