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Welcome to 'The Sweater Club' – Jelani Aryeh’s Sophomore Triumph

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Jelani Aryeh’s highly anticipated album, The Sweater Club, dropped today, delivering exactly what fans have been eagerly awaiting. At 24, the San Diego native has already taken the indie-pop world...

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Sony Music to acquire Queen catalogue for £1 billion

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Sony Music's recent announcement to acquire the majority of Queen's music catalogue, along with various other rights, signifies a monumental deal valued at approximately £1 billion...

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Rema Kicks Off 2024 with Explosive New Track “Benin Boys” Featuring Shallipopi

June 23, 2024

Nigerian superstar Rema has made an electrifying return with his new track, "Benin Boys," marking his first musical release of 2024. This collaboration with Shallipopi is a significant moment for...

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Alicia Keys: The Soulful Songstress and Her Musical Journey

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Alicia Keys, born Alicia Augello Cook on January 25, 1981, in New York City, is an artist whose influence and talent have transcended musical genres and generations. With her powerful voice...

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Armaan Malik: The Melodic Maestro of Modern Indian Music

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Armaan Malik, born on July 22, 1995, in Mumbai, India, is a name that resonates with melody, versatility, and youthful charm. As one of the most prominent voices in contemporary Indian music...

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Mitraz: The Rising Star of Indian Pop Music

June 23, 2024

In the ever-evolving landscape of Indian music, a new artist is making waves with his fresh sound and heartfelt lyrics. Mitraz, an emerging star in the Indian pop music scene, has captivated...

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George Strait Shatters US Concert Attendance Record at Kyle Field

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Country music legend George Strait has once again demonstrated his unparalleled star power by breaking the record for the largest concert ever held in the United States. His recent performance at...

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Katy Perry Teases New Album with Single "Woman’s World"

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Katy Perry is once again stirring excitement in the music world with the announcement of her upcoming single, "Woman’s World," heralding a new album that promises to continue her dynamic presence...

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Carrie Underwood Marks 50th Show of "Reflection: The Las Vegas Residency"

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Inside Taylor Swift's feud with Charli XCX from song dig to ex-boyfriend connection

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Charli XCX's latest album, BRAT, has garnered critical acclaim, yet it has also reignited rumors of a feud with Taylor Swift. Despite having opened for Taylor on her Reputation tour, Charli's new...

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Post Malone Announces Highly Anticipated New Album 'F-1 Trillion' Set for August Release

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Post Malone is currently riding a wave of success, standing at the pinnacle of the Billboard Hot 100 with his Morgan Wallen duet "I Had Some Help." In an exciting development, he has announced the...

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Rihanna Says New Album Will Represent ‘Evolution’ of Time She ‘Spent Away’ From Music

June 22, 2024

Rihanna, the multifaceted artist and entrepreneur, has kept fans eagerly awaiting her next album since the release of ANTI in 2016. In a recent interview with Extra TV, she finally provided some...

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Songwriter's Block: Inspiration Tuning in From Around the World

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Image: NME

Writer’s block is real, and it’s not just authors, but also songwriters and composers. Thinking of top hit songs can be difficult, so how do the pros do it? Where do they get their inspiration from? 

In this post, we’ll explore the different ways these songwriters get inspired by the world around them, from a dentist visit to a deep dive in culture, they show how music can come from.

Billie Eilish is an American singer-songwriter who co-writes almost all of her music with her older brother, Finneas O'Connell, and it all started from their bedroom in their parents’ house. 

The two siblings get their inspiration from many sources of their daily life. One of Billie Eilish’s top hits, “Bury a Friend”, sings about the perspective of a monster under the bed. With its dark nature, the song contained “interesting” sounds that she recorded from a dentist drill, a staple gun, crushing glass and even Eilish’s own scream that was modified and tuned to match the song. All of which are attributed to its stark uniqueness from other popular songs.

“I don’t want to be in the pop world…the alternate world, the hiphop world, the R&B world…I want to be kind of like ‘what kind of music you listen to?’, Billie Eilish kind of music.” - Billie Eilish source

Watch the entire interview of Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell breaking down their music production process and how “Bury a Friend” came to life.

Deriving music from your surroundings, identifying suitable sounds, and modifying it to suit your song can help make your music pop. Be creative! Perhaps even the clicking of a pen or the crushing of a chip bag can inspire your next hit!

Image: PATCH

Lay Zhang is a Chinese singer-songwriter and rapper who takes inspiration from Chinese culture as one of the driving forces behind his unique spin on modern music. His most recent EP, 西 (West), at its core, stems from classical Chinese poetry and history, as he combines traditional Chinese instruments with contemporary popular music styles, making the best of both worlds. 

Watch his newest music video, “Veil”, to hear Chinese traditional instruments such as the erhu, as he weaves different sounds between the past and present together with stunning choreography.

“Traditional Chinese music should be appropriately integrated into the right places - it can’t be too overt or too subtle. It has to be just right.” - Lay Zhang source 

Bringing your roots to the stage not only presents a part of who you are, but also introduces your culture to the world. Diving deep into your background and finding what resonates with you can help with the formulation of your next idea or theme! 

Image: Wikipedia

Edgar Barrera is a Mexican songwriter, producer, and musician who has written top Latin hits for singers such as Camilo’s “Vida de Rico,” Maluma’s “Hawái,” and Marc Anthony and Daddy Yankee’s “De Vuelta Pa’ la Vuelta”. 

Barrera believes his lyrics are one of his main strengths, where he helps artists with their stories and writes songs that feel “real to them”. His inspiration stems from directly connecting with artists and their stories (such as their backstory of becoming a singer), before using these ideas to craft a song that “reflects reality, without too much poetry”.

“I think the common trend among successful acts is that they’re being raw and authentic, being true to their sound and not trying to chase whatever is working for someone else.” - Edgar Barrera source.

Barrera is a songwriter, not a singer. He focuses on producing music that will stand out from other songs written by other writers, and he does this by listening to the real stories of other people. This way, he not only connects to the music professionals he’s working with, but also to the audience who may have similar stories. 

We have only listed a few of the many ways professional songwriters get their inspiration, and there are certainly many other ways to get inspired, such as reading literature or travelling the world! Find things unique to you. 

Inspiration can come in many forms, and it’s worth the time and effort to explore before crafting your next song. It is important to find something that matters to you, or an interesting topic that you want to write about. 

Although writer’s block can be frustrating and difficult, it can be overcome. Try not to let the block take over you, try to take a step back, think of it as a sign for you to get up, tune out of your studio for a bit, and search for that spark of inspiration. 

Perhaps your next song is closer than you think!