What would make a music publisher stop your song before it’s even over? That’s exactly what we explored in our most recent Behind-the-Scenes (BTS) Experience at SongU.com.
Music publisher Bob Dellaposta (My3Kids Music) joined us in the e-classroom and listened in real-time to the songs our members pitched for Tim McGraw. After each song, he explained why he marked it yes, no, or maybe. It was a rare chance to hear his unfiltered thought process as he listened to multiple songs to narrow down his pitch selection for a particular artist. This is the kind of feedback you almost never get to witness.
One of our members, Betty Holt from NC, summed it up perfectly:
“Bob was excellent at explaining his reasons for rejecting songs. In most cases they just weren’t right for Tim McGraw but might have worked for someone else. It helped me see that rejections are usually not rejections of my ability as a songwriter, but just not appropriate for a particular artist.”
I love the way Betty put that. It’s such an important reminder: No doesn’t necessarily mean your song isn’t good. More often, it means it’s not the right fit for that artist at that time.
So what made Bob turn off a song early? He gave us some clear examples:
He quickly stopped one song because “Tim McGraw isn’t going to sing a song about his exes. Tim is happily married to Faith Hill, and it just wouldn’t be true to who he is.”
He turned off another song because, while it was well-written, it was patriotic. Bob explained that he’s never heard Tim do a patriotic song, so it felt out of character.
Other songs were cut short because they were in styles and genres that Tim doesn’t typically record, such as tropical pop/reggae, Americana, or Folk.
And when I asked Bob the big-picture question, what are you really listening for today? His answer was simply: “I’m looking for Tim’s next big hit. Not album fillers.” He said that he’d want to hear songs that are positive, songs with emotional impact that move him, and that will move listeners.
Bob also reminded us that he holds himself to the same standard as any other writer. The moment he recognizes something out of character for the artist, he’ll turn a song off, even if it’s his own.
To summarize, what Bob is describing is the importance of looking critically and objectively at your own songs when pitching for a specific project or artist. Read the pitch listings and briefs carefully. Research the artist by listening to their songs. Two simple questions can make all the difference: Does my song have lyrics that they can honestly relate to? And, is the music and style true to who they are?
As you keep writing and pitching, I encourage you to look at your songs through the artists’ eyes. In other words, instead of imagining what the artist can do for your song, ask what your song can do for the artist.
I understand how hard it can be to step back and be objective about your own songs – they really do feel like our “babies.” Just remember, we’re on your team at SongU. If you’re not sure whether a song is ready to pitch, come join us in one of our Song Feedback Courses to get an objective perspective from your peers and mentors.
Keep writing, keep refining, and most of all, keep believing in yourself. You got this!
I recently caught up with songwriter Melyssa Corrigan, the winner of our Fall 2024 Special Event Pitch with hit songwriter and producer Michael Jay. (View Melyssa’s SU member website.) She was thrilled with the professional co-writing experience that followed. Michael included his frequent co-writer, pro singer/songwriter Scott Barrier, as a third collaborator. Below, Melyssa shared the original voice memo they used to kick off the co-writing session and the studio demo of the final song.
The Co-Writing Experience
“It was a pleasure to write with Michael and Scott! They were warm and laid back and clearly both experts in their respective crafts. It was a thoughtful and efficient session and I sense we have a strong song on our hands. So grateful for the opportunity!!” — Melyssa
Michael Jay agreed. After the session, he told SongU they had written “a fantastic song” and planned to demo it.
Q&A with Melyssa: How the Song Took Shape
Q: How did you prepare for the session? “I sent Michael a voice memo of a song start that had been running through my head for a while. I suspected he’d be just the right fit for it. Turned out he liked the concept and we rolled with it.”
🎧 Listen to Melyssa’s Voice Memo Song Starter:
Q: How did the co-writing session come together? “When we first started setting up the session, Michael suggested inviting Scott Barrier, a writer he collaborates with often. Scott was fantastic and offered some really great lyric ideas, and worked out the melody with Michael. He seems to be a very active writer who is often out at writer’s rounds, etc.
Q: Did you feel comfortable during the co-write? “Completely. Both Michael and Scott were warm and welcoming and the write itself was professional and efficient yet relaxed.”
Q: Did you take away any key writing lessons? “Michael and Scott did a great job of steering me away from being too specific in the lyrics to broaden the appeal and make the song work for a greater variety of artists.”
Q: That makes sense. I noticed that you removed “Mrs. and Mr.” from the original voice memo for that reason. What else did you learn from the experience? “To keep an open mind and allow them to do what they do best in order to elevate the song.”
Q: Do you have any final thoughts? “Very GRATEFUL for the opportunity and loved it!”
Song Evolution: From Voice Memo to Demo
Here is the final studio demo of the song, featuring vocalist Katie Ohh. It was based on the original voice memo Melyssa sent to Michael Jay, which sparked the idea.
🎧 Listen to the Final Demo: “What If It Was Me”:
Why This Demo Works (Even Without a Full Band)
Even though the final demo is a simple guitar/vocal recording, the professional quality of the guitar playing and Katie Ohh’s expressive vocals bring the song’s emotion to life. This is an important insight for songwriters: you don’t always need a full band production to show your song in its best light. A well-executed guitar/vocal demo can be just as effective and pitchable.
Congratulations to Melyssa! We’re proud of how she represented the SongU community!
In Case You Missed The Big Reveal with Michael Jay …
A unique aspect of all of our Special Event Pitches is the one-hour educational session leading up to announcing the winner, which we call The Big Reveal. Here’s a 20-minute recap of the exciting Rising Star Contenders Countdown leading to the winning song of the Golden Ticket with Michael Jay. Along the way, Michael gave truly actionable tips about writing standout songs. Hear them now in Episode One of our brand-new SongU Podcast!
Running now through June 30th, 2025, this Special Event Pitch offers you a chance to be selected for a collaborative writing session with artist and producer Dylan Emmet and indie artist Constance. The song you co-write could become part of either of their artist projects or be pitched to other artists.
About our Guest: With over 3 million streams on his own Spotify project and over 15 million streams on tracks he’s written or produced Dylan Emmet, knows how to create songs that resonate globally. His music has been featured on ESPN, FOX SPORTS, NBC, MTV, and the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. A seasoned vocalist, guitarist, and producer, Dylan brings over 20 years of songwriting experience and technical mastery in Pro Tools, Ableton Live, and Logic Pro to every session. Listen to his music.
In addition, Dylan is SongU’s newest Songwriting Feedback mentor. Here’s what our members are saying:
“Dylan is incredibly knowledgeable and was extremely helpful with feedback on everyone’s songs. He is an awesome addition to SongU. ”
“Dylan created a conversational atmosphere where I felt I was right in the room with an eclectic group of writers-a pleasant and engaging experience with everyone’s songs and an added value of his insight into what makes a good song great.”
Here’s more about the artist Constance, Dylan’s long-time collaborator, whose project “NeonHeart” was in the EDM world and had some features with major artists in the scene like Said The Sky and 3LAU.
The rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in music creation has sparked conversations throughout the songwriting community. For SongU.com members, the question isn’t just about the technology itself but how AI-enhanced songs fit into SongU.com’s educational and pitching landscape. The following article is based on the insights and opinions regarding AI from our SongU faculty and mentors, comprised of music publishers, song pluggers, and producers, as well as personal experiences and questions from SongU members.* Let’s delve into the heart of the matter: Can you pitch AI-enhanced songs at SongU.com?
The Short Answer
Here’s a brief summary of how we handle AI-enhanced songs specifically and solely for pitching at SongU.com by our members:
If the listing on our site states the pitch guest is not accepting AI-generated material, you may not pitch an AI-generated song to that listing or brief. However, if the listing does not mention AI, you may pitch your AI-enhanced songs, but you must disclose in the note to the pitch guest the exact way you used AI. Here are some examples: “I wrote the lyrics, but the music and instrumentation are fully generated by AI.” Or, “My co-writer and I wrote the lyrics and melody, but AI created the track for this genre.” Or, “This is my demo, but it’s an AI vocal.”
Note that, in general, the sync agents can not accept AI-generated music or vocals because it adds a layer of complexity in clearing the song for licensing. For artist pitches, the publisher or song plugger guests can go either way. Some are willing to hear what you’ve got. They can contact you if they love the song but need a “real” demo. Or, if you’re using AI for vocals only, sometimes those can work. Other publishers are adamantly opposed to AI for copyright and other business reasons.
Because of legal and copyright ambiguities, the best way to use AI is as a tool to enhance your songwriting. Using it to completely generate the melody and track is trickier (again, for copyright reasons). You should at least check that the AI program you’re using states that the vocals used for the music are not recordings or representative files of actual artists and that the music tracks are not taken directly from pre-existing copyrighted material.
The Comprehensive Answer
Here’s a more detailed exploration of what SongU’s understanding and perspective regarding AI-generated songs.
Full disclosure: I asked AI to summarize 65 pages of my personal email correspondence to the SongU faculty (pitch guests, music publishers, song pluggers, sync agents, and producers) and our members to use as source material regarding this subject, and it did a great job. Our faculty and member input gives us a clear, informative, and actionable list of what you need to know about working with AI. (I double-checked the results to ensure the content is correct and accurate.)
The Topics Covered are:
Industry Resistance to AI-Generated Demos
Sync Licensing Challenges
Ethical and Legal Ambiguities
Diverging Views Among Professionals
Using AI as a Songwriting Tool
Transparency is the Key
Creative Risks With AI
Future Trajectory for AI
Actionable Insights for SongU Members
Industry Resistance to AI-Generated Demos
Many music publishers and sync licensing agents reject AI-generated demos, citing concerns over vocal quality and copyright ambiguities.
Professionals, such as one of our music publisher mentors, emphasize that AI vocals often lack the polish needed for industry pitching. This risks their own reputations when presenting to A&R teams or sync clients.
Sync Licensing Challenges
Sync libraries, including major ones like Crucial Music, do not accept AI-generated tracks due to legal complexities and the inability to guarantee originality.
A major issue for sync pitches is that songs must be “ready to use as is,” making AI involvement a red flag for liability and quality control.
Ethical and Legal Ambiguities
Legal issues center on whether AI models trained on copyrighted material violate intellectual property laws.
Courts are still deciding the legality of AI’s training methods and outputs, creating uncertainty about its widespread adoption.
Organizations like American Performing Rights Organizations such as ASCAP, the British Rights Society, MCPS, and others enforce rules that do not allow 100% AI-generated works and require substantial human input for copyrightability. If a musical work is created with partial AI assistance but includes significant human authorship, it may be eligible for copyright protection and registration.
“If a musical work is created with partial AI assistance but includes significant human authorship, it may be eligible for copyright protection and registration with ASCAP.”
–American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP)
Diverging Views Among Industry Professionals
Some music industry professionals accept AI-enhanced demos for educational or creative experimentation, provided the songwriter discloses AI usage.
Others reject AI outright, arguing it undermines the creative process and potentially displaces industry professionals, such as demo singers and musicians.
Using AI as a Songwriting Tool
Songwriters are exploring AI tools like Suno.com and Neutone Morpho to generate tracks, test ideas, or improve worktapes, especially for those with limited production skills or budgets.
AI is seen as a means to reduce costs and generate and iterate songs quickly, but the results can vary widely in quality. Making them competitive requires significant human intervention—sometimes, as many as 100+ attempts.
Transparency is Key
There is consensus that songwriters must disclose their use of AI, especially when pitching to music publishers, song pluggers, or sync agents. Transparency can prevent misunderstandings and maintain trust.
Some members use AI-generated demos as templates, later replacing them with live recordings for pitching.
Creative Risks with AI
While AI can provide emerging songwriters with access to high-quality production tools, it raises concerns about a flood of mediocre, generic music saturating the market.
Authenticity and originality will become increasingly valued as listeners and industry professionals push back against overly polished, AI-driven outputs.
Future Trajectory for AI
Integrating AI into the creative process is a moving target, with industry standards and legal frameworks evolving rapidly.
We advise songwriters to stay informed about technological advancements, legal rulings, and industry attitudes to make strategic decisions.
Actionable Insights for SongU Members
Focus on Disclosure: Clearly indicate how AI is used in the songwriting process when pitching.
Leverage AI Strategically: Use AI as a creative assistant rather than a substitute for human contribution to ensure originality and compliance with copyright laws.
Adapt to Feedback: If publishers or sync agents request higher-quality outputs, be prepared to replace AI demos with traditional recordings.
Invest in Knowledge: Stay updated on industry trends, legal developments, and AI tools to navigate this evolving landscape effectively.
I hope this discussion gives you a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges AI brings to songwriting. It underscores the need to be ethical and intentional as we integrate AI into our songwriting endeavors.
*Thanks to the SongU.com faculty, guest, and members who contributed their thoughts, questions, and expertise to source this article. They are: Danny Arena, Martin Bell, Sherrill Blackman, Benn Cutarelli, Helen Darling, Bob Dellaposta, Diona Devincenzi, Shawn Fitzgerald, Debra Foster, Dallas Gregory, Ronald Jenkins, Kevin Kilberry, Randy Klein, Sara Light, Justin Morgan, Queenie Mullinex, Jeffrey Nelson, Michael Nichols, Lisa Palas, Nancy Peacock, Jon Philibert, Marcia Ramirez, John Schofield, Alan Roy Scott, Michele Vice-Maslin, and Debbie Zavitson
What do Eminem and Celine Dion have in common? They both recorded songs written by Michael Jay, who is our guest for the “Golden Ticket Special Event Pitch,” running now through November 3rd 2024. This event offers you an exclusive opportunity to be selected by hit songwriter and producer, Michael Jay, for an exclusive one-on-one co-writing session.
Michael Jay’s songs have sold over 75 million records worldwide.
About our Guest: Michael Jay has over 30 years experience in the music business which includes a background in radio, promotion, marketing and A&R. He also has in-studio experience as a creative talent with hit credits as a songwriter, lyricist, record producer and musician. His songs have sold more than 75 million records worldwide.
He entered the music business as an A&R executive at Curtis Mayfield’s Curtom Records in Chicago. After moving to Los Angeles he was signed as a songwriter to Famous Music, the music division of Paramount Pictures, where he instantly landed a song on the multi-platinum “Top Gun” movie soundtrack.
In the 1980s, Michael Jay discovered, developed and shopped a record deal for Martika from The Disney Channel’s “Kids Incorporated” TV show. He co-wrote and produced Martika’s entire million-selling debut album including the worldwide #1 hit “Toy Soldiers.” Years later, rap superstar Eminem recorded a new version of “Toy Soldiers” and it became a hit all over again.
In the 1990s he wrote the song “Declaration Of Love” which Celine Dion recorded for her Grammy Award-winning Album Of The Year “Falling Into You”.
In 2023, Michael Jay won the Hollywood Music In Media Award (HMMA) for Best Original Song In An Independent Film with his song “I Got You” from the movie “Holiday Twist.”
He’s currently working in Nashville and producing a rising Country songwriter-artist who is shopping major labels.
Join us for the latest “Staff Writer For A Day!” Special Event Pitch running March and April 2024. This is an exclusive opportunity to be selected by Emily Dryburgh, Co-Founder Young Music City and RNBW Collective, for a chance to find out what it’s like to be a professional staff songwriter for a day which includes a CO-WRITING SESSION with songwriter and artist Chad Michael Jervis of the band King Calaway.
About our guests:
Emily Dryburgh, Co-Founder of Young Music City and RNBW Collective
Emily Dryburgh began her Nashville publishing career as Creative Director and Nashville face of Deluge Music, a Los Angeles and Nashville-based publishing, management and record company. Emily’s duties included managing and developing writers and artists between L.A. and Nashville, including setting up co-writes, tweaking, cataloging and pitching songs.
In 2022 she teamed up with her twin sister Jamie on their joint venture, Young Music City. Along with pitching songs and artist development, they aim to shift the antiquated perception of the Nashville music scene by celebrating the diverse local music culture through events, strategic partnerships and modern social media platforms.
Founded in 2016 RNBW supports the progress and visibility of LGBTQ+ music in Music City and beyond. Their aim is to foster a community of queer creators and performers via live music, events, modern media and social connections. They are proud to have partnered with the likes of CMT, CMA, HRC, Virgin Hotels, The Nashville Pride Coalition, Good Neighbor Festivals, New Amsterdam, RumHaven, High Noon, Redbull and more.
Singer-Songwriter Chad Michael Jervis
Chad Michael Jervis is a singer-songwriter from Wilmington, DE and a current member of the country band King Calaway.
Jervis moved to Nashville in 2018 after pursuing a Songwriting degree at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he would would land a coveted spot in the band, King Calaway, and go on to sign a major deal with Broken Bow records.
King Calaway burst onto the scene in 2019 with the #1 most added single on their debut release. Today, the band has garnered over 20 million global streams and has been deemed one of Billboards “7 new country acts to watch.”
The band has showcased major TV performances on Jimmy Kimmel, The Late Late Show with James Corden, TODAY and The Kelly Clarkson Show. They have toured nationally and internationallywith the likes of Garth Brooks, Rascal Flatts, Brooks & Dunn, Gabby Barrett, Scotty McCreery, and sent out 2021 and 2022 with performances with Lainey Wilson and Steve Miller on CBS’s New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash.
With 2023 already in motion, the band is set to hit the road with the legendary Zac Brown Band, who also produced their current single, “I’m Feelin’ Good (Steve Miller Band)” as well as their upcoming album.
Picture: Karen and Mitch Townley with Sara Light in Nashville
We write songs for a variety of reasons. It could be to share a story or relate an emotion. Sometimes it’s to honor someone, describe a relationship, or bring an issue to light. We could be testifying to God’s work in our life through a worship song or a song designed to encourage someone else. But what does it mean to be “successful” with the songs we write?
Our motivation to express ourselves is primarily our purpose for writing a song. So, we are successful when what we desire to communicate in our song is what the listener feels or experiences when they hear it. In simple terms, the listener “gets it.” This accomplishment is what I like to call “expressive success.” Expressive success is rooted in understanding the fundamental concepts of songwriting. It takes practice and work at the craft to get there and should be enjoyed and celebrated when achieved. Any other success we experience with a song is icing on the cake and essentially out of our control.
Some of us may experience an additional “layer” of success that I refer to as “complimentary success.” Examples of this type of success are when a song is recorded by an artist, placed in a movie or TV show, or performed in a venue. It may win a contest, be used as a theme song for an organization, or perhaps even win an award. These examples are remarkable moments of encouragement for a songwriter but don’t have to be what defines us as “successful” in our writing. For me, complimentary success is undoubtedly a blessing to enjoy, but not the reason why I write. It is not an expectation I have for every song. While we can certainly aspire to write quality songs that contend for complimentary success, I don’t think it is reasonable to expect something that is so far out of our control. There is no shortcut to the destination of this type of success. It takes practice, patience, and perseverance even to consider it.
I would be remiss if I did not mention an even more elusive form of measuring songwriting success: commercial success. Typically, it means a famous or emerging artist has recorded your song, sold many CDs or downloads, done well on major music industry charts, and generated revenue. Most songwriters who enjoy a viable professional income from their songwriting are staff songwriters at music publishing companies. However, the percentage of songwriters who earn a living as a songwriter is extremely low. Does that fact make you want to stop songwriting immediately? I certainly hope not! It is just the nature of the music industry. It’s essential to understand your motivation for writing songs. A person whose aspiration is to be a professional, commercially successful songwriter has restrictions. They can’t always choose what, why, and when they write.
“The percentage of songwriters who earn a living as a songwriter is extremely low. Does that fact make you want to stop songwriting immediately? I certainly hope not!”
I write songs because I “cannot not” write them (pardon the grammar). It is something I love to do. I get so excited when I have written a song that emotionally affects someone in the way I intended. When a listener “gets it,” I am a successful songwriter. I suspect that many of you can become or already are successful too.
Mitch Townley is from Knoxville, TN, where he has served as a Children’s Pastor since 1996. He has over 40 independent artist cuts, including a song featured in a documentary about the Vietnam Memorial and a song placement in the TV show “Nashville.” His song, “This Side Of Sunday” (co-written with Scott Parker), was recorded by Brent Harrison and spent eight weeks in the Number 1 spot on the Christian Country Countdown in April/May of 2018. In April of 2019, it received the 2018 Inspirational Country Song Of the Year award from the Inspirational Country Music Association at a ceremony held at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN. Mitch is the Knoxville Chapter coordinator for the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI). He performs his songs regularly in songwriter rounds in the greater Knoxville area as a solo artist and with the acoustic duo “The Back Pew Poets.” Mitch has been a member of SongU.com since 2006 and hosts the regular SongU Open-Mic Experiment, virtual writers’ nights.
For our Fall 2021 SongU Special Event Pitch, “Staff Writer for a Day,” the Creative Director of Winsongs Music Publishing, Kirby Smith, listened to over 200 songs. She selected one writer, Jonny Born, to win the coveted “staff writer for a day” prize which featured a co-writing session with Winsongs’ artist/writer Eric Van Houten. This month Jonny flew from his home in Utah to Nashville, TN, for that session. He told me later that he was glad he made the trip to write in person because the visit was full of surprises, and the creative energy in the writer’s room was tangible.
Jonny, how’d your staff writer session go?
It was amazing! In addition to Eric Van Houten from WinSongs, Kirby added a new artist/writer named Nick Boyd to the meeting as well, and I am so glad she did. Watch out for this kid. He is the real deal!
You had another happy surprise too, right?
We wrote in Liz Rose’s office and I was pumped. I can’t even imagine how many monsters have been written in those walls. I took a picture before the meeting. I know it looks like I’m not happy, but that’s my “Jon, get your head in the game and show up and contribute, it’s time to go to work” face!!! HAHA. Honestly, I just wanted to get a picture before anyone saw me taking a selfie and figured out I was a nervous rookie!
Songwriter, Jonny Born, in Liz Rose Music Writer’s Room
You don’t look like a rookie! What happened when Eric and Nick arrived?
After we chatted for a while and just got to know each other a bit, we talked about what we wanted to write.
How’d the writing process go?
I had about 15-20 hooks/ideas I’ve been saving for that day. I pulled out what I thought was the most intriguing one — a concept around the word “Unmade,” with the chorus starting out, “I can’t lie, the way you kissed me, left me drunker than the whiskey.” And ending with: “Now, I can’t lie, in this bed that we unmade.” They dug it, and we dove in. I was SUPER worried about keeping up and adding value in that room, but was happy that by the end of it, I’d contributed about 40+% of the lyric, most of the music/progressions, and the hook. I felt I belonged in the room.
That’s terrific! It’s great that you came prepared with so many ideas, even though they liked the first one you presented.
Those guys made it modern, and fresh, and really really cool. It’s certainly one of the better ones I’ve written, but those boys write every day. They also seemed happy with it.
Did you learn anything new about the writing process from this experience?
The experience did shine a light on some areas where I get to improve and up my writing game. New ways to approach a lyric, and a top line. How to get out of my comfort zone and do things lyrically, and musically, that aren’t expected and are new and fresh. Mixing up the lyric syncopation, etc. I’m going to dig in and really get to work on that. You’ll see an improvement in my writing because of this. It makes me wonder how good I could get if I was here, and had the chance to write with better writers every day.
What was your overall experience with the Staff Writer for a Day Special Event?
I just wanted to express my gratitude again for creating this opportunity for me. I feel really, really blessed to have had the chance to be part of SongU and get better at the craft, and have the chance to meet you, and be able show up and be “in the room.”
Jonny, THANK YOU for chatting about your “Staff Writer for a Day” experience so that we can all learn from it! Here’s the WORKTAPE of “Unmade” (with your vocal).
“Unmade” written by Jonny Born, Eric Van Houten, and Nick Boyd
Congratulations to all of our Top Tier Marketers who pitched their songs the MOST times at SongU.com in 2021, including our SongU “Mover & Shaker” John Cirillo who pitched 634 times and says that SongU.com has been the best investment of his career.
About John Cirillo: Personally, John has impressed me not only with his determination but his modesty. He routinely highlights his cowriters’ participation and talents, heightening their abilities and profiles. But what truly sets John apart is that he makes time to help other songwriters, at every level, reach their own goals by setting up collaborations and connections, sharing leads, and frequently referring writers to SongU.com (thanks, John). His spirit of mentorship and community is what SongU is all about and what truly earns him his SongU Mover & Shaker title. Below, John tells us about his SongU experience in his own words.
Songwriter, John Cirillo (TN) and his writing buddy, Mickey.
John says: About a year or so ago I was fortunate enough to win a one year membership with SongU (I have since renewed!). I was curious as to the value and the potential of the tools that SongU had to offer and was anxious to get my account up and running. I have worked with several different publishers and organizations in pitching my songs into this ever-changing market. With SongU I found an organization that posted what current successful independent songwriters were looking for; both with artists and with Synch opportunities; which basically covers my catalog.
I was also looking to find a site that was simple to use for any kind of changes or opportunities. SongU’s web site and applications definitely made my efforts easier to get my songs into the right hands. Because of the industry pros that SongU has developed relationships with, I have been able to pitch to opportunities almost every week. Also, the cost of doing so is much more affordable than many other organizations. This has allowed me to submit songs to a solid list of artists and synch opportunities. I have known a few of the industry pros prior to my subscription to SongU. But because of the opportunities to work with each other through SongU, I feel I have strengthened my relationships with a few Pros and started building new relationships with others.
Because the info that SongU provides from the Industry Pros, along with the deadlines and any other important information, I feel that I am able to present my best material for each particular opportunity. Sometimes I don’t have anything, sometimes I have several. But with SongU I feel much more confident that the songs I do pitch fit the opportunity.
Over the past year I have been able to sign several non-exclusive single song contracts with different Industry Pros. Because I am an independent songwriter, it is almost impossible for me to reach the level of artists that I would like to reach without paying a pretty hefty price for a quality sungplugger. But SongU has basically put me in touch with Industry Pros that can help me reach these artists. That is a valuable asset that not all songwriting organizations can provide.
Overall, between the ease of use, their connections to the right Industry Pros and the cost of using SongU, I feel that it certainly has been my best investment in my career as a songwriter.
Congratulations to all of our SongU Top Tier Learners for participating in the most instructor-led and private mentoring sessions this year! This is a huge accomplishment at SongU where our philosophy is that education leads to success. Our members, like our Valedictorian Karen Mitchell, have proven there is a direct correlation between furthering their knowledge of the craft and business of songwriting and meeting their personal songwriting goals.
About Karen Mitchell: I have had the pleasure of getting to know Karen since she joined SongU in 2019 and has participated in over 115 live courses this year. She has always impressed me with her humor, humility, and hard work. That combination has made all the difference. Below, she tells us about her SongU experience and successes. She even mixes in several of her song titles to prove she has learned to write her truth!
Songwriter, Karen Mitchell (CA, SU class of ’19)
Karen says: I am honored to be at the “head of the class” for “Top Learners” in 2021. My SongU journey started in July 2019 at the suggestion of another member, co-writer and special friend. She thought I’d benefit from a membership and she was so write (pun intended)! Since that time I’ve had the awesome privilege of having songs I’ve written or co-written signed to numerous exclusive and non exclusive agreements! The SongU format of having a professional mentor(s) and five members in the live feedback classes is so valuable! It’s great to work with exceptional people who willingly share their thoughts and encouragement! I’ve also benefited from DIY classes, private sessions and written critiques. All services offered are extremely valuable and add to the in-depth learning experience! SongU has been instrumental in helping me see personal growth and I plan to continue with that process! Some critiques can be tough and when I can’t “Escape the Sad” I’ve learned to pour those emotions into a new song. In fact, I’m “Stronger Than I Think” and “Stronger Than I’ve Ever Been.” This year I started co-writing with an amazing and talented musician! We met in a SongU class. Writing with him has made me a “Better” writer! SongU has changed my life and I’m confident there’ll be many more incredible songs in the near future! In fact (for one mentor in particular) I’m just “Waiting” to see what new doors open in 2022!
