# Tyler Reese Mehlenbacher

Tyler Reese Mehlenbacher (born September 30, 1993), known professionally as Tyler Reese, is an American record producer, songwriter, musician and composer from Richland, Washington. He first became known as one half of the music production duo The Donuts, which he formed with Sergiu Gherman. Working closely with their mentor Bēkon, The Donuts produced for notable names such as SZA, Kendrick Lamar, Hozier, H.E.R. and Joji, among others. Beginning his solo career in 2022, Reese has since produced two songs on Kendrick Lamar’s GNX ("wacced out murals" & "man at the garden") and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media for The Color Purple (2023).

## Musical career

Reese discovered music production while attending Berklee College of Music where he studied Contemporary Writing and Production, and trumpet, focusing on jazz improvisation. Dropping out after two years due to being rejected from the school's Electronic Production and Design program, he began interning at The Bridge Sound & Stage in Cambridge where he learned the fundamentals of studio recording.
In 2016, Reese moved to Los Angeles and began interning for DJ Kahlil where he met Sergiu Gherman and Bekon. In 2017, Reese and Gherman formed The Donuts and co-produced "Garden (Say It Like Dat)" by SZA with their mentor Bekon. The song would receive 2x platinum certification from the RIAA, and the album, Ctrl, received a nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 2018 Grammy Awards.
In 2019, Reese produced "Fate" and "Lord is Coming" by H.E.R. on her album I Used to Know Her, earning him a nomination for Album of the Year at the 2020 Grammy Awards and a Gold certification from the RIAA.
In 2022, Reese produced "Auntie Diaries" and "Mirror" for Kendrick Lamar on his album Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers. The album received a nomination for Album of the Year and won in the Best Rap Album category at the 2023 Grammy Awards.
In 2024, Reese co-wrote "Too Sweet" by Hozier which spent several weeks at number one on various charts, including Billboard Hot 100, marking Hozier's first number one in the United States, while also topping the Adult Alternative Airplay chart for a significant period.
In 2024, Reese also produced "wacced out murals" and "man at the garden" on Kendrick Lamar's sixth studio album GNX.

## Awards and nominations

| Award | Year | Recipient(s) | Category | Results |
| American Music Awards | 2018 | Ctrl | Favorite Album – Soul/R&B | Nominated |
| American Music Awards | 2022 | Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers | Favorite Hip Hop Album | Won |
| BET Awards | 2018 | Ctrl | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| BET Awards | 2020 | I Used to Know Her | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| BET Awards | 2022 | Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| BET Awards | 2022 | Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers | Hip Hop Album of the Year | Won |
| Billboard Music Awards | 2018 | Ctrl | Top R&B Album | Nominated |
| Grammy Awards | 2018 | Ctrl | Best Urban Contemporary Album | Nominated |
| Grammy Awards | 2020 | I Used to Know Her | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| Grammy Awards | 2023 | Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| Grammy Awards | 2023 | Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers | Best Rap Album | Won |
| People's Choice Awards | 2022 | Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers | The Album of 2022 | Nominated |

## Production and songwriting credits

| Artist | Title | Year | Album | Peak chart positions | Certifications (RIAA) |
| SZA | "Garden (Say It Like Dat)" | 2017 | Ctrl | #20 – US Hot R&B Songs (Billboard) | 2x Platinum |
| Higher Brothers, JID | "Do It Like Me" | 2019 | Five Stars | | |
| Rich Brian | "The Sailor" | 2019 | The Sailor | #62 – US Billboard 200 #12 – US Independent Albums (Billboard) #31 – US Top R&B/Hip-hop Albums (Billboard) | |
| Rich Brian | "Rapapapa" (featuring RZA) | 2019 | The Sailor | #62 – US Billboard 200 #12 – US Independent Albums (Billboard) #31 – US Top R&B/Hip-hop Albums (Billboard) | |
| Rich Brian | "Yellow" (featuring Bekon) | 2019 | The Sailor | #62 – US Billboard 200 #12 – US Independent Albums (Billboard) #31 – US Top R&B/Hip-hop Albums (Billboard) | |
| Rich Brian | "Kids" | 2019 | The Sailor | #62 – US Billboard 200 #12 – US Independent Albums (Billboard) #31 – US Top R&B/Hip-hop Albums (Billboard) | |
| Rich Brian | "Drive Safe" | 2019 | The Sailor | #62 – US Billboard 200 #12 – US Independent Albums (Billboard) #31 – US Top R&B/Hip-hop Albums (Billboard) | |
| Rich Brian | "Confetti" | 2019 | The Sailor | #62 – US Billboard 200 #12 – US Independent Albums (Billboard) #31 – US Top R&B/Hip-hop Albums (Billboard) | |
| Rich Brian | "Vacant" | 2019 | The Sailor | #62 – US Billboard 200 #12 – US Independent Albums (Billboard) #31 – US Top R&B/Hip-hop Albums (Billboard) | |
| Rich Brian | "No Worries" | 2019 | The Sailor | #62 – US Billboard 200 #12 – US Independent Albums (Billboard) #31 – US Top R&B/Hip-hop Albums (Billboard) | |
| Rich Brian | "Curious" | 2019 | The Sailor | #62 – US Billboard 200 #12 – US Independent Albums (Billboard) #31 – US Top R&B/Hip-hop Albums (Billboard) | |
| Rich Brian | "Where Does the Time Go" (featuring Joji) | 2019 | The Sailor | #62 – US Billboard 200 #12 – US Independent Albums (Billboard) #31 – US Top R&B/Hip-hop Albums (Billboard) | |
| H.E.R. | "Lord is Coming" (featuring YBN Cordae) | 2019 | I Used to Know Her | #86 – US Billboard 200 | Gold |
| H.E.R. | "Fate" | 2019 | I Used to Know Her | #86 – US Billboard 200 | Gold |
| Ameer Vann | "Keep Your Distance" | 2020 | Single | | |
| Rich Brian | "BALI" (featuring Guapdad 4000) | 2020 | Single | | |
| Rich Brian | "Love In My Pocket" | 2020 | Single | | |
| Joji | "Ew" | 2020 | Nectar | #1 – Australian Albums (ARIA) #3 – US Billboard 200 | Gold |
| Joji | "High Hopes" (featuring Omar Apollo) | 2020 | Nectar | #1 – Australian Albums (ARIA) #3 – US Billboard 200 | Gold |
| Joji | "Gimme Love" | 2020 | Single | | Gold |
| Warren Hue, Seori | "Warriors" | 2021 | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: The Album | #3 – US Soundtrack Albums (Billboard) | |
| DPR IAN, DPR LIVE, peace. | "Diamonds + And Pears" | 2021 | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: The Album | #3 – US Soundtrack Albums (Billboard) | |
| JJ Lin | "Lose Control" | 2021 | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: The Album | #3 – US Soundtrack Albums (Billboard) | |
| NIKI, Rich Brian, Warren Hue | "Always Rising" | 2021 | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: The Album | #3 – US Soundtrack Albums (Billboard) | |
| Simu Liu | "Hot Soup" | 2021 | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: The Album | #3 – US Soundtrack Albums (Billboard) | |
| Guapdad 4000, Rich Brian, Warren Hue | "Foolish" | 2021 | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: The Album | #3 – US Soundtrack Albums (Billboard) | |
| EARTHGANG, Rich Brian | "Act Up" | 2021 | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: The Album | #3 – US Soundtrack Albums (Billboard) | |
| Yung Bae | "Wonder" (featuring Channel Tres) | 2021 | Single | | |
| NIKI | "Split" | 2022 | Single | | |
| Yung Bae | "60s Spy Shit" | 2022 | Single | | |
| Tanna Leone | "February" | 2022 | Sleepy Soldier | | |
| Tanna Leone | "If There's a God" | 2022 | Sleepy Soldier | | |
| Rich Brian | "Sunny" | 2022 | Brightside (EP) | | |
| UMI | "sorry" | 2022 | Single | | |
| Kendrick Lamar | "Auntie Diaries" | 2022 | Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers | #1 – US Billboard 200 #1 – Canadian Albums (Billboard) #1 – Australian Albums (ARIA) #2 – UK Albums (OCC) | |
| Kendrick Lamar | "Mirror" | 2022 | Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers | #1 – US Billboard 200 #1 – Canadian Albums (Billboard) #1 – Australian Albums (ARIA) #2 – UK Albums (OCC) | |
| Joji | "1AM Freestyle" | 2022 | Smithereens | #5 – US Billboard 200 | |
| Bekon | "Famous Or Dying Again" | 2023 | You People (Netflix Soundtrack) | | |
| Bekon | "Roscoes" (featuring Chakra) | 2023 | You People (Netflix Soundtrack) | | |
| Bekon | "Insane" | 2023 | You People (Netflix Soundtrack) | | |
| Bekon | "Famous Or Dying" | 2023 | You People (Netflix Soundtrack) | | |
| Hozier | "Eat Your Young" | 2023 | Eat Your Young (EP) | #67 – US Billboard Hot 100 | |
| Hozier | "First Light" | 2023 | Unreal Unearth | #3 – US Billboard 200 #1 – UK Albums (OCC) | |
| Hozier | "Damage Gets Done" (featuring Brandi Carlile) | 2023 | Unreal Unearth | #3 – US Billboard 200 #1 – UK Albums (OCC) | |
| Hozier | "Abstract (Psychopomp)" | 2023 | Unreal Unearth | #3 – US Billboard 200 #1 – UK Albums (OCC) | |
| Chenayder | "Goodbye" | 2023 | Single | | |
| Coco Jones | "You See Me" | 2024 | The Color Purple (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | | |
| Hozier | "Too Sweet" | 2024 | Unheard | #1 – US Billboard Hot 100 #1 – UK Singles (OCC) #1 – Australia (ARIA) | 4x Platinum |
| Hozier | "Empire Now" | 2024 | Unheard | #1 – US Billboard Hot 100 #1 – UK Singles (OCC) #1 – Australia (ARIA) | 4x Platinum |
| Sinéad Harnett | "Burn" | 2024 | Single | | |
| Sinéad Harnett | "Same Rhymes | 2024 | Boundaries | | |
| Sinéad Harnett | "No One" | 2024 | Boundaries | | |
| Sinéad Harnett | "Spiral" | 2024 | Boundaries | | |
| Kendrick Lamar | "wacced out murals" | 2024 | GNX | #1 – US Billboard 200 #1 – UK Albums (OCC) #1 – Canadian Albums (Billboard) #1 – Australian Albums (ARIA) | |
| Kendrick Lamar | "man at the garden" | 2024 | GNX | #1 – US Billboard 200 #1 – UK Albums (OCC) #1 – Canadian Albums (Billboard) #1 – Australian Albums (ARIA) | |