STORYCO CO-LAB #3 - "How to Write a Song" With Singer/Songwriter Eva Hendricks of Charly Bliss
Timestamps
00:00 - Intro to the Co/Lab: "How to Write a Song" hosted by Eva Hendricks, lead singer for Charly Bliss
1:02 - First song Eva ever wrote and the inspiration behind it
02:25 - When songwriting became a serious pursuit for Eva
03:41 - How Eva's songwriting process has evolved
5:05 - Intro to Eva’s philosophy towards songwriting
8:59 - Songwriting exercise: write a jingle for a product in your home
10:58 - Eva shares her water bottle song-jingle.
13:44 - Analysis of Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" to understand chord progressions
17:10 - The significance of lyrics in songwriting and the role of imagery and Eva’s approach to crafting lyrics
26:22 - Analysis of Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me" for song structure and her use of imagery
28:22 - When in doubt, use “Rhymezone”
31:04 - Activity: Create two columns for happy and sad memories associated with an event
33:00 - Using those conflicting emotions to emote opposing feelings in lyrics
33:18 - Eva's personal journey with Charlie Bliss and the impact of songwriting on her life
38:35 - The long and winding journey of Charly Bliss in the music industry
42:00 - Q & A session
42:30 - Eva’s musical inspirations
45:03 - How to return back to songs you wrote in the past and finish/edit them
47:28 - Why do you think people resonate with Eva's songs?
56:53 - Does how a song will sound live play into Eva's songwriting process?
1:00:00 - How to collaborate on music remotely
1:07:00 - How does music play into lyrics and vice versa
1:11:57 - Thanks Eva! When can we expect a new Charly Bliss album?
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Session Recap
Eva kicked off the "How to Write a Song" workshop with reflections on her early songwriting days, sharing that she wrote her first song for her elementary school crush at the age of 16.
This initial foray opened the door for her to pursue a songwriting career professionally, which commenced at the Clive Davis Institute at NYU, cutting her teeth amongst all her highly achieving classmates. She revealed that despite not being technically trained or proficient with an instrument, it was the act of creating, catharsis found in songwriting, and discovery that anyone could write songs that propelled her forward.
Eva then moved into the workshop portion of session with an activity, prompting participants to write a jingle about an everyday object in their home. This aimed to demonstrate that songwriting can be accessible and that simple ideas can evolve into songs. Eva herself shared the jingle she wrote about her water bottle.
Eva then briefly touched on some music theory, explaining the role of theory in creating tension and release in chord progressions. She used Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" as an example to illustrate how chords can drive the emotional narrative of a song.
Eva’s favorite aspect of songwriting, lyricism, took center stage as she delved into the importance of imagery and specificity in lyrics. She explained that universal themes become fresh and impactful through the lens of personal experience and detailed storytelling, using Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me" as a perfect example of vivid lyrical writing.
Eva acknowledged that sometimes external resources can aid the writing process, sharing that she often uses “Rhymezone” when she is struggling to drum up the words for a song.
She then took the audience through another exercise, prompting them to make lists of happy and sad memories associated with a significant event, illustrating how contrasting emotions can enrich a song’s narrative.
Before the Q and A session, Eva talked candidly about her experiences as frontwomen for Charly Bliss. She chronicled their highs and lows over their 10+ years in existence, stressing the patience necessary when pursuing a career in music and the relentless commitment you need to show to your art despite the many highs and lows on the path to success.
In this deep dive into her songwriting process, Eva shared her journey from humble beginnings to her role as pop-punk powerhouse Charly Bliss's frontwoman, illustrating accessibility of songwriting via easy to learn excersises and tricks.
Thank you to all who attended this session-we hope you learned at least nugget that you take with you in your songwriting journey. And thank you to Eva for taking us into your process!
To catch Eva's latest work, follow her band Charly Bliss on Instagram and TikTok!
