Ruth-Anne Cunningham is a promising singer/songwriter hailing from Ireland, and despite her tender age, she has achieved so much success by penning unforgettable hits such as Jojo's "Too Little, Too Late" and Katharine McPhee's "Over It". I caught up with the ASCAP award winner to talk about her upcoming debut album, working with producers Billy Steinberg & Josh Alexander, songwriting teams, her obsession with reality TV, and so much more … Enjoy reading, and don't forget to post your thoughts :)
Hamada: - Tell us about how you got into singing and songwriting?
Ruth-Anne: - Well I've always sang since I can remember! I started song-writing quite young too, at about 8 years old, and I started playing piano when I was aged 12. Then I joined a stage school called the Billie Barry's and did a lot of performing on television and theatre.
Hamada: - What made you leave your home town in Ireland to pursue a musical career in the United States?
Ruth-Anne: - My manager discovered me in Dublin, Ireland. I was in a girl band and he told me that I'd be better as a solo artist, and offered me the opportunity to go to LA and work with the best people in the industry, so off I went just turned 18.
Hamada: - Has the music biz lived up to your expectations?
Ruth-Anne: - Yes and no. It was a lot of what I expected, but then I've learned so many things that really helped me, and I've been in the industry now four years which is still not that long. I've also made lots of good contacts, and worked with amazing people, so I feel very lucky.
Hamada: - What's the one thing you like about the music industry? And what do you hate the most?
Ruth-Anne: - I love getting to meet amazing musicians, producers, and other songwriters because you learn something from each of them, especially the ones who have been in the industry a long time and have had success. I love that my job doesn't feel like a job! Music is my passion and I feel so blessed that I get to wake up everyday and do what I love, and that the industry has welcomed me with open arms.
The one thing that's hardest for me about the industry is having to be away from home and the people I love. Places like LA are very lonely cities, and sometimes you meet lots of fake people who only want to use you, and that can be quite frustrating. I also don't like the way record companies nowadays aren't willing to take the risks on artists like they used too. Everyone's playing it a little too safe for my liking, so I hope that changes soon!
Hamada: Are you working on an album of your own? If so, when can we expect it to see the light of day?
Ruth-Anne: - Yes, I am working on my album, and have loads of songs written for it. At the moment, I am searching to find the best producer, and I wanna take my time to find the right one. I want my album to be the best it can be, and I wanna be involved with everything from the writing to the production to the final mix. So I'm hoping it'll be out late next year, fingers crossed!
Hamada: - What do you think of songwriting teams? And if you could form one of your own, whom would you choose as your team-mates?
Ruth-Anne: - That's a great question! I think song-writing teams are great, especially if you have co-writers that complement one another, and can inspire more ideas and give different perspectives on your ideas. I don't know who I'd choose, probably Diane Warren, Kara Dioguardi and me! That would be cool, cause Im such a big fan of both.
Hamada: - I've got to know you via Jojo's "Too Little, Too Late" through which you've won an ASCAP award. How did you feel when that happened? And is it true that the song was initially offered to the Pussycat Dolls?
Ruth-Anne: It was amazing to win an ASCAP award for "Too Little Too Late". It was a big shock as was the success of the song. I just felt really lucky and over-whelmed to be in a room as a winner among amazing writers that I really admire and respect. Being just a young girl from Ireland, the youngest winner there, and getting to experience walking the red carpet was all a dream come true.
Yes, the song was originally for the Pussycat Dolls, but then it was given to Jojo, which I was happier about cause the minute we wrote it, I immediately thought it would be perfect for her and she did an amazing job. Her vocals are amazing on it!
Hamada: - Do you sometimes wish you've kept to yourself some the songs handed out to other artists?
Ruth-Anne: - No, not at all. What's great is that I get to choose what songs I give away, and what songs I keep for my own project. I normally have a good instinct about which ones I feel would be good for other artists, and which ones are good for me. I love being a song-writer as well as an artist, and I love hearing another singer sing my songs.
Hamada: - I'll ask you about some of the musicians you've worked with, and you tell me about that experience:
Billy Steinberg & Josh Alexander:
Ruth-Anne: - They are amazing writers and people! Billy and Josh are an example of what I think is a perfect song-writing team. They really complement each other, and working with them was great. I learned so much from Billy; he's a huge song-writer in the industry and is a wonderful person as well. They're production style is very unique, which makes the songs stand out, and I love working with them.
Joanna "Jojo" Levesque:
Ruth-Anne: - I never actually met her, but she did email me thanking me for my work on the song, and said I had a beautiful voice. I heard she was a sweetheart.
Katharine McPhee:
Ruth-Anne: - .....
Hamada: - Which other artists you'd love to write songs for in the near future?
Ruth-Anne: - I would love to write or sing a song with Alicia Keys. She's a huge inspiration for me, and I love her!
Hamada: - What are your current and future projects?
Ruth-Anne: Right now I'm getting ready to head back to Los Angeles to do some more writing and meetings, then I'll be off to New York to do the same, then home for Christmas, and then to London for a while to do some performances of my own material. By that time, I hope to have found a producer for my album, and spend a few months putting it together.
Hamada: - If you were not a singer/songwriter, which alternative career you would have chosen instead?
Ruth-Anne: - Well I used to do a bit of acting and dancing, so I would still definitely do something in the entertainment industry. I'm useless at everything else!
Hamada: - What qualities do you usually look for in a man? And what turns you off the most?
Ruth-Anne: - I look for a man that's driven like me, wants to be the best he can be, and not settle for less. I like a man who's passionate, makes me smile and laugh, wants to always make me happy, understands that my career is a huge priority, loves and treats me the way I deserve to be treated.
Arrogant, over-confident men really turn me off. And men who think they can treat woman as if they're less then them are really annoying!
Hamada: - What would you expect on a romantic evening?
Ruth-Anne: - A perfect romantic evening for me is just getting Chinese takeaway, sitting and watching a DVD, and cuddling!
Hamada: - Describe yourself in 5 words?
Ruth-Anne: - Ambitious, driven, passionate, determined and a hard-worker.
Hamada: - Tell us something that most readers will be surprised to learn about you?
Ruth-Anne: I love all the reality shows on MTV! And I feel like such a traitor cause as an artist, I should hate the fact that MTV doesn't play any music anymore, but I love reality TV, and I can't get enough of it.
Hamada: - What's the one thing you'd like to do before you turn 40?
Ruth-Anne: - Win a Grammy award.
Hamada: - If god could grant any of your wishes, what would it be?
Ruth-Anne: - Just that I'll lead a happy life, be the best person I can be, make good choices for myself, look after the loved ones around me, handle the ups and downs that life brings, and turn my failures into success.
Hamada: - Is there any message you'd like to give to aspiring songwriters all over the world?
Ruth-Anne: - Keep writing! Any ideas you have, go with them. Sometimes the ideas that I think are the silliest end up being the best! Get yourself a good manager whom you can trust, and always be open to learn more about your craft. Don't give up and always believe in yourself, cause if you don't, no one else will.
[Visit] Ruth-Anne Cunningham @ MySpace
