Valerie June Quotes

Anything is food for starting a song. A song can start with a lyric idea or a melody or just a sound that inspires.

Every song I've ever written always starts with the words because I want the music to be the musical extension of the feelings of the words, and not the words being the emotional extension of the feeling of the music.

I never write from concept. The beat is the beginning, and then I fill in the rest of the song into what it should be.

I don't think I approach my songs differently from other artists. You get a big picture of it, and you imagine the song and hear and feel it, and that big picture is like a snapshot, and it comes to you as fast as it takes to click a camera.

The goal is always just to write the best song that you can write. I mean, the process for writing a song is the process for writing a song. It's not something I look at it as something I need to do something different.

Beats are really inspiring. They always make me want to write something over them.

It's really hard for me to finish a song unless I have a strong visual in my head while I'm writing it.

I like to make songs that are based on concepts.

I hear a good song and I start thinking, 'Oh shoot. You know there's a story that can be told to this,' and whatnot.

Yes, basically, like you said, I'll work out a chord pattern and work out the lyrics over that.

I write when I have to; I write when the song is done and I deal with the idea and I just go with it and I'll become what that song is all about until I have finished it. And when you do that, it makes the song more visual, it makes it more personal.

There's many, many ways to write a song. But generally, sitting down at a table and writing is not one of them.

The first time I tried to write was when I was 14, after I got an electric guitar. I put a song together, and it wasn't that bad! The writing came natural to me.

I don't get my inspiration from a specific source. It's more like if you listen to a good tune, it gives me inspiration to write a better tune.

Usually when I write a song, I'll write the music and then kind of fit some words to it.

I just sat down and thought, I'm going to write a song today, I'm going to give it a try. So I just stuck it on a tape like everything else. That was just another song.

I don't play an instrument - I just write in my head, and I usually hear fully formed songs. 'We Are Young' turned out so much like it was in my head. But it also exceeded all my expectations.

My songs pretty much revolve in my brain most of the time - usually, whatever's coming next.

I don't think I've ever actually written from inspiration, actually had a song just go, 'Bing!' I only recall that happening to me twice - once was with 'Terrapin' and the other was 'Wharf Rat.' I mean, that's twice in a lifetime of writing!

I always start with writing vocal melodies before writing lyrics.

The first song I ever wrote was in grade eight.

I record into my phone as soon as I hear a track. Melody comes first for me, and then my gibberish usually forms into lyrics and a concept from there.

I try and treat songwriting as something that I have to practise every day.

Sometimes I have a melody in my head; sometimes it's just a verse. I read lines from a book or movies that I watch and grab a few quotes and start writing on paper. From there, I record a really rough version and work on the song.

I try to imagine what the greatest song I could ever write would sound like, and then try to do it.