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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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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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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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I thought it was so cool that all you knew about Prince was about his artistry and music.
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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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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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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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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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Singing involves a great deal of psychology.
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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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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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A great pop song should be felt when you hear it.
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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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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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As songwriters, we are lucky to have ASCAP on our side, offering support and fighting for our rights.
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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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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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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 love being part of the ASCAP family of songwriters and composers.
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If the artist isn't having a great day or finds it all boring, my role becomes that of a coach. Getting the very best out of the artist. Helping them perform at their very best when it's game time. One way to get them there is to bring them out of their comfort zones.
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I've learned that things change. The whole boy band thing almost turned into a stock market crash.