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Life is so much easier without the attention.
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It's incredibly important to me that you remember a song right after the first or second time you hear it. That something sticks to you, something that makes you feel, 'I need to hear that song again.' That's fundamental. Something you want again. And again.
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I don't think most people who listen to music are that interested in all the work that goes into making it. It's the artist you like.
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If the chords change a lot over the course of a song, it's better to stay within the same melodic structure.
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When pop culture can influence things in any way, when a song becomes something bigger than just a song, that's the greatest thing to me.
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I thought it was so cool that all you knew about Prince was about his artistry and music.
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You can hear songs that are technically great, songs that tick all the boxes. But for a song to be felt, you need something else.
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It's never like, 'Now I'm going to sit down and write this or that kind of song.' The melodies may show up in the car, in the shower.
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Pop music follows the evolution of society in general: Everything moves faster.
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I remember that I started playing brass - not so much because I had a calling but because I thought it looked cool.
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You need a balance at all times. If the verse is a bit messy, you need it to be less messy right after. It needs to vary. 'Shake It Off' is a good example, where the math behind the drama is pretty clear.
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Singing involves a great deal of psychology.
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I've learned that things change. The whole boy band thing almost turned into a stock market crash.
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I spent two years day and night in that studio trying to learn what the hell was going on.
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When I was young, people didn't even really know what a producer was.
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I believe you have to start with yourself, think about your bad habits and prejudices, not only in your profession but generally in life. Why do I assume that a doctor is a man? Something is indoctrinated from very early on.
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A great pop song should be felt when you hear it.
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As songwriters, we are lucky to have ASCAP on our side, offering support and fighting for our rights.
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If you've got a verse with a lot of rhythm, you want to pair it with something that doesn't.
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I first began with the recorder in our community music school. After that, I played horn and participated in the school orchestra.
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There was a phase when I and people around me listened to Prince a lot. A lot. We took Prince fandom to the extreme.
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I want to be part of every note, every single moment going on in the studio. I want nothing forgotten; I want nothing missed.
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If you listen to the first, second, and third chorus of a song, they don't sound the same. It's the same melody and all that, but what really happens is that the energy changes. It's all about getting the listener to keep his or her concentration.
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My tastes have always been pretty cheesy. I like Def Leppard. At the same time, my tastes might be pretty universal. I don't know.