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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 30 January 2020
Meghan Trainor leaves pain

behind and offers fresh new music

By MARK KENNEDY ing, and she has this ability cheesy," she says. "That's
AP Entertainment Writer to move between genre something that the world
NEW YORK (AP) — Four and style with such ease," loves and needs. I know I
years ago, Meghan Trainor he says. Listen very care- need it, and it's something
won the Grammy Award fully to Trainor's new album I want to hear on the radio.
for best new artist. On the and you'll discover it's very So those are my favorite
first anniversary of that much a family affair. Her songs to write because I'm
very win she was literally brothers — Justin and Ryan working on it every single
speechless — under the — have writing credits and day — my confidence and
knife for vocal surgery. sing background. Her par- my self love. I know some-
It was her second time in ents — Gary and Kelli — body else needs it, too." This Jan. 21, 2020 photo shows singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor
the operating room for vo- supply background vocals The album also has a few posing for a portrait in Burbank, Calif. to promote her new album
cal cord work and it led and claps. Even her hus- inside jokes. It gives her a “Treat Myself.” Associated Press
to weeks of silence, anxi- band, actor Daryl Sabara, kick that the title 'Treat My-
ety and depression. The sings on nine tracks. self' is her initials backward. two seasons on "The Four" The majority of the singers
"All About That Bass" singer For this album, Trainor And she has a call-back to and recently replaced Jen- on 'The Voice' are way bet-
worried she'd never be sought out new producers, her first big hit in "Genetics" nifer Hudson in the spinning ter singers than I am," she
able to perform again. which resulted in stretching when she sings "How you chair at "The Voice UK." For says. "It was really difficult
"I went to a dark place. her sound. She had success get dat bass?" someone who's been writ- to be like, 'Who's the best of
And I climbed out of it and with Ricky Reed on the last Trainor, who plans to tour ing songs since she was 7, is the best?' and knowing we
I conquered it and I was album, "Thank You," but with Maroon 5 this year, it easy for an artist to shoot had 40 more people to lis-
really proud of myself," she says she felt too safe doing also has a side hustle as a down another artist? ten to. It was a very difficult
tells The Associated Press it again. musical judge. She spent "It is weird, I'll tell you that. mission to accomplish."q
"My therapist was like, 'You "I'm a creature of habit.
should treat yourself after When I found someone
what you went through.'" who understood how I
So that's why Trainor's third worked, I thought, 'This is
album is called "Treat My- great. Let's do this forever.'
self," a 15-track collec- So for this album, I really
tion that sees the singer- wanted to get out there
songwriter stretch past her and meet as many song-
signature doo-wop pop writers and producers as I
sound to embrace hip-hop could." This time, some of
and electronic elements. the producers include Mike
There's the Sia-like "Wave," Sabath, Eddie Benjamin,
the slinky club banger "Nice King Henry, Ojivolta, Zach
To Meet Ya" with Nicki Minaj Skelton, Sigala, Tyler John-
and soaring ballads like son and Andrew Wells,
"After You" alongside famil- purposely trying to lift up
iar retro and '60s-inspired emerging talent. She also
tunes like "No Excuses" and shared the microphone
"Evil Twin." with Minaj, Nicole Scherz-
"I've always been writing inger, AJ Mitchell, Lennon
songs in many genres," she Stella, Sasha Sloan and Sa-
says. Her dad introduced bath.
her to gospel, soul and funk, "We felt like finally we have
like Ray Charles and Stevie an album full of hit singles
Wonder. Mom leaned to- and I'm so confident in ev-
ward the pop of Madonna ery song. We kept writing
and ABBA. A Trinidadian and saying, 'May the best
uncle turned her on to soca song win,'" she says. "Now
music. She herself grew up we have this album that
with Brittney Spears and we're finally read to show
the Backstreet Boys. the world."
"When I try to write, I try to Many of the songs have
give all my influences in Trainor's trademark mes-
that. I always want to make sages of empowerment.
up a pretend genre — six "Love yourself," she sings in
different genres in one "Babygirl." On "Workin' On
song," she says. It," she admits to fighting
Tommy Bruce, her manag- thoughts of self-loathing:
er, has watched as Trainor "I should give myself way
over the past three years more love." And on "No
has explored whatever Excuses," she demands re-
musical inspiration strikes, spect: "I don't disrespect
not caring about labels or you, don't you disrespect
charts. me."
"She is such a wildly talent- "It's really hard to write
ed artist, from musicianship a self-love, empowering
to songwriting to produc- anthem without being