David Stewart Mentor Session 2023:: Watch Full Length Video
The Importance Of Being In The Studio:: I freighted my entire studio from London to Los Angeles. My struggle as an up and coming producer and songwriter before I had any success at all was when I was working with artists at the very kind of basic level. To get the big ones, you often again have to be in the room with the artist and be around to create those relationships.
What Defines A Big Song?:: What defines a big song? Well, as we were saying earlier, it can be from a shiny lyric. Part of my production style is big. I love an event record, and it's what you do so well as well. How do you put that into your songwriting and creation process?
The Song That Changed Everything:: What a Man Gotta Do for The Jonas Brothers was a creative breakthrough for my partnerJess and me. Wendy Goldstein had asked for a song like Faith by George Michael. Do you want to hear a demo?
Jonas on His Song:: Singer-songwriter says he got the brief on the Thursday night, wrote it on the Friday, landed it by the Monday. Speed and just, like, to the point. I think it's absolutely crucial. To deliver quickly and to the best of your ability.
How To Write a Song With an Introvert:: So what do you do to find that source of inspiration and urgency that are in a lot of your songs? I think it's part of my personality that it's just quite impactful and quite even though I'm not an extroverted person. Some days it's there and some days it isn't.
David and Jess writing collaboration:: Jessie J and I Love Yousous have been writing songs together for years. Their first placement together was what a man Got to do. What was the first breakthrough for the two of you as a writing team? It took time.
King Kong:: Kpop has another quality, which I was first made aware of when I heard from the guys in Abba. We want songs and words that mean something to people that don't speak English. It was quite an interesting process to go through because only one of them speaks English. How do we replicate the noise?
How to Write a Great Song for Kpop:: The songs that I write worked for Kpop because they're the only people in the world who are willing to do a big pop record. The urgency in Kpop is unbelievable. They want it yesterday. It's important for all the producers, songwriters and artists to know about that world.
BTS:: I am a big K pop fan, but BTS in particular, I don't know. I think part of it, of course, is like the artists themselves. To have something kind of showcase their abilities, well, well. Any theories in the room? I would love to hear some.
Kpop Star on American Pop Music:: There's a fan and artist connection, which is a loyalty, unique. Blackpink let you see they're not just like superstars, they're like people. If you did the same thing with American artists, would the same result be?
Kpop's Perfectionism:: Kpop has a level of perfectionism which they do so well. Western pop music has lost this art of artist development in training. All these songs are as much as they're songs, they're also performance vehicles. I find it fascinating and I look forward to my first K pop cut.
Taking something from scratch:: You don't always pitch songs. You also develop artists. The thing that will give you the most satisfaction is to see something that I've built from the ground upwards. It takesA&Really long time, and it takes a longer time now than I think it ever has.
How Both of You Should Be Produced:: When you do something together, you're able to do a whole nother type of deal. You have to be interested in being with the artist. If you enjoy the artist development process, it could be stressful to have to deal with an artist.
Top 3 Lessons As a Producers:: I want to know your key lessons as a producer, as an artist, and as a songwriter. The most important thing I've learned is to learn as much as you can about every aspect to finishingA&Record. To be able to control is something that's been very rewarding and very liberating.
Becoming a Songwriter:: Being an artist and trying to make money is difficult, but being a songwriter is even more difficult. Do you think artists are failed artists? No, not at all. There is an art to getting lucky as well.
The Importance of Playing the Room:: Having been an artist or being a producer, what are some key advice that you can give to songwriters? Most important thing you can do in the room is playing the room. Knowing when to move into formation and out of formation to create space for what's going on.
In the Elevator With Ryan Gosling:: I'm curious on your thought process balancing being 100 percenter. And then also the magic that can come from collaboration. How do you navigate that? Are you only taking sessions with trusted collaborators or artists that you admire?
Jonas on Getting His First Song:: I think the manager thing was the thing that opened the door. Most definitely. It was like 50 tiny steps to get to the manager and then as you get further on in your career, the strides become a little longer.
How Having Been an Artist Helped Me As a Producers:: How do you feel like your time as an artist has benefited you as a songwriter and producer? Producer needs to come in and be an overarching sense of stillness and calmness. It's just a balancing act of everything, really.
BTS on The Jumpers Album:: I had a question about the Jumpers album or particularly 3D. How did that come about? Did you already have Seven come out before then? Have you ever worked with just like, on a different planet in the most amazing way?
Prioritize Your Time Between Writing and Publishing:: Mira has a hard time prioritizing one over the other because she's not interested in a label deal. Her main focus since moving here the last two years has been publishing. If publishing is your goal, she says, put all of your eggs into that basket.
Zachary on His Songs:: I think to be able to pull from stuff that isn't quite as current is important. But then where you need to update it is in your language. Would you be comfortable showing one of your Rs songs?
Being Intentional With My Songs:: Producer: Song is first, actually. Production is always second to me. You have to be intentional with all your parts. Make the melody clear and distinct. If you're wondering what to sing, sing what's in the track.
The Song Prompt: Event Record:: David Perry: My thing that I do is create event records. To hone it in even further, I want you to do the end credits event record to any movie that you want. It could be Trolls, it could be any of these types of records. It's a very strong concept and a very open brief that will push you.

David Stewart Mentor Session 2023

Dave Stewart