Grammy-and Oscar-nominated songwriter Stephan Moccio has dedicated his career to composing blockbuster hits for the biggest names in pop music, with cuts for Celine Dion (“A New Day Has Come”), Miley Cyrus (“Wrecking Ball”), and fellow Canadian The Weeknd (“Earned It”). Before these stars came knocking, his keen sense of melody was honed – six nights a week – in the lush lobby of Toronto’s Four Seasons hotel.

It was in this “Velvet Room” that a young Moccio worked as house pianist, learning to read rooms, shape ambience, and interact with his audience. These experiences are revisited on Moccio’s fourth solo album for Decca Records, Scenes From a Velvet Room – a wistful, nostalgic and jazz-infused reflection on these formative years.