Sia spills the tea on working with Kanye, Rihanna, Katy and Beyoncé

[Aquaria]

On RIHANNA and KANYE: “They’ll entice me into a session by saying, ‘Rihanna will definitely be there’ or ‘Kanye will definitely be there,’ but it’s hilarious because I turn up and, almost always, they never come. So I went into the studio to write for Rihanna with Kanye and neither of them showed up and stayed for less than an hour. They had two tracks. They told me what they had wanted. There were notes from Kanye, and I can’t even remember what they were.”

On KATY PERRY: “[Like Adele, Katy Perry is] also quite dominant, and she’s extremely a--lytical. I actually quit within the first hour of our first session. I was like, ‘Can we both agree this doesn’t work? Like our whole songwriting dynamic?’ And she was like, ‘I love it. It’s like a puzzle to me. It’s like a crossword.’ And I was like, ‘But this is boring for me. The a--lysis is totally boring for me. It feels like the enemy of creativity.’ It was so cool to be able to have that conversation on why we wrote in such entirely different ways. I’m glad I didn’t give up on it because I actually did get a song out of it, and we also really had a laugh because we were able to be authentic.”

On BEYONCÉ: “The process is like a writing camp, essentially. She flies us all in and puts us all up. We all live in a house together — like five producers and five topline writers. She visits each room and will contribute and let us know what she’s feeling and what she’s not feeling. Lyrically, melodically, anything. She’s very Frankenstein when she comes to songs. She’ll say, ‘I like the verse from that. I like the pre-chorus from that. Can you try mixing it with that?’”

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/sias-reject-opus-songwriter-on-reclaiming-adele-rihannas-unwanted-hits-20151203?page=2

 

[Rock & Roll Hall of Game]

Beyonce flies writers and producers and shacks em up 

  takes a village 

[JoeJoe]

5 damn writers? smh

[Rock & Roll Hall of Game]

Beyonce (and others) have as many writers as the Simpsons 

[jarrylf]

Beyonce flies writers and producers and shacks em up 

  takes a village 

IM SAYIN LOFL I've heard of the industry writing camps for LABELS, for for writers under 1 roster, but not for 1 damn artist, GOD DAMN lol

The most I'm impressed with......well the only 1 I'm impressed with based on those is Katy honestly. I like that she PUSHES, I love that really.

[Rock & Roll Hall of Game]

IM SAYIN LOFL I've heard of the industry writing camps for LABELS, for for writers under 1 roster, but not for 1 damn artist, GOD DAMN lol

The most I'm impressed with......well the only 1 I'm impressed with based on those is Katy honestly. I like that she PUSHES, I love that really.

This isn't new. Whitney Houston, Britney Spears, Celine Dion and many others legends who don't write music have these camps. That's why I love Janet and respect MJ's work. They didn't have writing campers. They had pens and paper. The only problem is... Artist shouldn't be listed first in the credits IMO. 

Katy's not as dumb as she acts/looks

[Bailey]

that was a great read T4P

[Rock & Roll Hall of Game]

that was a great read T4P

I loved your post but I had to take it back.. You have 1,814 post-likes. I can't bare to break it #random

The article is great insight on the business... It makes me almost want to listen to Beyonce's Pretty Hurts... Almost. I believe Adele just went into a different direction so Sia's songs for her weren't relevant to the overall theme of "25". Sia's being too hard on herself there 

Edited December 11, 2015 by The Norm

[Bailey]

I loved your post but I had to take it back.. You have 1,814 post-likes. I can't bare to break it #random

The article is great insight on the business... It makes me almost want to listen to Beyonce's Pretty Hurts... Almost. I believe Adele just went into a different direction so Sia's songs for her weren't relevant to the overall theme of "25". Sia's being too hard on herself there 

I have 1814 likes? thank you Game for not ruining it by not liking me

Edited December 11, 2015 by Stealth

[jarrylf]

This isn't new. Whitney Houston, Britney Spears, Celine Dion and many others legends who don't write music have these camps. That's why I love Janet and respect MJ's work. They didn't have writing campers. They had pens and paper. The only problem is... Artist shouldn't be listed first in the credits IMO. 

Katy's not as dumb as she acts/looks

Ah OK I never knew they did that camp like thing, I thought writers for Whit & Brit (I don't follow Celine so I REALLY don't know lol) just sent in shit and they'd rehearse it &/or record it and pass on it or take it. 

True, I do know from many that have worked with her she's a whole different way behind the scenes like she's all about her artistry.

[Bailey]

Ah OK I never knew they did that camp like thing, I thought writers for Whit & Brit (I don't follow Celine so I REALLY don't know lol) just sent in shit and they'd rehearse it &/or record it and pass on it or take it. 

True, I do know from many that have worked with her she's a whole different way behind the scenes like she's all about her artistry.

thats what I thought, you hear all the time about producers sending tracks to artists and the artist either accepts or rejects it and someone else gets it......Beyonce Im not surprised by, because Ive heard the same story a bunch or producers in the studio all working at the same time....which I dont know how i feel about that, what I will say is Beyonce did the damn thang with her last album so do what u gotta do

[Rock & Roll Hall of Game]

Ah OK I never knew they did that camp like thing, I thought writers for Whit & Brit (I don't follow Celine so I REALLY don't know lol) just sent in shit and they'd rehearse it &/or record it and pass on it or take it. 

True, I do know from many that have worked with her she's a whole different way behind the scenes like she's all about her artistry.

It depends I suppose. I'm sure the Writing Camp isn't a new concept either. 

I've heard that too. Quite impressive 

[JoeJoe]

Ah OK I never knew they did that camp like thing, I thought writers for Whit & Brit (I don't follow Celine so I REALLY don't know lol) just sent in shit and they'd rehearse it &/or record it and pass on it or take it. 

True, I do know from many that have worked with her she's a whole different way behind the scenes like she's all about her artistry.

but she ain't got no artistry tho

[jarrylf]

thats what I thought, you hear all the time about producers sending tracks to artists and the artist either accepts or rejects it and someone else gets it......Beyonce Im not surprised by, because Ive heard the same story a bunch or producers in the studio all working at the same time....which I dont know how i feel about that, what I will say is Beyonce did the damn thang with her last album so do what u gotta do

It depends I suppose. I'm sure the Writing Camp isn't a new concept either. 

I've heard that too. Quite impressive 

yea like the Motown method in the 60's could be considered that, but the writers were doing it for every artist on the label that wasn't Stevie & Marvin (both in the 70's), but they all had offices and they all would just hammer away at writing.But I just hadn't heard about a team of aritsts in the writing camp style (ala staying in the same house/hotel for a period of time) all for 1 artist. Someone who wrote for Rihanna said on NPR how a writing camp he's apart of puts them up in a house and it's for like a few artists connected by a label or manager who are all either beginning work on their new albums or are expected to, so I thought that's how all modern day writing camps worked

but she ain't got no artistry tho

...................I'm not by any means a big Katy fan (I like her but don't love her, but I get the love & I get the dislike) but she is a aritst who writes and produces for herself and others....that's artistry....

Edited December 11, 2015 by jarrylf

[Rock & Roll Hall of Game]

yea like the Motown method in the 60's could be considered that, but the writers were doing it for every artist on the label that wasn't Stevie & Marvin (both in the 70's), but they all had offices and they all would just hammer away at writing.But I just hadn't heard about a team of aritsts in the writing camp style (ala staying in the same house/hotel for a period of time) all for 1 artist. Someone who wrote for Rihanna said on NPR how

...................I'm not by any means a big Katy fan but she is a aritst who writes and produces for herself and others....that's artistry....

That may be a recent occurrence then.. I'm certain Beyonce didn't think of it first but you never know

As a appreciator of Katy Perry's music (because it is good and does seem genuine), what she does is pretty good work as an artist. It's not babble like what's on the radio now. She's truly hard working and determined.

[Bailey]

i do like Katy....I can say I enjoyed her album "Teenage Dream" that was very cute   I played the fuck outta that......still stuck on "Unbreakable" though.....Im thinking maybe someday I will hear something else, or maybe break outta here, until then Im looking up  

[Rock & Roll Hall of Game]

i do like Katy....I can say I enjoyed her album "Teenage Dream" that was very cute   I played the fuck outta that......still stuck on "Unbreakable" though.....Im thinking maybe someday I will hear something else, or maybe break outta here, until then Im looking up  

Unbreakable is always on rotation... I went a month of just listening to it.. then Adele came out and I had to share ear-time but there's others too so I don't burned out by listening to Unbreakable too many times.. over and over like a crazed lunatic.

[Bailey]

Unbreakable is always on rotation... I went a month of just listening to it.. then Adele came out and I had to share ear-time but there's others too so I don't burned out by listening to Unbreakable too many times.. over and over like a crazed lunatic.

chile I bought the CD  and its like the only CD I own ....  so its in my Jeep that album is all the fuck I hear.....its playing now Janet got my ass ....I will say I do want to make a playlist of Matt's top singles though and listen at work....I appreciate that man's tastes ...but Janet's album has not broke off of me yet!

[jarrylf]

Yea I feel sorry for all the faves I have that released music since Discipline, I depended on them so heavily....and now that Janet's back I treat them like they're NOTHING. No matter how good.....Unbreakable is the ONLY album I've played at least 2 tracks from the album every day since it's release........and I aint even remotely tired of any track on there yet.

[bu.]

Nothing new here. It was common knowledge that urban artists use writing camps.. A much as I dislike Taylor as a person, I like that she writes her own songs.

 

The only reason I can get over Bey not writing...errm properly is because she's involved in the production/vocal arrangement and stuff so she's still contributing to the song in that way. But it'd be nice if she did write.

I'm so glad I stan for Janet and Mariah - people actually involved with their music (take away the mixtapes for Jan)

[janetDAYZ]

Its common knowledge that urban artists use writing camps? Huh? What? So its only an "urban" thing? Maybe you should rephrase that cus that doesnt sound quite right.

[kidfresh832]

Nice article.  Interesting read.  I noticed Sia had RS edit the Katy Perry line.  Now it seems less harsh her saying lets be friends.

[JoeJoe]

Its common knowledge that urban artists use writing camps? Huh? What? So its only an "urban" thing? Maybe you should rephrase that cus that doesnt sound quite right.

yeah I hope he didn't mean it that way cause it sounds a bit on the racist side even tho we know that's know what he intended. We all know who falls under the "Urban" category

[janetDAYZ]

Its not that it sounds racist ..it just doesnt sound factual...its a case by case thing. It depends on the (individual) ...i never seen it as a urban and non urban thing to have a bunch of writers. Ppl like R.Kelly, K.Michelle write all of their own shit for example.. idk that was just a weird statement 

Edited December 12, 2015 by janetDAYZ

[JoeJoe]

Its not that it sounds racist ..it just doesnt sound factual...its a case by case thing. It depends on the (individual) ...i never seen it as a urban and non urban thing to have a bunch of writers. Ppl like R.Kelly, K.Michelle write all of their own shit for example.. idk that was just a weird statement 

I think cause we know Bu from here and we know he's not racist it doesn't sound like that to you but if we weren't on this forum and we didn't know him and let's say we saw his comment on twitter or facebook would you think it could be taken the wrong way by us or someone else even tho he didn't mean it that way.