songwriter's monthly feb. '11, #133- bc jean

8/7/2019 Songwriter's Monthly Feb. '11, #133- BC Jean

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C Jean is a stunning and stylish youngoman with b londe hair , darkenetrating and perceptive eyes, and aharged smile that radiates her inner

eal like a powerful halogen flood light.f you do a search for her, its nearlympossible to find an image where she not adorned in youthfully chic blackl o t h i n g a n dporting a softlylistening shadef pink lipstick.C h a s a n

r r e p r e s s i b l ea s s i o n f o rerforming and aharp instinct forriting. And shewes her successo . . . pizza?!

riefly, as the lorehat has beena s s e d a l o n g

rom article torticle goes, BCas in a songwriting session with Tobyad [Alicia Keys, Fergie, Kelly Clarkson,ordin Sparks, Demi Lovato, Mileyyrus, Colbie Caillat, etc.] and she wasungry, craving pizza. However, sincehe was a girl, she couldnt justifyabotaging her diet for one measly,agging craving. Ultimately, the stress

of to eat or not to eatmade her crand she expressed something along l i n e s o f I w i s h I w e r eboy! [Meaning, if she were, she co just eat a slice of pizza without agonizing pre-ingestion period of sosearching followed up by the podigestive remorse and guilt!]

Toby recognized the power in thwords and the duo began craftingsong. The result? The phenomenal for Beyonc entitled, If I Were A Boy

After that track, BC received credentials of hit songwriter and career received a nitro-injected bursneck-snapping speed. Currently, BC

two singles out: Kimberly Caldwe Desperate Girls and Stupid Guysher own,Just A Guy.

BC was kind enough to call SongwritMonthly to discuss her approach songwriting, her love of performing her in-depth knowledge of . . . guys!
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Hi, this is BC, the artist introduced.espite the demanding schedule of

raveling, performing and promotinger single, BCs voice was vibrant,weet and energetic.

mpressed by her exuberance, Iwondered aloud, Arent you tired,houldnt the road be wearing you outy now?

No, she exclaimed. Now its evenmore fun. Its good, really good!

shouldnt have been surprised by BCseemingly limitless energy because herounce is clearly evident in not only theeats to her music, but in the rhythmnd word choice of her lyrics, as well.C has a dynamic writers voice thatparkles with an infectious vitality.

Thank you, she acknowledged.Theres not a plan behind myongwriting, its not me trying to have amilarity in my songs. I guess its justoming out naturally . . . its me beingonest and vulnerable in the studio.

here is a definite caught-in-the-moment feel to BCs lyrics, almost likehes freestyle rapping, just spitting outhe lyrics as natural as can be.

Yeah! she agreed. Sometimes when Iverthink a song, I throw it away. A

hint of the trademark rasp found in powerful vocals was starting to sinto her voice. If its not a natuprocess, then its usually not for me.

However, I do write in all sortdifferent ways, she continued. kind of a chameleon in the studio. Iwritten with so many different peothat I think Ive taught myself justgo with the flow. For instance, I cobe with a guitar player and he is jstrumming while Im singing melodover top or I could be with a track working on a more urban vibe.

One thing that does remain consistin how BC works is to get the trolling right from the start to receverything . . . especially those inideas.

I need to record whatever happensmy first listen to a track becawhatever my instinct is to do withthats usually where the song shogo. If I overthink a melody, it startsbecome . . . not good.

So, youre not a fan of rewritesasked.

Rewrites could totally kill a sUsually, first instincts are the right wfor me to go, she reaffirmed.
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aintaining focus on co-writing, I askedow BC prepared before entering aession.

Every day is so different, shenformed. I always have my notebooksith me, so Ill have numerous songtles, concepts, ideas or just poetry onand. If something doesnt comeaturally, if I dont have anything thatsowing through my brain at theession, then I will pull out a notebooknd go to my resources. Usually, if I doo in with a concept or an idea, Ill endp singing something completelyifferent anyway, she laughed.

C has a keen sense of knowing how toeep it simple while still writing withnough depth to tell a story thatsteners can identify with.

You cant get too complicated with thehorus of a song you want it to bemple, not too much thinking and easy

o remember. I try to keep it honest

and real and relatable in the chorand then with the verses, you knsometimes theyll be a little bit m

d e s c r i p t i vdetailed, or emetaphorical.

Y o u r s Break Up Sexalmost two soin one, I not T h e v e rc o u l d b e ballad, but tyou really kicup and turni n t o a f uupbeat track the chorus.

R i gh t , r ie xa c t l y , s

agreed.

I love that pivotal line, Should we this with what we do best? The whmood of the song drastically changesthat point.

Yeah, I love that song! BC exclaim That one started with a title. I like, We need to write about this brup sex thing that the kids are talkabout these days.

But it sounds like theres a bit of trin the verses of this song, I probed.

Pieter Henket


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Theres always truth in my stories,he revealed. I didnt necessarily gout and have break up sex with

verybody, you know . . .ut the conversationsome up. There is truthehind the concept.

So you werent calling upuys s ay i ng , Uhm,

maybe we should breakp today?

No, its not like that! BCeplied laughing hard.

C has also written andecorded a moving balladntitled Used. The lyricsake a hard look at aelationship and offerome real insight intouman behavior. Therere so many incrediblenes that it seemed thisad to be a track sheorked on for quite a bit,ne she spent a little

more time crafting thanhe others.

N o t r e a l l y , s h eesponded, That one wasnd of quick. I was with

Richie Supa an amazing writer whas written with Aerosmith and soother writers . . . Jodi Marr [OrianMika, Ricky Martin, Jonas BrotheYellowcard, Steven Tyler, etc.] and were all just kind of hanging out on lunch break from writing. Someone wstrumming the guitar and Richie starhumming some Aerosmith type meland I was like, What is that?! Is thasong already? Richie was like, I doknow. And I was like, Lets go w


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hat, right now! We didnt even eat, weent back in and wrote the song, itappened pretty quickly.

Even with all those great lines in theyrics, it just flowed?

Yeah, its really cool when that stuffust comes out. Its my therapy, it helpsme understand my feelings.

Is it hard to express youreelings when your in a grouptuation like that? I wondered.

In the beginning of my career,oing into a session, Id have allhese lyrics and all these ideas,ut no one could read them! Ias sooo protect ive and

nsecure and shy and would nothrow any ideas out there. Now,s just like . . . I have nohame! she replied laughing.

There are so many momentsith a song, I pointed out, the

ush of the initial inspiration,he heat of the writing, the highf knowing youve nailed it, thexcitement of taking it into thetudio, the thrill of performing itn front of an audience, etc., do

you have a favorite part?

Wow, Ive never thought about before, no ones ever asked that . . . BC fell quiet for a minu Hmm . . . the whole processawesome. After a session, its likeweight has been lifted off of shoulders, but the best part for is . . . More silence. I dont know .everything!

As noted earlier, BC Jean has a spiricenter-stage personality. Shes upbeoutgoing and infectiously positive. Ethough she initially received accolafor being a writer, with such a chargpersonality, was remaining behind scenes ever really an option for her?

No, she stated firmly, Ive alwbeen the showgirl! Ive always put

h t t p : / / c l i c k . l i n k s y n e r g y . c o m / f s - b iid=hyTjEIK1pMo&offerid=146261&type=3&subidd = 1 8 2 6 & RD _ P A RM 1 = h t t p % 2 5 3 A%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Falbum%g u y - s i n g l e % 2 5 2 F i d 3 9 0 5 5 6 7 6 3 %%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30
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ttle shows for my dolls and my familynd made my friends be in girl groups

with me they were my backgroundngers and dancers. The writing forther people thing just kind of landed in

my lap starting with Beyonc wantingo sing If I Were A Boy. After that,eing an artist was something I had toght for! I had always been The Artist,hen all of a sudden, I was Theongwriter, and it was kind of weird.ut it helped create this buzz andredibility so that the next time I

walked into the studio, people actuallyook me seriously. It was something Iever would have imagined, but nowm getting calls to write for so manymazing artists! I enjoy both parts very

much.

What was your initial reaction whenou found out Beyonc would beeleasing your song? I asked.

Wait, thats my song! she laughed.

The hit for Beyonc was If I Were Aoy and the first single for you is JustGuy, you seem to have a great deal

f insight when it comes to guys.

Apparently, she admitted, then added,Yet Im single!

In Just A Guy there is a line thattates, For me to explain a girl wouldake a whole other song. Are you up tohat challenge? Can you write a songhat explains a girl?

I dont think I know what a girl is! Ihink were just crazy, thats what Ihink. But you know what? Youve justnspired me. Thank you. Ill have to get

to work on that. BC thought fomoment, then realized, There wouldbe just one song, there would havebe a million! Girls are wired way intense!

Youre probably starting to get tiredtalking about the pizza story and JA Guy and all that, is there anythyou havent had a chance to mentthat youd like to bring up?

Well, she began almost shyly, It nothing to do with my songwriting, I am a judge on Alloy EntertainmeT V s h o w c a l l e d T A L E[www.alloytv.com/thetalentshow]. Athen Ill be starring in a scripted sewhich will start filming at the end of month.

Very cool. Congratulations!

Thank you.

As we concluded our conversation, expressed that she would love it if followed her on Twitter [httptwitter.com/BCJean], liked her Facebook [www. f a cebook . c oBCJeanMusic], or friended her myspace [www.myspace.com/bcjeaBesides acting, over the next months, BC hopes to release anotsingle. Later in the year, the plan ishit you with a full album!

Note: All three songs mentioned in article [Just A Guy, Break Up Sand Used] can be heard at Bwebsite: www.bcjean.com.

If you still cant get enough, clickHfor one extra special BC treat!
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songwriter's monthly feb. '11, #133- bc jean

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