Video:Songwriting With Nelly Furtado: How to Stay Inspired

Transcript:Songwriting With Nelly Furtado: How to Stay Inspired

Songwriting: Finding Inspiration

"For someone who is trying to reach outside their comfort zone, and isn't really sure where to seek out these influences to be inspired by – what are some suggestions you have for them?"

How to Find Inspiration for Writing Music

I think it's really good to listen to new music and to sort of not be biased about the music you listen to. I grew up listening to everything from Portuguese folk music to, you know, hip hop, to Brit pop, to Brazilian Tropicalia, to you know, Pakistani Qawwali music.  So, I think, it's important to open your ears to new stuff and just spend time listening to music – and I think that naturally kind of forces you as a songwriter or a writer/producer to kind of expand your horizons musically.

Listening to Different Types of Music for Inspiration

And I also think going out to concerts, just seeing different types of bands playing, or different types of musicians – I mean you might end up seeing an orchestra play.  Those types of things open up your mind.  I think you have to be vulnerable to write songs, and you have to allow yourself to be honest.  Sometimes  you have to work with people who you feel really comfortable with, that you can be that sort of naked around.  And solitude helps, you know, just time to clear your mind, you know, unplug your phone, you know get off the grid and write.

More information on Nelly Furtado and her music:

• About.com: http://top40.about.com/od/artistsdk/p/nellyfurtado.htm

• Nelly Furtado's Official Site: http://www.nellyfurtado.com/

• "Big Hoops" on iTunes:  http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/big-hoops-bigger-better-single/id517307236