The Art of Writing

Alyssa Reid: Songwriter

I am excited to be joined by multi-platinum selling Canadian singer-songwriter Alyssa Reid. Alyssa burst on to the music scene in 2011 and immediately received numerous awards and recognitions, including a nomination at the prestigious Juno Awards. An expert in songwriting, Alyssa discusses her strategy for creating songs from scratch, incorporating a personal element in music, and overcoming writer's block among various topics.

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Brandon Wong: Really happy to have you here. I learned that you started writing songs at the age of seven, so here is a quick question to kick things off. What was the initial inspiration for testing your hand at songwriting?

Alyssa Reid: So those songs that I wrote as a seven-year-old? Those were not good songs. They were incomplete. But what started me on that songwriting wave was my interest in writing poetry. I had this little notebook that I carried with me and I would write poems about anything. I think where that transitioned into songwriting is when I would start to put little melodies behind those poems. They didn't have the traditional structure of a song, but that was the first time I really started vocalizing those ideas that I had.

BW: On the music side of things, I believe you also play a few instruments as well? What's in your forte?

AR: I'm not an incredible musician when it comes to piano and guitar. I was self taught because I found that it was really easy to write everything at once. I know some people have different styles of writing — where some will write over a pre-existing melody — but I find that my best ideas come as a wave, and it works best for me when I'm just on the piano. The melody and lyrics all comes out at once.

BW: That leads right into my next question! When you're working on a new project, what usually comes first for you: the melody or the lyrics? What's easier for you to get started on?

AR: It totally depends. I feel like every session is different, especially when you're working with different producers. Some producers will come into a song with an idea that they had already been working on. Sometimes we decide to start from the ground up in a session, and start with a concept while the producer is creating something. We'll find the right vibe and start building off of that. I've also had ideas that I've written on the piano, and I bring it into the session where the producer uses it as a guide. So it really depends because every session is different.

BW: You've released quite a few albums and EPs. A few of your songs have done really well, charting on the Canadian Hot 100. Of all your songs, which would you say was your favorite song to write?

AR: I have a favorite that I wrote for somebody else, and I have a favorite of mine. The first one would be "Selfish" for Virginia to Vegas. That was one of the songs that was in my head exactly how it needed to be when I wrote it on the piano. From being a part of the beginning process, and watching another artist and their producer interpret my vision, to seeing the song interact with an audience, that was pretty special. I wasn't on the song, so I was able to look at it objectively. "Selfish" is a special song to me. I'm pretty proud of what the song was able to accomplish. It went from being a little concept in my head one night while I was playing the piano to being a song that helped shape someone's career.

I have a song of mine called "Suffocating" and that's one of my favorite songs that I've ever written. We didn't even take that one to radio, but it's the one that I feel the most connected to.

BW: Besides "Selfish", you've also written a lot of songs for other performers. "We are Stars" for Virginia to Vegas, "Not a Love Song" for Bulow, and "Fire" for Autumn Hill come to mind as examples. What are some of the challenges of writing a song that you are not performing?