TIPS AND
ADVICE FROM SONGWRITERS

UK singer-songwriter RAPHI gave us an extraordinary exclusive performance of her song “Unleashed”.

We asked her to tell us all about her creative process and how she approached writing this song, as well as some tips to help you record your own songs at home!

WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW OR READ THE FULL ARTICLE TO HEAR THE EXCLUSIVE PERFORMANCE AND MORE!

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NATALIE SHAY, an indie pop artist and guitarist from London, shares her experiences as a female singer-songwriter and provides some tips for young songwriters looking to break into the music industry.

When did you discover your spark for music and songwriting?

Music and performance have always been a really big part of my life. From the age of five, I learned how to play classical guitar and began training in musical theater. I remember the very first time I heard Taylor Swift – I was in complete awe of her ability to narrate through lyric and song. I switched to an acoustic guitar and began to write my own songs. As I was only 11 years old at the time, the songs were mostly about movie stars I admired, but I knew then that I wanted to continue writing songs and develop my music.

At just 22, you've achieved a lot of success. Where did your career begin?

Nine years ago, I entered a performance contest in London called GIGS: Big Busk. This was the first time I had performed my original music outside of school, and there I was, playing to the streets of London. It was all very new to me and I’m so glad I took part! Not only because I went on to win the contest, but I also met lots of other talented musicians, many of whom I still work with regularly to this day. Crucially, I think, I found the self-confidence that I needed to continue.

The following year I was lucky enough to be accepted to The BRIT School. I spent four years studying music alongside regularly gigging, performing or recording after school and on weekends. Within just over a year, I had I won the London Music Award for ‘Best Undiscovered Talent,’ The Guardian’s ‘Future Music Award’ and released my first independent single, ‘Follow You Home.’

Tell us about your approach to songwriting.

I have always felt that my songs capture the exact headspace I experienced at different times of my life. I’ve always used creativity as my main emotional release. I tend not to write unless I'm 'feeling something’.

During my time at BRIT, I explored a number of things that were outside of my comfort zone – the biggest challenge being co-writes. As someone who had only ever written alone in her room on an acoustic guitar, it was a very different world to enter, but I’m so very glad I did.

I honestly think that the number of talented and varied writers and producers I've worked with over the years has had the biggest impact on me finding my own sound.

Tell us more about your experience as a young female in the music industry today.

The first year after graduating from BRIT was probably the toughest so far in my career. I wasn’t quite ready to make music a full-time gig (pardon the pun!). However, this was also around the time

I became more aware of a shift in industry attitudes towards women in music.

The relative imbalance in representation of female artists across lineups and the general lack of presence and support for female producers and instrumentalists was finally becoming something that people were talking about and, more importantly, questioning.

It made me notice for the first time ways in which being a ‘female solo artist with a guitar’ had perhaps not worked in my favor in the past. From 80-90% male-heavy line ups on a majority of shows I had ever played to the fact that, as a female, I was always on first - followed by a male artist. There’s still so much more work to be done here, and I know so many incredible people who are actively pushing to change this gender bias.

I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved over the past couple of years. I’ve done some really cool things that I never ever imagined I would do; from being a writer/vocalist on dance tracks to being on the UK Jury for the Eurovision Song Contest in 2018. I released another track called ‘People Like Me’, which talks about my experience in the industry tied with my general attitude to social media.

Here’s one key piece of advice I want to share with any artist: you can’t compare your behind the scenes to someone’s highlight reel.

With every release, milestone and collaboration I continue to learn more and develop as an artist and writer. But I also learned a lot more about myself. I am more of a woman than I ever have been, a better friend and closer to the things I know are important. Social media can make you feel like you’re ‘not doing enough’ or that ‘everyone is doing better than you.’ Every artist has their own path; it is not a race. Focus on your music and stay true to you.

Shure is proud to sponsor The Young Songwriters 2024 Competition. We are a company made up of musicians and live sound enthusiasts, among many other talents, and this passion drives our innovation to make the best products possible to help you sound extraordinary.

We're excited to be continuing our support for young, independent artists and songwriters through this partnership. Check out our Make The World Your Stage series showcasing artists from around the world.

Continue exploring this guide for more tips from UK songwriter, Mikey Gormley, who has worked with the likes of Nina Nesbit, James TW, and Fleur East to name a few.

The Difference Between Songwriting and Co-writing

3 TIPS BEFORE BECOMING A SONGWRITER

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SONGWRITING AND CO-WRITING

BY MIKEY GORMLEY

Many of the greatest songwriters work alone, however, the very nature of collaborating with artists relies on developing healthy creative relationships.

It wasn’t until I began to work closely with artists and producers in London, that I realized although they share many of the same fundamentals, songwriting and co-writing are two completely different skills.

Songwriting is your own stream of consciousness unfiltered: your melodies, your lyrics, your chords. There’s nobody to tell you an idea is weak or strong, nobody to criticize or praise, nobody to inspire or be inspired by. It’s just you.

Co-writing - writing with others - predominantly revolves around trust. There has to be a level of respect between every collaborator in the room, so it can act as a safe space to share ideas freely.

The Role of the Topliner

The term songwriter and topliner are often used interchangeably, though topliner is a term more common within the industry amongst publishers, labels, management, etc. Pop songwriting is usually made up of three key roles:

The artist provides direction for the project through their sound, image and creative ideas.
The producer is in charge of the beat, musical direction and sonics of any given song.
The topliner contributes lyrical and melodic ideas to the song.

The main job of the topliner is to come up with lyrical and melodic ideas, meaning they don’t necessarily need to play an instrument, though many do. Over time, I realized great topliners act as editors and creative sparks to an artist.

When working on an artist’s project, it is important to bring out their voice, saying things lyrically that feel authentic to them; encourage their melodic ideas, so the song sounds like their work; and to write about real-life events, being true to their feelings and emotions in order to bring out the best possible performance.

3 THINGS I WISH I KNEW BEFORE SONGWRITING FOR OTHERS

BY MIKEY GORMLEY

1. FOCUS ON YOUR MUSIC

Improve the quality of your output first and foremost, ensuring your songs are the best they can be. This will lead to cuts that attract the attention of better managers, artists and publishers, which will, in turn, increase your chances of finding the right team for you. This is the ONLY aspect you have control over, as the artist’s team will decide which songs get released as well as the campaign surrounding them. The better you are at your craft, the higher the chance you will accumulate cuts over time.

2. FIND THE RIGHT TEAM FOR YOU

Typically, a songwriter’s team consists of legal support, management, and a publisher.

Your lawyer helps negotiate contracts, such as management or publishing deals, and ensures they are fair and up to industry standard.

In my experience, finding the right management team is more challenging. Try to choose someone well connected and driven, with endless belief in your ability as a songwriter. Your manager will help book you in writing sessions with other artists.

Having a publisher on board can enhance your team in a big way. I do need to stress that finding a publishing deal should not be your goal - it will come as a result of the success of your songs, so focus on that first.

3. KNOCK DOWN DOORS

Create opportunities for yourself. It’s great to have a solid support system, but you have to work together with your team, rather than expecting them to do the work for you. No matter who you have on your team, you are the most invested in your project and should work the hardest as a result.

One final note: It is important to point out that despite all the tips, planning and preparation, making your own mistakes is important, since it will help you to establish your own do's and don'ts going forward. Things will go wrong, you will face rejection – almost daily – and you might make some poor decisions along the way. But that’s ok!

The critical factor in finding success as a songwriter is not only dependent on talent, but also perseverance. If you are talented, personable and consistent, opportunities will happen – you just have to be ready when they come your way!