Nadir Khayat, known as RedOne, is the Moroccan-born super-producer behind some of the biggest pop hits of the 21st century, including Lady Gaga's defining records and the official soundtrack of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Nadir Khayat — known professionally as **RedOne** — is one of the most successful music producers of his generation. Born in **Tetouan, Morocco** in 1972, the youngest of nine children, he grew up listening to a blend of Arabic music, rock, and pop that would later define his eclectic, hook-driven production style.
**Early Life in Tetouan:**
Self-taught on guitar and obsessed with bands like Bon Jovi and Europe, RedOne left Morocco at 19 to chase a music career in Sweden, the home of pop production. He spent years writing and producing for European artists before relocating to the United States in the mid-2000s.
**The Lady Gaga Era:**
RedOne's defining partnership came with **Lady Gaga**. He co-wrote and produced "Just Dance" (2008), the song that launched her career and topped charts in over 20 countries. He went on to produce a string of era-defining hits with her, including **"Poker Face," "LoveGame," "Bad Romance," "Alejandro," "Born This Way," "Judas," and "The Edge of Glory."** Their collaboration helped define the sound of late-2000s and early-2010s global pop and earned RedOne multiple Grammy Awards.
**Beyond Gaga:**
RedOne has produced and co-written hits for Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Lopez ("On the Floor"), Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull, Shakira, Usher, and many others. He also contributed to **Michael Jackson's posthumous album *Michael* (2010)**, co-producing the track **"Hollywood Tonight"** — making him one of the few producers to work on official Michael Jackson material released after the King of Pop's death.
**FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022:**
In 2022, RedOne reached another landmark: he served as **lead producer of the official soundtrack of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022**. He co-wrote and produced **"Arhbo"** with Ozuna and Moroccan-French rapper Gims, alongside other official anthems of the tournament. For the first time, a Moroccan-born artist shaped the global musical identity of football's biggest event — a deeply symbolic moment in the same year Morocco's national team became the first African and Arab nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals.
**Legacy:**
From a working-class neighborhood in Tetouan to producing for the biggest pop stars on the planet and the World Cup itself, RedOne stands as one of Morocco's most globally influential cultural exports — proof that Moroccan creativity sits at the very center of modern pop culture.