KERI LYNN: WRITING THOSE HITS
Read 1853 Times Since
Posted on 0000-00-00
24: How long have you been singing and writing? Keri Lynn: I wrote my first song and recorded
it at 12 years old, but I have been singing forever.
24: For those that don’t know what
are some songs you wrote?
Keri Lynn: Usher-“Red Light”, Mary
J. Blidge-“Take Me As I am”, Chris Brown- “Young Love”,
Ludacris-“Run Away Love”, P.Diddy “After Love”, and
Omarion-“Ice Box”.
24: How did you go from writing songs
to actually having the songs you wrote presented to the artist you worked with?
Keri Lynn: Pretty much through networking and
I got to the point where I was working with every major producer in Atlanta.
24: When you write for an artist, do you
have a conversation with them before or is it more so them hearing a finished
song you did and them re-singing it?
Keri Lynn: I prefer to sit down with an artist
or have a conversation before writing a song so I can get an idea of what direction
the artist is trying to go in but normally I do a song with no particular aim
then it gets shopped more often.
24: Was there ever a time when you had
writer’s block?
Keri Lynn: I can say honestly co-writers help
prevent writers block and yes they were times when I got writers block, but
the ideas never really stop coming and a lot of times that comes from over working.
24: Who are some other writer’s
that inspire you?
Keri Lynn: Everyone in the Clutch j-Que, Candice
Nelson, Ezekiel”Zeke”Lewis, Balewa Muhammad.
24: Tell me about your Team Clutch?
Keri Lynn: It’s a group of writers that
has had individual success that decided to join together.
24: Has there ever been a time where you
wrote a song for an artist and it came out so good you had second thoughts about
letting it go?
Keri Lynn: I would never write a song on someone
else budget or do a song let the artist hear it then take it back, but I have
written songs with the intension of not keeping it for myself and kept the song
I think all artist who write has been through that.
24: How did you end up writing the chorus
for Ludacris song “Run Away Love”?
Keri Lynn: I was working with Pollow Da Don
at the studio and we were just grinding. He had rented out a studio for a couple
of months and I was there working on a whole bunch of songs and that song was
one of the hooks I did. It was actually done about 3 years ago and a lot of
artist wanted that track, but Pollow didn’t want just anyone with it and
I agreed. Then Ludacris got it and it worked out perfectly.
24: How different is it when working with
Pollow Da Don compared to Timbaland?
Keri Lynn: I would say Pollow is very opinionated
but in a good way and Timbaland is kind of the opposite during the process of
the song. Timbaland would actually leave and come back then tell me what he
thinks compared to Pollow is there every step of the way.
24: I recently read that you co-wrote
a song with Justin Timberlake for a track that will be featured on your new
album. Tell me about that?
Keri Lynn: We actually did about 4 songs together.
2 are finished 2 are not. This particular song though is called “Slow
Dance.” He wrote the hook and started the verses and I finished the song
and Jim Bean arranged it.
24: Tell me about your new album what
producers did you work with?
Keri Lynn: I worked with Tony Dixon, Tank,
of course Timbaland, Pollow Da Don, and a whole a lot of Danjahandz. I actually
kept it in house and I am just starting to realize that because I did over a
100 songs. The name of the album is “In A Perfect World” and when
I was working on my album I was looking for a signature sound, not big name
producers because when I met Pollow, he was not the Pollow everyone knows now.
At the time he didn’t have any tracks on anyone’s album even though
his beats were hot. Then Pollow introduced me into Timbaland and a lot of people
were saying he wasn’t hot anymore and doubting his talent.
24: Is there pressure when these labels
call you and expect hit record after hit record?
Keri Lynn: Yes, but at the same time I thrive
off of that same pressure and competition I like it.
24: What artist you have not yet worked
with yet that you would love to work with?
Keri Lynn: Lauryn Hill, Janet Jackson, and
Robin Thicke.
24: What’s next for Keri Lynn?
Keri Lynn: Getting this album out and doing
everything that goes with putting a successful album out, plus pick-up Timbaland’s
new album and if you’re looking forward to the Keri project, this will
help you what I’m about.
Interview by: Jay Carter
