"What Would Alicia Keys Do?" Top 3 Songwriting Challenges

It is no secret that Alicia Keys is my spirit animal. She is THE REASON why I am in music. Alicia (saying it so casually like she is my best friend) is THE REASON why I love R&B and soul. Alicia is a 15 time Grammy award winner and I always told myself that I would finish piano so that I would become the pianist and R&B/Soul artist that Alicia is and win 15 Grammys myself and not have to work a day in my life. Who am I kidding now?

I'm not articulate with words let alone being able to articulate my feelings. Communication is not my forte. The only way that I am able to accurately do so is writing it down, and using the music to translate them into my current emotions. There are times that I surprise myself when I read my own lyrics. When I first started to write my own songs it would literally take years. It was a combination of starting out, learning the basics of the R&B and Neo Soul sound and not knowing how to say what I wanted to say in a given length of time. I am always learning how to be more efficient at writing, not being too critical on myself, exploring musical progressions and sounds (with the help of my producer, Dunna) and learning how to enjoy the process and being in the present. Here are the top 3 common challenges that I run into when I'm writing and when I get stumped, I will always find myself asking, "What would Alicia Keys do? What are her secrets? What is the magical formula that creates Grammy award winning songs and albums?"

1) Staying True to Myself

Singer/songwriters are writers and story tellers - we marry words, melodic lines and instruments together to tell our personal stories so artistically within 3 minutes and it creates a movement. But don't forget, the music industry is a business and at the end of the day success is measured by how many albums the artist sells, how many tickets/merchandise sells, how many songs tops the Billboard charts and the big DOLLAR amount. Artists find themselves battling with the big guns in the industry between executing their musical ideas versus making cookie cutter music that is trending that appeals to the masses. I watched an interview not too long ago on CNN when Alicia Keys was questioned about the secret behind her songwriting. And her response will always resonate with me:

'Songwriting comes from an emotion. It comes from a feeling. It comes from something you can't contain, something that makes you cry, something that makes you laugh, something that you can't describe because it is like a stone in your chest," she says. "It's some kind of emotion, and it provokes you to find the words."

Alicia writes from deep down, and channels her most natural, honest, raw and genuine emotions to her music. My songs are more laid back, easy listening and it could put anyone to sleep really. There has been times when I was suggested to write more upbeat songs and incorporate more of the trendier sounds on radio because it will be catchy and it will appeal to the masses. Immediately I didn't feel right. Because writing an EDM track just won't work for me. I just can't. So I always make sure that the lyrics and the sound that my producer and I work with keeps my message intact. In earlier posts, I've mentioned that the way the music chords I choose make me FEEL is super important. As important the lyrics are in conveying my message, the melody and harmonies must equally do the same. And then, lastly I always ask myself do I find myself groovin' and saying, "mmmhmmm this is what I'm talkin' about!". Yes, the easiest way to "measure" success is in dollar value but if I'm answering NO to even just 1 of the questions, then I am not being honest as a writer and not being honest to myself! So yes I will continue to write the laid back grooves even if it puts you sleep - but hey, then my music will at least help you get a good night's sleep without the need of medications! ;)

2) Writing Music that Doesn't Sound the Same

In my last music blog I gave a crash course on the chords that shape R&B and Neo Soul - 7ths and 9ths! Although there are so many songs that uses these chords, for some reason I haven't been able to step out of my comfort zone and discover other progressions, try different voicings and syncopation. And then I get into the trap of having the same melody! This became a real issue when I was working on my CONNECTIONS EP. I was playing the chords for one song but somehow started singing the melody to another song but the combination still matched! Uh oh! Part of diversifying my musicality is listening to different genres outside of my own. Instead of listening to just Alicia Keys and Maxwell (super smexy!), I am now listening to more hip hop artists, some country, and a lot of indie alternative local YEG bands! I have 3 songs in the making and it's taking a hella long time because I've gotten into the trap again. Always learning and I am starting to appreciate the process and growing more as an artist day by day!

3) Lyrics are my RATE LIMITING STEP

For those of you who aren't familiar with this term, I was in general sciences for the first 2 years of undergrad before I got accepted in pharmacy school and in chemistry labs, the term rate limiting step or RLS is commonly used. RLS determines the overall rate of a chemical reaction and essentially is the SLOWEST step. If you get me to try to even describe what I'm wearing, I will have the hardest time doing so. If you get me to try to describe my emotions, I will cringe and instead bottle it up inside (very unhealthy!!) I am not a talker, and naturally a quiet person. Not usually the one who will initiate a conversation. Although quiet, I have A LOT to say. My songs are filled with lyrics. I jam pack my songs with every syllable that I can squeeze in. Sometimes finding that rhyme is so darn difficult but in the end just sounds cheesy. So how do I say what I want to say and what I feel in the moment in a 3 minute time frame? For my newer songs, I"ve learned to now just write - like how I'm writing my blogs. Just letting everything flow out of my mind with no regard to grammar or needing to sound philosophical. I keep notebooks with me everywhere I go. When i feel inspired or have spontaneous ideas I will pull it out and write what I"m thinking, how I'm feeling and take myself back to that exact moment that I experienced the raw emotion, the hurt, the happiness, the elation or anger. By doing this i find a pleasant surprise that most of the time, my idea splurges usually works with the melody lines that I brain storm. It is getting easier for me and what really helps with writer's block is bravely taking myself back to the event, the experience and the moment that I was feeling - the emotions most recently include devastating heartbreak, disgust & betrayal.

A refreshing notion that Alicia Keys stands by is that there are no rules, there is no formula! In a way, I'm like "nooo!!" because I want to write Grammy award winning songs but it gave me a sense of freedom or as Alicia puts it, the RELEASE!! There is no right or wrong way of writing, there is no set structure and there are no rules. The important thing is how it makes my listeners feel and do they feel and understand what I am trying to convey through my music? Is it true to myself? What would Alicia Keys do? She writes from genuine emotions and everything from her lyrics, to instrumentation to melodies/harmonies, the way that she sings each syllable and word all compliment and amplifies her emotion and message! In my own CONNECTIONS EP, I am super proud of this accomplishment and the songs that I wrote. But the one that really resonates with me, from real emotion,the message and the sound is MY PRIORITY. If you haven't listened to it, never too late to get your CONNECTIONS to me (AVAILABLE ON ITUNES/Spotify or hit me up directly for physical copies if you're in YEG or even YYC!)

So what would Alicia Keys do? GENUINE FEELING my friends and you'll get lots of it in my next project that I am working on right now!!