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Celeb News: Stargate: How "Diamonds" Was Born + More!
Member Since: 9/20/2011
Posts: 13,921
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Stargate: How "Diamonds" Was Born + More!
From Hollywood Reporter & Rihanna Daily
Norway-based team Stargate — Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel Storleer Eriksen — have talked about Rihanna in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter:
THR: You guys have blown up since then after working with Ne-Yo. You’ve worked with Rihanna, Beyonce and Katy Perry. What was the most memorable song you’ve worked on lately?
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Hermansen: That’s impossible. That’s like rating your kids. They’re all different and we love them for different reasons. Of course, the first will always be special because that kind of mental block kind of came down when we wrote that first song. But we had moments when we basically changed our approach and tried something completely different. I could use a current example: when we wrote “Diamonds” with Benny Blanco and we collaborated with him for a couple of weeks trying to come up with material for Rihanna. And we were basically trying to come up with big records, and making big up-tempo pop records and then after a couple weeks of that, we just decided, “Today we’re not trying to make a big hit record. Today we are going to make something that we love and that’s a little bit darker, a little bit slower, and a little bit more emotional, and that’s when we made the track for “Diamonds.” A few days later Sia came in and wrote the lyrics. When we made that song we basically made it for ourselves. We didn’t try to make a hit. The song goes out, and it becomes huge, and that becomes rewarding in a sense that when we feel something, the public feels it as well, and it’s nice to be reminded of that.
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THR: Absolutely. That song turned out to be huge. You have worked with Rihanna quite a bit. Can you tell me what it’s like working with her and what her process is?
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Hermansen: I mean first of all, we’ve seen her grow up, which has been a fascinating experience. We’ve seen her go from this 17-year-old girl, just wide-eyed, to becoming a worldwide superstar and that is the main reward I would say, in addition to just doing decoration of the music. We’ve seen her grow up, and we’ve also seen her grow in her confidence. Basically, she has proven that her instincts are good over time and the level she’s on now … she’s really earned that. She’s earned the right to make her own decisions, and she’s proven to everyone around her that she knows what she’s talking about. She doesn’t necessarily know how to put it in words, so we don’t sit down at the beginning of the record and talk about it. And the few times we have done that, nothing has really come of that. She likes to see herself and react to it emotionally.
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That’s how a lot of our greatest songs together have come about, off just by playing it to her and she’ll just pick it up right then and there. There’s no point in trying to convince her to do anything because she’s fiercely independent and she knows what she wants, and I like that. She will also never tell us, “Oh, write something for me” or “Try to please me”. She doesn’t want us to please her. She wants us basically to play her our best material and that’s refreshing. You know, a lot of other big name artists they will always, “You have to write something custom made for me.” Rihanna is more like, “What have you got? What’s exciting to you? Let me hear what you got.” So that process is a little bit different, and we prefer it that way and we’ve given up trying to please in our many years together.
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THR: Do you feel like you have an idea of what kind of things she likes or does it constantly change?
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Hermansen: She wants us to keep changing, and she never wants to repeat herself, which sounds great on paper and for a lot of artist that could be a difficult process where you basically always try to keep moving. To her credit, she’s been able to keep moving, but at the same time take her audience with her and that’s what she likes. She always challenges us, and I think we challenge her back.
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The Queen and her Knights.
Always making MAGIC!
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Member Since: 9/20/2011
Posts: 13,921
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I mean;
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UNFAITHFUL
WE RIDE
DON'T STOP THE MUSIC
HATE THAT I LOVE YOU
CRY
TAKE A BOW
WAIT YOUR TURN
STUPID IN LOVE ( )
RUDE BOY
TE AMO
S&M
WHAT'S MY NAME?
ONLY GIRL (IN THE WORLD)
TALK THAT TALK
DRUNK ON LOVE
ROC ME OUT
DIAMONDS
JUMP
RIGHT NOW
LOST IN PARADISE
HALF OF ME
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What kind of Flawless compilation of hits.
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Member Since: 8/13/2012
Posts: 32,832
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so all she does is pick the songs she likes? mmmhhh
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Member Since: 2/24/2010
Posts: 1,450
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Yess, one of my favourite combo
Janet + Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Mariah + Walter Afanasieff/ Jermaine Dupri (he is hit or miss though)
Rihanna + Stargate
Katy + Dr Luke
they created magic together 
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Member Since: 9/20/2011
Posts: 13,921
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Originally posted by MaRy
so all she does is pick the songs she likes? mmmhhh
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Yet somehow she got 6 #1's out of it. Something the countless other artists they have worked with can't say.
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Member Since: 6/7/2011
Posts: 10,608
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She doesn’t necessarily know how to put it in words, so we don’t sit down at the beginning of the record and talk about it. And the few times we have done that, nothing has really come of that. She likes to see herself and react to it emotionally.
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That’s how a lot of our greatest songs together have come about, off just by playing it to her and she’ll just pick it up right then and there.
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She really has NO input in the creation of her songs.
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Member Since: 8/13/2012
Posts: 32,832
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Originally posted by Wii
Yess, one of my favourite combo
Janet + Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Mariah + Walter Afanasieff/ Jermaine Dupri (he is hit or miss though)
Rihanna + Stargate
Katy + Dr Luke
they created magic together |
Patrick Leonard + Madonna >>>>>>>>>>>>>> all of them tbh
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Member Since: 5/8/2012
Posts: 15,801
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Originally posted by simon
She really has NO input in the creation of her songs.
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this is like one of 2 songs on U where she doesn't have nay writing credits tho 
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Member Since: 8/13/2012
Posts: 32,832
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Originally posted by Night ₪ Terror
Yet somehow she got 6 #1's out of it. Something the countless other artists they have worked with can't say.
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Still... I am happy she wrote most of Unapologetic though 
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Member Since: 6/10/2011
Posts: 12,738
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I feel like Rihanna gets taken advantage of because she does most of the work. I mean, we all know she is the lyricist of our generation. SHE'S the one who has to perform the song on TV. All Stargate has to do is think of ideas, determine melodies, write the song, produce the song, invent everything that goes into it, and make sure it's tailor-made for her.
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Member Since: 9/20/2011
Posts: 13,921
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Originally posted by simon
She really has NO input in the creation of her songs.
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UNAPOLOGETIC
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EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Robyn Fenty
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PHRESH OUT THE RUNWAY:
Writers: Robyn Fenty, David Guetta, Giorgio Tuinfort, Terius Nash
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NUMB:
Writers: Fenty, Sam Dew, Warren Felder, Ronald "Flip" Colson, Pop Wansel
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POUR IT UP:
Writers: Fenty, Michael Williams, Theron Thomas, Timothy Thomas
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LOVEEEEEEE SONG:
Writers: Fenty, Nayvadius Wilburn, Denisea "Blu_June" Andrews
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RIGHT NOW:
Writers: Fenty, Nash, Guetta, Eriksen, Hermansen, Shaffer Smith, Tuinfort, Nick Rotteveel
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WHAT NOW:
Writers: Fenty, Olivia Waithe, Parker Ighile, Nathan Cassells
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NOBODY'S BUSINESS:
Writers: Fenty, Nash, Carlos McKinney, Michael Jackson
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LOVE WITHOUT TRAGEDY/MOTHER MARY:
Writers: Fenty, Nash, McKinney
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GET IT OVER WITH:
Writers: Fenty, James Fauntleroy, Brian Seals
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NO LOVE ALLOWED:
Writers: Fenty, Sean "Elijah Blake" Fenton, Alexander Izquierdo, Ernest Wilson, Steve Wyreman
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LOST IN PARADISE:
Writers: Fenty, Ester Dean, Timothy McKenzie, Eriksen, Hermansen
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What were you saying sis?
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Member Since: 8/13/2012
Posts: 32,832
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Quote:
Originally posted by MM3
I feel like Rihanna gets taken advantage of because she does most of the work. I mean, we all know she is the lyricist of our generation. SHE'S the one who has to perform the song on TV. All Stargate has to do is think of ideas, determine melodies, write the song, produce the song, invent everything that goes into it, and make sure it's tailor-made for her.
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Member Since: 11/12/2011
Posts: 2,673
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Originally posted by simon
She really has NO input in the creation of her songs.
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Nothing new about that
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Banned
Member Since: 10/1/2011
Posts: 15,669
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Originally posted by Night ₪ Terror
I mean;
What kind of Flawless compilation of hits.
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You better not shade Savior in Love. 
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Member Since: 9/20/2011
Posts: 13,921
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Originally posted by Chrome
You better not shade Savior in Love. |
I don't think I know that track. Is it off her 8th studio album thats being released November 2014?
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Member Since: 2/16/2010
Posts: 69,775
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Despite her lack of involvement in actually composing her music, I think she has a really good ear for choosing the best songs for her voice & her personality. Which is why, despite working with "typical" Top 40 producers, her songs still always stick out on radio.
I'm not sure how much power she has over choosing the final tracklisting, but either her or her label do a really great job of choosing songs for her that people will like. I've said it before that she & her team have the best ear for good, enjoyable pop music today.
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Member Since: 11/23/2011
Posts: 46,048
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She likes to see herself and react to it emotionally.
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The emoter of our generation.
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Member Since: 9/22/2011
Posts: 9,178
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Originally posted by simon
She really has NO input in the creation of her songs.
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 That's what I picked up out of this interview too. I like how they tried to spin it as a 'fiercely independent'-thing when she comes in and shops for pre-made hits without having any input whatsoever.
Not even mad at her though, her instincts have clearly paid off and kept her fresh instead of continuously making songs that "cater to her" (whatever that means in the rapidly expanding pop palette). In the end, Rihanna is an interpreter of music. Music is made and given to her to perform and bring to life and frankly, she does a pretty good job of it given her success and breadth of her hits.
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Member Since: 6/10/2009
Posts: 10,622
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I hate when people drag Rihanna for not writing as if tons of LEGENDS before her ever picked up a pen and pad.
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Member Since: 12/22/2009
Posts: 23,538
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The queen flawless taste for pop music. Thank you queen Rihanna for giving is the two best pop songs of our generation. We Found Love and Diamonds!
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