You know the songs, even if you don’t know the name. After helping craft hits for Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, Madison Beer and Lily Allen, Kiwi songwriter-producer Leroy Clampitt finally gets a pep in his step with his debut solo album, Get Happy.

We can assure you that Kiwi-born-and-raised singer-songwriter, producer and musician, Leroy Clampitt, has been one of the penmans and musical architects behind your favourite tracks. In his almost two decade-spanning career so far as a songwriter and producer, his discography boasts the likes of pop princesses Sabrina Carpenter and Madison Beer, prince of pop, Justin Bieber, as well as the West End Girl, Lily Allen. 

Thus, he’s been part of many releases but not many as great as his own – which arrives today with the release of his debut solo album, Get Happy, out now via his newly-established independent label, Sorry Susan Records. Across the record’s 11 tracks, he encourages listeners to see “The Brighter Side of Life”, make the most of a “Sick Day”, go “Easy Daisy”, and ultimately, like the album title says, “Get Happy”. It’s a project that boasts – and demands – joy and light, though sometimes tinged with witty irony, bittersweet analogies and wistful imagery. Still, at its core, it’s wholeheartedly playful, in a way that he’s become much adorned for – the narrator of a never-ending coming of age film. 

Previously known under the moniker ‘Big Taste’, his sound has become a bubbling melting pot of all of those sonic references that he’s helped to affirm for other artists – on songwriting credits alone, he’s across all genres. From quirky indie-folk percussion-driven tracks, climbing right to the top of the pop melodies, whether alternative or right on the money, Clampitt’s pen and pulse is placed firmly on all of the right markers. 

Now, off the back of a somewhat explosive late 2025 with the return of ultimate British pop girl, Lily Allen, and the release of her West End Girl album, Clampitt is ready to claim his own territory. But, for the moment, we take a trip down memory lane as he reminisces on some of the hits he’s been involved in and how they came to be. For the New Zealeander, it appears he’s locked right into “The Brighter Side of Life”…

“Company” – Justin Bieber

This was the first song that truly changed my life. I got the opportunity to work on it through Andreas Schuller, who was my publisher as well as a songwriter and producer. He wrote the song with Poo Bear and JHart. Another Kiwi producer, Gladius, and I produced it one afternoon while we were stuck in Aotearoa waiting for our American visas. We heard Justin liked what we’d done and was going to cut it, but we basically heard nothing else until the night before it came out. I remember the first time hearing his voice on it and realising this was going to be the start of a legitimate career as a music producer.

“I’m Going to Die” – Leroy Clampitt

I’m very proud of this little death opus. This is me packaged into an indie-pop song: a little bit groovy, a little bit romantic, a little bit classical Renaissance. I feel that, quite often, it’s the most simplistic-sounding songs that hit me in the most complex ways, and this is a great example of that.

“Make You Mine” – Madison Beer

One of my proudest achievements as a pop music producer. Madison and I met in 2017, and she’s trusted me with producing almost all of the music she’s made since then. We have very similar taste in music – hers is definitely more advanced – but we’ve been lucky enough to experiment and create a pretty eclectic sonic world over the course of her three albums. This was the first time we ever experimented with making a dance song. The night we started it, it was cool and had potential, but it didn’t really have anything super special about it. Right before she came in the next day, I had the thought to start chopping up her vocal. She walked in and said, “That idea from last night – can we try chopping the vocals up?” We’d both had the same breakthrough. We chopped it up, and I played, “I, I, I, wanna feel, feel, feel,” out loud. We both lost our shit.

“Ricky Martin” – Leroy Clampitt

This was the song that took me the longest to write. I really didn’t know what the chorus should be, but I had that line about “Livin’ la Vida Loca” in the verse. I was showing it to my partner, Taylor, and she said, “Obviously, it should be something about living the crazy life.” I’d probably still be sitting at the piano trying to figure it out if it wasn’t for her.

“Pussy Palace” – Lily Allen

Lily had this title from the very start of the album-making process. She had most of the titles early on, but for whatever reason, this was the last one we wrote. Envisioning what a song called Pussy Palace was going to sound like was intimidating, but eventually it was time, and Lily, Chloe Angelides, Blue May, and I just went full trust, full send. By the end of the night, Blue brought in a smoke machine and party lights, and we listened back. We had this euphoric moment of accomplishment. I remember thinking, This is probably one of the best things I’ve ever been a part of, but I don’t know if a song called Pussy Palace will ever see the light of day. But with Lily being the legend she is, it did – and the world is a better place for it.

“I Used To Be A Tire” – Leroy Clampitt

I legitimately feel like I can’t take responsibility for this song. I was in New York for work, staying in a hotel. They had these coasters with the words “I used to be a tire” on them, because they were made from recycled rubber. I saw that, and it completely consumed me. I took a shower, and by the time I was clean and dry, this song existed. I’d love for one of the country greats to cover it one day.

“Read Your Mind” – Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina is one of the most brilliant artists on the planet. I love everything we made together on Emails I Can’t Send, but this one was especially meaningful because I got to help shape the direction of the album from early on. It’s one of my favorite string arrangements I’ve ever done, and one of my favorite bass lines too.

“Your Boy” – Leroy Clampitt

In my work, writing and producing songs with other artists, true love songs are rare birds. I think artists often have more interesting and more important things they want to say. It’s also easy for love songs to become cheesy, but when they genuinely come from the heart, you can’t lose. I also love when a love song is so specific that it couldn’t possibly be about anyone other than the person it’s written for. I’m curious to see whether I’ll get a call from my manager or publisher when this comes out and they hear the line about sabotaging my whole career in a few years.

“Til Forever Falls Apart” – Ashe & FINNEAS

Ashe and I wrote this basically on the first day we officially started making her debut album, Ashlyn. We pulled out all the stops on this one, especially once FINNEAS came on board. His verse, vocals, and production additions made the song take on a whole new meaning. I remember spending weeks obsessing over every tiny detail in the production so that, when the choruses hit, you get this wall of sound that reaches your bones. I feel very privileged to have worked on a song featuring two of our modern greats.

“Charlie” – mallrat

I remember we made this song, and I sent Grace [Shaw aka mallrat] the rough bounce – then I didn’t hear from her for two months. I thought, Man, I think this song has something really special to it, but I assumed she just wasn’t feeling it. Eventually I checked in with her and said, “Hey, how’s the song feeling to you? Do you want me to try some different sounds, yada yada?” She replied, “This is my favorite song I’ve ever made, and I’ve listened to it a million times. I don’t want you to change anything at all.” Haha. That’s the first – and only – time the day-one version of a song I’ve made has ever been released. She’s such a special artist. This song is such a raw portrayal of who she is, and that’s the most we can hope for from artists.