M. Maurice Hawkesworth

M. Maurice Hawkesworth (born February 23, 1960) is an American-born writer, record producer, and creative manager based in Europe. He worked as an A&R manager for Mega Records in the early 1990s, contributing to the international success of acts such as Ace of Base and Leila K, and later co-founded independent record labels. In 2025, he published two companion books, the nonfiction Jeg Elsker Dig: The Secret Life of Ancient Words and the novel The Smoking Gun: Confessions of Mimi, America’s Talking Gun.

Early career Hawkesworth began his career in music as a producer and songwriter. He relocated from the United States to Europe, working with a number of emerging acts in the 1990s.

Career in music During the early 1990s, Hawkesworth joined Mega Records in Copenhagen as A&R and Creative Manager. In this role, he helped shape the sound and image of Scandinavian pop acts including Ace of Base and Leila K.

Hawkesworth has described the two books as companion works, with one nonfiction and the other fiction, but sharing common themes of words, memory, survival, and theft.

Themes Recurring themes in Hawkesworth’s work include: the survival of cultural "fossils" in language, music, and art, testimony about authorship, theft, and credit in the pop music industry, and the intersections of popular culture, memory, and myth.

Recognition Contributor to multiple international hit singles, including Ace of Base’s The Sign. Emma Award (Finland) for work with Magenta Skycode. AVN nomination for Best Film Score (All About Anna). Songs written and produced by Hawkesworth have appeared on MTV and international charts.

Published works Jeg Elsker Dig: The Secret Life of Ancient Words (Wedgwood Press, 2025, ASIN B0FSSLKYDV) The Smoking Gun: Confessions of Mimi, America’s Talking Gun (Wedgwood Press, 2025, ASIN B0FRNPCRDH)

Songwriting credits

Leila K – (1990s) Magenta Skycode – Relief (Emma Award-winning album, 2007) PMMP – selected songs (2000s) Various artists under Invisible Wave and Iwave Records (2000s–2010s)