A Conversation with Singer/Songwriter and Author RuthAnne
Driven by her passion for songwriting and performing, RuthAnne (a.k.a. Ruth-Anne Cunningham) [IMRO] left her native Ireland to travel to the United States where, at just 17, she was recruited to co-write a song called “Too Little, Too Late” with producers Billy Steinberg and Josh Alexander. Released as a single by recording artist JoJo, the song rocketed to the top of the charts, jumping from No. 66 to No. 3 in the United States. The song saw similar success in six other countries, becoming JoJo’s most commercially successful single to date, and marking only the very beginning for RuthAnne.
From there, RuthAnne became an in-demand songwriter, penning further hits like “In the Name of Love” by Martin Garrix and Bebe Rexha, “Work Bitch” by Britney Spears, “Slow Hands” by Niall Horan, “Beautiful World” by Westlife, “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” and “No Control” by One Direction, among many others. Beyond her prolific role as a songwriter, RuthAnne pursued her own performing career as well, supporting names like Alanis Morrissette and Hozier on major tours, and releasing over 15 singles as a solo artist.
Having experienced so much in the industry, worked with some legendary names and earned incredible success, RuthAnne decided to give back in the form of a book. Sharing insights honed from her journey and reaching out to a host of fellow songwriters, RuthAnne has written It’s Not Just A Song, a guide for aspiring songwriters and music creators trying to navigate the challenges of the music business.
BMI caught up with RuthAnne prior to the book’s release to talk with her about it. Here’s what she had to say.
First of all, congratulations on your first book. You must be tremendously excited. Was there a specific moment or incident that sparked the initial idea for the project?
I’ve always wanted to write a book. My journey in the music industry started very young and I always wished there was a book like this that could give advice on how to really navigate it because it really can be like the Wild West, so I wanted to give all the advice and wisdom I learned throughout my journey. My managers at Red Light, Caroline and Matt, asked me what I wanted to do in my career, and I said to write a book. Next thing I know I’m sending Faber Publishing a book proposal, and then a chapter, and then I’m writing a whole book.
When you were starting out as an aspiring songwriter, what sources were motivating to you? What helped younavigate both the craft of creating music and the intricacies of the business?
I loved watching music documentaries about my favorite artists, albums, and songs. I loved getting any glimpse into the music making process andhow the greatest songs were made. On the craft of songwriting, I would say I had some amazing mentors throughout my career that I learned so much from, I interviewed some of them for the book! As far as the business side, that really was something I had to learn along the way and there were people who helped. It was a lot more complex and complicated and lots of lessons were learned. I think one of the main things I learned was how important it is to be educated and empowered with the knowledge of the business side of the music industry, especially now, it’s really vital.
You assembled a formidable cast of fellow songwriting interviewees for this project, including names like John Legend, Julian Bunetta, Kamille, John Ryan, Lauren Christy, Jon Shave and many others. Did anyone’s contributions surprise you?
I’ve written with almost all of the writers and producers that I interviewed for the book, so I know them personally, but I guess what surprised me the most in general was how much we’ve all felt like we wanted to give up at some points throughout our careers. Even the most successful songwriters and producers at times have wanted to give up even at the levels they reached and so it was a good reminder that every creative is going through the same things.
How comparable did you find the discipline of writing a book to writing music – or is it a completely different task, for you?
I think there are some similarities but also some differences. The book is a larger project, as a whole. As a songwriter, its bursts of creativity that can cross genres and are based on a feeling or a moment or a story. The book is a whole piece of work with a beginning, middle, and end. Also, finding my writing style as an author required a different type of writing than writing lyrics, etc. and a song is three minutes long whereas a book is much longer! I would say the book needed a lot more organization which was a challenge for my creative, messy, all over the place brain, but it also was so enjoyable. I really enjoyed the whole process.
Now that you’ve got one under your belt – will there be more?
Oh yes! I would love to do another book. I have more music industry stories that I couldn’t fit into this one! I’d also love to write a book about my endometriosis journey and children’s music books too, so watch this space.
What crucial bit of advice have you received that’s stuck with you throughout your career?
You can’t hit a home run every day - for a creative like me it really was such a crucial piece of advice that I remind myself of daily. I talk about it in the book in depth, so check it out.
Beyond this tremendous achievement, you’re a hugely accomplished songwriter yourself. Now that you’ve brought this chapter to fruition, what is next for RuthAnne?
I have so much left I wanna do. I’ve got a brand-new album coming out on October 10 called The Moment, and I’ve got songs coming out with artiststhat I’ve written with, so lots of exciting things coming.
You’ve written songs for some of the biggest names in music – who is your dream collaborator?
My dream collaboration would be with John Mayer or Fleetwood Mac. I’m so obsessed with all of their albums. And also, if they were still here, I would have loved to work with Jeff Buckley and Amy Winehouse.
What’s ONE THING every songwriter should do RIGHT NOW before anything else?
I say in the book that preparation meeting opportunity equals success. Do the 10,000 hours, be prepared for when that lucky break comes, that’s key.
What role has BMI played in your journey, thus far?
BMI have been amazing, supporting me, encouraging me, and all the amazing BMI resources that help to move my career forward has been incredible. The team are fantastic, and I feel so grateful to be part of the BMI family!
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