Simon Cowell knows more than a little something about how to succeed in the music business, so when Labrinth became the first non-talent show artist in six years to be signed to Cowell’s label, it rightfully made headlines. Born Timothy McKenzie, the London-based Labrinth first emerged as a triple-threat artist in 2008 when he wrote, produced, and sang on rapper Master Shortie’s 2008 track “;Dead End.”; A year later he was working with U.K. R&B artists Tinchy Stryder and Chipmunk but it was 2010 when he really broke, beginning with his guest spot on Tinie Tempah’s smash hit “;Frisky.”; His remix of the Gorillaz' “;Stylo”; landed that same year and soon labels were offering Labrinth behind-the-scenes songwriting and production deals, but Cowell saw it differently. Early in the summer it was announced the American Idol and X-Factor producer had signed Labrinth as an artist to his Syco imprint. Labrinth’s debut single for the label, "Let the Sunshine," arrived in August of that year.
