"American Boy" Comes Home

Yu Leseberg Firm Celebrates Two Grammy Nominations for "Estelle Single.

After topping the UK charts for four weeks in 2008, “American Boy,” recorded by newcomer Estelle and buoyed by a guest appearance from Kanye West, became one of this summer’s signature songs stateside. Two Grammy nominations: “Song of the Year” and “Best Rap/Sung Collaboration” confirm the song’s irrepressible appeal.

Estelle is the inaugural artist released by Homeschool Records, the label created by Grammy-winning artist and songwriter John Legend distributed through Atlantic Records. Black Eyed Peas front man will.i.am produced the project.

Three Los Angeles-based songwriters and producers -- Keith Harris, Caleb Speir & Joshua Lopez -- contributed to the project.  The trio’s music publishing interests are represented by North Hudson Music LLC, the BMI award-winning Los Angeles - based firm founded by leading entertainment attorney Helen Yu of the Century City firm Yu Leseberg.

Writer/producer Keith Harris, an accomplished keyboardist, drummer and multi-instrumentalist who performs with Black Eyed Peas and Fergie, has worked with a range of artists from Michael Jackson (two remixes on Thriller 25), to Chris Brown (a co-write and keyboards on the track “Picture Perfect,”) plus newcomer Chrisette Michele, Mary J Blige and Busta Rhymes. Caleb Speir is a songwriter, producer and bass player who tours and records with Macy Gray and has also worked with Nikka Costa, Justin Timberlake, will.i.am and JC Chasez. The third songwriter, Joshua Lopez, who has also played with Gray, Timberlake, Costa, Chasez and will.i.am, has contributed to a wide range of projects with artists including Everlast, Ben Taylor, Mark Ronson and Eminem.

The 51st annual Grammy Awards will air live from The Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 8, 2009.