www.musicweek.com INTERVIEW STEVEROBSON
07.12.12 Music Week 21
Imagem-signed Brit writer Steve Robson is on top of the UK Albums and Singles charts – and he’s got his sights set on more success
HIS AND MURS
SONGWRITING BY TINA HART
I
t’s shaping up to be a very Merry Christmas for Steve Robson. The British songwriter collaborated closely with
Olly Murs for the UK’s current No.1 single (Troublemaker) and No.1 album (Right Place, Right Time) – helping keep the ex-X Factor contestant’s career burning bright on UK radio. And his new run of would-be hits doesn’t end
there: Robson – who co-wrote Everything About You and Same Mistakes for One Direction’s Up All Night album as well as Take That’s Shine and Beautiful World – has also co-penned Christina Aguilera’s upcoming single Just A Fool. Other 2012 successes include his cut Summer
Love on 1D’s new album Take Me Home and his co-write of Streets Of Glory on Paloma Faith’s Fall To Grace LP. Impressively, Robson is involved in six of this week’s Top 60 albums. Meanwhile, the US market’s ongoing love for Robson’s collaborations with country stars Rascal Flatts shows no sign of dying down. Adding strings to his bow, Ivor Novello-winning
Robson has also proven himself comfortable behind the desk of the recording studio in his time, producing hits such as Leona Lewis’ Run and Stop Crying Your Heart Out as well as Westlife’s What About Now. Music Week caught up with Robson –whose
other writing collabs include James Blunt, John Legend and Eliza Doolittle – to ask about his current chart triumph and what’s next for one of the UK’s most celebrated pop composers…
Congratulations on the No.1 success of Troublemaker. Can you tell us how you came to be involved with Olly Murs? Thanks. I was approached by Nick (Raphael) and Jo (Charrington) – who were then at Epic – to work with Olly at the beginning of his first album. I thought he was great on [X Factor] and had wanted to be involved with him. They were also very keen for Claude Kelly to be involved, which I was totally up for. Please Don’t Let Me Go came from the first session featuring all three of us. It’s always very easy writing with Olly as he had a very clear idea of who he was as an artist from the
beginning but he’s also up for trying anything. We’ve now written three of his No.1s together including Troublemaker as well as various other tracks from all three albums.
You’re part of the next Christina Aguilera single too. How was your experience of creating that? The Christina song Just A Fool was written with Wayne Hector and Claude Kelly. They are two of my favourite co-writers individually and both brilliant. The three of us together is a great co-write. We wrote it to pitch to Pink and it went immediately on hold but ultimately was cut by Adam Lambert. At the last minute it didn’t fit the record so it came back to us. Christina then heard and loved the song, and then the opportunity for the Blake Shelton duet came along.
Do you ever feel more pressured creating pieces for very high-profile artists such as Christina? I don’t think I feel any more or less pressure writing a song for a specific artist. I always try to be hard on myself in any writing situation... though if you’re in the room with an artist that you respect and are a fan of, you will always put a little more pressure on yourself to bring something great to the table.
Do you have a specific/magic formula when you’re creating a record? I don’t have any formula. I think the most important thing is to be sympathetic to the artist and understand what they want to achieve and help get them there while also maybe pushing in directions they wouldn’t perhaps have thought of.
WORLD CLASS ROBSON INDUSTRY OPINIONS
Nick Raphael, president, London Records: “Steve Robson is a world class UK songwriter/producer who continues to deliver massive hit singles across artists and genres. He has continued to have success for over 10 years and I look forward to working with him for many years to come.”
Sonny Takhar, managing director, Syco: “I love working with Steve; not
only is he one of the nicest guys in the business, he is one of the few UK producers that strives to makes records that have international ambition.”
Kim Frankiewicz, managing director, Imagem: “In the time I have worked with Steve he has delivered us hit after hit. He is a publisher’s dream, a true talent and a wonderful person too.”
ABOVE Right face, right time: Olly Murs (top right) is No.1 on the Official UK Album and Singles charts - largely thanks to Steve Robson’s chords and melodies
What’s the key to keeping your creativity fresh after selling more than 50 million records as a songwriter and producer? Writing with a variety of artists who challenge you in different ways. I try to be very open to new co-writes, especially unsigned/developing artists if I love what they’re writing or maybe just love their voice. Also, hearing great new music even a million miles from what I do can be very inspiring. I’m a big Zane Lowe fan.
Which of your awards means the most? An award from the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) for What Hurts The Most by Rascal Flatts as ‘One Of The Ten Songs I Wish I’d Written’, voted for by Nashville songwriters.
Do you think country music is undervalued this side of the Atlantic? It’s such a cultural thing that it’s difficult for it to cross over on any scale. The occasional song will hit outside of the US but they tend to be more pop/country classic-type songs and it’s down to the song rather than the artist I think. Taylor Swift is a phenomenon and can’t be pinned to one genre. She has fantastic pop sensibilities in her melodies and lyrics that give her a universal appeal far outside the country market. In fact a lot of her songs are too pop for country radio now.
How do you feel about iTunes not crediting writers? I think most people downloading music don’t have a huge desire to know who wrote a song and those who do have ways of finding out fairly easily. As long as people are downloading and enjoying my songs I’m happy...
Do you have one favourite track you’ve created or one that surprised you the most? One of my more recent tracks I love is a song I wrote with Eliza Doolittle and Wayne Hector called Big When I Was Little which will be out in the New Year.
If it’s possible to choose, what’s been the highlight of your career so far? Standing in Wembley Stadium watching 80,000 people sing along to Shine.
What advice would you give to aspiring/up-and- coming songwriters? Always try to write with people who are better than you and be open to anything.
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