Darius Scott Dixson, also known as DIXSON, is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, best known for a Season 9 live playoffs appearance on The Voice (with Team Pharrell), and his co-written and co-produced Academy Award-nominated original song "Be Alive" alongside Beyoncé from the 2021 film King Richard. Scott has also co-written for Mariah Carey, Chance the Rapper, Kehlani, and Vic Mensa, among others, and is a graduate of the College of Wooster.
Life and career Early life Dixson's late father was a pastor, and Dixson quickly learned to play all 11 instruments in their Atlanta church “in case” he had to step in and play. By the age of 5, he had started singing and impressed his parents with a rendition of Fred Hammond’s “When the Spirit of the Lord.” Dixson subsequently attended Ohio's The College of Wooster as a recipient of the prestigious Posse Foundation scholarship. While there, he participated in several ensembles including the Wooster Chorus, The Wooster Fragments, the Wooster Jazz Ensemble, and served as the music director of his on-campus band, Freddie Cool. Throughout Dixson's studies, he held internship roles at MTV and The National Conference of Black Mayors, and was also a founding team member of the streetwear brand Kith. Dixson studied abroad in Paris in 2011, with concentrations in French business and fashion merchandising. He graduated in 2013, with a self-designed major in arts and media management, before moving to Texas to become an executive with Neiman Marcus.
2014–2015: The Voice Dixson released his self-produced Christian/Gospel debut project Masterpiece in November 2014, which was described by him as “the spiritual journey of a young man, challenged by the normative constructs of what is considered faith-based music" in an early Voice contestant profile. Dixson was next a contestant on the Season 9 of The Voice, where he was selected to join Judge Pharrell Williams' team.
Stage Song Original Artist Date Result Blind Audition "You Make Me Wanna..." Usher September 29, 2015 Adam Levine, Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams turnedJoined Team Pharrell Battle Rounds "Lean on Me" (vs. Daria Jazmin) Bill Withers October 20, 2015 Won Knockout Rounds "On Broadway" (vs. Morgan Frazier) The Drifters October 27, 2015 Won Live Playoffs (Top 24) "Love Lockdown" Kanye West November 10, 2015 Eliminated
+ Non-competition performances Episode Performers Song 17.4 Team Pharrell (Celeste Betton, Darius Scott, Evan McKeel, Madi Davis, Mark Hood, and Riley Biederer) "Everybody Hurts"
2016–2024: Post-Voice and albums Dixson maintained a relationship with Voice mentor Williams, and began to collaborate with many of his fellow contestants, before self-releasing his electro-R&B album YOUNG in 2018, described as "a journey through the spiritual hills and valleys of a twenty-something year old, finding one's true voice, and pushing beyond one’s perceived artistic limits." He was next contacted to contribute to Chance The Rapper's 2019 album The Big Day, working on a majority of the album in various capacities. In 2020, Dixson vocally arranged the acoustic version of the Justin Bieber and Chance the Rapper collaboration "Holy". Dixson subsequently signed a record deal with label Roc Nation, and released his debut label project Darling. After sending multiple songs to Beyoncé, he was invited to the studio to craft a song for the King Richard film soundtrack that would become Grammy and Academy Award-nominated 2021 single "Be Alive". He later contributed to her album Renaissance (2022), co-writing "Virgo's Groove" and "Pure/Honey". Dixson released his fourth project 004Daisy in 2022, featuring collaborations with Tinashe, Sevyn Streeter, and Vic Mensa, among others. In 2024, Dixson contributed "American Requiiem" and "Amen" to Beyoncé's eighth studio Cowboy Carter, before co-writing or co-producing more than 10 songs for Kehlani's projects Crash and While We Wait 2. Dixson also co-wrote "Bending My Rules" and "Soft" with Darhyl Camper from Flo's debut album Access All Areas, and "Boom Bap" from rapper Doechii's mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal.
2025–Present: Grammy win In 2025, Dixson co-wrote Doechii single "Girl, Get Up" featuring SZA, as well as Kehlani single "Folded", which became their first single to reach the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 2026, Dixson won the Best R&B Song Grammy for his writing contributions to "Folded" at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.
Discography Studio albums Masterpiece (2014) Young (2018) Darling (2021) 004Daisy (2022)
Guest appearances + List of guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name Title Year Other performer(s) Album "No Way"2017Jor'dan ArmstrongVibes "Go"2018Keyondra Lockett "Zanies and Fools"2019Chance the Rapper & Nicki MinajThe Big Day "Trust"MavTraxx & Adarian RobertsFamily Ties "Take It Slow" Danielle Juhre "Young Love Games" (Background Vocals)Grace Weber "Distance" (Background Vocals)2020YebbaDawn "Carousel"BoscoCar Therapy "Rebirth"Vic Mensa, BJ the Chicago Kid & Peter CottonTaleV Tape "Do Your Thing"Peter CottonTale, Lil Rel Howery & ReeseynemCatch "Prayer"Peter CottonTale, Hoko & Jack Red "Be Alive"2021BeyoncéKing Richard (soundtrack) "Introduction"Vic MensaI Tape "D'usse Tears"2022Vic Mensa & Malik YusefVino Valentino "California Taxi"INAYAHInsecure "Sunday Evening Reprise"2023Vic Mensa & LekanVictor "Slow Dance"2024KehlaniWhile We Wait 2 "Bending My Rules [Unlocked]"FloAccess All Areas "Pocket" (featuring Cardi B) (Background Vocals)2026KehlaniKehlani "Sweet Nuthins" (featuring Leon Thomas) (Background Vocals) "Unlearn" (Background Vocals)
Selected songwriting and production credits Credits are courtesy of Discogs, Tidal, Apple Music, and AllMusic.
Title Year Artist Album"Veins"2016Madi DavisAbove The Waves"All Day Long" (featuring John Legend) 2019 Chance the Rapper The Big Day"Eternal" (featuring Smino)"We Go High""The Big Day" (featuring Francis and the Lights)"Let's Go on the Run" (featuring Knox Fortune)"Ballin Flossin" (featuring Shawn Mendes)"5 Year Plan" (featuring Randy Newman)"Sun Come Down""Found a Good One (Single No More)" (featuring SWV & Pretty Vee)"He's Real P.1"2020Peter CottonTaleCatch"Pray for Real" (Featuring Chance the Rapper & Tobi Lou)"He's Real P.2""The Return" (With Chance the Rapper)JeremihMerry Christmas Lil' Mama: The Gift That Keeps On Giving"Petal" BOSCO Some Day This Will All Make Sense"Take Off""Millionaires"2021Vic MensaI Tape"Always Something"2022INAYAHInsecure"Pretty Ugly""Killa Mode" (Featuring Storm Ford)Westside BoogieMore Black Superheroes"Nonchalant" (Featuring Mamii)"Can't Even Lie" (With Soulja Boy)"Prideful II""Can't Get Over You" (With Smino & Teezo Touchdown)"Windows Down" (Featuring Snoop Dogg)"Anthony (War)""Virgo's Groove" Beyoncé Renaissance"Pure/Honey""American Requiem"2024Cowboy Carter"Amen""GrooveTheory"KehlaniCrash"Next 2 U""8""Sucia" (featuring Jill Scott and Young Miko)"Vegas""Deep""Chapel""Lose My Wife""Love Like"While We Wait 2"S.I.N.G.L.E""Let Me Down" (San Diego Interlude)"8 Remix" (featuring Flo)"Boom Bap"DoechiiAlligator Bites Never Heal"Bending My Rules"FloAccess All Areas"Soft""Sugar Sweet" (featuring Kehlani and Shenseea)2025Mariah CareyHere for It All"Folded"KehlaniKehlani"Believe in Magic / Joy (Interlude)"Jessie JDon't Tease Me with a Good Time"Colourful""Girl, Get Up" (featuring SZA)2026DoechiiTBA"Shoulda Never" (featuring Usher)KehlaniKehlani"Still""Morning Dew (Donk)"BeyoncéB'Day: 20th Anniversary Edition"Without You"Tori KellyGod Must Really Love Me"Haterbooth"FloTherapy at the Club"You Mean The World To Me" (featuring Hazel Monét & Leon Thomas) Victoria MonétFrequency of Love
Filmography Television Year Title Role Notes 2015 The Voice Himself Live Playoffs Contestant 2022 2022 Soul Train Music Awards Himself "Cherry Sorbet" Performance
Music videos "Big Brave Man" (2020) "Kream" (2021) "Yours" (2021) "Darling" (2021) "Cherry Sorbet" (2022) "Barely" (2023)
Awards and nominations Year Ceremony Award ResultRef 2021 Hollywood Music in Media Awards Best Original Song in a Feature Film ("Be Alive") 2022 Academy Awards Best Original Song ("Be Alive") Black Reel Awards Outstanding Original Song ("Be Alive") Critics' Choice Awards Best Song ("Be Alive") Golden Globe Awards Best Original Song ("Be Alive") Hollywood Critics Association Awards Best Original Song ("Be Alive") Satellite Awards Best Original Song ("Be Alive") Soul Train Music Awards Best New Artist 2023 65th Annual Grammy Awards Best Song Written for Visual Media ("Be Alive") Album of the Year (Renaissance) 2026 68th Annual Grammy Awards Best R&B Song ("Folded")
References