OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder talks about his new album ‘Artificial Paradise,’ the process of producing the song for the Paris Olympics, and his aspirations to create a song for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. He also shares insights on what it was like working with Tate McRae, praises Taylor Swift, debates which artist he’d like to remix “Apologize” with, and talks about the success of Runner Music, his publishing company, and more!
Ryan Tedder:
Before I ever had a song on the radio or OneRepublic signed or anything happened, I was already determined to make a living making music. I didn't care how. I just said, “I've got to leave Pottery Barn. I need to get this done. I need to stop working for other people.” Hi, I'm Ryan Tedder with OneRepublic and you're watching Billboard News.
Lyndsey's Paradises:
There's a new OneRepublic album and a lot of new collaborations coming out. Let's start with what everyone is talking about, which is the Olympics.
Ryan Tedder:
Okay, yeah.
Lyndsey's Paradises:
So you produced this phenomenal, really fun song for Gwen Stefani and Anderson .Paak. I know we know a little bit of the story, but what was that process like actually? And what has it been like now that it's out?
Ryan Tedder:
I started writing songs for commercials, then for movies, then for TV shows, and I loved it. And I thought for two years, right after Columbia stopped working with my band, that this was my job. I'm going to write songs for movies, TV, and film. I really enjoy doing it.
Lyndsey's Paradises:
Yeah.
Ryan Tedder:
It's called prescriptive writing. Sometimes it's easier, like when someone says, “Here's the theme, here are the things we can't do.” It's like a sandbox, right? Here's the sandbox, fill it up, make it beautiful. The process for Coca-Cola and the Olympics was definitely challenging. It was a perfect combination of fun and challenge. It definitely tested my schedule.
Keep watching for more!
thanks to our partners at www.billboard.com
