They compose the melodies. They write the lyrics. They create award-winning, record-breaking songs that make us grow and fight and cry. The way they put together melodies and words looks no different than pure magic.
Let's see Rachael Yamagata, Adele, Björk, Alicia Keys, Fiona Apple, Amy Winehouse, PJ Harvey, Norah Jones, Patti Smith and Ingrid Michaelson share their formula of the songwriting magic.
By the way, why female songwriters? Oh, to me, girls who read are cool. And girls who write are hot. So girls who write and sing beautifully, are, phenomenal.
"I happened upon it because I was always into piano as a safety zone hobby that would make me feel better. I'd go off somewhere, find an empty room, and play piano for hours. I've done it all my life — when I was at home and through college, even. I just loved to play.
Songwriting came about by chance. I'd always written songs on the fly and improv things, but never wrote them down or kept track of them. I thought I was going to pursue theater and be an actress, but when I wrote my first song and really paid attention, I became completely intoxicated by the process. More so than I ever felt with somebody else's character.
There is drive to express and process what I go through. [Songwriting] became the best form for me — more than speaking with a friend or writing in a journal. Something about being able to put a melody, instrument, and lyrics together made me feel better. It's an internal angst of sorts that made me become a songwriter. I needed a way to express myself in a way that said what I needed to say, and that's what it became."
