Kirby Lauryen


Kirby Lauryen Dockery, also known by the stage names Kirby and Kirby Lauryen, is an American singer and songwriter. She has written pop songs such as "FourFiveSeconds" performed by Rihanna, Kanye West, and Paul McCartney. She is an independent artist and released her first album, Sis, in 2020.

Life and career

Dockery was born October 24 in Memphis, Tennessee and raised in Southaven, Mississippi. She studied music at Stax Music Academy, and enrolled at Berklee College of Music after high school but left in 2012 to pursue music full-time. She was influenced by Kanye West's The College Dropout.
She began a YouTube challenge where she posted videos of herself singing a new original song for 275 days. She was contacted by Joy Brown of Roc Nation on day 302 of the challenge and signed to the label.
She has worked with artists such as Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez, Brandy, and Timbaland. Kirby co-wrote the track "FourFiveSeconds", which went through several rounds of edits as directed by Kanye West. She also wrote the song "Die with You" performed by Beyoncé and "Break Your Heart Right Back" by Ariana Grande.
She released her first album, Sis, in February 2020. Robyn Mowatt of Okayplayer referred to it as "a mashup of refreshing deep cuts." Two singles from the album were featured on the soundtrack for the fourth season of Insecure.
In June 2020, Kirby posted a viral TikTok video about the racist origins of the pancake brand Aunt Jemima, and amid other online critiques taking place, the brand announced that they would retire the racist imagery.
On November 26th, 2025, Kirby appeared on the Tamron Hall show on ABC, as part of their ‘Friendsgiving’ episode, discussing her ‘A Song A Day’ challenge, and her first album, Sis, from 2020. She also performed on the show, live in the studio.

Discography

Studio albums

Sis. He Wasn't the One
  • ''Miss Black America''

Extended plays

Sis.

Soundtrack albums

  • ''Swarm''

Songwriting credits

indicates a credited vocal/featured artist contribution
TitleYearArtistAlbumCreditsWritten with
"J'irai te chercher"2014Amel BentInstinctCo-writerAmel Bent, Simon Cohen, Aymeric Mazaudier, and Kore
"The Game"2014Kelly RowlandPepsi Beats of the Beautiful GameCo-writerJake Troth, and Sia Furler
"Let It Be Me"2014Jennifer LopezA.K.A.Co-writerHarmony Samuels and Jennifer Lopez
"She"2014Keyshia ColePoint of No ReturnCo-writerKeyshia Cole, Sean Fenton, Dijon McFarlane, and Priese Board
"Hustle Harder"
2014CommonNobody's SmilingCo-writerLonnie Lynn, Ernest Wilson, Snoh Nowrozi, Seandrea Sledge, Alexander Izquierdo, and Leon Michels
"Break Your Heart Right Back"
2014Ariana GrandeMy EverythingCo-writerAndrew "Pop" Wansel, Warren "Oak" Felder, Donald Glover, Bernard Edwards, Nile Rodgers, Steven Jordan, Christopher Wallace, Sean Combs, and Mason Betha
"Only One"
2014Kanye WestCo-writerKanye West, Paul McCartney, Mike Dean, and Noah Goldstein
"Crazy"2015Kat DahliaMy GardenCo-writerGlass John
"FourFiveSeconds"2015Rihanna, Kanye West, and Paul McCartneyCo-writerKanye West, Paul McCartney, Mike Dean, Tyrone Griffin, Jr., David Longstreth, Robyn Fenty, Dallas Austin, Elon Rutberg, and Noah Goldstein
"Die with You"2015BeyoncéCo-writerBeyoncé
"If I Have To"2015Avery WilsonCo-writerAvery Wilson, Rodney Jerkins, and Sean Garrett
"The Otherside"2015Elijah BlakeShadows & DiamondsCo-writerSean Fenton and Carlo Montagnese
"Rockabye"2015Elijah BlakeShadows & DiamondsCo-writerSean Fenton, Christopher Crowhurst, and Anthony Charles Williams II
"Aquaria"
2015BootsAquariaCo-writerJordan Asher and Angel Deradoorian
"Over Getting Over"2015Fleur EastLove, Sax and FlashbacksCo-writerAndrew "Pop" Wansel, Warren "Oak" Felder, and Trevor "Trevorious" Brown
"Never Say When"2015Fleur EastLove, Sax and FlashbacksCo-writerFleur East, Andrew "Pop" Wansel, and Warren "Oak" Felder
"Love Just Ain't Enough"
2015MonicaCode RedCo-writerMonica Brown, Nick Brongers, Jocelyn Donald, Timothy Mosley, and Jonathan Solone-Myvett
"Call My Name"2015MonicaCode RedCo-writerMonica Brown, Jocelyn Donald, Daniel Jones, Jamal Jones, Timothy Mosley, and Jonathan Solone-Myvett
"All Men Lie"
2015MonicaCode RedCo-writerMonica Brown, Nick Brongers, and Timothy Mosley
"Beggin & Pleadin"2016BrandyCo-writerRonald Colson, Andrew "Pop" Wansel, Warren "Oak" Felder, John Lee Hooker, Steve Mostyn, and Brandy Norwood
"Wolves"2016Kanye WestThe Life of PabloCo-writerKanye West, Sia Furler, Victor Mensah, Magnus August Høiberg, Alan Stanley Soucy Brinsmead, Noah Goldstein, Elon Rutberg, Cydel Young, Ryan McDermott, Mike Dean, Caroline Shaw, and Pat Reynolds
"Nothing Even Matters"
2016Kevin RossCo-writer/Featured artistKevin Ross
"Will You Fight"2017La'Porsha RenaeAlready All ReadyCo-writerLa'Porsha Renae, Edgar "Johnny Velvet" Etienne, and Harmony Samuels
"Tell Me You Love Me"2017Demi LovatoTell Me You Love MeCo-writerAjay Bhattacharyya and John Hill
"Twice"2018Christina AguileraLiberationWriter/Producer
"Accelerate"
2018Christina AguileraLiberationCo-writerChristina Aguilera, Kanye West, Mike Dean, Che Pope, Ernest Brown, Carlton Davis Mays, Jr., Bibi Bourelly, Ilsey Juber, Tayla Parx, Tyrone Griffin, Jr., Tauheed Epps, and Ronald Brown
"Thank You"
2018Black ThoughtStreams of Thought, Vol. 1Co-writer/Featured artistTariq Trotter and Patrick Douthit
"Don't Walk Away"2020John LegendBigger LoveCo-writerJohn Stephens, Stephen McGregor, and Mikyala Simpson