Abel Black Explains Why a Songwriter is Key in the Music Business

[Image Source: EDM]

By Kinyua Mwangi

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Zambian entertainer Abel Black has weighed in on the importance of hiring a songwriter, noting that it improves the quality of music as songwriters invest in developing great hits.

He gives a perfect analogy citing examples from high-flying international artists enjoying the best of both worlds. For instance, ‘Umbrella’ wasn't written by Rihanna. Despite the fact that she is able to write her own songs, most of her most popular ones have been written by others.

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According to Abel, in order for someone to be considered an artist, they must perform their work, whether it's live, in a music video, or in the studio. Nonetheless, some people are born with the ability to excel on stage.

On the other hand, songwriters write lyrics and music for songs. They may be performed by the same person, but they are completely different. An artist doesn't need to be a song writer to be an artist, nor does a songwriter need to be an artist. Every song, however, necessitates both.

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Abel says he has come across a slew of talented singers and rappers that aren't really brilliant writers. Most of them don't hire songwriters and they end up with lousy music. He offers that many famous singers have become famous for songs they did not write, including Celine Dion, Elvis Presley, Elton John, Diana Ross, and Whitney Houston.

‘Writing Camps’ are something celebrities like Beyonce have instituted. This is a place where up-and-coming songwriters and top producers may work together on new projects. The big artists have the option of either taking these concepts as they are or modifying them to suit their needs.

This is the secret by international artists and it explains why they are so successful. For example, "Still DR.E." was written by Jay Z for Dr. Dre yet Jay Z is a celebrated rapper.

Abel advises that a songwriter is needed when an artist is too busy or unmotivated to write their own material. Ideally songwriters receive 10% of the profits from each song they write. Sadly, in Zambia, there is no proper system for royalties paying like in the West.