Diane Warren On Songwriting - “I’m Never Satisfied, You Can Be Happy And Not Satisfied”

Shannon In The Morning Big Show Daily Podcast

She’s written 32 top-10 hits, including NINE #1’s! She’s a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, she’s a Grammy, Emmy and Golden Globe award winner who’s earned 11 Academy Award nominations & her songs have been featured in more than 100 movies!

The great Diane Warren checked in to talk about her prolific songwriting career and the upcoming release of her very first album!

“I’m Never Satisfied, You Can Be Happy And Not Satisfied” she tells us right off the bat, saying she's always looking to write the perfect song.

Diane loved listening to the radio growing up in Van Nuys, California and dreamed of performing on the radio. She began writing music when she was 11 but got serious about it at 14.

“When I was about 14, I got super obsessed,” she told us “it took me a long time, a lot of doors got closed in my face, ultimately it wasn’t time for me.”

She obviously didn’t give up - “I think it happens when you’re ready” she says, “my songs got better.”

Her mother asked her to give up songwriting but her father encouraged her.

“She wasn’t exactly right there,” Diane jokes. “I should’ve listened to my mom!”

Her dad bought her a 12-string guitar and a metal shed for her to practice and took her to music auditions. She wrote Celine Dion's 1996 song "Because You Loved Me" as a tribute to her father for his encouragement.

Her first hit was "Solitaire" which Laura Branigan took to #7 in 1983. Her breakthrough hit was “Rhythm of the Night” by Debarge in 1985 which hit #3. Her first #1 hit was “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” by Starship in 1987 for the “Mannequin” movie soundtrack.

Warren says she’s proud to work on her songwriting by herself and is baffled by some other collaborative efforts.

“These days you see like 10 people on a song, and I wonder, you got the coffee? What did you do? You ordered lunch? I don’t know..”

Diane was excited to talk about her debut album ‘Diane Warren: The Cave Sessions Volume 1’ which comes out in early 2021!

The first single “Times Like This” featuring Darius Rucker is out now in partnership with the Wounded Warrior Project to commemorate Veterans Day! The new album will feature an all-star line-up of talent including John Legend, Celine Dion, Mary J. Blige, Jason Derulo and many more.

When asked to give advice to aspiring songwriters, Diane says “Work hard and be brave…If you can’t die without doing it don’t do it.”

Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images