RedOne eyes MJ release

STAFF REPORT

Grammy-nominated producer RedOne believes that music he worked on with Michael Jackson before the singer's death could be released.

The 37-year-old producer - considered one of the world's top producers after his partnership with Lady Gaga - recorded with the "King of Pop" in Las Vegas in 2008 and 2009 and in Los Angeles in 2009, before Jackson's death.

While the results are far from the finished product, RedOne (whose real name is Nadir Khayat) believes he has enough material for a record.

Any release would have to involve an agreement with Jackson's record label and estate.

"I have big plans," he told Reuters at a recording studio in London, where he has been working with other artists.

"There is material that could come out (from the Jackson sessions)," he added.

"In case I'm going to release something, I would do it for charity, for something that he would have been proud of, because you always felt like everybody wanted to take advantage of him though his life," said RedOne.

"The music we were doing was good, really good ... very energetic, uplifting. It's sad that we never finished the material.

"Michael always has been focused on having hits, not having songs, so he always records a lot of songs and takes the best of them and that's his formula which I love. We were doing good quality music and it's never been finished."

RedOne, who was born in Morocco and steeped in European pop and rock after spending several years in Sweden, has been nominated for four Grammys in advance of the Jan. 31 ceremony, where stars will perform a tribute to Jackson.