Inspiration is everywhere, at all times
What aspects of your own songwriting processes do you plan to share with Concordia students?
Ariane Moffatt: Even after many years, a new song is still a gift from life. It is mysterious, and there is no specific path to finding a song that I can teach. It’s each person’s work to discover that.
Questlove, in his book The Creative Quest, encapsulates this idea well: “I’m not here to tell people what to do; I’m here to tell people what they can do.”
Ada Lea: I’m excited to share an aspect of my practice called “the songwriting method.” It’s a method my partner and I have been developing for the past few years with some friends. The premise is that you produce a song every three days, for one month, and repeat this process four times a year. By the end of the year, you’ll have 40 songs. It’s about just writing the song, no matter what stage of creation it’s at, no matter how “bad” or “good.” It gets people out of their heads and into the habit of creating with ease, support and play.
It’s been amazing to see how helpful this method is in unlocking people’s creative songwriting minds — we’re hoping to publish the concepts in some sort of book soon, to help more people along their journey.
How do you think songwriting can empower students to find their own unique voices?
AL: I think the path to empowerment is a slow and nurturing one, rooted in vulnerability. It’s about breaking from the image we think others have of us, or from the one we are desperately trying to project. In any creative act, the biggest barrier people face is often themselves, be it music, painting, drawing, photography, film, etcetera. Ariane and I aim to share specific songwriting techniques with students, but I believe empowerment comes from the simple act of “doing.” It’s found in exploration, curiosity, openness and the willingness to potentially embarrass yourself.
AM: Songwriting is still therapeutic for me, and it remains the best way I know to connect with others. I felt the most urgent need to address these aspects when I was my students’ age. So much was happening emotionally!
Songwriting serves as an incredible tool to channel and elevate all this intensity, bringing us closer to our true selves.
What insights do you hope to offer to aspiring singers or songwriters?
AM: As soon as we met, Alexandra and I realized we shared a common desire: to help students simplify and “de-dramatize” songwriting, instilling faith that it doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult. This involves developing a writing routine free from self-judgment, embracing creative flow instead of being blocked by intrusive or devaluing thoughts. Essentially, it means writing a lot, frequently, always looking ahead and not to the past.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content
