Regarding the lyrics on the album, the point you seem to have made in interviews elsewhere is something along the lines of: “Don’t question me about the lyrics on the album relating to my personal life, because I didn’t write them so they can’t.”
Yes.
Which is an amazing response, really.
It’s the truth!
Most popstars spend half their careers trying to pretend they do write their lyrics when they don’t. And you’re just going: “Nothing to do with me! Not my fault!”
Yes.
But how does that work? You obviously have a connection to these lyrics. Or at least in order to be able to have a connection with your music, you must tell yourself a story about how a song makes sense to you?
Well what I do is, I get loads of records sent. Sometimes I get just a beat. That you can just fall in love with. Or just a hook. And I’ll write the verses, or I’ll say, “can someone please write the verses to this”… Sometimes it takes a lifetime to master your craft. To be an amazing lyricist doesn’t mean you’re a good performer. There are some people out there who write the best songs in the world and their idea of hell is going on stage and singing those songs. But to collaborate with someone like that, and to create a pop song out of it, is amazing, and I’m not afraid of that. I don’t care that I didn’t write it, I just appreciate other people’s talents. I didn’t grow up listening to songs thinking, “well they didn’t write it”. I loved those songs because they were great songs, and that’s still how I feel when I’m making my music.
Loads of amazing songs haven’t been written by the people who made them famous, but in terms of a ‘pop moment’ a lot of them still fit in with where the singer is in life and what they’re going through…
Oh you’ve got to connect to a song, yes. You can’t sing a song you feel nothing for.
She doesn't write any of her music and doesn't care at all - which is surprising when UK counterparts such as Emeli Sandé and Ed Sheeran have received critical acclaim for their lyrical input whilst Alexandra Burke - who Cheryl mentored - has written on her latest album Heartbreak On Holdin addition to providing great, energetic performances laced with challenging choreography and strong live vocals.
Is it enough to simply sing someone else's song in the studio and mime it outside of it?
Here is one of Cheryl's British pop contemporaries singing a song she wrote herself for her second album:
Slaynitra Michelle Williams
Lianne La Havas | Lana Del Slay | LeToya | Beyoncé | Kelly Rowland
Emeli Sandé | Janelle Monáe | Erykah Badu | Amy Winehouse | Alicia Keys | The Supremes | | Florence Ballard | En Vogue | Kierra Sheard | Angie Stone | Billie Holiday | Joss Stone | Tonéx |
| Adam Lambert | Robyn | Lil' Kim | Faith Evans | Leona Lewis | Alexandra Burke | Sade | Lady Saw |
Last edited by JonathanLGardner 6/14/2012 at 6:53 AM.
Slaynitra Michelle Williams
Lianne La Havas | Lana Del Slay | LeToya | Beyoncé | Kelly Rowland
Emeli Sandé | Janelle Monáe | Erykah Badu | Amy Winehouse | Alicia Keys | The Supremes | | Florence Ballard | En Vogue | Kierra Sheard | Angie Stone | Billie Holiday | Joss Stone | Tonéx |
| Adam Lambert | Robyn | Lil' Kim | Faith Evans | Leona Lewis | Alexandra Burke | Sade | Lady Saw |
I'm glad that she's open about the level of her involvement in the song process. Sometimes she writes a hook, sometimes she writes a verse. She openly admits she's not that good at it. I'd rather her be honest than try to pass someone else's work off as her own.
Just because you write your own songs doesn't make it good. And many singers don't write their own music.
So many people are critical of singers, as if they must also write their own music and lyrics. But the title is "singer". If she doesn't want to put on another hat, that is completely her choice. If she wants to be a performer, that's her choice. She doesn't have to dabble in everything.
And frankly, in a Pop world where songwriting credits are sometimes questionable, it's refreshing to find someone say that they are fine with not being a lyricist or songwriter.
So many people are critical of singers, as if they must also write their own music and lyrics. But the title is "singer". If she doesn't want to put on another hat, that is completely her choice. If she wants to be a performer, that's her choice. She doesn't have to dabble in everything.
And frankly, in a Pop world where songwriting credits are sometimes questionable, it's refreshing to find someone say that they are fine with not being a lyricist or songwriter.
Slaynitra Michelle Williams
Lianne La Havas | Lana Del Slay | LeToya | Beyoncé | Kelly Rowland
Emeli Sandé | Janelle Monáe | Erykah Badu | Amy Winehouse | Alicia Keys | The Supremes | | Florence Ballard | En Vogue | Kierra Sheard | Angie Stone | Billie Holiday | Joss Stone | Tonéx |
| Adam Lambert | Robyn | Lil' Kim | Faith Evans | Leona Lewis | Alexandra Burke | Sade | Lady Saw |
I will say, though, that she should at least spend some time to think about the meaning of the lyrics to the songs she releases.
Even if she did not write them, she can have her own interpretation. I didn't really like her response to an interviewer about the meaning of "Call My Name." Even if she didn't write the lyrics, she should have attempted some explanation.
Has the original poster actually read the article?
She said she doesn't write all her own music, yet there is countless times she has. She co-wrote numerous times with GA, she co-wrote four tracks on her first album (more than Alexandra has done with both her albums combined), we've unreleased tracks which Cheryl has wrote which have been superb, including b-sides. She's also co-wrote two tracks on the new album, the same amount Alexandra has on her latest effort..
Cheryl is just being REAL! Saying if she hasn't wrote a track she isn't gonna bs and steal credits. She's happy to front someone else's art and make it amazing..
She also said she writes songs for her own pleasure too and sometimes there too personal for her to put out.
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6/14/2012
