Beyoncé
Way back when I first started writing songs, before there were algorithms and expectations and boxes we needed to check … I wrote something that had a spoken lyric. In my novice mind I thought of it as white-girl rap, if you will. Nobody suggested I didn’t have any business trying to be something I was not. I was just making a song. It felt right. It came out of me. I let it rip. No one was the boss of my creative spirit.
Sweet Dreams (are made of this)
Every song has a story. It blows my mind that one minute there’s nothing and then — there is. It’s a body of energy that didn’t exist the day before. I go to a session with absolutely no idea what I’ll be coming home with. A gift. A surprise. A promise. A miracle.
Jury Duty
Everyone I know is always trying to get out of Jury Duty. Me Included. As a musician, we can’t afford to miss a session. It could be the day we write the song that changes our life. It doesn’t matter though because they never pick me. But then, God said ha! And now that’s it’s over I’m kinda happy she did. 🤓
The C-Word
I have a theory: If we continue referring to music as “content,” we’re giving license and incentive to those it benefits should the language stick. I’m not saying that if we stop using the c-word we’ll suddenly prosper, but rather that continuing to give it cred is bad Karma. It puts a hex on our livelihood. The Universe hears us.
24 Spots
SONA’s very first (and very successful) songwriting day-camp grouped 24 (mainly) up-and-coming songwriters in 3-way collaborations. Next time, we may pair new-school writers with old school writers which makes sense to me because the current approach in songwriting incorporates more wordplay but often lacks a solid concept. Whereas seasoned writers come with solid concepts that could use more wordplay — consistent with current pop trends. I’m down for next time.
Warriors and Angels
Please allow me to take time out from my regularly scheduled column to make sure you know about the 2022 SONA Warrior Awards. In a time when we all understandably have a severe case of virtual fatigue (myself included), this is one event you don’t want to miss.
💪🏻💪💪🏿💪🏾💪🏼💪🏽 😇
If You Can Teach, Teach!
They say if you can’t do, teach. I couldn’t disagree more. Why not do both? There is a season turn turn turn. If you’ve been successful in your field at some point it’s time to pay it forward. Plus, it’s good for us to keep doing things we’re not sure we can do. 🤓
Virtual SongSex
All in all, I think that “order” is necessary when co-writing virtually. I like order on my bedside table and inside my refrigerator. But for me writing is messy and spontaneous and disorderly. This will take some getting used to.
Laurel Canyon
Every so often I’ll fire up Sonos and tap on Four Way Street and I’m at Woodstock, especially if I just had a hit of a joint. It doesn’t matter that I wasn’t actually there. Joni, who penned “Woodstock,” the quintessential masterpiece ABOUT the festival, wasn’t there either. She was a vessel. She was stardust. She was golden. She channeled a movement. Everything they were writing was a reflection of whatever was going on sociopolitically at the time. That’s what it was about.
Songwriters Taking it Online
I do believe there will be silver linings to this hermetically sealed existence but until then, as a mother I’m beside myself being so far away from my daughter who’s in the city that’s been hit hardest. If I wanted to get to her I couldn’t. It’s unnerving. But as a songwriter I’m grateful that I can still work and try to keep my mind off the separation. That said this has been a game-changer for creativity too.
It Takes A Village To Make A Record
Everyone has a village. Take a deep breath and think about who yours is. Hopefully you have a bit of savings to pay for what you can’t do yourself. Or you can offer a service you’re expert at in exchange for something about which you’re clueless. But reach out. Ask for help. You may be pleasantly surprised at who steps up.
Songwriters: Where Are You?
Nobody stays on top forever. That’s why they call it “15 Minutes.” And when your shelf-life has diminished you might wish you did something about the future of your bank account back when you had the chance to change the system. So when the younger gens have taken over you’ll have savings. And you can stay in your house. Perhaps even buy another.
House Concert
Maybe the part of our souls that gets caught up in a multi-tasking day to day grind longs for a more intimate under the stars experience now and then with some fresh air, twinkling lights and the company of a community (old and new) coming together through…music.
Deciphering The Spotify Spin
Spotify professes to be our friend — a champion of the creator — the birther of the “Spotify Secret Genius” — a manufactured honor conceived to pander to our egos and a title that is now so laughably transparent. For a service that preaches the value of music and the people who create it, they sure are trying pretty hard to f*ck us over…as covertly as possible.
Songwriters Vs. Spotify
Spotify strokes the creative community with writing camps and lavish parties. They blast our faces on Sunset Boulevard Billboards proclaiming us a Secret Genius for writing such big hits and host award shows in our honor. Very nice. But what they don’t want to do…is pay us.
Spotify Secret Genius Awards
In light of Spotify coming to the table and negotiating a more equitable distribution of income with the songwriting community, Michelle Lewis and I, after receiving personal invitations, decided we’d go to the awards show this year. She called a babysitter, I got eyelash extensions, and off we drove to the Ace Hotel for what turned out to be an interesting evening…
