The Magic of Songwriting with Francesca de Valence

Recorded live at the 2025 Whitsundays Songwriter Festival in Airlie Beach, Chris Sebastian joins Francesca to reflect on artistry, cultural influence, and the balance between vocal power and emotional restraint in songwriting. About Chris: Chris Sebastian found his voice and love for music at a very young age. This passion has never left him, and today Chris has honed his craftsmanship of songwrit...

At the 2025 Whitsundays Songwriter Festival, songwriter and artist Zipporah Corser-Anu joins Francesca for a conversation about writing from instinct, blending dance and voice, and how culture and lived experience shape the songs we create. About Zipporah: Fresh off the release of her new music but backed by years of live performance experience, Zipporah is a seasoned and magnetic performer who kn...

Recorded beside the turquoise waters of Airlie Beach at the 2025 Whitsundays Songwriter Festival, Francesca sits down with two-time Golden Guitar winner Brad Butcher to talk about songwriting, collaboration, and learning music by listening deeply growing up in regional Queensland. About Brad: Brad Butcher is a Central Queensland born independent singer-songwriter and musician. A two time Golden Gu...

Adam Kidd and Josh Gunnels, aka Summer in the Attic, have been making music together since their college days in the 90s. Now based in Boston and Nashville, they collaborate online through I Heart Songwriting Club, challenging themselves and each other in inventive ways. In this episode, we explore their songwriting process—from Josh’s unconventional singing style and Adam’s intuitive understandin...

First Born Sun, the musical project of Canberra songwriter and producer Dave Cina, is a true unsung hero of the music world. Over four years, he’s crafted four albums in the Club, each one a fully realised sonic world. In this episode, we explore his latest release, Monkey Paw , a Spaghetti Western-inspired album that’s both lighthearted and dark. Dave opens up about his love of producing over per...

In this luminous conversation, Francesca de Valence speaks with acclaimed songwriter Abbie Cardwell about her newest album Love is an Amplifier . From van-life touring days to a creative rebirth through I Heart Songwriting Club, Abbie shares how her perfectionism softened, how love and loss shaped the sound of her album, and how she and her partner-producer Matthew Engelbrecht found their way back...

In this episode, WA artist Tanya Ransom shares the stories behind songs born from remote places, slow seasons, and long creative journeys. Her third album, The Significance of Time , captures the landscapes between Broome and the South West of Western Australia, and explores how place, patience, and timing shape her music. About Tanya : Tanya Ransom brings together the raw emotion of folk, blues,...

When life becomes full and creativity starts to slip through the cracks, it can feel hard to find your way back to songwriting. But as songwriter and artist Katie Harder reminds us, returning to your creative flow doesn’t require perfect conditions — it simply asks for presence, trust, and a bit of structure. About Katie: Katie Harder, a singer-songwriter based in Mparntwe/Alice Springs and mother...

Even the most seasoned songwriters hit creative walls and Scottish singer-songwriter Findlay Napier knows that feeling all too well. In this candid and funny conversation, Findlay opens up about how perfectionism once stalled his songwriting and how leaning into play, co-writing, and community helped him rediscover the joy of creating. We talk about everything from songwriting retreats and the pow...

Donna Lynn Caskey blends banjo-driven folk with a no-frills songwriting process to capture what’s real. In this episode, she and Francesca dig into how writing fast and often helped shape her album Tiny Victories —and how “Win the Day” rose from a rough voice memo to a defining track. About Donna: Donna Lynn Caskey, the youngest of ten children from the US Virginia coast, fell in love with the ban...

What happens when you commit to writing one song a week for 100 weeks? For songwriter and producer Joel Riley, it led to his debut album The Fruits of Labour . In this episode, Joel takes us inside his imaginative practice. He shares how consistency built his confidence, how feedback helped him hear his songs differently and how living in Dubbo inspired him to embrace creative limitations as oppor...

Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Elana Stone shares the joyful chaos of a creative life. A double ARIA Award-winner, Stone blends folk, electronica, indie pop and balladry with lyrical vulnerability and melodic flair. From writing songs between baby naps to performing with Missy Higgins, in this episode she reflects on how staying true to herself has shaped her artistry over time. Abou...

Award-nominated composer Andrew McCrorie-Shand joins Francesca de Valence to share a songwriting journey shaped by curiosity, cinematic vision, and emotional depth. From hit TV themes like Teletubbies to reflective solo work, Andy’s decades-spanning career reveals the power of imagination and storytelling in music. About Andrew: Andy is a multi-instrumentalist, arranger, producer and composer. As...

Darwin-based songwriter and music therapist Crystal Robins shares how her connection to place and her work in music therapy shaped her debut album Moonflower, and explains how a weekly songwriting prompt led her to the powerful, fully produced track “Where This Heart’s Been”.  About Crystal: Crystal Robins is a songwriter living on Larrakia country (Darwin NT) in the tropical north of Australia. W...

Genre-fluid pop artist Jaime Jackett shares the creative journey behind her debut album Reinvention , and how a single songwriting prompt led to the playful, percussive track Lemonade . From beatboxing and found sounds to multiple live arrangements, Jaime reveals how reinvention is both her process and her power.  About Jaime: Jaime Jackett is a powerful and evocative performer based in Broome, We...

Roots troubadour Pat Tierney joins Francesca to reflect on a decade of songwriting, the power of creative community, and the process behind his latest album Lost in the Haze . From songwriting as self-expression to turning a weekly challenge into a lead single, this episode explores the beauty of showing up and staying true to your voice. About Pat: Pat Tierney is a lap slide guitarist and roots t...

Award-winning Brisbane synth-pop artist Mardi Lumsden has long been known for her ethereal songwriting and shimmering sonic landscapes. But her sophomore album Slow Emotion came to life in a way that was as delicate and intimate as its title suggests—written asynchronously and collaboratively with her husband and producer, Pennay, in the quiet hours while their baby slept. This episode of The Magi...

Francesca introduces the podcast theme for Season 8: turning consistent creative practice into a powerful body of work. She shares how members of I Heart Songwriting Club—from remote communities to bustling cities—have written full albums inside the Club. Each episode this season includes a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process, sharing a song from demo to final production. Find out more...

Collaboration in the musical realm often focuses on the process of writing a song together. But as Francesca de Valence and Emma Bosworth shared during the recent co-production of their songwriting retreat, collaboration can extend far beyond just crafting songs  - it can foster professional partnerships, exchange a diversity of skill sets, and create innovative growth opportunities for both peopl...

We take you behind the scenes of our Songwriting Retreat to give you a glimpse of co-writing in real-time. Thank you to our songwriters Maddison Kate and Amanda Thomas for sharing a brand new created work on this podcast. We explore the chaos and order of nature, overcoming imposter syndrome, and how collaboration across generations can highlight our universal connection.  Find out more about our...

We take you behind the scenes of our Songwriting Retreat to give you a glimpse of co-writing in real-time. Thank you to our songwriters Kate Battersby and Halimah Perez-Torres (Finlonsen) for sharing a brand new created work on this podcast. The conversation was a reminder of the magic that happens when songwriters come together, share their stories, and allow the creative process to unfold in une...

We take you behind the scenes of our Songwriting Retreat to give you a glimpse of co-writing in real-time. Thank you to our songwriters Cath Russell and Mona Verdour for sharing a brand new created work on this podcast. This episode is a reminder that songwriting is more than just creating melodies and lyrics.  Find out more about our Songwriting Retreat here . Join I Heart Songwriting Club’s Co-w...

We take you behind the scenes of our Songwriting Retreat to give you a glimpse of co-writing in real-time. Thank you to our songwriters, Shauna Tohill, Kerrie Gamley and Stella Di Santa for sharing a brand new created work on this podcast. We also discuss the value of revisiting and refining your creative ideas.  Find out more about our Songwriting Retreat here . Join I Heart Songwriting Club’s Co...

In this episode, Francesca de Valence chats with legendary Australian artist Wendy Matthews at the Whitsundays Songwriter Festival 2024. Wendy shares insights into her songwriting journey, from her early days busking across Canada and the USA to creating multi-platinum albums. Known for her timeless hits including The Day You Went Away , Wendy discusses her approach to crafting songs that resonate...

Johnny Manuel’s astronomical career has been shaped by his vocal talent. His appearances on shows like America’s Got Talent and The Voice have created a global audience that sees him as “just a vocalist,” not recognizing the depth of his creative vision. But what this global audience most likely doesn’t know is that Johnny started out as a songwriter. In this episode, we chatted with the US artist...