FLIPSIDE - BLOG

Press Release: xs - 24/7

7/25/2021

xs has released her latest single, “24/7” on 24 July, five weeks following her debut album “Good Girls Don’t Speak Their Minds”.

The singer-songwriter has never been shy to use her music as a platform for expression, as we’ve seen in her previous songs.

But just when we thought her earlier single “Night Shift” couldn’t get any steamier, “24/7” takes it even further as she suggests her desire to share intimacy with her lover all day every day. If you listen closely to the lyrics, she also sings about cancelling their plans to get busy and causing the neighbours to complain about the noise.

The sultry lyrics is accompanied with a simple arrangement made up of synthesizers, drums and bass guitar, produced by Flipside's Music Director, Hangi Tavakoli.

Press Release: Khashayiar - 27 (Album)

7/21/2021

Khashayiar is an Iranian producer, composer, pianist, guitarist, and rapper. He also sings in Rock and R&B. His last album 27 has been released on July 7th, 2021 from Flipside Productions, Maghz Records and Radio Javan (For Iran’s territory). It is the first international album in Persian Hip-hop history. It contains 14 different artists from 14 countries, singing in 14 different languages. There are 10 tracks, except for the intro, all tracks are in Persian and at least one other language. As Khashayiar explains in the first track "Intro", he got this idea several years ago, but it took him a while to gather all the people and does the production and composition for all the tracks. He immigrated to Turkey a few days before the 27 album’s release date.

27 Album's guest artists are Cleo, Thas Legend, Ariy, Jae S, Alassandro, Zeen Sloshy, Swan, Bolt, Sezo, Hamed Fard, Thiaz, Jerp Walker, and Da Queero.

FIND SONGWRITING COMMUNITY NOW!

7/20/2021

No matter what your definition of Songwriting Success is, one of the most overlooked aspect of a songwriter’s journey is the community. I run into many writers who are writing pretty good songs, but they are doing it in a vacuum. In reality, it’s nearly impossible to succeed as a songwriter or anything without a supportive community around you. Being a member of at least one songwriting community will help you a lot to share your songs with other fellow writers, get their feedback and grow yourself, as well as being updated about the behind the scene of the industry. Plus, having a wider network is always great for your business, and please don’t forget that songwriting is your business and the songs you write are your product to be sold. Here are some reasons it is important to find community as a songwriter.

Songwriters are a different breed. It’s often hard for spouses, friends and family members to understand why we think differently.

lottie's interview with NFM Podcast

7/20/2021

lottie's recent interview with NFM Podcast, where she tells her story on why and how she started her music journey and what her music stands for.

KEYS TO WRITING COMPELLING SONGS

7/13/2021

Let’s face it, there’s nothing better than playing a song for an audience, a publisher, or a friend and having it move them. Excite them. Make them dance. Or leave them tearing up. As writers, we want to reach out and touch people with our songs. As a professional songwriter, I have written many songs that for one reason or another, have failed to move people in the slightest. I have also been blessed to have other songs reach millions and sell millions of records. Over the years, I’ve compiled a checklist that helps me move people more consistently with my songs. On a good day, I’m lucky to get these elements firing on all cylinders.

Believability. This might be the number one thing I check and recheck as I write a song. Asking yourself, “Is this believable?”. It is essential to writing a compelling song. “Does it feel real?” This seems like a simple thing to master, but it’s perhaps the hardest.

DON’T LIVE WITH SONGWRITING REGRET

7/6/2021

I spent the first half of my life to date living in fear. Fear of failure. Fear of taking risks. Fear of getting involved in any sort of conflicts. Fear of performing or speaking in public. Fear of God striking me down if I misbehaved. The list goes on and on. And, around that half of lifetime point, I noticed that those fears began to have a different taste in my mouth. They began to taste more like regrets. Regret for missed opportunities. Regret for chances I missed. Regret for wasted precious days of my life. You get the idea. A steady diet of fear leads to the awful aftertaste of regret. And those tastes are not easily brushed away. Even though I took a huge risk when I decided to be a full-time musician when everyone around me where surely telling me it is not going to go well but I took the risk. And luckily it worked – so far. But still when I look back, I’ve lost tons of chances and opportunities because I didn’t take enough risks when I had to. And now after years I still regret not getting in and take those risks.

HEART VS. HEAD: HOW TO WRITE YOUR BEST SONGS?

6/29/2021

Songwriting is beautifully complex and yet simple. I am often reminded when I’m working with aspiring songwriters how simple, and yet complex, writing a great song can be. It’s a beautiful mix of emotions, wit, determination, and being in the moment. A very common obstacle I see to great writing is what I call ”Heart vs. Head.”

Too much emotional attachment. When a song, let’s say a ballad, means a lot to the writer, they throw in a ton of feelings and emotions, and often they tend to get so close to the subject matter that not enough thought goes into the lyrics. Therefore, the song is weakened by a lack of perspective, which leads to the listener to actually feel less emotion!

Too heady. On the flip side, if the song is fun and up-tempo, often it’s too “heady.”

PUT THE BUTT IN THE CHAIR: THE REAL CURE FOR WRITER’S BLOCK

6/22/2021

Publishers don’t give writer’s block vacations. People often ask me how I fight “writer’s block”. Unfortunately, my publisher does not offer Writer’s Block Vacation Days. I’m expected to write, not make excuses. So, on days when I don’t FEEL like writing, what do I do? I put my butt in the chair and I write anyway. This past Friday, I was tired, stressed and brain dead. I didn’t feel like writing. The problem was that I had two writing appointments booked. One with two great writers. The other with a great writer and an artist. I knew I had to come up with something. So, I got to the office early. Picked up my guitar and tried an alternate tuning. Soon, I came up with a little lick that I thought was cool. When my first co-writer walked in, he said “I love that!”. He grabbed a guitar and started playing what I was playing. The other co-writer arrived, and that groove became our song. Within an hour we had written a great song! The energy from that song carried me through the second co-write which also went quickly. So, on a day that I FELT like mailing it in or calling in sick and tired, I wrote two really good songs.

Press Release: xs - Good Girls Don't Speak Their Minds (Album)

6/20/2021

xs’ debut album “Good Girls Don’t Speak Their Minds”, released on 18th June, is brutally honest and emotionally raw. The album, produced by Hangi Tavakoli, consists of 11 tracks, with each track letting you in on a part of xs' life, adding them together provides a full picture of who she is. “All of them are very personal and close to my heart because they are inspired by my real experiences,” xs described.

xs is originally from Malaysia and is signed to Flipside Productions, based in Singapore. She is praised for her catchy hooks and narrative lyricism that takes inspiration from her personal stories. xs also uses her platform to advocate for female empowerment and celebrating who you are.

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DON’T GET IN THE WAY OF THE SONG

6/15/2021

One morning was one of those “don’t get in the way” moments. One of my co-writers had posted on our website that very morning about “Writing The Song In The Room” and I thought of that when another co-writer came in and said “My girlfriend and I just broke up and I’m writing my way through it.” This co-writer and his ex-girlfriend are both long-time friends of mine, so I listened as he told me the story of their demise as a couple. I forgot to mention, my co-writer also just got a record deal. So, I thought, “Let’s see where this breakup train goes.” I asked him if he had any ideas he wanted to write. He replied “OH YES I DO!”. He began to play me a beautiful ballad melody and an AMAZING idea. The hook bowled me away. Within 30 minutes, we had written one of the better songs I have written in a while. Typically, after one song, we call it day. But not that day. As soon as we had finished our work tape, he said “I’ve got another one”. This time, he plays me a rocking up-tempo song with ANOTHER great hook. Thirty minutes later, we are putting down a work tape for that one. I think he just might cut the first one. I would bet the farm that he cuts the second one.

Press Release: lottie - Dance With You (ep)

6/11/2021

British singer, songwriter and producer lottie has recently released her EP, ‘Dance With You'. Her first EP, it includes previously released singles How Does It Feel?, Nervous and Chloe. It also includes one new track - Dance With You. Signed to Flipside Productions, lottie’s lyrics are related to her experiences as an LGBTQ+ artist and are voiced from a lesbian perspective. Her smooth and feminine vocals are seamlessly combined with the producing expertise of renowned Iranian producer Hangi Tavakoli.

lottie studied English and Creative Writing at Royal Holloway, University of London, and her love for literature and poetry clearly comes through in her carefully crafted lyrics. She is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and this is clear within her lyrics. "When I came out, I was desperately searching for music that I could relate to - it’s my goal to make music that normalizes women singing about women,” she explained.

Usually based in the UK, lottie has spent the past few years travelling and is currently based in Singapore where she met Hangi Tavakoli and began her journey as an artist.

Title track ‘Dance With You’ brings a new emotional rawness to lottie’s catalogue. A simple, piano focussed track, it’s a romantic song that explores themes of love and devotion. “I wrote Dance With You after a bunch of friends cancelled on a party my partner and I were throwing. I realised in that moment that I really didn’t care - all that mattered to me was spending time with the person I love,’ lottie explained. Sapphic love and simple, raw emotion are at the heart of this track.

H ow Does It Feel? was inspired by Sappho’s Fragment 31, drawing on the theme of forbidden love and jealousy. The song has a melancholic feel, with lingering verses that build to a powerful chorus.The lyrics centre on the overwhelming emotions that come with unrequited love - doubt, denial, hope and hopelessness.

Nervous is the upbeat, playful track of the EP. It focuses on themes of love and lust, exploring the late night interaction of two people as they meet for the first time. The song emits a nighttime feel, mysterious and elusive, drawing on the complicated emotions of love at first sight.

Finally, Chloe brings a bubblegum pop conclusion to ‘Dance With You’. One of the first songs lottie ever wrote, and her debut single, it provides a simple, catchy beat, lyrically exploring the idea of looking back on a problematic relationship after it has ended. Chloe saw success in the Q32 LGBT chart, debuting at number 5 and remaining there for multiple weeks.

lottie, together with Hangi Tavakoli, is currently working on her debut album which will be released later this year.

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I DO MY SONGWRITING BEST – PUTTING AN END TO THE COMPARISON GAME

6/8/2021

There is a lot of comparison that goes on in the songwriting world. Artists pick this song over the other song. Someone decides that song is better than this song. Someone decides who is a better songwriter and even among 2 co-writers, there will be someone who wants to work with one of the two as a solo writer. We all tend to compare our songs to songs on the radio. Or we go to a writer’s night and compare our work to the work of others. When we hear something better than our music, we start thinking and analysing that song to see what element made it better than ours.

At the end of the day, I am going to be disappointed if I compare my work to Max Martin’s. He has had hundreds of songs cut and makes millions of dollars. Maybe I think my songs are just as good as his. Maybe some of them are better than some of his. None of that matters. All that really matters is that I do my best. If I’ve done that, then the rest is out of my hands.

REASONS A PUBLISHER WILL WANT A COPY OF YOUR SONG

6/1/2021

There are a number of things that could cause a publisher to request a copy of your song. Yes, it’s right. Sometimes the publishers might want your song instead of you trying so hard to convince them to listen to what you created. Knowing what those reasons are can up your chances of success. In my humble experience, these are the top five reasons publishers request to keep a copy of a song:

They already have a good connection that they think would like your song. The easier you make the publisher’s job, the better your chances. For instance, if you have a song that would be a great pitch for Demi Lovato, it would be a good idea to get her last couple of CDs and see which publishers show up more than once on her album. Then, do a little research and see who works at that publisher. Maybe you discover that “Little Lady Bug Music” shows up a lot and that Susan Smith works there. You met Susan at a songwriter event last year and got her card. So, you call Susan and ask to send her one song for Demi.

She’s already had success with Demi and by connecting the dots, you have given yourself a good chance at getting your song to Demi. Knowing who a publisher has had success with in the past can help you decide which publisher to approach and what to play them. Pitch smart and you have a better chance. Don’t work like a machine gun to shoot one thousand bullets and one might hit the target. Instead, be like the sniper. Take your time, check all affecting elements, and shoot one bullet at the right moment and hit the target

HOW TO GET MOTIVATED TO WRITE MORE SONGS

5/25/2021

Over the last couple of years, I have personally responded to thousands of emails. Many want to write better songs but can’t seem to get motivated to commit to writing on a regular basis. If this is you, you are not alone. We all feel the pull of emails, social media, answer to that WhatsApp message you wanted to answer for past 3 hours, or that new movie downtown that we just got to go see; instead of writing songs. We see videos of other songwriters and artists and we think they are doing well. We think it must be easy for them. The truth is, no writer that is doing well, does so some without struggle. When we choose to start writing songs or dedicate ourselves to writing more songs, we are really deciding to make a lifestyle change.

Think about those times you’ve decided to start eating healthier, drink less, get to the gym more often, or spending more quality time with your family. Even though these were all good decisions, the decision was the easy part. The follow-through was the real challenge.

So this is the main lesson I want to leave you with. No matter how much you desire change, you have to take action to get the momentum rolling your way. Here are a few things you can do now to help you change old habits get your writing back on track.

HOW TO CHANGE YOUR ODDS IN ANY CREATIVE BUSINESS

5/18/2021

From time to time, someone asks me “What are the odds of getting a cut?”. In my mind, what they are really asking is “Is this even worth trying?”. I’m going to suggest here that this is the wrong approach to dream chasing of any form. Let me put it to you this way. What are the odds that an Iranian guy with experience of being a rapper and producing hip-hop finds himself in Singapore, writing and producing more than 3,000 songs for more than 250 artists? Almost zero. Yet, here I am! What are the odds that a guy who grew up with no connections in the professional music business at all, figures it out, gets more than 400 songs recorded by internationally major artists, and writes 16 #1 songs? Not great odds. Yet, here I am. What are the odds that a rapper with no formal business training create a business that has grown from day 1 and has served more than 4,000 songwriters all over the world in just 5 years? Yet here , Flipside stands. That’s laughable.

Even let’s move one step further, what are the odds for a guy who couldn’t speak more than 20 English words to leave Iran, and next year get his first English song that he wrote, recorded, and then more than 1,000 English songs later, he starts writing books and blogs all in English? Yet, you are reading his blog right now. So, please don’t ever tell me that there is such a thing as “impossible”. I am a living proof of my claim, and I personally know people who proof it even stronger by the things they’ve got done!

The longer I live, the more I realize that it’s really not about the odds unless you are playing the lottery. In that case, there really are odds that are stacked against you. Those odds are measurable and accurate. They are based on math. They are real! In any creative endeavor, however, the odds are not so fixed. You can figure out ways to cut them way down. How do you do that?

REASONS TO SIGN AWAY YOUR PUBLISHING

5/11/2021

Over and over, during my songwriting career, I have been a part of debates over the issue of holding on to publishing vs signing away publishing. As a general rule, keeping your publishing would be preferable. After all, the publishing share is half of your share of the song. So, why would anyone sign away their publishing? Here are a few good reasons:

You need a monthly draw. In the beginning of my career, I needed a monthly income to survive. I traded my publishing for that monthly check. Looking back, it was the right choice. It got my foot in the door. I had an amazing mentor/publisher. And I got some cuts. I came out close to even on a 5-year deal that I considered “Songwriting School”. I learned the craft and I learned how the business worked. That was invaluable.

UNPOPULAR OPINON: MAYBE TAYLOR SWIFT ISN’T A SAINT?

5/10/2021

Last month we had an audition to expand our team of songwriters and singers. Given the situation we are facing these days because of the Covid Pandemic, the turn out of the audition was much better than I was expecting. A big group of participants were teenagers or youth in their early twenties, mostly quite talented but there was one issue. As a label, when we are auditioning, we are not only focused on their talent and skills but even more importantly the focus is on their personality and character. Somethings like singing or songwriting are skills which can be learned but the mindset to grow or knowing how badly one would want something is a different story. That’s the selling point for someone when they go an audition. Therefore, we try to have a little chat with each participant to get to know them better. And during that chat to them, I noticed something remarkably interesting!
One of the questions I always like to ask is “if you could be one of the current A-Listers, who you’d want to be and why?” interestingly, almost every girl from the participants answered that they want to be Taylor Swift because “she is standing for what’s her right!”

DO YOU WANT TO BE A SUCCESSFUL PUBLISHED SONGWRITER?

5/4/2021

Today, I was sharing my songwriting journey with a group of high school students. I’ve never really told my story in quite this much detail and to such a young audience or matter of fact, to anyone out of my very small close circle, but in the course of trying to convey my story, I discovered a couple of things about myself. I told them about growing up in Tehran and how I had to leave Iran, because I almost got executed and almost lost my life, simply because of writing music which was questioning certain things about the government, and about the intimidation I felt in regard to the music business because of the huge number of people I encountered that were trying and failing to make their dreams come true.

Even though I had dreamed as a child of being one of the people whose names were on the liner notes as having written the songs, I was scared senseless, so much so that I wouldn’t even try.

I went to college and got a degree in Industrial Engineering, but I never gave up my music dream and eventually at age of 20 I ended up studying the degree course again in major of Music Production (instead of studying Master of Industrial Engineering).

Press Release: Lottie - How Does It Feel?

4/29/2021

British singer, songwriter and producer lottie has recently released her new single How Does It Feel?. Her third single, it serves as a powerful follow-up to Nervous and Chloe. Signed to Flipside Productions, lottie’s lyrics are personal and related to her experiences as an LGBTQ+ artist. Her smooth and feminine vocals are seamlessly combined with the producing expertise of renowned Iranian producer Hangi Tavakoli.

lottie has written melodies and lyrics for as long as she can remember, but recently realized her potential in the last year and focused on building her career in music. She is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and all of her songs are voiced from a lesbian perspective. Usually based in the UK, lottie has spent the past few years travelling and is currently based in Singapore where she met Hangi Tavakoli and began her journey as an artist.

How Does It Feel? was inspired by Sappho’s Fragment 31, drawing on the theme of forbidden love and jealousy. The lyrics centre on the overwhelming emotions that come with unrequited love - doubt, denial, hope and hopelessness. "How Does It Feel? is a song I feel really proud of. I’d been reading up on Sappho’s poetry and as soon as I head Hangi’s beat, the lyrics just fell onto the page," lottie said. She continued, "I studied poetry at university and found that it has really benefitted my songwriting. Incorporating the work of an LGBTQ+ icon such as Sappho really helped to add a new element to my writing." The song has a melancholic feel, with lingering verses that build to a powerful chorus.

lottie, together with Hangi Tavakoli, is currently working on her debut album which will be released later this year.

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COMMON MISTAKES BEGINNERS MAKE WHEN MAKING MUSIC

4/27/2021

As we touched on before here at Flipside, making music takes courage. So, congratulations on finally deciding to take this crucial step in your journey as a musician.
Recording and producing your own music in a studio can be a highly rewarding experience. At the same time, it can be costly both in time and resources. And if you want to make the most out of the experience, here are some tips for avoiding some of the most common mistakes newbies make in the recording studio.

Neglecting to use a metronome. The metronome has been around for over 200 years. In fact, wqxr.org recalls how Beethoven was the first to give his pieces metronome markings. Even the world’s greatest classical musician used a metronome to maintain tempo. Today, the device helps musicians in studios keep perfect timing during takes. This is crucial because any slightly off-tempo performances in either vocal or instrumental tracks can throw a wrench in the entire recording process. And this can be avoided by simply utilising a metronome during recording sessions. An instrumental guide track can also be used in the same way.

IT’S NOT THE WORLD’S RESPONSIBILITY TO "GET YOU" OR "GET YOUR MUSIC"

4/20/2021

I was in Starbucks last week enjoying my morning dose of inspiration — COFFEE! — and an aspiring songwriter approached me. “Are you Flipside’s Hangi?” “Yes,” I said. He asked if he could chat about writing for a couple of minutes. He began by saying, “I’m writing some great music, but no one gets it.” He continued, “I’ve played my songs at four pitch to publisher meetings, and this world just doesn’t get my writing.” I made a few suggestions to try to steer my friend in the right direction. As he walked away, I realized he would need to accept a simple, but powerful, truth: it’s not the world’s job to “Get us.”

This was a hard lesson for me to learn in the beginning of my career. I would go to meetings with publishers or play live shows and rap battles, all with the hope of being discovered. And I often got angry when no one paid attention. They just don’t “get me,” I would say.” I’m as good as all those writers making a living with their songs.”

DID HE STEAL MY SONG?

4/13/2021

A couple of year ago, I was searching for song titles by reading through quotes on the internet. I found what I thought was an amazing quote. It said something like “How can you be old and wise if you were never young and crazy”. The next day, I threw that title out and my co-writer and I wrote an great song. As soon as we could, we demoed it and started pitching it around town. Six months later, I turn on the radio one day to hear “And here’s Frankie Ballard’s new single – ‘Young And Crazy'”. I knew right away that it had to be the same idea. Sure enough, it was – which killed my chances at getting my song cut – for a long time at least. Recently, I had just written a song with an artist that he loved. The day he turned it in, his label said, “You know that’s the title of Kenny Chesney’s next single, don’t you?” Game over for my great song.

Did anyone steal my titles? Did I steal theirs? The truth is, you can’t copyright a title. The bigger truth is that I got those ideas from someone else anyway.

QUALITIES OF A BAD SONGWRITING CO-WRITER

4/6/2021

Bad co-writers! One of the hardest species in this industry to deal with. A songwriting session can be one of the best things happening in a professional songwriter’s life. Everyone are supposed to enjoy it to be able to be themselves and let the creativity to flow. But it takes only one bad co-writer to ruin it for everybody in the room! Through the years, I have collected a list of qualities that make someone a bad co-writer. If you want to succeed as a co-writer, don’t be this guy, or girl.

Comes to the writing session unprepared. I don’t know how many times I have heard a co-writer say, “I’ve been writing a lot and I’ve got nothing today”. If you don’t have anything, do everybody a favor and cancel the appointment. Better to give your co-writer a snow day than to waste their time. Have ideas, a feel, a guitar lick, a groove, a good catch phrase for the song, at least a title! Something, or don’t come at all. Cancelling the appointment is bad but it’s still better than showing up and making the session unpleasant.

Press Release: lottie - Nervous

3/30/2021

Emerging British singer, songwriter and producer lottie has recently released her latest single Nervous, an upbeat and catchy follow-up to her debut single Chloe. Signed to Flipside Productions, lottie’s lyrics are personal and related to her experiences as an LGBT artist, her smooth and feminine vocals are seamlessly combined with the producing expertise of renowned Iranian producer Hangi Tavakoli.

lottie has written melodies and lyrics for as long as she can remember, but recently realized her potential in the last year and focused on building her career in music. She is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and all of her songs are voiced from a lesbian perspective. "When I came out, I was desperately searching for music that I could relate to - it’s my goal to make music that normalizes women singing about women." Said lottie. She continued "Combining my love of music with my pride for my identity has been an amazing experience and I can’t wait to make more!"

Nervous focuses on themes of love and lust, exploring the late night interaction of two people as they meet for the first time. The song emits a nighttime feel, mysterious and elusive, drawing on the complicated emotions of love at first sight.

lottie, together with Hangi Tavakoli, is currently working on her debut album which will be released later this year.

Other Platforms

COMMERCIAL VS. CREATIVE MUSIC

3/30/2021

One of the big questions I get over and over is whether writing commercial music requires you to sell your soul, abandon creativity, and forsake all that is good in this world. The answer is an emphatic “NO.” Basically this discussion of “art for art, or art for public” had always been going on and I never been solved, but here is my opinion about it. Any time this debate arises, there are those that say “Well, Jackson Browne did it his own way. He was poetic and commercial” or “Bob Dylan didn’t sell out; he wrote whatever he wanted”. It’s curious to me that every example that is ever thrown out to “prove” that you shouldn’t try to be commercial is a person that was commercially successful. No one ever says “I want to be like my neighbor Bob Smith. He writes crazy stuff that no one understands and plays it alone in his garage.”
The people from the past that we try to model our work after were almost without exception successful commercial writers. They wrote what worked in their time. Those that are successful today are doing the same.

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