Songcraft Classic: LINDA PERRY ("Beautiful")

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2020 conversation with Linda Perry.  
 

ABOUT LINDA PERRY

Singer, songwriter, musician, producer, and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Linda Perry first made her mark as an artist, serving as lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the group 4 Non Blondes, which is best known for the Top 15 pop hit “What’s Up?” Following a couple of solo albums, Linda emerged as a powerhouse songwriter and producer thanks to her work on P!nk’s multiplatinum Misundaztood album. The debut single, “Get The Party Started,” which Linda wrote solo, was a global smash. She followed it up with another solo-written composition, “Beautiful,” which became a chart-topping ballad for Christina Aguilera that earned a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year. 

Subsequent chart success came with Gwen Stefani’s debut solo single “What You Waiting For,” Alicia Keys’s “Superwoman,” Ariana Grande’s debut single “Put Your Hearts Up,” Miley Cyrus’s “Hands of Love,” and additional singles for Aguilera, including the Top 10 hits “Hurt” and “Keeps Gettin’ Better.” Recently, Linda collaborated with Dolly Parton on the soundtrack of the film Dumplin’, including the song “Girl in the Movies,” which was nominated for both a Golden Globe and a Grammy award. 

Linda is a four-time Grammy nominee, including a 2019 nomination for Producer of the Year, making her the only solo female producer to ever earn a nomination for their work producing other artists. The long list of artists Linda has produced, collaborated with, or had her songs covered by include Adele, Courtney Love, Cheap Trick, Faith Hill, Britney Spears, KT Tunstall, Weezer, Pat Benetar, Solange, L.P., Joan Jett, The Chicks, Vanessa Carlton, Celine Dion, Elvis Costello, and Lady Gaga. In addition to her prolific songwriting and production activities, Perry is a multi-faceted music industry entrepreneur, having worked as a music publisher, manager, or mentor with artists such as James Blunt, Dorothy, and Natasha Bedingfield.