Stephen Kirk – Songwriter | Bio, Wiki, Age, Career, Family & Facts

Early Life & Background

• Stephen Kirk grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina after being born in Akron, Ohio shaped by a wide range of musical styles from gospel and country to pop and R&B.¹

”When you grow up in the south like we did, the subject matter of country songs really speaks to you,” says Stephen. “The storytelling of country music has always inspired us. It’s like a different language. It comes from an honest, true place.”²

• He moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 2012 after spending a decade performing in his brother Justin’s band to focus on songwriting and producing full-time.
• Since moving to Nashville, he’s become a key member creative community performing at events hosted by Alice & Olivia events supported by Guitar Center and Nashville Custom House.

Band Beginnings

• Stephen co-founded the country-pop duo “Sunset West” with his brother Justin Kirk. Their first project was self-funded helped him to learn how to handle production for their self-funded project.

• Stephen and his brother performed as pop duo TRYON before launching Sunset West & has also opened for Carrie Underwood occasionally for her 2012 and 2013 “Blown Away Tour” shows his ability to connect with both country and pop audiences.

Breakthrough in Songwriting

• His first big songwriting successes came with Sunset West with an unreleased track from that time “Down to a T” which was later developed with BTS’s RM and co-writers into the worldwide hit “Butter.”

• The global success of “Butter” helped establish Kirk on the international stage and opened the door to his next BTS collaboration “Permission to Dance” co-written with Jenna Andrews and Ed Sheeran.³

Major Hits & Global Streaming

• “Butter” has earned over 1.3 billion streams on Spotify while “Permission to Dance” has nearly 600 million making Kirk one of the few Western songwriters to break into the K-pop market at a major scale.
• In addition to his BTS collaborations, Kirk has contributed to Jessie Murph’s Platinum hits “Always Been You” and “Pray” along with music for Dixie D’Amelio. His work has helped drive more than 3.6 billion global streams, 8.4 billion views on TikTok and 9.6 million Shazams.⁴

 

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• Stephen Kirk co-wrote and produced “FREE” and “WHATITSOUNDSLIKE” for the #1 global Netflix movie K-Pop: Demon Hunters with Jenna Andrews, Sonnen Blick and Iain Eisendrath.⁵

High‑Profile Collaborations

• Kirk has collaborated with pop and R&B artists like Pharrell Williams, Ed Sheeran (Permission to Dance), Rita Ora, Nelly Furtado and K. Michelle showcasing his versatility across genres.⁶⁷
• He has contributed to the Nashville songwriting scene by writing with country artists such as Lainey Wilson, Dustin Lynch and Mark Nesler shows his ability to bridge pop and country traditions.⁸
• He has worked with top artists and producers including BTS’s official team (@bts.bighitofficial) and their global ARMY securing back-to-back chart-topping hits.⁹
• He co‑wrote and produced Dixie D’Amelio’s first single for her album under La Reid’s guidance and the HITCO Music family.

Joint Venture with Warner Chappell

• On November 14, 2023, Stephen Kirk and Jenna Andrews launched a joint publishing venture with Warner Chappell signing emerging songwriters Morgan Johnston and Tyler Jordan to help shape the next gen. of Nashville.¹⁰

• Kirk discovered Tyler Jordan through a Nashville connection and met Morgan Johnston at a local writers’ round reflecting his ongoing commitment to developing emerging talent from the city’s songwriting scene.¹¹

Production Philosophy & Creative Process

• According to Kirk, some producers shape songs with a distinct sound while others focus on enhancing the artist’s voice with subtle input. His approach combines both as per project demands.
• He takes an “uncut gem” approach to songwriting by drawing from real-life experiences and dreams then shaping those raw ideas into polished & authentic songs.
• Kirk writes nearly all of the material he produces believing that close collab with artists leads to a greater emotional depth to the final track.

Awards & Industry Recognition

• Kirk is a multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated producer and songwriter recognized for his work with BTS and other artists. He uses the title officially across social media under Sixteen Sound.¹²

• The Tennessean featured Kirk in its “Music City Remastered” series by naming him Nashville’s top eight pop producers for his skill to combine authenticity with commercial appeal.¹³
• He has received Record of the Year award from Variety and an honor from BMI for his songwriting and production work.
• His tracks have been showcased in iconic places like St. Andrews Room at Paramount Recording in Nashville.

Sunset West & Country Roots

• Released in January 2023, Sunset West’s debut single “Cold Hearted” reflects Kirk’s Southern roots and passion for storytelling & blending gritty country guitar with catchy pop hooks.
• His influences include Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Keith Urban and Rascal Flatts as he works to expand country music by mixing it with pop and R&B energy.

Impact on the Nashville Scene

• Over the last two years he’s joined a new wave of pop songwriters in Nashville to help transform the city’s identity from country music lovers to the global pop songwriting destination.
• He guides up-and-coming songwriters through co-writing sessions and his Warner Chappell venture helps establish himself as both a hitmaker and a supporter of grassroots talent.

Future Projects & Aspirations

• He’s currently working on Sunset West’s second single and a new EP set for early 2026 & he plans to collaborate with Kelsea Ballerini.
• He aims to earn his first No. 1 country hit as a writer and producer showcasing his commitment to Nashville’s traditions and the global pop scene.¹⁴

• He teamed up with his younger sister Jessie Murph (@jessiemurphhh) on her debut single marking their first official release together as siblings.¹⁵

🎶 Stephen Kirk in Netflix’s Show Hitmakers

Stephen Kirk is one of twelve top songwriters and producers in Netflix’s new docu‑reality series Hitmakers which premiered on July 24th 2025. The show follows these creators as they join songwriting camps to craft hit songs for major artists.

🧑‍🎤 Other cast members (songwriters / producers)

Alongside Stephen Kirk the full group includes:

• Jenna Andrews
• Tommy Brown
• Trey Campbell
• Ferras
• Harv
• Ben Johnson
• JHart
• Whitney Phillips
• Sevyn Streeter
• Nova Wav (duo)

These music creators all bring their own style and experience, working under pressure to write songs for big names like John Legend, Lisa of BLACKPINK, and Shaboozey

Social Media

Maintains an active presence on Instagram (@iamstephenkirk) to share behind‑the‑scenes glimpses of writing sessions, studio life and family moments.

Kanika Dhingra

Kanika Dhingra is a pop culture writer with 5+ years of experience decoding celebrity fame. From hip-hop trailblazers to viral chart-toppers, she delivers smart, stylish profiles that resonate with fans and critics alike.