Studio Sessions | Eric Bellinger explains how a text message led to a Grammy with Chris Brown

Multiplatinum-selling singer/songwriter Eric Bellinger has no doubt in his pen. The man whose lyrical expertise helped craft massive hits like Chris Brown’s “Fine China,” Justin Bieber’s “Right Here,” and Big Sean’s “Precision” has the respect of legends like Babyface. So, Bellinger walks into every session knowing a hit is possible because he’s involved.

“Long story short, [Roc Nation] said, ‘Yo, we're gonna set you up with these sessions. We know you do R&B music, but can you do a song with Big Sean?’ I said, ‘I'm gonna go get the single, watch.’ I literally did the single ‘Precision’ that day,” Bellinger told REVOLT.

In this installment of “Studio Sessions,” the Grammy Award-winning talent explains why he chose to work on Chris Brown’s F.A.M.E. album instead of joining a Rihanna writing camp, how Babyface named his skillset “Bellingerisms,” and what we can expect from his It’ll All Make Sense Later deluxe LP. Check out the exclusive interview below.

First of all, congratulations on your Grammy win for working on Chris Brown’s 11:11 album . You posted a photo that showed it all started from a text message... Can you expound on that?

I’m blessed to be at a point with Chris where, even when I haven't got in with him in a long time, he will hit me like, “Yo, I got this idea.” He’ll pull me in, even if it's just to finish up some ideas he has or if it's to help him bring an idea to life. He called me and was like, “Yo, I'm about to send you this track. It's crazy. I love it. We already got Fridayy on it. I just need something around what he's saying.” I sent it right back. That's why I wanted to put that text out because it was as simple as that.

He cut it over at his house, but then he told me to come back to his crib to help with the vocal production. It took me about two hours to come up with what I sent to him. I want to give people the quick results. He turned it around. A lot of times, they match my energy. If I'm urgent with it, they'll be like, “Okay, I'm going to be urgent with it.”

You recorded your It’ll All Make Sense Later album in South Africa with South African artists. What was a typical recording day there like for you?

They hooked me up. So, they actually took care of the whole trip. They got me a fire Airbnb. They had three studios in one facility. So, it was multiple producers and writers. I would wake up and have the entire view of the beach. They set me up at the seaside in Cape Town, and that's really just like Malibu. We went to the studio, and the first song on the album is called “Pure.” I wanted to make that [the] first one on the album because that's the first song that I walked into when I got to the studio the first day.

They had that beat playing. They had the hook. Everybody was singing it out loud. It wasn't recorded yet, but everybody was just in the studio singing it. That’s a testament to what every day was like when I got there. They would have ideas, and I was able to take the backseat, be the student, and sprinkle my Bellingerisms in there. It was dope to not just be the songwriter and just be the artist when it came to this project.

What are Bellingerisms?

You're not gonna believe me, but Babyface came up with that for me (laughs). He said, “Man, you got to put some Bellingerisms on it. Just make it more you.”

What was your favorite session for the album?

“Precision” was one of those ones. It's different when I go to the studio by myself, and I can make a song in the same amount of time. But, when you’re in the room with 12 guys and everybody is singing the hook together, the impact from the foundation is more deeply rooted than anything, because there are so many minds coming together and agreeing on it. So, I have confidence in the album and the songs. Coming from Compton and being in South Africa, I felt confident that what I was doing was right, as opposed to just making an Afrobeat album from LA. I have their authenticity. I have their lingo. I have their approval. I have their blessing, and I was moving with reverence. I think that's why it's received so well.

What can we expect from the upcoming deluxe?

I've been asking people what's too little and what’s too many because the last album was 15 songs, and I want to put 15 more songs on it. We could strategically do three... We can strategically do four, but I have 15. Now, it's just about what the label is into and the politics that have to come into play because me -- as the artist and the creative -- I want to bless them fans with another 15.

When were these 15 new songs made?

When I came home, I continued working on more. So, you'll hear a different spin on these. They'll be more Americanized and more Fusion music with more of my Bellingerisms (laughs).

Your first single off of the deluxe, “My Decision,” has Rotimi on it. What is your creative chemistry like with him? How did you two first connect?

Bro, before Rotimi dropped a song or was in any movies or TV show, I was working with him on songwriting. That was over 10 years ago. So, for us to be working is a full-circle moment. A lot of times, I like to double back with people that I had a good working relationship with because that's mainly been my goal lately.

What are some personal sacrifices you made to create your biggest songs?

I had a London trip where I went out there to do some songwriting. That’s a long, 13-hour flight. When I landed, I had a bunch of text messages saying, “Come back to LA. Chris Brown wants to get in the studio with you.” This is the first time I had ever worked with him. Before that, I had never met him. So, I could’ve stayed out there and did everything I had been planning for weeks or hop on the plane. I just went for it. I turned right back around, and that night we wrote “Oh My Love” and “Say It With Me” on the F.A.M.E. album, which we won a Grammy for. If I didn't come back, the Grammy might not have happened.

You said you were in London to do some songwriting... Was it during a vacation?

It was actually a writing camp for Rihanna.

You skipped a Rihanna camp to get a Grammy with Chris. You’ve lived a life, man...

I’ve never said that out loud (laughs). I didn’t even realize that.

You also worked on a few songs on Big Sean’s Better Me Than You. How did that come about?

I got stories, bro. I was actually out of a pub deal, right? I just got released from my Sony deal, and Roc Nation was like, “Yo, we want to sign you to the Roc.” I'm currently signed with Roc Nation right now. Long story short, they said, “Yo, we're gonna set you up with these sessions. We know you do R&B music, but can you do a song with Big Sean?” I said, “I'm gonna go get the single, watch.” I literally did the single “Precision” that day. That was the trial session for Eric Bellinger with Roc Nation, and it ended up with two placements on Big Sean’s album. I don't take that lightly.

It was dope because he did his verses and I just did the hooks. I think a lot of rappers nowadays are shying away from help with the writing. But it's like, “Hey, you need a look, bro. We get it -- everybody knows you can rap. But, if you have a hook, now you have a hit.”

What are your plans for 2025?

I'm actually on tour right now. I just did one date in Seattle, and then I had a couple of days off. I came home for some Grammy events. It's dope because I get to do this tour, take a little break for a couple of weeks, and then go overseas for the next month. I'm gonna be going on tour with Mario. After that Mario tour, I'm gonna be back here and really gearing up for some more music, man. I’m also going to be in a movie called Soul of a Sister. It’s going to be on BET next month. Be on the lookout for that.