Rock Mafia

American production duo Rock Mafia was founded by Tim James and Antonina Armato. Since the 2000s, the pair have worked their upbeat pop magic with artists like Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, and Miley Cyrus. In 2010, they made their debut with the single "The Big Bang," a Top 100 Billboard hit with James on vocals. Working steadily through the decade, they released their first EP in 2020, Songs for the Eternal Optimist. In their early days, James and Armato worked individually in the industry with a wide range of artists before establishing their production team and record label. Working primarily with Disney-adjacent acts, they eventually branched out to collaborate with artists such as Zedd, Elohim, JoJo, Illenium, and more. They issued their debut single, "The Big Bang," in 2010. The accompanying video starred Cyrus and hit the Hot 100. They soon found success overseas with Aura Dione's song "Friends," which was a hit in Germany, Austria, and Poland, where it topped the charts. The duo's first full-length, Mixtape Vol. 1, landed in 2012. The set featured another Cyrus collaboration, the electronic dance anthem "Morning Sun," crafted with Diplo and Tiësto. They continued to release music through the 2010s, notably 2016's "I Am" with Wyclef Jean, Bill Kaulitz (Tokio Hotel), and David Correy and 2019's "My Family," a cut for The Addam's Family animated film featuring Migos, Karol G, and Snoop Dogg. In 2020, Rock Mafia released their first official EP, the sunny Songs for the Eternal Optimist. ~ Neil Z. Yeung