August 7, 2023 • 24 mins
The amazing Georgia Ku has been a part of THREE #1s in ONE MONTH! That HAS to be a record, as she not only has her own #1 w TELYKast on "You Got Me", but she also helped write Regard & Ella Henderson's #1 "No Sleep" AND Rita Ora & Fatboy Slim's #1 "Praising You". Georgia shares what it's like having that many smashes out at one time!
She also talks about her latest song "No Plans", and how it was born!!
Georgia also takes on #FinkyFirsts!
Find out about:
Follow: @AmericasDance30 on all socials!
Count down the biggest dance songs in the country every week with Brian Fink on America’s Dance 30; listen on stations around the world!
Follow: @AmericasDance30 on all socials!
Count down the biggest dance songs in the country every week with Brian Fink on America’s Dance 30; listen on stations around the world!
She also talks about her latest song "No Plans", and how it was born!!
Georgia also takes on #FinkyFirsts!
Find out about:
- the first thing she wanted to be growing up
- the first time she performed in public
- the first song she ever wrote
- the first time she heard one of her songs on the radio
- the first time she realized being a songwriter was taking off for her
- the first thing she does when she has no plans
Follow: @AmericasDance30 on all socials!
Count down the biggest dance songs in the country every week with Brian Fink on America’s Dance 30; listen on stations around the world!
Follow: @AmericasDance30 on all socials!
Count down the biggest dance songs in the country every week with Brian Fink on America’s Dance 30; listen on stations around the world!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
Resting. I'm in a hotel roomand you're resting on a posse cuff against
the castle. So we are fullyimprovised. I tell everybody that's the best
way to have me. Anyways,dance counting down the biggest dance songs in
(00:29):
the country. This is America's Dancethirty. Georgia Ku. I know we've
only got a little bit of timeto chat, but I really want to
talk about all of the smashes you'vehelped write. So just it heads up,
you might want to cancel plans.We might be here until twenty twenty
four. Georgia, Welcome to America'sDance thirty for the first time. Thank
(00:56):
you, thanks so much for havingme. Congratulations on your smash you got
me with telecast going number one lastweek. That's so incredible. I know,
it's so good, so exciting,but waiting for this moment I did,
I wasn't sure whether it would come, and now it has. It's
just it's so cool. Well notonly that, but congratulations on three number
(01:19):
ones in one month, which hasto be a record. Oh no,
it's pretty cool. It is cool, very very grateful for all of that.
Because, of course we found outthat you had your hand in writing
No Sleep with Regard and Ella Hendersonand Rita Auran fat Boy slam braising you
(01:42):
so mind blowing. Yeah, it'scrazy. It is crazy to see it
all like in front of you aswell. Yeah, it's wild. Is
this the biggest month of your career? Yeah, I guess, I guess
to see that. I've never reallyseen that firsthand, like all of them
happening all at the same time.I think a few maybe like two years
(02:07):
ago when I featured on an AlanWalker song and I was also featuring on
a Felix Yen and Robin Schultz song. That was also quite a big year
as well, because I was doingquite a lot of features. So yeah,
I guess since then, it's like, yeah, definitely up there.
It's so nice to be consistent though. I feel like I'm always working,
(02:30):
and when it gets to that pointwhere like the work pays off, all
the work that you put in paysoff, it's just it's a really cool
moment. So, well, you'vegot that many songs out? Is it
hard to keep track of everything?Honestly, it's just that's like the music
industry. I just feel like you'vealways just got to be in the game.
And you know, there's some songsthat you write like seven years ago
(02:51):
and then they just all of asudden come out. You know, sometimes
they're not all working at the sametime and then they all just come out
at once. It's just Yeah,so I guess it is our to keep
track what it happens like this.Yeah, and I knew that a lot
of times that songwriter has had songsbanked up and producers as well. But
I think one of the most mindblowing things to find out, Like you
(03:14):
just mentioned, I was chatting withNina Nesbit and her number one with a
Lennium was sitting on her hard drivefor five years, which is crazy.
Then, like that's like so normalas well, it's not. It just
happens all the time. Yet,Well, before we talk all things you
got me, and before we talkabout your latest smash No Plans, let's
(03:37):
get to know Georgia Coup a littlebetter with Finky's First Okay, So,
I always love hearing the origins storyof artists. I read that you actually
wrote your first song when you werefifteen and started learning music at sixteen.
(04:00):
Yeah, so yeah, I rememberwriting my first song with like no instrument,
literally, just words and melody inmy room when I was fifteen.
And then I left school at sixteenand started to study music. But was
singing or songwriting or being in themusic industry actually the first thing you wanted
to do when you were growing upor was there something else? Not?
Really, I've always sang my wholelife. I've always sang. I've always
(04:24):
been like, look at me,and you know, performing all the time,
you know, in front, likecenter stage. And then I went
through a stage where I didn't wantit to be all about me, and
I think I was a teenager andI got kind of into myself and I
was like, no, that's embarrassing, don't want to perform. And then
that's when I started to songwrite.And when I first moved out to America,
I really realized that you could stillhave a career in the music industry
(04:47):
without being center stage. And Iwas like, I'm all for it.
I'll happily be behind the scenes.And yeah, that's when it really took
place. So it wasn't until Imean, I left school, like I
said, at sixteen, studied music, but it wasn't until I really ventured
out to America and moved to LAthat my career really took took off.
(05:09):
But it's awesome in your situation thatnot only are you having success behind everybody
else, but you're also having successup front as the performer yourself. It
is a nice feeling. There issomething about seeing your own name on there.
It's Yeah, it's a special feelingfor sure. Now. I read
an interview where you talked about howyou started performing with an acoustic band.
(05:33):
I think around twenty right, Yeah, I was. I was doing some
acoustic stuff just around London that wasearlier on. But yeah, it wasn't
really like I said, until Iwent to LA that my career itself,
as in having a professional career asa songwriter really took off. Do you
(05:56):
remember the first time you ever performedin public? Well, yeah, I
mean when I was younger, Idid a lot of singing competitions, so
I would I kind of built itup then. And then when I also
studied music, it was very muchlike I studied music. It wasn't it
was like composition and performance, sowe kind of got chucked on stage and
just kind of had to do it. So yeah, I think I think
(06:20):
I was starting to do singing competitionsfrom the age of like fifteen. When
you came to the States, didyou do stuff like American Idol or The
Voice or anything like that. No, no, no, honestly no,
Yeah, it just wasn't really mything. I think I was so intrigued
with the fact you could be asongwriter, fully a songwriter and not have
(06:43):
to be in the spotlight. Iwas just all for that. I think
it kind of scared me. Imean, being from the UK, obviously
it's a lot of a smaller industry, so going out to the US,
I think it scared me being annice to be honest, and that's when
I was like, whoa, ifyou can actually just be a songwriter behind
the scenes, like I'll take itum and then and then I'll signed a
record deal three years later. Sowell, as we mentioned, you are
(07:19):
celebrating three number ones in one monthwith helping write No Sleep with Regard and
Ella Henderson. You helped write PraisingYou with Rito Aura and Fat Boys Slim.
Not only those, but of courseyou've helped write some huge smashes.
(07:40):
In fact, can we pause fora second so that you can flex on
these big names and big songs thatyou wrote, name names, show the
receipts oh go on? Oh god? U So yeah, I mean I
guess my first light Bake six thatwas a song called Scared to Be Lonely
(08:01):
by Martin Garrison do Leeper, whichblew my mind to find out that you're
a part of that too. Yeah. And then I think probably the next
biggest record was a song that Ialso wrote and I sang on called so
Close, that was with Felix.Yen noted, yeah, and you not
only that, but you have alsowritten for some huge pop artists as well.
(08:26):
But do you remember the first songthat you wrote at fifteen? Yeah?
Do you? Actually I can't evenremember what it's called now, but
yeah, I do. Oh.I think it was called I knew solid
title really fun. I've definitely definitelygrown in my songwriting techniques, it said,
(08:46):
um, but yeah. It wasabout I had a I was with
had a boyfriend and I kind ofjust I just knew that I didn't want
to view him or kind of wantedto break up with him. And it's
from Savage. It's savage, andit was my way of just being like,
yeah, I just knew it wasn'tright, and I kind of wanted
to get out of it. Didyou use that song to break up with
(09:07):
them? I should have. Canyou imagine absolute savage? Oh my god,
that is hilarious. But you knowwhat, it just shows that when
you're going through a certain time,I'm so lucky. I'm grateful that when
you're going through something that I canjust go to the studio and just like
(09:28):
kind of get everything off my chest. That I mean, I feel like
a lot of people wouldn't know howto, like, they wouldn't know what
to use to get that out.Maybe if you journal or whatever. And
I think being able to songwrite,it's just like such a gift and so
amazing to like just get all thosefeelings out, you know. Yeah,
absolutely. And I've told a bunchof friends who are going through stuff because
(09:48):
I actually started writing poetry in highschool and it really got me through a
lot of hard times. Just puttingfeelings to paper, whether it's good or
whether it's crab. It just feelsso much better to get it out.
Yeah. Of course you've heard yoursongs on the radio a lot, because
(10:09):
you've got so many songs that you'vewritten. Do you remember the first time
you ever heard your song on theradio. Yeah, I do, actually,
and it's really funny. I thinkI can't even remember what I was
doing, but I it was eitherlike I was about to get in the
car and then I forgot something,so I like ran back, ran back
in to get something else, andthen I got back in the car and
(10:31):
I've turned the radio on it andthen Scared to Be Lonely came on,
and it was just it was sowild because if I'd just missed the moment,
you know, if I think thatminute of me running back or you
know, the timing just would havebeen off. And I just thought it
was just crazy because you as soonas I turned it on, literally they
were introduced and Scared to be Lonely. Yeah. And then the other thing,
(10:54):
the other feeling of just hearing yourown, like your actual own voice
on the radio is just absolutely wildtoo. That's how I felt was so
close. It's a shame though,because I'm not currently in America, so
I haven't really got to hear yougot me firsthand on the radio. A
lot of people have sent me likevideos and stuff, but yeah, I
just sucks because I'm like, Iwould love it would be so cool to
(11:16):
hear it again. But hey,well two things. First of all,
they always say that everything happens fora reason, Like when you're stuck in
traffic, they say that, Okay, well that's maybe God making you a
little later because there was an accidentfurther up that you didn't get into,
So it happened for a reason thatyou had to go back. Secondly,
was it weird hearing your own voiceon the radio? Did you sound like
(11:39):
you? Because they say that youdon't sound like yourself when you hear you.
I mean, I listened to thatsong probably about three thousand times before
it was on the radio. Likethe journey that these songs go before coming
out like is one heck of ajourney. So yeah, I think I
probably was. I was from sickof my own voice by the time.
(12:03):
Same I'm sick of my own chorestoo. Now, you wrapped up last
year an amazing year for you withthree hundred million streams through a hundred and
eighty three countries, which is justincredible. But do you remember the first
time you realize that songwriting is actuallytaking off for you? Ah? Probably,
(12:30):
honestly, probably when scared to belonely just started doing so well,
because we have all of these songsand don't like I have so many songs
still in a drop box, andI had some songs that came about like
before Scared to be lonely. ButI think it really isn't until you have
something that you are constantly hearing onradio, that you're seeing. I mean
(12:50):
the streams just go up and upand up, and you get to like
see it on the charts and howit's moving and even just seem out people
in every country. I was livingin the US at the time, and
the amount of people where you know, my family were in Spain, had
friends in the UK, like peoplewould just send me videos of it,
just oh, your songs on theradio, songs on the radio, And
(13:11):
I think it becomes more real whenmore people are like noticing it as well.
So yeah, I mean, althoughI did a bunch of songs leading
up to that, when you actuallyhave something that really starts to pop off,
I think that's the moment where you'relike, oh crap, and then
it gets even worse because then you'relike, oh, shoot, I have
to top this. Now you knowwhat's next, what's next? And that
(13:35):
is the that is like the bitsweet part of being a songwriter. It's
like you get something and then you'relike, Okay, what's next, And
you probably said to yourself, Okay, I have to turn off my notifications
at this point. Yeah, kindof true. Now, finally, in
honor of your latest smash, noplans, what is the first thing you
like to do when you don't haveany plans? Well, this is the
(13:58):
first example. I'm on holiday rightnow. You if you ask anyone about
the amount of people who are like, you're literally always on holiday. Because
I mean, to be fair,this has been the year of holidays.
And it's not just because I'm notdoing anything with my life. Obviously,
I like I work, I dowork hard, I promise, but I
(14:18):
think especially since COVID, I've reallyworked hard in finding the balance of work
and just living life, and sincemoving back to the UK and being closer
to my family, I just feellike, I mean, literally, this
week, I had looked at myschedule and I was pretty open. I
had no sessions in the diary,and my friend asked me if I wanted
(14:41):
to come away on holiday and we'rejust I was like, yeah, sure,
let's do it. And I thinkyour life's too short, you know
the balance when you when you putthe hard work in, I need to
be reinspired and going away and doingthose and making new memories, having new
experiences. I think it's just awhole, like a huge part of that.
So yeah, when I've got noplans, especially when it is August
(15:03):
and there's still no sun in London, I'm like, Okay, I'm chasing
it wherever it is. I'm there. So yeah, I'm in Portugal right
now because that's where the sun.That's where the sun is. Wherever the
sun is, and I've got noplans, that's where I'll be well before
we even go any further. Thankyou so much for taking time on your
(15:24):
vacation to chat with us. That'sso awesome of you. Thank you.
Let's talk about your number one smashyou got me with Telecast. When I
was chatting with them last week aboutthe song, they told me the history
(15:46):
about how it started a long timeago with Cream, which was so crazy.
How was the song born on yourend? Yeah, oh gosh,
this must be about it must beabout five or six years ago. Yeah,
same situation. So it was justa session with Cream. It was
going to be for them. Itwas with another songwriter called Alma, and
(16:10):
it was just us in the room. It was me, Alma and the
Cream guys, and they were reallyinterested. They did a version. They
were I think they for a whilethat we thought they were going to put
it out, and then I'm alsoI'm kind of sure it also went to
someone else and it was going tobe another kind of collaboration, and then
and then Telecast heard it, andthis is a few years ago, and
I think they just they always lovedit. But what I love is that
(16:34):
they kind of held out for theright moment, and this just shows that
it was the perfect moment. BecauseI had so much going on feature wise,
I just couldn't commit to a possiblerelease date or a time slot.
So I think, you know,timing is key, and the fact that
it was written so long ago.The journey has been such a in our
(16:56):
journey, but yeah, it's justit from there to hear it has been
about six years. But yeah,it just proves that it was crazy.
Now, as a as a songwriterwho's got so much banked up, do
you kind of just write your stuffand let go of it, or do
you constantly think about, you know, the stuff that you've got in the
(17:17):
past that you're holding onto all thetime, honestly, Like, because my
dropbox has so many songs in Honestly, if I showed you it and there's
some songs like you say, Iwill forget about completely and then start like
a some kind of brief will comeup and then we look at something in
this strong ro or this style,and then I'm like, oh, I
have something like this, and whatis kind of what happened with you?
(17:41):
Got me? As music evolves.The great thing about having a good top
line is that you can always changethe music to fit whatever we're coming into,
whatever genre of or the vibe ofif you know, dance goes into
more like drum and bass or whatever, you can just change that stuff to
make it work. So it's niceto have stuff that you can literally just
(18:03):
go back to and kind of evolveit a little bit to make the current
times. So yeah, but it'sa mix. Sometimes I completely forget about
songs and I'm like, oh mygosh. I'm my manager will remind me
of it, or like say,let's pitch this, and I'm like,
oh, oh my gosh. Sometimesshe'll send me a song and be like,
oh, this song someone wants thisand I'm like, I didn't write
that, and no joke. Iwill listen to it and I'll be like,
(18:26):
oh my gosh, I remember thissong. Like I'll actually forget that.
I don't really even remember the title. It's so crazy. It's pretty
bad. But it's just because there'sjust the roster. There's just so many
songs. That is so insane.Yeah. Telecast had mentioned that the version
of it kind of change through theyears from it going from Cream to Them,
(18:47):
But did the top line change atall? Did you go back and
change anything to the original? No, that is literally my vocal from six
years ago. Wow. Wait,you didn't even re record it. That
was the original. Yeah. Wow, it sounds so good. Yeah,
like ad lives and everything, likeI didn't even add anything like that.
That was that, Yeah, exactlyhow it was. Yeah, that is
(19:10):
amazing. Well, let's talk aboutyour new smash No Plans. How was
that song born that came out ofI had just left LA. I had
no idea whether I was going togo back to LA because it was like
pretty much lockdown and me going backto my home country kind of. I
didn't know whether I could get backinto America since I'm not a citizen,
(19:30):
and because of everything that had happenedwith lockdown and stuff, I was just
I honestly, I was just soinspired. I was just so desperate to
get in the room with people.And before that, I'd gone to Sweden
and had like so much inspiration.In Sweden, I was with some incredible
songwriters and then I just was like, right, I'm going to do a
London trip and I had it wasa session with Ella Air and a producer
(19:53):
called Maestro, and we're originally goingto do it for Ella and then she
I remembered getting on the mic anddoing all of these melodies and she and
obviously I'm sure you know she's gotan absolutely incredible voice, and she was
like, no, George, youneed to sing it like you need to
cut the vocal like you sit.Even I was like, okay, sure,
I'll do the demo for you tocut at some point, but she
(20:14):
was just like, but you justsound so good on it. And I
just sang it on a handheld micin the room and it was just something
so cool. I just felt likeit brought back my UK roots. It
had like a UK vibe to it. Sonically, and then the lyrics were
just so easy and conversational. Ifeel like that's something you're always looking for
(20:36):
it when writing a song, andyeah, I don't know, there's just
something that clicked with it. Andobviously when obviously Ellen and the guys though,
they were happy with me to haveit for myself and I when she
said no, you should do it, it was just like a click moment
of like, you know what,I actually really enjoy sing this and I
do feel like it's me and yeah, I don't know. And then we
(20:57):
sent it to the label and theyabsolutely loved it too, and we just
did some additional production on it.I recut some of the vocals because I
was like, I can't just dolike I mean, sometimes you can get
away with it, but I waslike, let's just clean this up a
little bit. So yeah, thatwas it, really and then then we
(21:17):
put it out and it's just it'sdoing really well. It's doing really well.
I'm really happy with the way thatit's going, so hopefully onwards and
upwards. Is it tough as asongwriter who gives so much a way to
decide what you're going to give toother artists or what you're going to keep
for yourself. Yeah, it isquite hard to be honest, because being
(21:38):
a songwriter and an artist at thesame time, if an opportunity comes around
and you're like, it's undeniable thatyou should give it because the artist is
a big artist, you know it'sgoing to do really well, or you
hope that it's going to do reallywell. You never want to be that
guy to be like, no,I'm keeping it, you know, because
(21:59):
as a song right, you wantthe best for your songwrise, you want
to champion each other. And I'mjust I've never been that person to just
be like, if there is abetter opportunity, I usually will give it
and be like, you know what, yeah, I want the best for
all of us here, and maybeyou know, if it is an A
list artist, it will probably bebetter for all of our careers, including
my own. But yeah, itis. It can be hard sometimes because
(22:25):
you know, if I did notice, and I think this is the biggest
reason why I ended up becoming anartist too, is that when I write
songs, I feel like I puteverything in them and that you can hear
it in my voice and when andmaybe that's just because I am an artist
and it's I wrote it, butwhen there's been sometimes you know, you'll
give it to other artists and they'llcut it and you're like, oh,
I really want them to have thissong, but I don't believe them,
(22:47):
like I don't believe it, likeI can't hear it in their voice.
Nay, I think gave me atrouble. Yeah, but yeah, no,
that is that can be the hardestthing. And sometimes they'll recut it
again and you'll just say, canyou just give me a little bit more
like grit or like you know,energy or whatever, and that will make
(23:07):
a lot of difference. But that, yeah, that can be That can
be a hard thing of deciding betweenit. But that's the good thing about
also being in dance music because alot of the time you're not really giving
it to an arts you're giving itto a DJ, so you don't really
That's why a lot of the maskscan keep my vocal on it, and
that's where I've kind of had moresuccess in the dance world because my vocal
(23:30):
has stayed on those songs and thenit's just been kind of rolling off the
back of them. So yeah,it's nice to wear all hats so well.
You do such an amazing job atit. No words can properly express
the congratulations on all your success.It is so amazing, not only on
(23:52):
the number one with telecast, yougot me no Plans, your own song,
and of course the umteenth number ofsongs that you have written for other
artists. Georgia Coup, Thank youso much for your time on America's Dance
thirty with us. Thank you,Thank you so much for having me and
I really really appreciate all of that. Thank you. America's Dance thirty Counting
(24:15):
down the biggest dance songs in thecountry. America's Dance thirty
Resting. I'm in a hotel roomand you're resting on a posse cuff against
the castle. So we are fullyimprovised. I tell everybody that's the best
way to have me. Anyways,dance counting down the biggest dance songs in
(00:29):
the country. This is America's Dancethirty. Georgia Ku. I know we've
only got a little bit of timeto chat, but I really want to
talk about all of the smashes you'vehelped write. So just it heads up,
you might want to cancel plans.We might be here until twenty twenty
four. Georgia, Welcome to America'sDance thirty for the first time. Thank
(00:56):
you, thanks so much for havingme. Congratulations on your smash you got
me with telecast going number one lastweek. That's so incredible. I know,
it's so good, so exciting,but waiting for this moment I did,
I wasn't sure whether it would come, and now it has. It's
just it's so cool. Well notonly that, but congratulations on three number
(01:19):
ones in one month, which hasto be a record. Oh no,
it's pretty cool. It is cool, very very grateful for all of that.
Because, of course we found outthat you had your hand in writing
No Sleep with Regard and Ella Hendersonand Rita Auran fat Boy slam braising you
(01:42):
so mind blowing. Yeah, it'scrazy. It is crazy to see it
all like in front of you aswell. Yeah, it's wild. Is
this the biggest month of your career? Yeah, I guess, I guess
to see that. I've never reallyseen that firsthand, like all of them
happening all at the same time.I think a few maybe like two years
(02:07):
ago when I featured on an AlanWalker song and I was also featuring on
a Felix Yen and Robin Schultz song. That was also quite a big year
as well, because I was doingquite a lot of features. So yeah,
I guess since then, it's like, yeah, definitely up there.
It's so nice to be consistent though. I feel like I'm always working,
(02:30):
and when it gets to that pointwhere like the work pays off, all
the work that you put in paysoff, it's just it's a really cool
moment. So, well, you'vegot that many songs out? Is it
hard to keep track of everything?Honestly, it's just that's like the music
industry. I just feel like you'vealways just got to be in the game.
And you know, there's some songsthat you write like seven years ago
(02:51):
and then they just all of asudden come out. You know, sometimes
they're not all working at the sametime and then they all just come out
at once. It's just Yeah,so I guess it is our to keep
track what it happens like this.Yeah, and I knew that a lot
of times that songwriter has had songsbanked up and producers as well. But
I think one of the most mindblowing things to find out, Like you
(03:14):
just mentioned, I was chatting withNina Nesbit and her number one with a
Lennium was sitting on her hard drivefor five years, which is crazy.
Then, like that's like so normalas well, it's not. It just
happens all the time. Yet,Well, before we talk all things you
got me, and before we talkabout your latest smash No Plans, let's
(03:37):
get to know Georgia Coup a littlebetter with Finky's First Okay, So,
I always love hearing the origins storyof artists. I read that you actually
wrote your first song when you werefifteen and started learning music at sixteen.
(04:00):
Yeah, so yeah, I rememberwriting my first song with like no instrument,
literally, just words and melody inmy room when I was fifteen.
And then I left school at sixteenand started to study music. But was
singing or songwriting or being in themusic industry actually the first thing you wanted
to do when you were growing upor was there something else? Not?
Really, I've always sang my wholelife. I've always sang. I've always
(04:24):
been like, look at me,and you know, performing all the time,
you know, in front, likecenter stage. And then I went
through a stage where I didn't wantit to be all about me, and
I think I was a teenager andI got kind of into myself and I
was like, no, that's embarrassing, don't want to perform. And then
that's when I started to songwrite.And when I first moved out to America,
I really realized that you could stillhave a career in the music industry
(04:47):
without being center stage. And Iwas like, I'm all for it.
I'll happily be behind the scenes.And yeah, that's when it really took
place. So it wasn't until Imean, I left school, like I
said, at sixteen, studied music, but it wasn't until I really ventured
out to America and moved to LAthat my career really took took off.
(05:09):
But it's awesome in your situation thatnot only are you having success behind everybody
else, but you're also having successup front as the performer yourself. It
is a nice feeling. There issomething about seeing your own name on there.
It's Yeah, it's a special feelingfor sure. Now. I read
an interview where you talked about howyou started performing with an acoustic band.
(05:33):
I think around twenty right, Yeah, I was. I was doing some
acoustic stuff just around London that wasearlier on. But yeah, it wasn't
really like I said, until Iwent to LA that my career itself,
as in having a professional career asa songwriter really took off. Do you
(05:56):
remember the first time you ever performedin public? Well, yeah, I
mean when I was younger, Idid a lot of singing competitions, so
I would I kind of built itup then. And then when I also
studied music, it was very muchlike I studied music. It wasn't it
was like composition and performance, sowe kind of got chucked on stage and
just kind of had to do it. So yeah, I think I think
(06:20):
I was starting to do singing competitionsfrom the age of like fifteen. When
you came to the States, didyou do stuff like American Idol or The
Voice or anything like that. No, no, no, honestly no,
Yeah, it just wasn't really mything. I think I was so intrigued
with the fact you could be asongwriter, fully a songwriter and not have
(06:43):
to be in the spotlight. Iwas just all for that. I think
it kind of scared me. Imean, being from the UK, obviously
it's a lot of a smaller industry, so going out to the US,
I think it scared me being annice to be honest, and that's when
I was like, whoa, ifyou can actually just be a songwriter behind
the scenes, like I'll take itum and then and then I'll signed a
record deal three years later. Sowell, as we mentioned, you are
(07:19):
celebrating three number ones in one monthwith helping write No Sleep with Regard and
Ella Henderson. You helped write PraisingYou with Rito Aura and Fat Boys Slim.
Not only those, but of courseyou've helped write some huge smashes.
(07:40):
In fact, can we pause fora second so that you can flex on
these big names and big songs thatyou wrote, name names, show the
receipts oh go on? Oh god? U So yeah, I mean I
guess my first light Bake six thatwas a song called Scared to Be Lonely
(08:01):
by Martin Garrison do Leeper, whichblew my mind to find out that you're
a part of that too. Yeah. And then I think probably the next
biggest record was a song that Ialso wrote and I sang on called so
Close, that was with Felix.Yen noted, yeah, and you not
only that, but you have alsowritten for some huge pop artists as well.
(08:26):
But do you remember the first songthat you wrote at fifteen? Yeah?
Do you? Actually I can't evenremember what it's called now, but
yeah, I do. Oh.I think it was called I knew solid
title really fun. I've definitely definitelygrown in my songwriting techniques, it said,
(08:46):
um, but yeah. It wasabout I had a I was with
had a boyfriend and I kind ofjust I just knew that I didn't want
to view him or kind of wantedto break up with him. And it's
from Savage. It's savage, andit was my way of just being like,
yeah, I just knew it wasn'tright, and I kind of wanted
to get out of it. Didyou use that song to break up with
(09:07):
them? I should have. Canyou imagine absolute savage? Oh my god,
that is hilarious. But you knowwhat, it just shows that when
you're going through a certain time,I'm so lucky. I'm grateful that when
you're going through something that I canjust go to the studio and just like
(09:28):
kind of get everything off my chest. That I mean, I feel like
a lot of people wouldn't know howto, like, they wouldn't know what
to use to get that out.Maybe if you journal or whatever. And
I think being able to songwrite,it's just like such a gift and so
amazing to like just get all thosefeelings out, you know. Yeah,
absolutely. And I've told a bunchof friends who are going through stuff because
(09:48):
I actually started writing poetry in highschool and it really got me through a
lot of hard times. Just puttingfeelings to paper, whether it's good or
whether it's crab. It just feelsso much better to get it out.
Yeah. Of course you've heard yoursongs on the radio a lot, because
(10:09):
you've got so many songs that you'vewritten. Do you remember the first time
you ever heard your song on theradio. Yeah, I do, actually,
and it's really funny. I thinkI can't even remember what I was
doing, but I it was eitherlike I was about to get in the
car and then I forgot something,so I like ran back, ran back
in to get something else, andthen I got back in the car and
(10:31):
I've turned the radio on it andthen Scared to Be Lonely came on,
and it was just it was sowild because if I'd just missed the moment,
you know, if I think thatminute of me running back or you
know, the timing just would havebeen off. And I just thought it
was just crazy because you as soonas I turned it on, literally they
were introduced and Scared to be Lonely. Yeah. And then the other thing,
(10:54):
the other feeling of just hearing yourown, like your actual own voice
on the radio is just absolutely wildtoo. That's how I felt was so
close. It's a shame though,because I'm not currently in America, so
I haven't really got to hear yougot me firsthand on the radio. A
lot of people have sent me likevideos and stuff, but yeah, I
just sucks because I'm like, Iwould love it would be so cool to
(11:16):
hear it again. But hey,well two things. First of all,
they always say that everything happens fora reason, Like when you're stuck in
traffic, they say that, Okay, well that's maybe God making you a
little later because there was an accidentfurther up that you didn't get into,
So it happened for a reason thatyou had to go back. Secondly,
was it weird hearing your own voiceon the radio? Did you sound like
(11:39):
you? Because they say that youdon't sound like yourself when you hear you.
I mean, I listened to thatsong probably about three thousand times before
it was on the radio. Likethe journey that these songs go before coming
out like is one heck of ajourney. So yeah, I think I
probably was. I was from sickof my own voice by the time.
(12:03):
Same I'm sick of my own chorestoo. Now, you wrapped up last
year an amazing year for you withthree hundred million streams through a hundred and
eighty three countries, which is justincredible. But do you remember the first
time you realize that songwriting is actuallytaking off for you? Ah? Probably,
(12:30):
honestly, probably when scared to belonely just started doing so well,
because we have all of these songsand don't like I have so many songs
still in a drop box, andI had some songs that came about like
before Scared to be lonely. ButI think it really isn't until you have
something that you are constantly hearing onradio, that you're seeing. I mean
(12:50):
the streams just go up and upand up, and you get to like
see it on the charts and howit's moving and even just seem out people
in every country. I was livingin the US at the time, and
the amount of people where you know, my family were in Spain, had
friends in the UK, like peoplewould just send me videos of it,
just oh, your songs on theradio, songs on the radio, And
(13:11):
I think it becomes more real whenmore people are like noticing it as well.
So yeah, I mean, althoughI did a bunch of songs leading
up to that, when you actuallyhave something that really starts to pop off,
I think that's the moment where you'relike, oh crap, and then
it gets even worse because then you'relike, oh, shoot, I have
to top this. Now you knowwhat's next, what's next? And that
(13:35):
is the that is like the bitsweet part of being a songwriter. It's
like you get something and then you'relike, Okay, what's next, And
you probably said to yourself, Okay, I have to turn off my notifications
at this point. Yeah, kindof true. Now, finally, in
honor of your latest smash, noplans, what is the first thing you
like to do when you don't haveany plans? Well, this is the
(13:58):
first example. I'm on holiday rightnow. You if you ask anyone about
the amount of people who are like, you're literally always on holiday. Because
I mean, to be fair,this has been the year of holidays.
And it's not just because I'm notdoing anything with my life. Obviously,
I like I work, I dowork hard, I promise, but I
(14:18):
think especially since COVID, I've reallyworked hard in finding the balance of work
and just living life, and sincemoving back to the UK and being closer
to my family, I just feellike, I mean, literally, this
week, I had looked at myschedule and I was pretty open. I
had no sessions in the diary,and my friend asked me if I wanted
(14:41):
to come away on holiday and we'rejust I was like, yeah, sure,
let's do it. And I thinkyour life's too short, you know
the balance when you when you putthe hard work in, I need to
be reinspired and going away and doingthose and making new memories, having new
experiences. I think it's just awhole, like a huge part of that.
So yeah, when I've got noplans, especially when it is August
(15:03):
and there's still no sun in London, I'm like, Okay, I'm chasing
it wherever it is. I'm there. So yeah, I'm in Portugal right
now because that's where the sun.That's where the sun is. Wherever the
sun is, and I've got noplans, that's where I'll be well before
we even go any further. Thankyou so much for taking time on your
(15:24):
vacation to chat with us. That'sso awesome of you. Thank you.
Let's talk about your number one smashyou got me with Telecast. When I
was chatting with them last week aboutthe song, they told me the history
(15:46):
about how it started a long timeago with Cream, which was so crazy.
How was the song born on yourend? Yeah, oh gosh,
this must be about it must beabout five or six years ago. Yeah,
same situation. So it was justa session with Cream. It was
going to be for them. Itwas with another songwriter called Alma, and
(16:10):
it was just us in the room. It was me, Alma and the
Cream guys, and they were reallyinterested. They did a version. They
were I think they for a whilethat we thought they were going to put
it out, and then I'm alsoI'm kind of sure it also went to
someone else and it was going tobe another kind of collaboration, and then
and then Telecast heard it, andthis is a few years ago, and
I think they just they always lovedit. But what I love is that
(16:34):
they kind of held out for theright moment, and this just shows that
it was the perfect moment. BecauseI had so much going on feature wise,
I just couldn't commit to a possiblerelease date or a time slot.
So I think, you know,timing is key, and the fact that
it was written so long ago.The journey has been such a in our
(16:56):
journey, but yeah, it's justit from there to hear it has been
about six years. But yeah,it just proves that it was crazy.
Now, as a as a songwriterwho's got so much banked up, do
you kind of just write your stuffand let go of it, or do
you constantly think about, you know, the stuff that you've got in the
(17:17):
past that you're holding onto all thetime, honestly, Like, because my
dropbox has so many songs in Honestly, if I showed you it and there's
some songs like you say, Iwill forget about completely and then start like
a some kind of brief will comeup and then we look at something in
this strong ro or this style,and then I'm like, oh, I
have something like this, and whatis kind of what happened with you?
(17:41):
Got me? As music evolves.The great thing about having a good top
line is that you can always changethe music to fit whatever we're coming into,
whatever genre of or the vibe ofif you know, dance goes into
more like drum and bass or whatever, you can just change that stuff to
make it work. So it's niceto have stuff that you can literally just
(18:03):
go back to and kind of evolveit a little bit to make the current
times. So yeah, but it'sa mix. Sometimes I completely forget about
songs and I'm like, oh mygosh. I'm my manager will remind me
of it, or like say,let's pitch this, and I'm like,
oh, oh my gosh. Sometimesshe'll send me a song and be like,
oh, this song someone wants thisand I'm like, I didn't write
that, and no joke. Iwill listen to it and I'll be like,
(18:26):
oh my gosh, I remember thissong. Like I'll actually forget that.
I don't really even remember the title. It's so crazy. It's pretty
bad. But it's just because there'sjust the roster. There's just so many
songs. That is so insane.Yeah. Telecast had mentioned that the version
of it kind of change through theyears from it going from Cream to Them,
(18:47):
But did the top line change atall? Did you go back and
change anything to the original? No, that is literally my vocal from six
years ago. Wow. Wait,you didn't even re record it. That
was the original. Yeah. Wow, it sounds so good. Yeah,
like ad lives and everything, likeI didn't even add anything like that.
That was that, Yeah, exactlyhow it was. Yeah, that is
(19:10):
amazing. Well, let's talk aboutyour new smash No Plans. How was
that song born that came out ofI had just left LA. I had
no idea whether I was going togo back to LA because it was like
pretty much lockdown and me going backto my home country kind of. I
didn't know whether I could get backinto America since I'm not a citizen,
(19:30):
and because of everything that had happenedwith lockdown and stuff, I was just
I honestly, I was just soinspired. I was just so desperate to
get in the room with people.And before that, I'd gone to Sweden
and had like so much inspiration.In Sweden, I was with some incredible
songwriters and then I just was like, right, I'm going to do a
London trip and I had it wasa session with Ella Air and a producer
(19:53):
called Maestro, and we're originally goingto do it for Ella and then she
I remembered getting on the mic anddoing all of these melodies and she and
obviously I'm sure you know she's gotan absolutely incredible voice, and she was
like, no, George, youneed to sing it like you need to
cut the vocal like you sit.Even I was like, okay, sure,
I'll do the demo for you tocut at some point, but she
(20:14):
was just like, but you justsound so good on it. And I
just sang it on a handheld micin the room and it was just something
so cool. I just felt likeit brought back my UK roots. It
had like a UK vibe to it. Sonically, and then the lyrics were
just so easy and conversational. Ifeel like that's something you're always looking for
(20:36):
it when writing a song, andyeah, I don't know, there's just
something that clicked with it. Andobviously when obviously Ellen and the guys though,
they were happy with me to haveit for myself and I when she
said no, you should do it, it was just like a click moment
of like, you know what,I actually really enjoy sing this and I
do feel like it's me and yeah, I don't know. And then we
(20:57):
sent it to the label and theyabsolutely loved it too, and we just
did some additional production on it.I recut some of the vocals because I
was like, I can't just dolike I mean, sometimes you can get
away with it, but I waslike, let's just clean this up a
little bit. So yeah, thatwas it, really and then then we
(21:17):
put it out and it's just it'sdoing really well. It's doing really well.
I'm really happy with the way thatit's going, so hopefully onwards and
upwards. Is it tough as asongwriter who gives so much a way to
decide what you're going to give toother artists or what you're going to keep
for yourself. Yeah, it isquite hard to be honest, because being
(21:38):
a songwriter and an artist at thesame time, if an opportunity comes around
and you're like, it's undeniable thatyou should give it because the artist is
a big artist, you know it'sgoing to do really well, or you
hope that it's going to do reallywell. You never want to be that
guy to be like, no,I'm keeping it, you know, because
(21:59):
as a song right, you wantthe best for your songwrise, you want
to champion each other. And I'mjust I've never been that person to just
be like, if there is abetter opportunity, I usually will give it
and be like, you know what, yeah, I want the best for
all of us here, and maybeyou know, if it is an A
list artist, it will probably bebetter for all of our careers, including
my own. But yeah, itis. It can be hard sometimes because
(22:25):
you know, if I did notice, and I think this is the biggest
reason why I ended up becoming anartist too, is that when I write
songs, I feel like I puteverything in them and that you can hear
it in my voice and when andmaybe that's just because I am an artist
and it's I wrote it, butwhen there's been sometimes you know, you'll
give it to other artists and they'llcut it and you're like, oh,
I really want them to have thissong, but I don't believe them,
(22:47):
like I don't believe it, likeI can't hear it in their voice.
Nay, I think gave me atrouble. Yeah, but yeah, no,
that is that can be the hardestthing. And sometimes they'll recut it
again and you'll just say, canyou just give me a little bit more
like grit or like you know,energy or whatever, and that will make
(23:07):
a lot of difference. But that, yeah, that can be That can
be a hard thing of deciding betweenit. But that's the good thing about
also being in dance music because alot of the time you're not really giving
it to an arts you're giving itto a DJ, so you don't really
That's why a lot of the maskscan keep my vocal on it, and
that's where I've kind of had moresuccess in the dance world because my vocal
(23:30):
has stayed on those songs and thenit's just been kind of rolling off the
back of them. So yeah,it's nice to wear all hats so well.
You do such an amazing job atit. No words can properly express
the congratulations on all your success.It is so amazing, not only on
(23:52):
the number one with telecast, yougot me no Plans, your own song,
and of course the umteenth number ofsongs that you have written for other
artists. Georgia Coup, Thank youso much for your time on America's Dance
thirty with us. Thank you,Thank you so much for having me and
I really really appreciate all of that. Thank you. America's Dance thirty Counting
(24:15):
down the biggest dance songs in thecountry. America's Dance thirty
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