# Mura Masa
**Mura Masa** is the stage name of Alex Crossan (born 1996 in Castel, Guernsey), a Grammy-winning electronic producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist whose work spans pop, dance, and hip-hop styles[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mura-masa-mn0000539154). He won the Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019 for his remix of HAIM's "Walking Away," and has produced for artists including [PinkPantheress](https://www.edgepedia.org/pinkpantheress), Ice Spice, Lil Uzi Vert, and [Troye Sivan](https://www.edgepedia.org/troye-sivan)[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mura-masa-mn0000539154) • [2](https://mixmag.net/feature/mura-masa-dj-interview-producer-curve-1-the-pond).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Real name / birth | Alex Crossan, born 1996 in Castel, Guernsey[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mura-masa-mn0000539154) |
| Stage name origin | Borrowed from a 15th-century Japanese swordsmith; Crossan says the name "just came from a track name on a metal album"[3](https://www.complex.com/music/a/milly-mcmahon/interview-mura-masa) • [4](https://first-avenue.com/performer/mura-masa/) |
| Grammy | Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical, 61st Annual Grammy Awards (2019), for "Walking Away (Mura Masa Remix)" (HAIM)[5](https://time.com/5525752/grammys-2019-winners/) |
| Studio albums | Mura Masa (2017), R.Y.C (2020), demon time (2022), Curve 1 (2024)[6](https://explore.band/en/artist/mura-masa) |
| Signature singles | "Love$ick" with A$AP Rocky (2016), "1 Night" with Charli XCX (2017), "bbycakes" with Shygirl, PinkPantheress, and Lil Uzi Vert (2022)[7](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/mura-masa/876778612) |
| Label history | Polydor for the first three albums; his own Pond Recordings from Curve 1 (2024)[6](https://explore.band/en/artist/mura-masa) • [8](https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/aug/23/mura-masa-curve-1-review-relentlessly-above-par) |
| Reported scale | Platinum-selling, four Grammy nominations, more than 2 billion streams, Forbes 30 Under 30 list[9](https://www.universal-music.de/mura-masa/biografie) |
## Origins in Guernsey
Crossan grew up on Guernsey, a small British island in the [English Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/english-channel), where he has described the local scene as limited to a hardcore and punk community with no electronic music or clubs[10](https://www.papermag.com/mura-masa) • [11](https://www.thefader.com/2017/05/04/mura-masa-self-titled-album-lovesick-1-night-interview). He learned violin at age five and went on to play guitar, bass, drums, and piano[3](https://www.complex.com/music/a/milly-mcmahon/interview-mura-masa). He began experimenting with beats and electronic production at 15, working in [Ableton Live](https://www.edgepedia.org/ableton-live) in his bedroom, and gained early traction by uploading remixes and original tracks to [SoundCloud](https://www.edgepedia.org/soundcloud)[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mura-masa-mn0000539154) • [6](https://explore.band/en/artist/mura-masa). At 17, his track "Lotus Eater" was picked up by a number of BBC Radio 1 DJs, effectively launching his career; the song was chosen for the station's In New Music We Trust playlist in 2015[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mura-masa-mn0000539154) • [12](https://aliciaboukersi.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/magazine-second-edition.pdf).
His early compositions incorporated sounds such as shakuhachi flutes and thumb pianos alongside glitchy electronica[6](https://explore.band/en/artist/mura-masa). His first EP, *Muramasa*, appeared on TrapDoor Records in 2013, followed by *Someday Somewhere* on Polydor in 2015[6](https://explore.band/en/artist/mura-masa). By the time he left Guernsey for university in Brighton, his SoundCloud following was already significant; he later moved to London, hired a manager, and began booking gigs[4](https://first-avenue.com/performer/mura-masa/) • [10](https://www.papermag.com/mura-masa).
## Breakthrough and the debut album
The 2016 single "Love$ick" with A$AP Rocky was a turning point. Crossan has described Rocky as "the first A-list person who was like, 'I'll take a chance on this kid,'" after which, he says, "things just fell into place"[10](https://www.papermag.com/mura-masa). In March 2017, Time listed his [Charli XCX](https://www.edgepedia.org/charli-xcx) collaboration "1 Night" among its songs of the week, noting the marimbas and steel drums that run through his work[13](https://time.com/4705632/best-new-music-march-2017/).
His self-titled debut album arrived on 14 July 2017 on Polydor (listed as Downtown in the United States)[14](https://www.metacritic.com/music/mura-masa/mura-masa/critic-reviews). It scored 78 on Metacritic based on 13 critic reviews, with 11 positive, one mixed, and one negative[14](https://www.metacritic.com/music/mura-masa/mura-masa/critic-reviews), and appeared in year-end lists from Billboard, NME, The Skinny, and others[15](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/81416-mura-masa-mura-masa/critic-lists/). The album's guest list ran to ten different artists, each given an entire track; Pitchfork (77) praised a vision that "refuses to be boxed in," while Tiny Mix Tapes (30) criticized the reliance on features[16](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/81416-mura-masa-mura-masa.php). The album's artwork, by Crossan and Matt De Jong, was nominated for Best Recording Package at the 2018 [Grammy Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/grammy-awards)[17](https://time.com/5122250/grammys-2018-winners-list/).
## R.Y.C and demon time
The second album, *R.Y.C* (an abbreviation of Random Youth Collage), released in January 2020, took a conceptual approach to youth and disillusionment with a more guitar-driven sound[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mura-masa-mn0000539154). Its European tour was cut short by lockdown[9](https://www.universal-music.de/mura-masa/biografie).
*demon time*, his third album, was released on 16 September 2022 via Polydor[9](https://www.universal-music.de/mura-masa/biografie). It had the working title "Fun," and Crossan framed its premise as soundtracking "the 1am to 5am period" of post-lockdown nights[9](https://www.universal-music.de/mura-masa/biografie). The album featured "bbycakes," a collaboration with [Lil Uzi Vert](https://www.edgepedia.org/lil-uzi-vert), PinkPantheress, and Shygirl built on the 3 Of A Kind garage classic, along with guests including Channel Tres, Pa Salieu, and Erika de Casier[9](https://www.universal-music.de/mura-masa/biografie) • [1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mura-masa-mn0000539154). Around this period he was nominated for his second Ivor Novello Award, for producing PinkPantheress's "Just For Me"[9](https://www.universal-music.de/mura-masa/biografie).
## Independence and Curve 1
For his fourth album, *Curve 1* (2024), Crossan went independent, releasing on his own label, Pond Recordings, and building a physical arts hub in Peckham, south London, also called Pond[8](https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/aug/23/mura-masa-curve-1-review-relentlessly-above-par). The Guardian's review called the album "a masterclass in hardcore dancefloor and bittersweet feeling," highlighting the rave-referencing "Gimme," the electroclash track "We Are Making Out" with the Singaporean artist Yeule, and the drum'n'bass-tinged "Whenever I Want"[8](https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/aug/23/mura-masa-curve-1-review-relentlessly-above-par). A follow-up EP, *Curve +1*, arrived in 2025 on Pond Recordings, alongside solo singles including "I'm Really Hot (For Myself)"[6](https://explore.band/en/artist/mura-masa) • [7](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/mura-masa/876778612).
In a 2024 interview with Mixmag's Ben Jolley, Crossan framed the move away from a major label in terms of scale and control, describing major-label life as being part of a very large machine and contrasting it with running a small, self-directed operation[2](https://mixmag.net/feature/mura-masa-dj-interview-producer-curve-1-the-pond).
## Production style and collaborations
Crossan works primarily in Ableton Live and describes building a "palette" of drum samples, synth patches, and effects before sessions, then stitching hooks together from collaborators' improvisations, sometimes asking them to improvise for 20 minutes and building the song from that material[18](https://www.musicradar.com/news/mura-masa-interview). He has cited Ableton's Drum Buss and Antares Auto-Tune, used even at extreme retune speeds for its "digital sheen," as staples of his sound[18](https://www.musicradar.com/news/mura-masa-interview).
His production and co-writing credits extend beyond his own records: Mixmag names [Ice Spice](https://www.edgepedia.org/ice-spice), PinkPantheress, Lil Uzi Vert, and Troye Sivan, and notes collaborations with [Damon Albarn](https://www.edgepedia.org/damon-albarn) and Christine & The Queens[2](https://mixmag.net/feature/mura-masa-dj-interview-producer-curve-1-the-pond); AllMusic adds producing and co-writing for [Ariana Grande](https://www.edgepedia.org/ariana-grande), Stormzy, and Chic[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mura-masa-mn0000539154). He collaborated with PinkPantheress on her hit "Boy's a Liar"[8](https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/aug/23/mura-masa-curve-1-review-relentlessly-above-par). His remixes include ZAYN's "Love Like This," released in September 2023[19](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/mura-masa/), and Erika de Casier's "Polite"[20](https://ra.co/dj/muramasa).
Beyond music, Crossan launched the 3T training scheme in 2020 to provide training and opportunity for underrepresented groups in the touring and live sector[9](https://www.universal-music.de/mura-masa/biografie).
## Reception
Critical reception of his albums has varied. Album of the Year aggregates a critic score of 69 across 44 reviews for his catalog, with the 2017 debut highest at 77 and *R.Y.C* lowest at 63; *Curve 1* stands at 80 from two reviews[21](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/artist/19363-mura-masa/?s=critic&type=featured). Live reception has been mixed as well: LiveRate's consensus across 27 concert reviews rates him at 60 percent, describing shows as "electrifying, eclectic, and memorable" but lacking broad critical acclaim, with estimated booking fees between $40,000 and $75,000[22](https://www.liverate.com/artists/mura-masa).
## References
1. [Mura Masa Biography, AllMusic (Timothy Monger)](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mura-masa-mn0000539154)
2. [Why Mura Masa went independent, Mixmag (Ben Jolley, 1 November 2024)](https://mixmag.net/feature/mura-masa-dj-interview-producer-curve-1-the-pond)
3. [Meet Mura Masa, The Electronic Music Magician, Complex](https://www.complex.com/music/a/milly-mcmahon/interview-mura-masa)
4. [Mura Masa, First Avenue performer page](https://first-avenue.com/performer/mura-masa/)
5. [Grammys 2019: See All the Winners, Time](https://time.com/5525752/grammys-2019-winners/)
6. [Mura Masa discography, explore.band](https://explore.band/en/artist/mura-masa)
7. [Mura Masa, Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/mura-masa/876778612)
8. [Mura Masa: Curve 1 review, The Guardian (Kitty Empire, 23 August 2024)](https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/aug/23/mura-masa-curve-1-review-relentlessly-above-par)
9. [Mura Masa Biografie, Universal Music](https://www.universal-music.de/mura-masa/biografie)
10. [Mura Masa Makes Complicated Music Sound Easy, PAPER Magazine](https://www.papermag.com/mura-masa)
11. [Meet Mura Masa, The FADER (4 May 2017)](https://www.thefader.com/2017/05/04/mura-masa-self-titled-album-lovesick-1-night-interview)
12. [Mura Masa takes charge at Warehouse Project, magazine second edition (PDF)](https://aliciaboukersi.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/magazine-second-edition.pdf)
13. [5 Songs You Need to Listen to This Week, Time (17 March 2017)](https://time.com/4705632/best-new-music-march-2017/)
14. [Critic Reviews for Mura Masa, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/music/mura-masa/mura-masa/critic-reviews)
15. [Critic Lists That Contain Mura Masa, Album of The Year](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/81416-mura-masa-mura-masa/critic-lists/)
16. [Mura Masa Reviews, Album of The Year](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/81416-mura-masa-mura-masa.php)
17. [Grammys 2018: See the Full List of Winners, Time](https://time.com/5122250/grammys-2018-winners-list/)
18. [In the studio with Mura Masa, MusicRadar](https://www.musicradar.com/news/mura-masa-interview)
19. [ムラ・マサ, Universal Music Japan](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/mura-masa/)
20. [Mura Masa Artist Profile, Resident Advisor](https://ra.co/dj/muramasa)
21. [Mura Masa Albums, Songs, Discography, Album of The Year](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/artist/19363-mura-masa/?s=critic&type=featured)
22. [Mura Masa Live Tour & Concert Review Consensus, LiveRate](https://www.liverate.com/artists/mura-masa)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Individual musical biographies › DJs and electronic music producers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license