Florrie’s Lessons Learned

Florrie: “The act of sitting down with a piano or guitar is what actually sparks inspiration.”

Why inspiration often comes after you start, ideas need time, and finding your own creative process matters more than rules

Florrie is a British songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist whose distinctive blend of live instrumentation and sophisticated pop has earned more than 85 million streams. A longtime Xenomania collaborator, she drummed on major releases including The Promise by Girls Aloud, while also writing and collaborating with artists including Kylie, Tove Lo, and George Ezra. Florrie’s second album, Magic For A While, explores nostalgia, impermanence, and identity against the relentless pace of modern life. Produced with Brian Higgins, it combines expansive pop production with a deliberately live, human feel, reflecting Florrie’s instinct for big hooks without sacrificing emotional depth…

Read more Lessons Learned articles

1. DON’T WAIT FOR MOTIVATION, JUST START

I used to do this all the time, I’d get up and think, ‘I’m not really in the mood,’ but, for me, the act of sitting down with a piano or guitar is what actually sparks inspiration. There will be days when you feel it from the moment you open your eyes, but quite often I find I have to get going first.

Florrie: “I am at my best when I’m comfortable in my environment.”

2. TAKE A BREAK FROM YOUR LYRICS

I am somebody who really stews over lyrics. I have writer friends who literally come out with a finished song in the session and they are amazing, but I really love thinking deeply about the lyrics and going back over them. Don’t be afraid to step away and come back to them later. I also really like going on walks and singing through ideas in my head. I make a lot of changes or come up with new ideas when I’m walking!

3. EVERYONE WRITES DIFFERENTLY, SO DON’T BE AFRAID TO DO IT YOUR WAY

I like to write melodies in a stream of consciousness, singing loads of melodies over looping chords, and then I go back and comp them afterwards. I’ve struggled before in sessions where everything is sung out in the room and then a chorus is picked out. I like to get all the ideas out of my head (and recorded down) mainly to get the bad ones out with the good, and I’m much better at judging my own melodies if I can listen back to them rather than deciding in the moment, ‘Here is a chorus!’ This really takes the pressure off for me and I am at my best when I’m comfortable in my environment. Now, when I go into sessions, I make sure I get everything out on the mic. It’s good to get out of your comfort zone from time to time and try different methods, but if you know something works for you, do it!

4. KEEP A DIARY OR JOURNAL

I find this is so helpful, especially in the period before making an album. In the year leading up to making my new record, I kept a notebook full of thoughts and feelings, things that made me happy, things I was struggling with. Before I even went into the studio or started making any music, I had 20 concepts with lyric lines and ideas mapped out. It’s also just really fascinating looking back at your own words from a different time in your life and seeing how much you’ve changed or how far you’ve come.

5. THERE’S NO PERFECT STARTING POINT FOR A SONG

For me, some songs start with a melody, some with a lyrical idea, and sometimes it might just be a drum beat. Try to keep an open mind about where you might find inspiration, and it’s okay to sit on ideas and come back to them. Some of the songs on my new album began with a chord progression that sat on my laptop for five years. I make sure I record everything and even though my computer is massively disorganised with a million folders, I know I can always dive in and rediscover something. That’s also really helpful when I’m not sure where to start.

Magic For A While by Florrie is released on 16 October via BMG and Xenomania Records. For the latest music and more, follow @florrie on Instagram

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.