Its funny because the biggest record that Ive ever had, which is ∼ant Help but Wait wasnt written by me. I love to write my own songs and tell my story because I feel like nobody can tell it better than me.
With me, Ive always looked at it that way. But with singing, it really never mattered because I guess people viewed it differently. What are your thoughts?Trey Songz: Its funny because with rap if you didnt write your own rhymes you didnt get respect. I had to find out who I was on stage and where my spacing was.AHHA: Im noticing a trend of songwriters becoming performers, so much so that almost seems like a pre-requisite to be a good R&B artist. It was always a cool experience for me, but when I stopped doing those talent shows and getting into the studio aspects, I had to deal. Being on stage is something that I did back in high school with talent shows and stuff. I just think about songs that people can relate to.AHHA: In the back of your mind as a songwriter, was becoming a performer a goal?Trey Songz: Its definitely something that Ive grown into. Going into an album situation I do, but when Im just writing songs, I dont think specifically about myself. I dont think of songs to be for myself when I write them. Its great to be able to express what you want to say on a record.AHHA: Is it easier for you to write songs for yourself or for others?Trey Songz: In a lot of cases I just write anyway. So its a craft that I started to study and take seriously, and Im still writing to this day. When I started singing, I had to make songs to sing. How did you get started writing songs?Trey Songz: Initially I didnt take any of this seriously, but when I got into it, songwriting was a very important part of it. Alternatives: You were a songwriter long before you became a solo artist. In the middle of a busy promotional tour, Trey talked with AllHipHop Alternatives about transitioning from writer to performer and why its not as easy as you may think.
After all, theres a possibility of just being known as the person who wrote that hit for somebody else. Stepping into the spotlight from the inside out isnt a sure fire way to gain success. Listening to him speak, you would think he was a veteran expert on the trials and tribulations that songwriters face. For Trey Songz the music industry is definitely a business and like any business-minded individual, he keeps his options open.
With the release of his latest album Trey Day, Trey is honing his craft and perfecting his work ethic by staying heavy in the songwriting, collaboration and mixtape game. The prince of Virginia has managed to stay afloat in the music industry at a time when cookie cutter R&B artists are more common for their crossover appeal than their talent. The 22-year old songwriter turned performer has been called the future of R&B by Diddy, and worked with Aretha Franklin, who was featured on his debut album. Being able to write his own songs gave him an edge over R&B artists that were used to crooning to other peoples words. When singer Trey Songz got his feet wet in the music industry, he unintentionally took the same route. Songwriters turned singers is the new hustle.