Riton
Biography
Henry Smithson (born 13 September 1978), known professionally as Riton, is an English electronic music DJ and producer from Newcastle upon Tyne. His stage name is French slang for "Henry". After graduating from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, he began DJing at the "Shindig" nightclub in Newcastle, where he was discovered by Mark Rae and signed to the independent record label Grand Central Records. His debut album, "Beats du Jour," was released in 2001, followed by "Homies and Homos" in 2004.
Career Highlights
Riton's career gained significant momentum with the 2016 single "Rinse & Repeat," featuring Nigerian vocalist Kah-Lo. The track was a commercial success, reaching the top of the BBC Radio 1 dance chart and earning a Grammy nomination for Best Dance Recording in 2017. This collaboration led to the full-length album "Foreign Ororo" in 2018, which blended house, dancehall, and Afrobeats and featured artists like Mr Eazi and Davido. He also co-produced the Grammy-winning single "Electricity" for Dua Lipa and Silk City.
In 2019, Riton teamed up with Oliver Heldens and singer Vula for the track "Turn Me On," which sampled Yazoo's "Don't Go". The song became a worldwide hit, topping Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart. Another major success came in 2021 with "Friday," a collaboration with Nightcrawlers featuring Mufasa and Hypeman, which became a global hit. Throughout his career, Riton has released music on various labels, including Ed Banger, Ministry of Sound, and his own Riton Time imprint.
Collaborations and Other Projects
Riton has been involved in several collaborative projects. In 2005, he formed the Gucci Sound System with Ben Rymer. He was also part of the krautrock band Die Verboten with David and Stephen Dewaele of Soulwax, releasing an album in 2015 that was recorded in 2007. In 2010, he started a project called Carte Blanche with DJ Mehdi. He has also released music under the pseudonym Eine Kleine Nacht Musik. His production credits include work for artists like Mark Ronson.