SOCAN is mourning the passing of our member Brad Daymond, best known for co-writing the hits “Broken Bones” and “You’re a Superstar” as a member of JUNO Award-winning dance trio Love Inc., and also known in the music industry for his work with boy-band ‘N Sync at the height of their popularity. Daymond, originally from Barrie, Ontario, passed away August 3, 2018, at age 48, from complications due to cardiac arrest.

Daymond worked alongside DJ Chris Sheppard and singer Simone Denny in Love Inc., who earned two JUNO Awards, both for Best Dance Recording, in 1999 for “Broken Bones” and in 2001 for “Into the Night.” The group topped the charts with a handful of dance singles that garnered heavy rotation on MuchMusic, and achieved an unexpected second wave of popularity in Europe years later. “You’re a Superstar,” a co-write with Sheppard and Vince Degiorgio – who co-wrote extensively with Daymond for Love Inc. – has become an enduring favourite to this day in the U.K., resonating deeply with people there.

After Love Inc. disbanded, Daymond formed a production duo with Alex Greggs, Riprock ‘n’ Alex G – for which Degiorgio served as the A&R representative – and rode a wave of teen pop to great success. Together, the duo produced remixes for the likes of Britney Spears, Ricky Martin, Jessica Simpson, and Christina Aguilera, that often appeared on their singles. Some remixes of ‘N Sync’s early singles were noticed by the group, and Daymond was hired to co-write two songs for their second album No Strings Attached in 2000. He also co-created three songs for their third album, Celebrity, in 2001. Daymond continued to write, on projects including Schizophrenic, ‘N Sync member JC Chasez’s debut album. He also served as a judge on the television singing competition Popstars 2.

“It didn’t matter what the project, Brad was always my first pick for working on everything from Republica to ‘N Sync,” says Degiorgio, a longtime music publisher who founded, owns and operates Cymba Music Publishing, and now serves as President of the Board of Directors of The Canadian Music Publishers Association. “He was incredibly generous in the studio. When you wrote with him, you really did write with him. He had talent to burn, and half the time we were laughing in the studio. Whenever we wrote, he just wanted to win the day, and on most days, we did. For me, ‘Superstar’ was only a part of Brad’s story; as a writer, he composed hooks and melodies like a meteor, and made it easy for his co-writers. He was that good. Whether in my capacity as a songwriter, or an A&R guy when he teamed up with his partner Alex Greggs, I could always trust him to get what I wanted.”

SOCAN extends its deepest condolences to Daymond’s family and friends, both inside and outside of the music industry.