“I used to be decided to make a residing doing music,” says Ryan Tedder of his early begin writing music for commercials, motion pictures and TV collection. And whereas, for a time, he thought that may be the extent of his music profession, that have is what made him the right selection to put in writing and produce the official Paris Olympics tune in partnership with the Coca-Cola Firm.
“It was the right mixture of enjoyable and difficult,” he says of crafting the tune titled “Hey World” and carried out by Gwen Stefani and Anderson .Paak. “It undoubtedly examined my Rolodex. There’s an inventory of desired artists [from the International Olympic Committee and Coca-Cola], then they’ve to seek out the place these artists commingle.”
Tedder, who grew up watching the Olympics, says he by no means misses gymnastics, monitor and subject or swimming. And he’s already considering forward to the 2028 video games, which can happen in Los Angeles. He says, “I undoubtedly wish to do the tune for 2028, I’ve already made that abundantly clear with the IOC and Coke. Sonically, I’d need to encapsulate the essence of California. Some mixture of West Coast hip-hop, however then I additionally suppose Seashore Boys.”
It’s stunning Tedder has a lot time to look at the Olympics in any respect, contemplating his schedule not solely writing and producing for others, but additionally his personal band OneRepublic. The band launched its sixth album this July, titled Synthetic Paradise. The undertaking contains the earlier Billboard Scorching 100 prime 10 hit “I Ain’t Frightened” from High Gun: Maverick in addition to “Harm” and “Runaway.”
“The weirdest factor about this album — and the following album might be completely different as a result of we’re at all times making an attempt to change it up — however this represents, kind of, the finish of our album cycle,” he says, noting the lead single “West Coast” arrived about two years in the past. “I Ain’t Frightened” got here subsequent, which he says “strangled” “West Coast” to develop into the album’s best-known monitor.
He has lots extra on the horizon as properly, teasing he and Tate McRae (for whom he government produced her second album Assume Later) are speaking “on daily basis” about what’s subsequent. “I used to be texting her this morning,” he says with fun, earlier than including he’s conserving his lips sealed about what’s to come back. “In relation to work ethic, she’s Olympic-level centered.” He’s additionally desperate to work with Rosalía and Sabrina Carpenter (he’s extra “Espresso” than “Please Please Please,” he says) and has been working a bit extra with rappers these days too.
He says these classes have made him take into consideration remixing considered one of OneRepublic’s greatest hits, “Apologize,” saying it will “go loopy proper now. “It’s been 17 years, it’s time,” he provides. “I need to determine who the proper rapper is. … I’ve dropped some hints to Jack [Harlow]. I did a file with 21 Savage final 12 months and I requested his crew, like, ‘Does he like “Apologize”?’”
And with regards to re-recording your personal hits, he acknowledges the tireless work that Taylor Swift has completed in that division. “Any individual yesterday was like, ‘When’s she operating for president?’ It will be the most important sweep of all time — however don’t try this to your self,” he says with fun. “She’s acquired lots extra songs to put in writing. She’s essentially the most prolific… I’ve mentioned in numerous interviews who essentially the most gifted individuals [I’ve worked with are]: [Paul] McCartney blew my thoughts after which Taylor.”
Watch the complete interview — by which Tedder additionally discusses his publishing firm Runner and which OneRepublic period is his favourite — above.
