Ryan Tedder, the frontman of OneRepublic and a prolific songwriter and producer, has been behind some of the biggest hits in pop music. While OneRepublic was gaining momentum with their album Artificial Paradise, Tedder’s history of crafting chart-toppers for other artists, including Adele, remains a significant part of his career. In a candid interview, Tedder delves into the stories behind some of these iconic songs, offering a glimpse into his collaborations with music giants like Adele, Beyoncé, and Taylor Swift.
One of the standout moments in Tedder’s songwriting journey is his work with Adele on her blockbuster album 21. He specifically recalls the creation of “Rumour Has It,” a song that deviated from the ballad-heavy requests he typically received after the success of “Halo” and “Apologize.”
Crafting “Rumour Has It” with Adele
“Rumour Has It” marked a turning point for me,” Tedder explains. “For about four years prior, every artist wanted ballads from me, thanks to ‘Halo,’ ‘Apologize,’ and Leona Lewis’ ‘Bleeding Love.'” However, for Adele, Tedder envisioned something different. “I begged Adele to do an uptempo track because we had already worked on ‘Turning Tables,’ which is another ballad. Luckily, she was in a feisty mood that day, and I declared, ‘Okay, we’re doing a tempo track today!'”
The production of “Rumour Has It” also has an interesting backstory. Rick Rubin was initially slated to produce Adele’s entire album. Tedder, determined to prove his production skills, aimed to create something unique within the song. “I was determined to produce Adele, not just write,” Tedder states, “because I wanted a chance to show her and myself what I could do.”
Seizing an opportunity after Adele left the studio for the day, Tedder experimented with the song’s structure. “I stayed late and thought, what can I add to this song that would be so unique and hard to replicate that it might secure me the production gig?” He then made a bold move, “So, I intentionally muted the click track, changed the tempo, and created that entire piano bridge. I was making it up as I went.”
The next morning, Tedder presented his unconventional bridge to Adele. “I told her, ‘I have a crazy idea for a bridge. It’s like a movie scene.'” Adele’s reaction was positive and intrigued. “She listened and said, ‘This is really different, I like this! How do we write to this?'”
Despite the challenging nature of the new bridge, they persevered and completed the song. Tedder was impressed by Adele’s vocal prowess. “She recorded the entire song that day. In one take. I have never seen anyone do that before or since.”
However, after submitting the files, Tedder didn’t hear back from Adele for months. Assuming the song might be shelved, he was surprised to receive an email from Adele’s manager. “Her manager emails my manager, ‘Hey, good news—she’s keeping both songs they did, and she wants Ryan to finish ‘Rumour Has It’ production and mix it.'”
Curious about the initial silence and Rubin’s involvement, Tedder finally asked Adele about it at the GRAMMYs. “When I finally asked her, months later – probably at the GRAMMYs – I said, ‘Why didn’t Rick do it?'” Adele’s response highlighted the unique, almost unreplicable nature of Tedder’s bridge. “She said, ‘Oh he did. It’s that damn bridge! Nobody could figure out what the hell you were doing… It was so problematic that we just gave up on it.'” This anecdote underscores Tedder’s innovative approach and his ability to create distinctive musical elements that set his work apart.
Beyond Adele: Ryan Tedder’s Songwriting Journey
While “Rumour Has It” is a significant highlight in Tedder’s collaborations, the interview also covers other notable songs and artists he has worked with. These stories provide further context to Tedder’s versatility and enduring success in the music industry.
OneRepublic – “Apologize”
“Apologize,” OneRepublic’s breakthrough hit, almost didn’t happen. Tedder wrote the song during a period of personal and financial struggle in Los Angeles around 2004. He was offered substantial sums of money for the song by Epic Records, who wanted to give it to another artist. “It was, like, 20 [grand], then 50, then 100. And I was salivating. I was, like, I need this money so bad.”
Despite his financial desperation, Tedder refused to relinquish “Apologize.” “I give so many songs to other people, but with that song, I drew a line in the sand and said, ‘No one will sing this song but me. I will die with this song.'” The song was deeply personal, reflecting on past relationships, and Tedder felt a strong connection to it. “It was my story, and I just didn’t want anyone else to sing it. It was really that simple.”
“Apologize” also played a crucial role in shaping OneRepublic’s identity. “It was also the song that — I spent two years trying to figure out what my sound was gonna be,” Tedder recalls. “Then I landed on ‘Apologize’ and a couple of other songs, and I was like, These songs make me think of a band, not solo artist material. So it was the song that led me to the sound of OneRepublic, and it also led me to the idea that I should start a band and not be a solo artist.”
Beyoncé – “Halo”
The creation of Beyoncé’s “Halo” was a moment of serendipity and swift inspiration. While recovering from an Achilles injury that had canceled OneRepublic’s tour, Tedder received a request from Beyoncé to write a song. Despite being advised by doctors to rest, inspiration struck. “I had this one sliver of an afternoon where my wife had to run an errand. And because I’m sadistic and crazy, I texted Evan Bogart, ‘I got a three-hour window, race over here. Beyoncé called me and asked me to write her a song. I want to do it with you.'”
The songwriting process was remarkably rapid and almost divinely inspired. “When you write enough songs, not every day do the clouds part and God looks down on you and goes, ‘Here.’ But that’s what happened on that day,” Tedder describes. “I turn on the keyboard, the first sound that I play is the opening sound of the song. Sounds like angels singing. And we wrote the song pretty quick, as I recall.”
Beyoncé’s characteristic secrecy meant Tedder received no immediate feedback after submitting “Halo.” “I didn’t get a response [from Beyoncé after sending ‘Halo’ over], which I’ve now learned is very, very typical of her.” He notes her secretive approach to releases, citing instances with Miley Cyrus and even “XO,” where he received minimal advance notice.
OneRepublic – “Good Life”
“Good Life” emerged unexpectedly during the final stages of OneRepublic’s album Waking Up. Initially, “All the Right Moves” and “Secrets” were slated as singles. However, a drum loop created by their engineer, Noel Zancanella, sparked a new song. “In the 11th hour, our engineer at the time… had this drum loop that he had made, and he played it for Brent in our band.”
The drum loop inspired Tedder instantly. “He played it for me the next morning, and I was like, ‘Yo throw some chords to this. I’m writing to this today.'” The melody and lyrics flowed quickly, capturing a feeling Tedder aimed for in many of OneRepublic’s hits. “The first thing out of my mouth was, [sings] ‘Oh, this has gotta be the good life.'”
Tedder describes the emotional core of “Good Life” as “happy sad,” a blend of nostalgia, melancholy, and euphoria. The song’s signature whistle, initially met with skepticism from his bandmates, became a defining element. “I was like, ‘Hey guys, would it be weird if I made the hook a whistle?’ And everyone was like, ‘No! Do not whistle!'” Ignoring the doubt, Tedder included the whistle, which ultimately contributed significantly to the song’s catchiness and success.
OneRepublic – “Counting Stars”
“Counting Stars,” another massive hit for OneRepublic, originated during a Beyoncé writing camp in the Hamptons. Amidst a group of talented songwriters, including Greg Kurstin and Sia, Tedder stumbled upon the song’s foundation. “I stumble across that chord progression, the guitar and the melody. It was instant shivers up my spine.”
The initial lyric, “Lately I’ve been losing sleep, dreaming about the things that we could be,” came to him quickly. Although tempted to pitch it to Beyoncé, Tedder recognized it was better suited for OneRepublic. “My first thought was, I should play this for Beyoncé, and then I’m listening to it and going, This is not Beyoncé, not even remotely. It’d be a waste. So I tabled it.”
Upon returning to Denver, Tedder refined “Counting Stars,” experimenting with different chorus versions and seeking feedback from his wife. The band’s enthusiastic response confirmed its potential. “And when I played it for the band, they were like, ‘This is our favorite song.'”
Taylor Swift – “Welcome to New York”
Working with Taylor Swift on “Welcome to New York” for her 1989 album was an experience that highlighted Swift’s exceptional songwriting talent. It was their second session, following “I Know Places.” The inspiration for “Welcome to New York” came from Swift’s excitement about her new life in the city. “She was so excited to be there. If you never lived there, and especially if you get there and you’ve got a little money in the pocket, it is so exhilarating.”
Tedder was impressed by Swift’s lyrical and melodic abilities. “It was me just kind of witnessing her brilliant, fast-paced, lyrical wizardry.” He recounts a conversation with Max Martin, where Martin praised Swift’s innate musical talent. “He kind of laughed, he pointed to all the other producers on the album, and he’s like, ‘If she had, like, three more hours in the day, she would just figure out what we do and she would do it. And she wouldn’t need any of us.'” Tedder considers Swift “the most talented top liner I’ve ever been in a room with, bar none,” emphasizing her speed, focus, and lyrical prowess.
Jonas Brothers – “Sucker”
The creation of the Jonas Brothers’ comeback hit “Sucker” marked a personal resurgence for Tedder after a challenging period. Following a creative dry spell in 2017, Andrew Watt encouraged him to get back to work. “I had gone through a pretty dry spell mentally, emotionally… So, really, all of 2017 for me was a blur and a wash.”
“Sucker” was created during this renewed period of collaboration with Watt, alongside tracks for 5 Seconds of Summer, Sam Smith, and Miley Cyrus. Wendy Goldstein from Republic Records recognized the song’s potential for the Jonas Brothers’ reunion. “Wendy Goldstein from Republic [Records] heard the record, I had sent it to her. She’d said, very quietly, ‘We’re relaunching the [Jonas Brothers]. They want you to be involved in a major way. Do you have anything?'”
Goldstein’s confidence in “Sucker” was immediate and unwavering. “She calls me, she goes, ‘Ryan, do not play this for anybody else. This is their comeback single. It’s a No. 1 record. Watch what we’re gonna do.’ And she delivered.”
OneRepublic – “I Ain’t Worried”
“I Ain’t Worried,” featured in Top Gun: Maverick, became an unexpected global smash for OneRepublic, demonstrating the unpredictable nature of hit songs. The song originated during the COVID-19 lockdown, stemming from a call from Paramount Pictures. “Randy Spendlove, who runs [music at] Paramount, called me.”
Tedder ended up in a Zoom meeting with Tom Cruise and Jerry Bruckheimer to discuss the song for Top Gun: Maverick. Despite the high-profile project, Tedder approached it pragmatically. “The overarching memory was, Holy cow, I’m doing the scene, I’m doing the song for Top Gun. I can’t believe this is happening. But the only way I knew how to approach it… was, It’s just another day.“
Tedder enjoys working on “prescription songs” for film and TV, thriving on briefs and directives. Initially, OneRepublic wasn’t intended to perform the song. “OneRepublic being the performing artist was not on the menu in my mind. I just told them, ‘I think you need a cool indie band sounding, like, breakbeat.'”
The song’s success surpassed expectations, becoming a massive hit. Tom Cruise even predicted its longevity. “He said, ‘Mark my words, dude. You’re gonna have a hit with this every summer for, like, the next 20 years or more.’ And that’s what happened.”
Tate McRae – “Greedy”
Working with Tate McRae on “Greedy” showcased McRae’s strong artistic vision and perfectionism. Following the success of “10:35” with Tiësto, McRae wanted to move in a different direction. “The one thing she was clear about was, ‘That is not the direction of what I want to do.'”
Tedder pushed McRae to embrace her dance background, suggesting a dance record. “I kept pushing her to do a dance record. I was like, ‘Tate, there’s a lot of people that have great voices… Your secret weapon is the thing you’re not using.'”
“Greedy” was initially an outlier, contrasting with the darker, midtempo tracks they had been working on. McRae was initially hesitant about the song. “And she was like, ‘Ugh, what do we just do? What is this?'” However, Tedder persisted, repeatedly playing the song for her until she came around. McRae’s meticulous approach to music-making impressed Tedder. “So much of the music with Tate, it really is her steering… 19 versions of a song, until finally she goes, ‘Okay, this is the one.'”
OneRepublic – “Last Holiday”
“Last Holiday,” from OneRepublic’s Artificial Paradise, is Tedder’s personal favorite on the album, representing the band’s evolving sound. The song’s lyrics were years in the making. “I probably started the beginning of that lyric, I’m not joking, seven, eight years ago. But I didn’t finish it ‘til this past year.”
The verses contain “maxims and words of advice” Tedder has gathered over time, tinged with cynicism. The chorus, however, offers hope. “When I wrote the chorus, I was definitely in kind of a down place. So the opening line is, ‘So I don’t believe in the stars anymore/ They never gave me what I wished for.’ And it’s, obviously, a very not-so-slight reference to ‘Counting Stars.'”
Tedder sees “Last Holiday” as encapsulating OneRepublic’s sonic identity. “If you look at the last 18 years, a song like ‘Last Holiday’ really encompasses, sonically, what this band is about. It’s very moving, and emotional, and dynamic. It takes me to a place.” He hopes listeners will experience the same emotional connection.
Conclusion
Ryan Tedder’s journey as a songwriter and producer is filled with remarkable stories behind iconic songs. From the unique creation of Adele’s “Rumour Has It” to the unexpected global success of OneRepublic’s “I Ain’t Worried,” these anecdotes reveal the blend of inspiration, hard work, and serendipity that defines a career at the pinnacle of pop music. While this article touches upon “Rumour Has It” and “Turning Tables,” exploring a complete Adele Songs List would further illuminate the breadth of her phenomenal discography and the impact of songwriters like Ryan Tedder in shaping modern music. Tedder’s reflections provide valuable insights for aspiring musicians and songwriters, highlighting the diverse paths to success and the enduring power of a well-crafted song.
