Chris Birkett Solo Work
Chris Birkett is an award-winning British-born music producer, singer-songwriter, composer, and sound engineer whose collaborative works have sold over 100 million records worldwide. Renowned for his exceptional sonic arrangements, Birkett has spent decades shaping the landscape of alternative rock, pop, folk, and world music, earning a Grammy Award, four Canadian Junos, a Polaris Music Prize, and a Canadian Screen Award.
Born in London, Birkett's obsession with music began at age eight when his family couldn't afford an instrument, prompting him to build his first guitar out of salvaged wood and banjo strings. By 14, he was performing in London clubs.
In his early twenties, he toured as a guitarist for legendary Memphis soul artists like Rufus Thomas and Ann Peebles, and later joined the UK pop group Love Affair. His career took a major turn when he was discovered by legendary David Bowie producer Tony Visconti. Visconti signed Birkett's band, Omaha Sheriff, to his label and mentored him, providing the foundational training that catalyzed Birkett's leap into master engineering and record production.
Major Production Milestones
Birkett is globally recognized for producing and engineering some of the most era-defining tracks of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. His most notable production credits include:
Sinéad O'Connor: He engineered and co-produced the monumental, multi-platinum album
I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got, which featured the seismic global #1 hit
"Nothing Compares 2 U".
Buffy Sainte-Marie: Birkett formed a deep creative partnership with the iconic Indigenous singer-songwriter. He co-produced 5 albums for her since 1992 including her critically acclaimed, Juno and Polaris Prize-winning albums Power in the Blood (2015) and Medicine Songs (2017).
A-List Collaborations: Over his extensive career, he has produced, engineered, or collaborated with industry giants including the Talking Heads, Peter Gabriel, Quincy Jones, Sting, Dexys Midnight Runners, The Pogues, Steve Earle, and Hans Zimmer.
Solo Career and Artistry
Beyond the producer's chair, Birkett is a prolific solo artist known for his socially conscious songwriting, which tackles topics ranging from the climate crisis to economic inequality and phone addiction. He has released several solo albums—including Men From The Sky (Polydor records), Freedom, Be Creative, She’s My Guitar, and The Voice—as well as collaborative projects with his bands, The Free Spirits and The Happy Campers.
Now a Canadian citizen based in Toronto, Ontario, Birkett actively runs his studio and production company, 2 Mounties Media. He continues to write and perform live regularly. In early 2026, he released a guitar-centric project featuring the single “She’s My Guitar” followed by his August 2026 single "My Beating Heart," released via Current Records. Alongside his active releases, he serves as a mentor to emerging Canadian talent, particularly Inuit artists through the Hitmakerz label.
Born in London, Birkett's obsession with music began at age eight when his family couldn't afford an instrument, prompting him to build his first guitar out of salvaged wood and banjo strings. By 14, he was performing in London clubs.
In his early twenties, he toured as a guitarist for legendary Memphis soul artists like Rufus Thomas and Ann Peebles, and later joined the UK pop group Love Affair. His career took a major turn when he was discovered by legendary David Bowie producer Tony Visconti. Visconti signed Birkett's band, Omaha Sheriff, to his label and mentored him, providing the foundational training that catalyzed Birkett's leap into master engineering and record production.
Major Production Milestones
Birkett is globally recognized for producing and engineering some of the most era-defining tracks of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. His most notable production credits include:
Sinéad O'Connor: He engineered and co-produced the monumental, multi-platinum album
I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got, which featured the seismic global #1 hit
"Nothing Compares 2 U".
Buffy Sainte-Marie: Birkett formed a deep creative partnership with the iconic Indigenous singer-songwriter. He co-produced 5 albums for her since 1992 including her critically acclaimed, Juno and Polaris Prize-winning albums Power in the Blood (2015) and Medicine Songs (2017).
A-List Collaborations: Over his extensive career, he has produced, engineered, or collaborated with industry giants including the Talking Heads, Peter Gabriel, Quincy Jones, Sting, Dexys Midnight Runners, The Pogues, Steve Earle, and Hans Zimmer.
Solo Career and Artistry
Beyond the producer's chair, Birkett is a prolific solo artist known for his socially conscious songwriting, which tackles topics ranging from the climate crisis to economic inequality and phone addiction. He has released several solo albums—including Men From The Sky (Polydor records), Freedom, Be Creative, She’s My Guitar, and The Voice—as well as collaborative projects with his bands, The Free Spirits and The Happy Campers.
Now a Canadian citizen based in Toronto, Ontario, Birkett actively runs his studio and production company, 2 Mounties Media. He continues to write and perform live regularly. In early 2026, he released a guitar-centric project featuring the single “She’s My Guitar” followed by his August 2026 single "My Beating Heart," released via Current Records. Alongside his active releases, he serves as a mentor to emerging Canadian talent, particularly Inuit artists through the Hitmakerz label.