Whitney Phillips, Grammy-nominated songwriter and member of the ensemble cast of the Netflix show Hitmakers, talks about life as a modern-day pop writer

PART ONE
Paul and Scott dive into the idea of a "perfect song" and discuss some examples of songs they think just might fit into that elusive category.

PART TWO
Our in-depth conversation with Whitney Phillips

ABOUT WHITNEY PHILLIPS
Whitney Phillips is a Grammy-nominated songwriter and vocal producer known for her genre-blurring versatility and sharp pop instincts. Originally from Seattle and now based in Los Angeles and Nashville, she has spent over a decade shaping global hits and collaborating with some of the world’s most iconic and emerging artists—including Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Jennifer Lopez, Teddy Swims, Selena Gomez, Anderson .Paak, John Legend, NeedToBreathe, Lil Wayne, Christina Aguilera, Fifth Harmony, Kylie Minogue, Bebe Rexha, and Celine Dion.

She co-wrote the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single “Stuck with U” by Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande—the first major hit to emerge from the pandemic era and a groundbreaking proof of concept that chart-topping songs could be written entirely over Zoom. She also contributed “Love U Different” to Bieber’s Justice, which earned a 2022 Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. In 2019, her song “Bad Boy” with K-pop powerhouse Red Velvet made history as the first K-pop track to debut on Spotify’s New Music Friday U.S. playlist, marking a pivotal moment in the genre’s global crossover.

A proud member of the Recording Academy and a vocal advocate for songwriters’ rights, Whitney has spoken on Capitol Hill, testifying in support of creators and playing a key role in the fight to uphold increased streaming royalties for songwriters. She is also a member of the cast of the Netflix show Hitmakers, which follows an ensemble cast of elite songwriters as they travel the world attending writing camps for today’s biggest artists—offering an inside look at the stories, stakes, and creative alchemy behind the hits.

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We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2022 conversation with Roland Orzabal.

ABOUT ROLAND ORZABAL AND TEARS FOR FEARS:

Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith formed Tears for Fears in Bath, England, in 1981 and have gone on to sell 30 million albums worldwide. Their major breakthrough in the UK came in 1982 with the Top 5 single “Mad World” and the subsequent platinum-selling album The Hurting. They gained major steam in the US with their sophomore album Songs From the Big Chair, which included the hit singles “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” “Shout,” and “Head Over Heels.” Featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, Songs From the Big Chair reached #1 and was certified five times Platinum by the RIAA.

Tears for Fears’ follow-up single “Sowing the Seeds of Love” was another massive hit, but Curt departed the group not long after. Following a couple of albums with Orzabal at the helm, the duo reunited for the Everybody Loves a Happy Ending album in 2004. Now, after a long wait of 17 years, Roland and Curt have just released their seventh studio album The Tipping Point, and are embarking on a major tour. Even as they bring us new music, their legacy is well-established as one of the most unique and influential British groups to emerge in the last few decades. Their songs have been covered or sampled by Gary Jules, Adam Lambert, Lorde, Kanye West, Drake, and many others. And, in 2021, the band was honored with the Outstanding Song Collection honor at the Ivor Novello Awards in London.

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We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2020 conversation with David Crosby and our 2023 conversation with Graham Nash.

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