We got to know singer/songwriter Beea back in March of this year. At that point she had just released her debut EP, Paranoia. We spoke about a range of topics from how she got started in music to what actually makes her paranoid.
One thing we didn’t talk too much about, though, was her songwriting process. With the amount of time, thought, and emotion that go into Beea’s songs, I thought it was only appropriate to delve further into her process of making them.
Step 1: Write down a list of different song topics
“Every time I come across a great subject or idea for a new song, I always write it down. Most of the time it’s just personal stuff that’s been happening to me or to the people I love (like having my heart broken or seeing a friend struggling with their mental health). But sometimes it can be as simple as watching a movie or the news, listening to a song, or just starring at a window. Having a list of different topics that interest you could potentially fill you with a lot of inspiration and give you an amazing place to start.”
Step 2: If you feel like writing about it, don’t hold back
“I always recommend people to keep a journal (or a folder in your laptop) so you can keep writing if you’re feeling inspired or have something to say. Don’t ever think that it’s wrong to write stuff when there’s no song or melody at all. You may or may not use it in the future, but you could be trying to finish a song and struggling to find those last words, and that’s when you should take a final look at what you’ve been writing lately. The amount of songs I actually finished because of that is pretty impressive.”
Step 3: Start the songwriting process
“Usually I travel to Paris and I stay at my favorite studio, where I work with amazing producers and musicians for an entire week. The fact that I’m so far away from my home and my problems, surrounded by nature and silence, and by some of the most talented people I know, it’s basically impossible not to feel inspired. If you’re feeling stuck, perhaps a change of environment is exactly what you need!”
Step 4: Remember, there’s no rules
“Because I don’t play any instruments (except for my voice), and I’m not the best when it comes to write a song from scratch. I need at least some basic guitar or piano chords to start with. That’s when I call for help. Also, from my experience, sometimes it’s easier to add lyrics and a melody to something simple, rather than to a finished song with tons of elements.
Don’t feel like you should follow certain rules and don’t be afraid to write or play the first thing that comes to your mind. Just go with the flow. As long as you’re happy with the result (and you’re enjoying the process), it doesn’t really matter how you got there.”
Step 5: Lyrics
“Like I said before, don’t ever hold back on your lyrics. Even the simplest sentence can end up being the catchiest part of your song. For years I thought all my lyrics were horrible because they’re very straight forward and simple. Also, English is not my native language, so it’s very hard for me to write what we call “fancy” lyrics with tons of complicated metaphors and deep meanings.
We tend to think that in order to write amazing lyrics, we have to use a more elaborate and abstract language, but I don’t think that’s true at all. Specially because I personally love when I’m hearing a song and I know exactly what the singer is feeling and trying to say.”
Step 6: Listen to your producer/bandmates
“In the past, when I was writing a song, and starting to see the final product in my head, I had a tendency of rejecting a lot of great ideas my producer and band mates had. I learned that there’s no such thing as a bad idea in the studio, and that we should try a lot of different stuff before we reject any. You’d be surprised of how amazing someone’s “bad idea” can sound once you try it!”
Step 7: Don’t be too hard on yourself!
“As a perfectionist, it’s very difficult for me to accept when a song is finally completed and ready to be released. I overthink about every single detail in my songs and that can be extremely exhausting. Always put your heart and soul into your songs, enjoy the process and don’t let the thought of perfection get to you. We can do this!”
Listen to Beea’s new acoustic version of her EP, Paranoia:
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