When it comes to collaboration, songwriters Benny Blanco, Robopop, Ammar Malik, Ricky Reed, Ross Golan, Danny Parker, Jason Evigan and managers David Silberstein, Jeremy Levin and Andrew Luftman are aces at mixing work and fun. After all, their friendships have spanned years of co-writes and creativity, resulting in global hits like “Moves Like Jagger,” “Payphone” and “Stereo Hearts.” READ MORE...
Their meteoric rise might just be due to the history they share, as enduring friends and “brothers” (in spirit, and, in one instance, family); the support, trust and dedication they inspire in each other has sparked ingenious collaborations and tunes that rule the charts. As the accomplishments of this group proves, collaboration and co-writes are part of a growing trend in songwriting, and this inside look provides depth and insights behind the making of a hit song.
Having proudly supported these songwriters since the early stages of their careers, BMI was thrilled to be invited to join today’s hitmakers inside their recording studio in Venice Beach, Calif., as they shared stories of their friendships, their journey and their collaborative process. In this exclusive video event, moments of inspiration mix with authentic advice, genuine humor and a fundamental mutual respect for their craft and each other. Their journey is marked with laughter and lessons that resonate with songwriters and truly anyone who loves music. This is their story to tell.
Songwriter-producer Benny Blanco makes it look easy. He turns out signature grooves like Maroon 5’s GRAMMY-winning “Moves Like Jagger,” “Payphone” (both co-written with Malik), “Maps” and “Animals,” then pens passionate ballads like Ariana Grande’s “Why Try” and proves his genre-bending skills with Iggy Azalea and Rita Ora’s clap-filled, pop-rap mix “Black Widow.” His relationship with BMI started when he was still hoping to break into the industry: “All of the people at BMI have always been there for me,” he said at the BMI 2012 Pop Awards. “They really believed in me when people didn’t take my phone calls.”
Guitar-strumming songwriter Ammar Malik is also a master at genre blending: his latest hit, “Wild Wild Love,” performed by BMI affiliate Pitbull with G.R.L., mixes rap and pop with pitch-perfect accuracy and he also brings sing-along ease to Rixton’s “Me and My Heart.” A close friend of Blanco, he riffs easily with his co-writers, though it’s not just all about work for him: “The kind of bond you form through writing great music is totally different than any kind of friendship,” he told BMI.
Ricky Reed is the no-holds-barred frontman for Wallpaper. and a skillful songwriter-producer. In 2010, Reed gave himself permission to work in a new way that opened up a "creative renaissance" and produced "#STUPiDFACEDD," a pulse-of-the-culture track that went on to become the signature sound of the "gym-tan-laundry" lifestyle of MTV's Jersey Shore. His genius lies in combining verbal, rhythmic, melodic, technological, psychological, emotional, mental, physical and spiritual elements into pop hooks that stick to the collective consciousness, which resonates in hits like “Talk Dirty” and “Wiggle” by Jason Derulo and “Fireball” by Pitbull. Reed is managed by Larry Wade and Evan Bogart.
Don’t let the surfer-boy demeanor fool you. Songwriter-producer Jason Evigan takes his craft — though not himself — seriously. “Heart Attack,” the chart topper and BMI award-winning song he wrote for another artist and shopped to labels was searching for the right performer until his persistence (and Demi Lovato) brought it to life. “Talk Dirty,” also written by Reed, is another example of his hitmaking chops and his love for co-writes: “The best part about collaboration is friendship, learning, being surrounded by other songwriters.”
Ross Golan has penned several multiplatinum songs, though he has a healthy sense of self-deprecation: on collaborations, he says the best part is “Learning you’re not always right… You’ll learn real quick that other people might have better ideas than you.” That’s probably why one of his hits, “Compass” (performed by Lady Antebellum), talks about never being alone and trusting yourself. It certainly resonated with fans as it went on to become a BMI award-winning song. He has also received four Ovation Award nominations for his musical, The Wrong Man.
There’s a reason why he put Pop in his moniker. Born Daniel Omelio, songwriter-producer RoboPop is based in New York City but has his finger on the pulse of pop music, effortlessly churning out infectious songs that shoot to the top of the charts. One of his first hits, “Payphone,” stemmed from a jam session in a basement with Blanco and Malik: “I don’t really know where it came from, but we just found these chords and … a tempo.” For Keith Urban’s “Shame,” he also shows the requisite depth for country tunes, reinvigorating redemptive lyrics with a chorus that goes beyond any genre.
When Danny Parker isn’t writing songs, he’s populating his Instagram feed with fun photos, but really, he’s grateful to be around the hitmakers. He co-wrote “Chains” (performed by Nick Jonas) with Malik and Evigan: “I feel very special to be a part of this team and it’s really just a learning experience all the time. I’ve learned so much from Ammar; he’s kind of guided me through this crazy world. I would really just pick his brain all the time and just learn as much as I could. I just feel blessed,” he said.
The management team for these hitmakers rolls deep. As kids, Jeremy Levin, Blanco’s older brother, took Blanco to a record store to purchase singles for the first time. Levin also co-founded MegaHouse Music with David Silberstein, Malik’s childhood next-door neighbor and a former songwriter who found he was well suited for artist management. Together with Andrew Luftman, who focuses on press and production coordination, they make up a formidable team. Silberstein and Levin manage Malik, RoboPop and Parker, while Luftman manages Blanco. Decible Entertainment’s Larry Wade manages Reed.
Barbara Cane
Vice President, Writer/Publishers Relations, General Manager, Los Angeles
Barbara Cane manages and cultivates relationships with industry professionals including songwriters, composers, managers, attorneys, business management, agents and label executives in LA and on a national level working closely with her BMI Writer/Publisher colleagues in New York, London, Atlanta and Nashville. She has worked with a wide range of songwriters including legendary BMI Icons Stevie Nicks, Paul Simon, Carole King, David Foster, Crosby, Stills & Nash, John Fogerty, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Brian Wilson and BMI President Award recipients Adam Levine and Pitbull. Cane is one of today’s leading executives in the music industry as an advocate for songwriters and music publishers.
Samantha Cox is responsible for scouting and signing new songwriters and publishers, and maintaining relationships with existing BMI affiliates worldwide, as well as coordinating various songwriter nights, showcases and seminars. She plays an important role in the lives of songwriters, helping them build their careers through a number of outlets, including assembling their team, setting up collaborations and educating songwriters on the mechanics of the music industry. Cox has worked with such artists as Ke$ha, Lady Gaga, Benny Blanco, Ammar Malik, Bebe Rexha, 3 Doors Down, Shinedown, My Chemical Romance, Howie Day, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Flyleaf and many others.
Jessa Gelt
Associate Director, Writer/Publishers Relations
Jessa Gelt is responsible for recruiting and developing indie/alternative and pop songwriters and producers. She builds and continues to foster relations with managers, music publishers and the A&R community while nurturing existing relationships with BMI writers. Additionally, she facilitates coordination of songwriter showcases, workshops and events—at both local and national scales—and assists BMI writers and publishers with wide-ranging administrative and creative functions.
