Dan Nigro

Daniel Leonard Nigro is an American record producer and songwriter. He was previously the lead vocalist and guitarist of the indie rock band As Tall as Lions. Nigro has produced, written, and co-written songs for Sky Ferreira, Joe Jonas, Kylie Minogue, Caroline Polachek, Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan, Dermot Kennedy, Reneé Rapp, Maisie Peters, Conan Gray, and Lorde.

Nigro has been nominated for 16 Grammy Awards and won two including Best Pop Vocal Album for Rodrigo's Sour (2021) and Producer of the Year, Non-Classical in 2025. In 2024, he was named "Producer of the Year" by Variety Hitmakers and Songwriter of the Year at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards.

Early life Daniel Leonard Nigro was raised in Massapequa Park, New York, on Long Island, to Louis, a second-generation business owner and Claire, an artist specializing in oil painting. In his youth he took piano, guitar, and voice lessons. His sister, Alexa, co-founded the Scough fashion company and his brother, Leonard, is an international chef.

Nigro attended Catholic schools from kindergarten through high school. He once said that he "never felt the need to go to college", but went to Fordham University.

Career As Tall as Lions With Saen Fitzgerald, Cliff Sarcona and two other high school friends, Nigro formed the indie rock band Sundaze in 1998, releasing an album called "Seal of Approval", that included "King of the World", which became a local fan favorite. In 2001, he formed As Tall as Lions, with Saen, Cliff and Brian Fortune. In 2002, they released their first EP, Blood and Aphorisms. In 2003, they signed a record deal with Island and Triple Crown Records and left college with the full support of their parents to pursue music full-time.

In 2004, the band released their debut album, Lafcadio, and began touring. In 2006, after some lineup changes, which now included Julio Tavarez as their bassist while Brian Caesar left the band, they released As Tall as Lions and began a headlining tour. In July 2007, they appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. In 2009, You Can't Take It with You was released, peaking at number 88 on the Billboard 200 chart. By September 2010, the band split up. Upon the announcement of the news, their last shows sold out and more were added to the schedule. They immediately planned what would be billed as their reunion, which was performed in 2015 without new music to supplement it.

Songwriting Nigro moved to Los Angeles to become a songwriter, collaborating with childhood friend Justin Raisen. He found initial success with a jingle for a McDonald's advertisement and then with Sky Ferreira. Nigro began as a songwriter then learned production as he felt belittled by producers he worked with and didn’t feel like he could exercise full creative control over his work without being a producer.

Amusement Records

After Nigro and singer-songwriter Chappell Roan had worked together for years, Roan was dropped by her former record label. To continue writing, producing and releasing songs together, Nigro formed independent label Amusement Records in 2023. Though originally formed for Roan, Nigro said he intended to build out its roster, as long as he believed in the acts. later signing Devon Again as Amusement's second artist.

Personal life Nigro married visual artist Emily Williams in September 2020. Together they have two children, Saoirse and Kieran. Their daughter Saoirse can be heard in the final seconds of Olivia Rodrigo's song "Teenage Dream".

Discography As Tall as Lions Album Release date Label Billboard 200 peak Lafcadio May 18, 2004 Triple Crown Records – As Tall as Lions August 8, 2006 Triple Crown Records – You Can't Take It With You August 18, 2009 Triple Crown Records 88 Into the Flood (EP) November 27, 2007 Triple Crown Records

Songwriting and production credits +KeyIndicates songs solely written or produced by Dan Nigro

Awards and nominations