// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Nathan Matthew David a good name? It's a matt-er of opinion.
Nathan Matthew David | |
|---|---|
| Born | Nathan Matthew David United States |
| Education | University of Southern California |
| Genres | Film and television scores, electronic, experimental |
| Occupations | Composer, musician |
| Instruments | Piano, keyboards, synthesizer, guitar |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Website | nathanmatthewdavid |
Nathan Matthew David is a Filipino-American film and television composer and musician. He is known for his work on the first season of the Netflix documentary Surviving R. Kelly in 2019, and on the Dreamworks animated film Forgotten Island (2026).
Early life and education
[edit]Nathan Matthew David was born in the United states to Filipino immigrants, one from Manila and one from Pampanga. Neither of them were musicians.[1]
After writing some scores for student films and playing in bands, he studied music formally, graduating from the Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television program at University of Southern California.[1][2] He studied a lot of western music, before turning to traditional Filipino music, including instruments such as the kulintang to the kutyapi, and regards himself as "an eternal student to these practices".[1]
Career
[edit]After graduating, David began collaborating with his mentors Ludwig Göransson and Theodore Shapiro on various projects, including We're the Millers, Community, Spy, Office Christmas Party, A Simple Favor, Bombshell, Tenet, and The Mandalorian.[3][4]
He then began working on solo composition, and composed the score for the first season of the Netflix documentary Surviving R. Kelly in 2019. He composed music on the HBO documentary Under the Grapefruit Tree: The CC Sabathia Story.[5]
David's other notable works include Satisfaction, Slice, Deadly Class, Young Rock (TV series, 2021-2023), Hypnotic (2021), Chang Can Dunk,[6][1] Stephen Curry: Underrated, Joy Ride,[7] Addicted to Fresno, The Last Word (2017),[2] the 2022 Netflix comedy film Me Time,[8] TV comedy drama series The Brothers Sun (2024),[9] and Diarra from Detroit (2024).[10] He also composed additional music for the 2015 Warner Bros. film The Intern.[2]
He wrote the score for DreamWorks' 2026 animated film Forgotten Island. His score for this film combines elements from the 1980s and 1990s, especially Filipino and Filipino American music, and he wanted to incorporate a feeling of nostalgia. He included instruments from indigenous Filipino peoples, using traditional instruments such as chanters, the Las Piñas bamboo pipe organ, and a Filipino choir singing in Tagalog.[11] Before the film is released on 26 September,[12] one of the tracks, "A Parallel World", was released as single by performed by Filipino girl group, Bini, in English and Tagalog.[13][14] Other tracks were performed by H.E.R., Lea Salonga, Sophia Laforteza[11]
He has cited various influences for his music, including Alexandre Desplat, Dario Marianelli, Gustavo Santaolalla, Jon Brion, John Adams, Steve Reich, Explosions in the Sky, Imogen Heap and Sigur Rós among others.[5][1]
Recognition and awards
[edit]In 2020 David was the recipient of several awards for his work on Surviving R. Kelly: a Peabody Award, an ASCAP award, and the 2020 Dean and Mary Kay ASCAP Foundation award.[5]
In 2021, he was nominated for a Sports Emmy Award for his work on Under the Grapefruit Tree: The CC Sabathia Story.[5]
Personal life
[edit]David is a U.S. citizen.[1] He engages in activism and volunteering, and is interested in the intersection of music with architecture.[1]
Filmography
[edit] | This section needs more citations. (August 2026) |
| Year | Title | Director(s) | Studio(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 10 Rules for Sleeping Around | Leslie Greif | Screen Media Films | With Alan Ett |
| 2014-2015 | Satisfaction | N/a | USA Network | 20 episodes, with Ludwig Göransson |
| 2015 | Jane Wants a Boyfriend | William Sullivan | Orion Pictures | First collaboration with William Sullivan |
| 2016-2018 | Angie Tribeca | N/a | TBS[2] | 30 episodes, with Ludwig Göransson |
| 2016 | Trust Fund | Sandra L. Martin | KC Film Office | N/a |
| 2017 | The Last Word | Mark Pellington | Bleecker Street | N/a |
| Actors Anonymous | Juel Taylor and others | Front Row Filmed Entertainment | With Jongnic Bontemps | |
| Dismissed | Benjamin Arfmann | BoulderLight Pictures | N/a | |
| 2018 | The Game Changers | Louie Psihoyos | Oceanic Preservation Society Refuel Productions Diamond Docs The Djinn Foundation |
Documentary film |
| Summer '03 | Becca Gleason | Blue Fox Entertainment | N/a | |
| Slice | Austin Vesely | A24 | With Ludwig Göransson | |
| 2018-2019 | Deadly Class | Lee Toland Krieger Adam Kane Alexis Ostrander Paco Cabezas Anthony Leonardi Ami Canaan Mann Wayne Yip |
Syfy | 10 episodes |
| 2019 | Surviving R. Kelly | Nigel Bellis Astral Finnie |
Netflix | Documentary series |
| 2020 | Under the Grapefruit Tree: The CC Sabathia Story | Aaron Cohen | HBO | Documentary film |
| 2021-2023 | Young Rock | N/a | NBC | 37 episodes |
| 2021 | Accepted | Dan Chen[15] | Greenwich Entertainment | Documentary film |
| American Insurrection | William Sullivan | Saban Films | Second collaboration with William Sullivan | |
| Hypnotic | Matt Angel Suzanne Coote |
Netflix | N/a | |
| 2023 | Chang Can Dunk | Jingyi Shao | Walt Disney Pictures | N/a |
| Stephen Curry: Underrated | Peter Nicks | A24 Apple TV+ |
Documentary film | |
| Joy Ride | Adele Lim | Lionsgate Films | N/a | |
| 2024 | The Brothers Sun | Kevin Tancharoen Viet Nguyen |
Netflix | 8 episodes |
| Diarra from Detroit | Chioke Nassor Brennan Shroff Sadé Clacken Joseph America Young |
BET+ | ||
| 2024-2025 | Chef's Table | Brian McGinn | Netflix | Documentary series; 2 episodes |
| 2026 | Forgotten Island | Joel Crawford Januel Mercado |
Universal Pictures | N/a |
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 David, Nathan Matthew (May 28, 2021). "Nathan Matthew David" (Interview). Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Musicians. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Nathan Matthew David". ASCAP. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- ↑ "Meet award-winning film composer Nathan Matthew David who's on an epic roll". inquirer.net. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
- ↑ "Nathan Matthew David". AAPI Musicians. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Nathan Matthew David". USC Thornton School of Music. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
- ↑ Shuler, Skyler. "Composer Nathan Matthew David to Score Disney+'s 'Chang Can Dunk'". The DisInsider. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
- ↑ Giroux, Jack. "Joy Ride Composer Nathan Matthew David is Grateful For The Moment". mande.net. Below the Line. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
- ↑ "That Breakthrough Moment". www.ascap.com. November 19, 2021. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- ↑ "Nathan Matthew David & Nick Lee Scoring Netflix's 'The Brothers Sun'". Film Music Reporter. November 22, 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- ↑ "Diarra From Detroit: Season 2, Episode 3". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- 1 2 Tangcay, Jazz (June 19, 2026). "H.E.R., Bini, Lea Salonga, Katseye's Sophia Laforteza Lead Dreamworks Animation's 'Forgotten Island' Soundtrack (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- ↑ "Nathan Matthew David to Score DreamWorks Animation's 'Forgotten Island'". Film Music Reporter. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
- ↑ Lola, Lauren (July 29, 2026). "Filipino Girl Group BINI on the Making of "A Parallel World" for the 'Forgotten Island' Soundtrack – The Nerds of Color". The Nerds of Color. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- ↑ Custodio, Bianca (August 1, 2026). "Exclusive: Bini on the Making of "A Parallel World"". Vogue Philippines. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- ↑ "Accepted". Dan Chen - Film Director. June 30, 2022. Retrieved August 11, 2026.