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Song Talk Radio | Songwriting Tips | Lyrics | Arranging | Live Feedback
Song Talk Radio | Songwriting Tips | Lyrics | Arranging | Live Feedback episodes
- Putting the “alt” into alternative folk with Kaeley Jade
Alternative-folk singer/songwriter Kaeley Jade joined us to talk about the creative process behind her song Growing Pains. Download the lyrics to follow along.
We talked about:
- Our songwriting challenge for 2026 to write a traditional country song
- How Humans Accidentally Created Music
- Using an AAAA rhyme scheme in a folk song
- Using a 7/4 time signature in a folk song
- Overthinking and agonizing every line of lyric until it fits perfectly
- Jamming as a band to give a song its shape
- Making the transition into the odd time signature section
- How also being an actor makes Kaeley more of a lyrics-first songwriter
About Kaeley JadeAlternative-folk singer/songwriter Kaeley Jade crafts full-hearted songs that dig deep.… Read the rest
36 min - Writing a Nu-Metal song with Fatal Switch
Steve Tobin from the Canadian Nu-Metal band Fatal Switch joined us to talk about writing their song What Would a Hero Do? Download the lyrics to follow along.
We talked about:
- Our songwriting challenge for 2026 to write a traditional country song
- For Steve, Nu-Metal is defined by mashing together heavy metal with hip-hop culture
- How the band sometimes starts with lyrics and theme, or instrumental riffs
- How Steve did a lot of research for What Would a Hero Do?
… Read the rest31 min - Emma Della Rossa: Autobiographical songwriting with a metaphor
Emma Della Rossa joined us to talk about her song Garden, with a rare live performance (for our podcast, anyway). Download the lyrics to follow along.
We talked about:
- Our songwriting challenge for 2026 to write a traditional country song
- Emma’s last appearance on the show
- Why you may not want to end your song with a chorus
- Writing a song where the chord progression doesn’t change, and in 3/4 time
- When a song should be autobiographical, and when not
- How the songs evolve when working with a band and recording in a studio
About Emma Della RossaEmma Della Rossa is a songwriter, singer, and flutist whose dreamy pop production, layered vocals, and narrative-driven lyrics unravel what you thought was healed, and heal what you didn’t know was broken.… Read the rest
32 min - Writing fast and with intention with Mia Kelly
Mia Kelly joined us to talk about writing songs fast, but with clear intentions, and her song Blind Horse. Download the lyrics to follow along.
We talked about:
- Our songwriting challenge for 2026 to write a traditional country song
- How Mia keeps track of her ideas for song starts
- Using a interesting phrase you hear in daily life as a way into the lyric for a song
- How Mia goes from idea to song with urgency, running with it to get the song done quickly
- Incorporating a 2/4 bar into your chorus, by accident
- Using an usual guitar tuning like DAEAAE
- Writing or co-writing while you’re on the road for a tour
About Mia KellyThrough lush folk and earthy Americana, singer-songwriter Mia Kelly, from Gatineau, Quebec, Canada establishes herself as a spellbinding voice, blurring the lines between intimate memoir and compelling, semi-fictional narratives.… Read the rest
29 min - Writing from lyrics with Zachery
Indie-pop/rock artist Zachery joined us to talk about writing from lyrics, agency, and manifest destiny in his song I Don’t Know. If philosophy in songwriting is your thing. Download the lyrics to follow along.
We talked about:
- Our songwriting challenge for 2026 to write a traditional country song
- Using a simple but compelling chord loop (I-ii-iii-IV) when you’re primarily a signer
- Starting a song with writing a poem, fully intending to turn it into a song
- Sticking to your melody, even if it mean putting the em-PHA-sis on the wrong syl-LAB-le
- Writing with subtle sarcasm and a philosophical angle
About ZacheryBorn and raised in Trinidad, Zachery‘s music is a blend of many influences, including music from up to 50 years ago to the music we love from today.… Read the rest
33 min - All about Copyright for Songwriters
For this special episode, law graduate and artist Orian Israelsohn joined us to explain all about copyright for songwriting, including the implications brought on by artificial intelligence. It’s a jam-packed episode!
PLEASE NOTE: NOT LEGAL ADVICE. Information made available for this talk is for information and educational purposes only.… Read the rest55 min - An open approach to songwriting with Brettyn Rose
Canadian country artist Brettyn Rose joined us to talk about collaboration, traditional country, and being open about her songwriting. Download the lyrics to See it on Her to follow along.
We talked about:
- Our songwriting challenge for 2026 to write a traditional country song, and what traditional country means to Brettyn
- Collaborating with Chris Yurchuck
- Writing lyrics from a specific story, but being open to anyone’s experience
- Saving ideas that don’t fit for another song
- Once you find the hook of the song to make the rest of the songwriting really easy
- When it’s a good idea to write a I-IV-V song
About Brettyn RoseBrettyn Rose is a rising country artist with music rooted in an acoustic aesthetic, woven with honest lyrics, powerful vocals, and a hint of sparkle.… Read the rest
33 min - Supporting the song with Olivia Penalva
Canadian pop singer-songwriter Olivia Penalva joined us to talk about collaboration, abstract lyrics, and visualizing her music. Download the lyrics to Code Blue to follow along. We talked about:
- Our songwriting challenge for 2026 to write a traditional country song
- Things that make for a good collaboration experience; even working remotely
- Taking personal experiences and finding a metaphor and images to express them
- Finding visual images for cover art or music videos in line with the songwriting
- How Olivia refers to previous songs she’s written to inspire her current song
- Writing, or not writing, declarative choruses
About Olivia PenalvaOlivia Penalva is a Canadian pop singer-songwriter known for her ethereal vocals, emotionally rich melodies, and introspective storytelling.… Read the rest
39 min - Blues and Soul Songwriting with Secondhand Dreamcar
Dana and Harry from Secondhand Dreamcar joined us to talk about writing their blues / soul song The Meaning. Download the lyrics to follow along.
We talked about:
- Our songwriting challenge for 2026 to write a traditional country song
- How the band collaborates on songwriting and instrumental arrangements
- Dana tends to bring piano-based songs to the band, but not acoustic guitar
- The act of ditching songs or ideas that are not working
- When and how do you know when a song or idea is good?
… Read the rest33 min - Spinning real life into an abstract song with Avril Jensen
We chatted with Montreal-based artist Avril Jensen about writing an abstract song from personal experience. Download the lyrics to Dog (everybody learns) to follow along.
We talked about:
- Songwriting Challenge 2026: Write a Traditional Country Song
- Writing musically interesting melodies that are still catchy
- Writing the lyrics based on personal experience with actual dogs, but maybe it’s also a metaphor for a toxic relationship
- 80s French Canadian band The Box
- Does music theory get in your way of keeping things simple?
… Read the rest32 min
About Song Talk Radio | Songwriting Tips | Lyrics | Arranging | Live Feedback
From the publisher's feed
Songwriters sharing tips and techniques on better songwriting – and the odd bad joke.