‘Songland’ Usher Recap: Global Superstar Chooses Feel-Good Hit During Finale
NBC Reading Time: 5 minutes
It’s the Songland season two finale and what a great season full of fantastic songwriting it has been. Usher, one of the best selling artists of the 2000s decade came to Songland looking for his next big R&B hit. For nearly two decades, he has been such a huge force in the music industry and the 8 time Grammy winner is ready to find a song that will make him feel something.
David Wade Is Already A Huge Name Coming Into ‘Songland’
David Wade has already had major success as a songwriter. He has written smash hits for huge artists like Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, P Diddy, Kelly Rowland and Nipsey Hussle. Not to mention, he has been nominated for a Grammy for songwriting and some of the songs he has written have topped the Billboard charts. His song “Horse ‘N Carriage” is definitely something new and fresh. At first, it did not sound like something that Usher would typically perform. Usher says “it’s a world type record.” Shane McAnally says that the lyrics need to be a little more universal because not everybody will understand the meaning. Usher agrees that David should simplify the song and not make it “too wordy.”
Ryan Tedder suggests that the hook needs to be higher because Usher has an incredible range that he wants to utilize. Ester Dean asks for the song to be performed without a lot of production behind it so that the producers could hear the tone of the song. Ester says she loves it and that it is a very sexy club dancing song. For her, this is a totally unique song and sound that nobody else in the industry has right now. He will be moving on to work with Shane.
SEE ALSO: ‘SONGLAND’ Ben Platt RECAP: THIS BROADWAY STAR JUST FOUND HIS NEXT BIG SHOWSTOPPING HIT
Fatherdude Has The Energy To Impress Usher
First off, can we all agree that the name Fatherdude is truly iconic? Ok, great. He is a vocalist and musician based in New York City. He got his start working on electronic dance music but is now going for a more soulful R&B vibe with his songwriting. One thing he always brings to his songs is energy. His song is called “Billions” and is about the probability of meeting the right person with all of the billions of people in the world. It’s super soulful. Usher says the song is brilliant. Shane loves the catchy party of the song and thinks it needs to come sooner. Usher likes that the song encompasses many different genres but wants to focus on R&B and pop. Unfortunately, he will not be moving on to work with the producers.
Miranda Glory Has Been Preparing For This Moment For Her Entire Life
Miranda Glory has had a passion for songwriting since she was 11 years old. She went to the Professional Performing Arts School in NYC, the same school where music talents Alicia Keys and Britney Spears got their starts. She began releasing her own independent music, a stunning combination of R&B and electronica. The name of her song is “Salty.” It’s about the feeling of freedom you get right after you get over somebody and they come back wanting more. Ester says that this is a girl’s song and that girls speak differently than guys. The song would have to be tailored and the hook would have to be rewritten for Usher. She will be moving on to work with Ryan.
Ryan Cam Is Full Of Swag And Confidence On ‘Songland’
Ryan Cam is a hip hop artist that compares himself to Post Malone. He is from Northern Virginia and signed with Wilhelmina Models and does modeling gigs on the side while he continues to work on his music. He is a big fan of Alicia Keys and Beyonce and they sparked his interest in creating original songs. “Staying Over” is about a relationship that he had where the girl was moving away and he was trying his best to make it work. Ryan thinks that the chorus does not feel like a chorus. He will be moving on to work with Ester.
Miranda Glory (With Ryan Tedder)
Ryan has the job of tailoring the lyrics to make them sound like they are from the perspective of Usher. Now the new song features lines that Usher would actually say. Ryan joined Miranda on stage for this song, something he hasn’t done all season. Usher says that the song is really significant to him as an artist and even though it’s a sad song, he still feels happy hearing it. The new song is a duet called “No Cap (Missin You).”
Ryan Cam (With Ester Dean)
Ester wants to change the hook in the song. She wants to take one of the lines from the verse with the right melody and make that the real star of the song. She wants to work on lyrics, story structure and production to make it sound more R&B and hip hop. The new sound has a cooler vibe and a very catchy beat. The new song is called “California.”
David Wade (With Shane McAnally)
Shane wants to take the best parts of the song and use them to create an amazing falsetto for the hook. The new name of the song is called “Personal.” Usher really enjoyed that the song was tailored to him.
And The Winning Song Is…
“California” by Ryan Cam and Ester Dean. Wow! This was truly a surprise but Usher likes that the song is sparse and has the right vibe. He credits Ester for giving the song a pop vibe and allowing him to produce a record that he is ready for the world to see it. And, in Usher’s version, he has a little help from friend Tyga to add an awesome rap to the song. Take a listen and see if you like the view from California!
What a great way to wrap up a truly iconic season. All four artists did an outstanding job and each of the producers certainly deserves a pat on the back for all of their hard work.
SEE ALSO: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ‘SONGLAND’ WINNER PIPOBEATS: THE SONGWRITER BEHIND LUID FONSI’S ‘SWAY’
It has not yet been announced if the show will be returning for season three due to the coronavirus pandemic but we can only hope that it will be!
