The Songwriters Podcast

What you didn't know about Britain's biggest songs.

  • 2. Eg White

    45:06
    Eg White is a British musician, songwriter and producer and is one of the most successful and in-demand pop songwriters of the 21st Century.He has written for the likes of Adele, Will Young, Pink, Florence and the Machine, Ellie Goulding, Sam Smith, Mary J Blige, Take That, Celine Dion and John Legend to name but a few. He is behind number one singles, has won two Ivor Novellos and a Grammy for his work and runs his own label. Eg was a member and songwriter of the successful 80’s pop band Brother Beyond.
  • 3. Sarah Blanchard

    49:20
    Sarah 'Baby' Blanchard has written global hits and multiple UK top ten singles for some of the biggest UK artists in the last decade.Her writing credits include artists such as Tom Grennan, Jess Glynne, Clean Bandit, Anne - Marie, Louis Tomlinson, Bebe Rexha, Galantis and Little Mix to name a few. She is the only female member of the Manchester-based songwriting collective called The Six and was named one of PRS’s top 100 most successful female songwriters in the UK in 2020.She is currently working on tracks with the likes of Freya Ridings, David Guetta, Gracey, Griff, Jason Derulo and Becky Hill as well as working with Will I AM’s right-hand man - Johnny Goldstein
  • 4. Jin Jin

    37:56
    Jin Jin is a number one hit-making, multi-platinum-selling songwriter and artist who is behind some of the biggest pop, R’n’B and Dance songs of the last 10 years.Her work has won Brits and BMI Awards and an Ivor Novello nomination. Her biggest songs have reached nearly 500 million streams and she has written on multiple number one singles and albums.She has worked alongside producers such as Fraser T Smith, Diplo and David Guetta, and worked with the likes of. Jax Jones, Little Mix, Madison Beer, Paloma Faith & Sigala, RAYE, Sean Paul, Rita Ora, Liam Payne, Clean Bandit, Craig David, Gary Barlow, Jennifer Lopez, Joel Corry, MNEK, Burna Boy as well as break-through artists Hailee Steinfeld and Becky G.
  • 1. Fiona Bevan

    46:25
    Fiona Bevan is a multi-platinum songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist who has fast become one of the most in-demand top line writers on the UK music scene.She has written international hit songs for the likes of One Direction, Lewis Capaldi, Tom Walker, Joy Crookes, Stefflon Don, 5 Seconds Of Summer, Mika, Steps and the Backstreet Boys and she has been a judge for the Ivor Novello Awards.As an artist in her own right, Fiona has toured with Ed Sheeran, Nick Mulvey and Adam Ant and her last EP, ‘Wild Angels Sweet Demons’ went straight to number 3 in the iTunes singer-songwriter chart.
  • 5. Dan Dare

    38:17
    Dan Dare: platinum selling, number 1 hit making songwriter, artist and producer. How did the main ‘dum dum dum’ hook of MNEK and Joel Corry’s Head and Heart come about? Louise Golbey asks Dan about his songwriting journey and what it is like being behind one of the biggest selling singles of 2020.Discover Dan’s music here.Dan Dare has worked with some of the industry’s top artists and songwriters in the pop, grime and dance world including Charli XCX, Becky Hill, Giggs, Wiley,  Marina & The Diamonds, Gavin James and Newton Faulkner, and with his long time dance production duo Kolidescsopes - he is behind MNEK and Joel Corey’s huge 2020 number 1 single Head and Heart.Produced by Bernard P Achampong for Unedited.
  • 4. Rob Davis

    33:31
    Rob Davis: Producer, Composer and Songwriter.  Which artist regrets turning down that iconic hit for Kylie?Louise Golbey asks Rob about his 70s glam rock days, high spirited recording sessions with Enrique Iglesias and what was unique about the chorus on 'Can't Get You Out of my Head'.Discover more music by Rob Davis.BIORob Davis is responsible for one of the most played and performed songs of the last decade.An accomplished musician - he started out as lead guitarist in 1970’s Glam Rock band - Mud which he wrote over 45 tracks for including their first single Flower Power and their big Top 10 hit L-L-LucyHe then went on to be one of the most in demand and successful songwriters in the UK. He has worked alongside DJ Paul Oakenfold on dance hits such as Not over Yet for Grace and later The Klaxons and Joy and Heartbreak for Movement 98. And has written songs for artists such as KYLIE MINOGUE * ENRIQUE IGLESIAS * SOPHIE ELLIS BEXTOR  * HOLLY VALANCE  * BLUE  * CHARLOTTE CHURCH, Mika, Rachel Stevens and Danni Minogue to name a few.In the early 2000’s he was behind three huge no.1 songs including Spiller’s track Groovejet (If This Aint Love) featuring Sophie Ellis Bextor and Kylie’s biggest hit Can’t Get you Out of My Head which he co-wrote and co-produced with Cathy Dennis.
  • 3. Mary Leay

    46:27
    Mary Leay: Songwriter, Topliner and Recording Artist.  Who else did the writers have in mind to record Cher's hit 'Believe'?Louise Golbey asks Mary about her love of lyrics, why she's passionate about music for film and why being a performer isn't for her.Discover more music by Mary here.BIOMary Leay is South London based S. Signed to Big Life and Reservoir publishing she has established herself as a key UK songwriter. Most well-known for co-writing the top 40 hit Piece of Me for MK and Becky Hill, which has now reached over 95 million plays on Spotify! Mary co-wrote Take It Like a Man for Cher's twenty-fifth studio album Closer to the Truth, and has also written and worked with X Factor boyband Union J, Rui De Silva and Sugar Jesus to name a few. Mary’s songwriting work has seen her across multiple genres - Pop, Country and Dance and as well as working with new artists and producers in the studio, Mary has written tracks both Film and TV over the years (most recently working with world renowned film director Gore Verbinksi on movie soundtrack ‘A Cure for Wellness’ Often featuring as the main vocalist on her co-written tracks - she also writes and performs for her own personal project ‘Mary The Lost’ and has just recently self released her debut EP ‘In This Silence.’Buy my songs on Apple Music.
  • 2. Omar Lye-Fook

    36:25
    Omar Lye-Fook MBE: British multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and Neo-Soul Pioneer.  Which 'recreational activity' influenced the lyrics to There's Nothing Like This?Louise Golbey asks Omar about his unique compostition style and how his collaboration with Stevie Wonder came about. And who really 'invented' Neo Soul?Discover more music by Omar here.Omar Lyefook MBE is without doubt, one of the greatest soul music talents the United Kingdom has produced in the last 40 years. If anyone has doubts about that, then they might want to consider the list of legendary artists who happily line up to collaborate with him musically, or simply sing his praises - from the late Leon Ware, Erykah Badu, Common, through to Carleen Anderson, D'Angelo, and Soul II Soul's Caron Wheeler, Angie Stone and U.K. artists Mica Paris, Courtney Pine, TY, Rodney P, Kele LeRoc, Natasha Watts and Estelle, all appreciate his truly original and unique voice, musicianship and songwriting talent.Buy my songs on Apple Music.
  • 1. Michelle Escoffery

    44:04
    Michelle Escoffery: Award Winning British Singer, Songwriter and Vocal Producer.  Who was 'Just a Little' written for before it got passed on to Liberty X?Louise Golbey asks Michelle about her process of writing songs, how song ideas came about, what triggers certain lyrics, subject matters and delving further into her work and discussing her highly successful music career.Discover more music by Michelle here.BIOMichelle first started writing when she was in the group The Escofferys alongside her sisters (signed to Atlantic Records in the US in 1991), this followed with her writing and performing in chart topping girl band Truce. She then went on to become one of only two female stock writers at EMI Music Publishing at the time, alongside Cathy Dennis. She's written songs for Tina Turner, Liberty X, Beverley Knight and Artful Dodger to name a few, arranged vocals for Rod Stewart and has performed with Stevie Wonder and George Michael. She has won a Brit Award, an Ivor Novello, coaches vocals for TV shows and has been a judge on the UK panel for the Eurovison song contest. She recently joined the board at PRS as Writer Director and teaches a song writing course at Tileyard Education in London. Buy my songs on Apple Music.