‘I wrote songs for the rich and famous and this is what it’s really like’

RuthAnne has penned hits for Britney Spears, Niall Horan and John Legend, and shares her experiences writing some of pop music’s biggest bangers.

When we hear a chart-topping song on the radio, it’s easy to forget the countless hours, tiny studio rooms, and unseen collaborations that bring it to life.

For RuthAnne, one of Ireland’s most in-demand songwriters, that behind-the-scenes world has often meant sitting alongside some of the biggest names in music.

From co-writing JoJo’s Too Little Too Late at just 17, to penning hits for Britney Spears, One Direction, Martin Garrix & Bebe Rexha, Niall Horan, Diana Ross, and more, RuthAnne’s career has been a masterclass in creative versatility, persistence, and connection.

“I wrote Too Little Too Late at 17, but it took two years to come out, so I was 19,” she says. “And it taught me how massive a song can be globally. I hear that song still on the radio in so many different countries. But it definitely showed me that it takes a lot of work. It takes a lot of preparation.”

By the time she turned 16, RuthAnne had already written 600 songs in her bedroom, immersing herself in what she calls the “10,000 hours” of practice that would prepare her for the moment opportunity knocked.

She said: “I always talk about how preparation plus opportunity equals success. If I hadn’t done those hours at home, I don’t know if I would have been ready for that lucky break.”

Songwriting, for RuthAnne, was never about fame – it was about expression.

She said: “I was quite an emotional kid. Music was more my outlet. When I would sing to people, they would kind of react to me, smiling, tiny penitent things. And I was like, what is this? It was the first time I realised I could connect with people through song.”

That early insight laid the foundation for a career in which she would not only craft hits for others but eventually tell her own stories through music.

Despite her early success, RuthAnne admits she never really feels like she’s “made it” in the industry.

She explained: “I think because I’m always trying to achieve things. When I’m in the room with John Legend, and he’s like, ‘What do you think of that?’ I’m like, oh, my ears don’t mention that quite enough. Those moments are definitely key to the moments of life.” And those moments are often intimate and human.

“They are honestly just normal people. They feel the same that we all feel – good days, bad days. It’s a work scenario, you’re just working with people,” she says.

Some of her celebrity encounters remain unforgettable.

She said: “John Legend had the piano right in the middle of the studio, it was hot that day. Just me and John, that was lovely.”

Diana Ross, too, left a lasting impression: “Meeting Diana was huge. She’s such an icon, but she was so down-to-earth. It reminded me why I do this.”

And then there was Alicia Keys, who RuthAnne had admired for years. “Getting to meet her was a huge inspiration for me. It was one of the reasons I became an artist and why I wanted to learn the piano.”

Another highlight she recalled was “being with Niall, him jumping up and down the studio hearing what we’d written, or singing with him on stage”.

Of course, the creative process can be just as thrilling as the celebrity encounters. RuthAnne recalls the complex collaboration behind Britney Spears’ Work B**ch.

Ruth said: “There are times where it’s you and the artist, sometimes you’re writing to pitch to an artist, and other times, pieces of the song are written all over the world and put together. I call that the Frankenstein moment.

“I wrote to Anthony [Preston], he wrote a song called Fingers to the Sky, and it took over a piece of the song. Then I got a call saying, ‘Hey, you know that song you worked on? I’ve put it up with will.i.am and something is coming out of it.’ Finding pieces for pop and dance history is the biggest thing.”

Her versatility has enabled her to traverse genres seamlessly. Ruth said: “I have a really eclectic musical legacy… I was always obsessed with every genre and just great songs. I always try to write the best song I can. The skills I’ve learned over the years let me work in any genre, in any category, to make songs sound beautiful.”

She’s tackled EDM with Avicii, pop with One Direction, and powerhouse ballads with Westlife, yet she remains ambitious, explaining she would love to see her songs in many different genres become hits.

Some songs carry an intensely personal weight, even when performed by others.

Ruth explained: “[Like with] Too Little Too Late. So many people say, ‘I broke up with my boyfriend and that song helped me through,’ and it’s still so loved by the world. And The Vow—I constantly get videos of people covering it at weddings…”

“I wrote a song about my journey with endometriosis, which is a chronic illness a lot of women have. Seeing people online singing it, or it soundtracking their moments, made me realise how important it is to release those songs. In your vulnerability, you could be helping someone or making someone feel seen and heard.”

She’s also keen to dispel a common misconception about her craft.

Ruth said: “People think pop songs are the easiest songs to write. They are really not – they’re the hardest songs to write. It’s important to value the skill of a songwriter. There are lots of ways songs come together, and every artist works differently. Some write everything themselves, some work in a team. It’s all about collaboration and skill.”

Finally, when asked to pick between her hits, she hesitated between her first success and a newer song: “I’m really proud of Too Little Too Late because it was my first hit and it still resonates.

“And I’m proud of The Vow, because it’s connected to people’s lives in such a meaningful way. At the end of the day, music has always been my therapy. If my songs can make someone else feel seen, or bring them joy on the dancefloor, then I know I’m doing what I was meant to do.”

Far from slowing down, RuthAnne is continuing to expand her horizons. Alongside her own releases, she’s been part of TikTok’s #SummerSkills programme, teaching teens the art of songwriting. She recently hosted a TikTok LIVE songwriting session with rising pop star KiD RAiN, creating a brand-new song from scratch in front of a global audience.

“It’s been amazing. I want to help those creators be able to know how to create songs that will make the whole world sing”, she gushed.

Source: Mirror