Tag: songwriting camp

Spotify and COLORSxSTUDIOS Spotlight African R&B Talent

October 20, 2023

Maya Amolo, Mbryo, and M^3, and Lukorito in the studio working on a song.

Sub-Saharan Africa is a hotbed of musical talent, especially when it comes to R&B. Our flagship playlist Tantalizers already highlights some of the smoothest acts in the genre, and now, through a partnership with COLORSxSTUDIOS, we are raising the profile of more African R&B artists.

COLORSxSTUDIOS is a unique visual music platform that features artists performing in front of a striking, single-color backdrop with no other people, effects, or visuals. Its goal is to provide a calm, minimalistic stage that gives the artist room to shine. Spotify partnered with the company for a special recording of A COLORS SHOW, the organization’s signature series. 

In addition to the live audio-visual experience, Spotify and COLORS partnered to host a writing camp for burgeoning and established songwriters, artists, and producers. Taking place in Nairobi, Kenya, over three days, the camp brought together 18 participants from all over the African diaspora and placed a special emphasis on creative collaboration. 

Msaki & Karun writing a song

Msaki and Karun

Several of the songwriters, artists, and producers shared what they’ll be walking away with after the experience. 

What’s the secret to a successful collaboration with others while working on a new piece?

Bien, artist and songwriter: The secret is vulnerability, as well as an open heart and mind.

Karun, artist and songwriter: I think it’s getting to a place where you understand where someone’s head is at and where they want to take the session. Then you meet halfway. That’s something I learned from this session from this writing camp: Everybody has their own method and their own way of expressing, and when you can find a way to kind of make that mesh without getting in each other’s way, it can be really beautiful.

Xenia Manasseh, artist and songwriter: Risk and trust, combined. And openness. That’s it. They’ll give you everything that you need. They’ll come with what they have. I’ll come with what I have. And if we’re both willing to be open with each other, there’s no way that we’re not going to create magic. 

Manana, artist, songwriter, and producer: Humility. To collaborate well I believe you have to leave all ego and arrogance at the door, put the music first, and make that the priority of the session.

Tay Iwar, artist, songwriter, and producer: Openness, positive criticism, patience, and focus . . . every idea has different viability and validity; some are just more effective.

NNAVY, artist and songwriter: A successful songwriting session is one where you feel inspired; where there’s a kind of bubble surrounding the studio and all the people in it. Words are flowing, people are inspired, and every idea makes sense in that moment. Or sometimes a successful songwriting session is when you’ve had an unfinished or blurry idea, then suddenly your lyrics become clearer and you can finally see the direction the track is taking. 

Xenia Manasseh working on a song

Xenia Manasseh

What’s one big takeaway from your songwriting camp experience?

Lisa Oduor-Noah, artist and songwriter: You should always be an avid learner. I think the form a song takes and its melodic qualities are different for so many different artists, especially when you account for different cultural backgrounds. So always be an active learner.

Zowie Kengocha, artist and songwriter: I’ve learned to take risks and freestyle as much as I can, and not be afraid to make mistakes.

Maya Amolo, artist and songwriter: One big takeaway from this experience is that collaboration is everything. 

Ukweli, producer: I had a great experience at the writing camp. Getting to work and talk with African artists has reinvigorated my desire to have more collaborations with artists from all over Africa and the diaspora. 

Lukorito, producer: There’s value in maintaining your unique identity while collaborating. My most rewarding sessions happened when I trusted my instincts and believed in myself, even when collaborating with more established artists. It reinforced that authenticity is crucial for meaningful collaboration. You have to show up!

MAUIMØON/La Soülchyld, artist, songwriter, and producer: It helped reignite my passion for songwriting. It was great being able to see the other incredible writers and how they think about melodies, lyric choices, and vocal performances. As a producer, it helped me want to focus more on my arrangements and sound selection. It was a great experience that gave me a lot of incredible ideas.

M3,, producer: The importance of collaboration and having fun while creating art. Being in different rooms with so many great musicians and just bouncing ideas off each other was fantastic. It was really encouraging seeing how we perfected someone’s vocal idea or baseline from just an idea in their head. The important thing is that everyone was on the same vibe and enjoyed the moment.

Titose, artist and songwriter: Apart from Kenya being extremely beautiful, and the Spotify and COLORS team being so helpful, it was meeting different artists and songwriters from different parts of Africa. Writing with Berhana, Tay Iwar, Maui, and Xenia sparked my creativity and inspired me to try different songwriting processes. They all had different styles and approaches to writing, which inspired me to try new things in my own music and gave me the desire to pick up a new instrument! It was an eye-opening, wholesome experience that solidified the power we all know music to have—bringing people together!

Mbryo, songwriter: There’s always beauty and magic in collaborating with people of diverse cultures who have different ideas on how good music should sound and feel.

MAUIMØON recording a song

MAUIMØON

Hosting this camp and spotlighting these creators is one way Spotify’s hoping to empower the next generation of emerging artists while celebrating African R&B talent. Listen to more of these artists on our Tantalizers playlist.

 

 

Songwriter Jin Jin Gets Collaborative at Spotify’s Riffs and Runs Sessions

February 7, 2023

It takes just the right amount of creativity, collaboration, and inspiration to write a powerful song. And Jin Jin knows quite a bit about that. The British songwriter has seen success writing hit tracks like “Hold My Hand” by Jess Glynne and “You Don’t Know Me” from Jax Jones.

And recently, Jin Jin put her skills to work at Spotify’s Riffs and Runs sessions. The intimate two-day event was a series of songwriting sessions focused specifically on R&B, and it provided a chance for Black songwriters, producers, and artists to come together and connect in a setting where they felt inspired to collaborate. 

The sessions took place at the iconic Metropolis Studios in London and were attended by both established and emerging talent. Production legend Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins—famous for hits such as “Say My Name,” “The Boy Is Mine,” and “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay”—and ThankGod4Cody, known for producing some of SZA’s hits, worked with artists and songwriters, like Jin Jin, to get the creative juices flowing.

The creators met in the studio, where they first got to know each other over coffee and snacks. After building a rapport, the next step was to determine a concept and start on chords. Then, the magic happened.

For the Record caught up with Jin Jin to learn more about her Riffs and Runs experience, and to get a look behind the scenes at how she collaborates with others to create songs fans love.

Can you tell us about your Riffs and Runs session?

This was the first time that I’ve been involved in the Riffs and Runs sessions. I’ve done other Spotify camps before, but this one was particularly special because it was throwing different artists, producers, and writers in the room and they were all from different places and different cultures. 

It was brilliant—I really enjoyed it. Metropolis Studios, in Chiswick, is an amazing venue and it’s a really creative space. I was working with ThankGod4Cody, and I also worked with two artists Bellah and Äyanna. They’re both amazing vocalists, so that was a treat. For this session, we all wrote it together, and then it ended up being Äyanna who laid down the first verse, and then Bellah laid down the second verse. And then they both sang the chorus.

What was the song you wrote about?

It had bad b*tch energy. The general story was, they thought that a relationship was gonna go one way. But then, it went another way because both people in the relationship have different perspectives. So it’s an example of women calling a guy out.

What was your favorite part of the Riffs and Runs experience?

My favorite part is when you’re getting to know each other and you’re in the very early stages of creation. It’s where everyone’s a little bit nervous, but really open to each other’s ideas, and you don’t know what you’re gonna make. So it’s pretty nerve-racking as well, but it gets rid of any ego in the room. It’s like, this is a fresh idea, and we don’t know if we’ll be able to make an amazing song but everybody’s there, you know, new to the experience and to that day. 

What’s the secret to a successful collaboration with others while working on a new piece?

I think it’s kind of almost like forgetting what you’ve done before. If you’ve ever had any success or any previous [track] release, just forget about that because the past doesn’t really matter. All that matters is what you create on the day, with these new people—if you’ve got synergy, if you can build a nice relationship with them, and if you can find some sort of common ground and way to communicate so that you can make an amazing song. I think that it’s super important to be open, you know. Somebody might have a different musical style than you, or be from a different background, or be into different things, but maybe that’s their story. 

Is there a particular songwriter who inspires you, or whom you admire?

Oh there’s a lot of different ones. A current, more mainstream, newer writer I love is Tems. She’s amazing at writing and an amazing artist as well—I really love her sentiments. I love the fact that she operates in the Afrobeat world, and her songwriting is beautiful. 

What do you think is your biggest challenge as a songwriter?

I think the biggest challenge is, sometimes, you can get pigeonholed into a certain genre. Or, a lot of people are just holding on to what you did before, sort of thing. I also think it’s a challenge to not fall into a safe space for yourself as a songwriter. It’s really important to keep pushing yourself as well and try new things.

What advice do you have for aspiring songwriters?

To just keep exploring. Try and reach out to as many other songwriters and producers as you can and collaborate as much as you can. Also, listen to genres of music that you wouldn’t necessarily listen to. So if you’re in the space where you only make, like, drill or trap, then maybe listen to some rock music. Listen to some country music. Listen to lots of different genres because as a songwriter, it’s important to understand and appreciate other genres as well.

What represents a successful songwriting session to you?

I think, obviously, coming out with a song that you absolutely love is important, but then if you don’t come up with the song, that’s fine as well. I think it’s about the relationships and the future possibilities of creating music with these newfound colleagues.

 

Check out the video to learn more about the Riffs and Runs experience.

 

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A post shared by Bellah (@ibebellah)

Get more of Jin Jin by listening to some of the songs she’s written in the playlist below. 

Head of Songwriter and Publishing Relations Jules Parker Explains How Spotify Is Bringing Behind-the-Scenes Creators Into the Spotlight

July 8, 2020

Recently, we announced the release of a beta version of songwriter pages and “Written By” playlists, which helps fans, collaborators, and industry partners dive deeper into some of the creators behind their favorite songs. For songwriters, it serves as a new way to share the songs they’ve written on Spotify and get discovered by potential collaborators and fans. As part of that beta, today, we’re unveiling additional pages and playlists from a wide array of incredible songwriters. 

Jules Parker, Spotify’s Head of Songwriter and Publishing Relations, is heading up a new team across Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, and London focused on expanding our support of songwriters and publishers all over the world. A former songwriter as well as the owner of a songwriter and artist management company, Jules not only understands the tools used in music creation, but he also appreciates the difficulty of the job—and why it’s so important to recognize the work put in behind the scenes. 

We spoke to Jules about his team’s work. Read on to learn more about the world of music publishing and how Spotify’s new songwriter pages are helping connect songwriters, publishers, artists, and fans.

Say you’re a songwriter who’s penned a tune and needs someone to sing it. What’s the process for approaching an artist or getting one to find you, and how does Spotify play into that?

There’s a long-standing perception of a solo songwriter pitching their songs to other people. This can happen—and of course, many artists write and record their own songs—but the reality today is that you generally get in a room with an artist and write a song together, then and there. (Or alternatively, you’ll swap tracks and toplines over email and write the song virtually—all too common these days). So it’s all about networking and collaborating—and that’s where publishers come in. A publisher looks to connect artists with songwriters and other creative opportunities. Plus, these days there are even more opportunities for songwriters to transition to also be successful recording artists—like Julia Michaels, Benny Blanco, and more.

At Spotify, we’re now giving publishers and writers more ways to help unlock opportunities via analytic and songwriter tools. These will, long term, help support both up-and-coming and established writers because they’ll have more information, leading to better connections and networks. Through our Publishing Analytics, publishers and teams can access next-day song and writer stats based on accurate data, and through our songwriting camps and free-to-use studio spaces, writers and artists can pair up to create something new.

Can you tell us a little more about the tools and opportunities Spotify has for songwriters and publishers?

First, we created a home for songwriters with the songwriter page on Spotify. It’s a pilot program—just the start of how we can help songwriters further build their identity and showcase what they’ve done. We’ve also created Written By playlists, which are featured on these pages. We’re working on rolling them out to more and more writers—and just unveiled some new ones today—but they’re a great way for fans to get to know the work of a specific songwriter.

We’ve also been hosting songwriting camps for artists around playlists, genres, or specific artist projects. We’ve done ones around Who We Be, The Most Beautiful Songs in the World, and Butter. Through these camps, we’re providing the opportunity for collaboration in creating great songs that may appear on our flagship playlists or perhaps earn a Grammy nomination. (Here’s looking at Grammy-winning “a lot” by 21 Savage, which was created at a Spotify songwriting camp run by our Atlanta-based Head of Songwriter Relations Paris Kirk).

Finally, we have writing studios that songwriters or publishers can book in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Nashville, Toronto, and London free of charge. We invite songwriters to use these as a place to collaborate and create songs. We’re constantly evolving this project and expanding access to it, and we hope to set up new locations in the future. 

Why is Spotify investing in these projects and tools? 

Supporting songwriters and publishers helps them be able to do what they do best: create and promote the music you love. Your favorite songs begin with songwriters, so the more opportunities we can provide, the better we can help them create that next hit, and the more reasons you have to stream their music. 

Songwriters and publishers are vital parts of the music industry, though what they do is less publicly known, so they often don’t have the visibility they deserve. But we can help with that, because Spotify has a unique ability to drive discovery. Since we began publicly displaying song credits on Spotify in 2018, we’ve seen a 60% increase in how often labels and distributors credit songwriters on their new releases, allowing artists and fans to dig deeper and recognize the work behind the scenes. Now, with the addition of more detail from publishers, we’ve been able to go further in recognizing those behind the songs. 

With the expansion of songwriter pages we’re continuing to evolve how music is discovered, appreciated, and enjoyed by the world. Supporting publishers and songwriters goes hand in hand with artist discovery. People know who an artist is. They don’t know who the writers are, necessarily. If we can help make those connections, we help people discover new music and open up potential career opportunities for the songwriter. It all ties back to our mission of helping creators live off their work.

I was actually just listening to Mark Ronson’s Written By playlist and I discovered new tracks that I didn’t know he had written. I then discovered new artists because of a songwriter I love. It goes both ways. We’re exposing those connections that are not always visible but so important.

These new features enable fans to discover new things about the music they love. What are one or two of your favorite songwriting fun facts?

I think that a lot of people know that Prince wrote “Nothing Compares 2 U,” but loads of people don’t know that he also wrote “Manic Monday.”

There’s also a great Revisionist History podcast episode around the song “Hallelujah.” It was written by Leonard Cohen but only became the standard for ballads more recently, after people like Jeff Buckley started recording it in different ways. Now everyone knows it—thanks to the covers—which shows how the versions of it can take it in completely different directions.

Discover songwriters for yourself starting with Shungudzo Kuyimba’s Written By playlist