Practical Tips to Writing Melodies, Channeling Ideas and Other Magic with Simon Shapiro

The Magic of Songwriting with Francesca de Valence

This conversation is sure to blow the lid on any limitations you might have around accessing creativity, including channeling magic from your songwriting gurus. Francesca talks with Simon Shapiro, hit songwriter and musician who has toured the world playing on stages with and next to huge artists, like Bananarama. It’s an out-of-the-box, magical conversation at the same time as being practical offering up some songwriting tools to help you level up in your writing.

Timestamp:
3:51 - Simon first started writing songs by changing the lyrics to songs from known songs

7:25 - The impression Freddie Mercury and David Bowie made

12:35 - A discussion on the illusions of the music industry and how it aims to sell ‘perfect’

15:52 - How the purpose for Simon’s songwriting has changed over time

20:21 - Practical songwriting tips for developing melody

30:30 - Some ways to get started in songwriting - technical skill and intuition, creativity and craft

36:51 - Simon shares his current songwriting process and the different artist projects he is writing for

57:32 - The magic of songwriting

1:10:15 - Simon shares his song “Graceless"

About Simon Shapiro: After releasing his first full solo album “Between The Noise” in 2008, Simon Shapiro was soon named Australian Songwriters Association ‘Songwriter of the Year’, APRA Songwriter award winner, and Park City Music Film Festival (USA) Gold prize-winner. He then went on to enjoy chart success as songwriter of Jane Denham’s No. 1 country hit “Beyond These City Lights” and Darryl Braithwaite’s comeback single ‘Not Too Late’. Simon has played bass as a member of iconic band 1927 and has toured with Roxette, Simple Minds, Boz Scaggs, Belinda Carlisle. Contact Simon: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube

Song Credit: “Graceless” - Music and Lyrics by Simon Shapiro. Performed live by Simon Shapiro at I Heart Songwriting Club Headquarters.

Simon is a songwriting mentor in our Beginner Songwriting Courses. You can work with Simon through this program.

Find out more and contact us at I Heart Songwriting Club & Francesca de Valence.

Get your creativity, confidence, and songwriting output flowing. Join The Club and receive the support and structure to write 10 songs in 10 weeks and get feedback from a private peer community. This is THE essential writing practice that has changed the careers and lives of 1000s of songwriters worldwide.

Don’t struggle to write your next album - write an album a year with ease! Watch our Free Songwriting Masterclass.

Get songwriting insights from I Heart Songwriting Club: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube

Be inspired by Francesca on socials: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram

Theme song: “Put One Foot In Front Of The Other One” music and lyrics by Francesca de Valence

If you love this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and tell everyone you know about The Magic of Songwriting