EPISODE SUMMARY:
A legendary songwriter, Holly Knight is an iconic talent whose successful career has connected her with industry legends such as Tina Turner, Pat Benatar, the band Heart, and more. In today’s episode, we sat down with Holly to discuss her songwriting journey, the differences in writing for male and female artists, Holly’s experience with John Bon Jovi, and who she would like to work with next.
First, we asked Holly about her journey as a songwriter. She told us that before becoming a writer, she started her music career in a band called Spider. When the band was looking for producers, Holly immediately thought of Mike Chapman, a producer who had worked on Blondie’s records as well as several other hits. After a chance meeting with him at a party, Holly gave him a tape of Spider’s music, and Mike eventually signed them. While working with Mike, Holly ended up writing a song with him and later became a songwriter for iconic artists such as Tina Turner. Holly was the 16th woman inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her rock contributions, and while she believes there is still a huge rock fanbase today, she attributes satellite radio as one of the main factors keeping rock alive. Once a songwriter, Holly quickly gained fame thanks to MTV. At the peak of her career, MTV mentioned her numerous times on their channel, introducing her and her songs to millions of watchers worldwide.
Holly has written for both male and female artists, and when asked about the different processes for each, she explained that writing for women is a more emotional experience. As a female, Holly writes from a female perspective, and the music often discusses feelings and deeper emotions. In comparison, the songs she writes for men are more cut and dry. Choosing which artist to write for can be a complicated process, for it varies greatly from song to song. For example, one way in which Holly used to figure out who to write for was through “looking for” lists. Her publisher would give her a list of singers and what kinds of music those singers wanted for their music. Holly could then tailor her lyrics to appeal to a singer that interested her or would write the beginning of a song in hopes of working together with the artist on the rest. However, many other writers also received the same “looking for” lists, so it was often a competition for who could get what artist to work with them. Holly has also had artists personally approach her and ask to collaborate, including Tina Turner.
Holly is no stranger to the highs and lows of the music industry, and one of the lows she discussed with us was interacting with celebrities. When attending parties or gatherings hosted by well-known artists, Holly wanted to be introduced as herself, for she yearned to create genuine connections. However, her name alone was not enough to attract attention. Holly even had an experience with two well-known singers where when introduced to them as just “Holly”, the men couldn’t have cared less. However, once they later learned she was Holly Knight the songwriter, they immediately came back and wanted to speak with her. Another celebrity Holly has had a negative interaction with is John Bon Jovi. While at a party hosted at Bon Jovi’s house, Holly was harassed by one of his drunken roadies and thrown into the pool. When Holly approached Bon Jovi about this, he brushed her off, claiming that she deserved it and invalidating her completely. Refusing to back down, Holly demanded he call her a cab and that she deserved an apology from both the roadie and Bon Jovi himself. Luckily, Holly and Bon Jovi later spoke and moved past the incident, collaborating together on a later project.
Finally, we asked Holly what artists she’d like to work with in the future. She told us she has a long list of current singers, including Lady Gaga, Adele, Halsey, Bruno Mars, Harry Styles, Dua Lipa, Maneskin, and Kelly Clarkson.
Holly Knight
A vital force behind the sound of some of rock’s most powerful female artists, Holly Knight’s iconic musical imprint is woven into the very fabric of the MTV generation. Throughout the 1980s, singer/songwriter Holly Knight composed anthems that became the soundtrack for millions of people’s lives, and also created and crafted empowering odes to independence, liberation, and equality. These universal themes have never been more relevant than they are today which is why we still hear her music every day. On television, films, and commercials, Knight’s work has become not just ubiquitous – but also generation-defining.
For all of the dozens of recognizable songs she has written, however, working with legends including Rod Stewart, Kiss, and Aerosmith, it was her collaborations with female artists that truly broke through, giving a new voice to women all over the world. Defiant, purposeful, and ultimately triumphant, her work with Tina Turner, Pat Benatar, and the band Heart among others also helped pave the way for the next generation of defining female musical masters including Amy Winehouse, Adele, and Lady Gaga. It was the music and words she wrote. But it was also the visual representations on MTV that helped define Holly’s work for the masses. “Love is a Battlefield.” “Better Be Good to Me.” “The Best.” “Never.” My Obsession.” “Rag Doll.”
Her songs have appeared in movies as varied as Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, Thelma and Louise,Thirteen Going On Thirty, Anchorman ll, Dallas Buyers Club, The Other Woman, and have featured on TV shows including Schitts Creek, GLOW, Stranger Things, The Masked Singer,Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show StarringJimmy Fallon, American Idol, The Voice, The Simpsons, South Park and Family Guy. Not one to sit back on her laurels, Knight is still as passionate and driven about music as she was in her late teens. Thriving on diversity, it’s her ability to move from one genre to the next that has given her this 40-year career in music.
The list goes on for this 2013 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, just as the legacy does, and will, forever.
In this episode, we discuss…
- [0:01] Introduction
- [0:29] Guest Introduction
- [3:53] Start of Interview
- [4:33] Holly’s Songwriting Journey
- [10:32] Holly and MTV
- [12:54] Writing for Male V.S. Female Artists
- [16:34] Finding an Artist for Your Song
- [22:06] Proper Introductions in the Industry
- [27:31] Holly’s Experience with John Bon Jovi
- [33:22] Who Holly Would Like to Work With
- [35:46] Closing Thoughts
- [36:25] Outro
Useful Resources:
Holly’s Website I [http://www.hollyknight.com/]
Holly’s Facebook I [https://www.facebook.com/HollyKnightSongwriter]
Holly’s Instagram I [https://www.instagram.com/hollyknightvision/]
Holly’s Twitter I [https://twitter.com/hollyknightlife]
Holly’s TikTok I [https://www.tiktok.com/@hollyknightsongwriter]
Holly’s Book
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