An interesting article with more insight into Daniel Powter and the difficulties of coming up as a songwriter.

Powter’s rise to success is not your typical, music industry story, where a young artist (in his teens or early 20s) is signed by a label and releases a trendy hit. Powter is enjoying his breakthrough success at a relatively late age (he’s 35), and he admits that he didn’t even write songs until he was 27. The success of Powter demonstrates that a singer/songwriter can develop his/her craft at a slower, more deliberate pace, and still achieve major success if the songs and recordings are exceptional.

In the article, he is asked to give advice to up-and-coming songwriters:

“Try to be completely honest with yourself in your songwriting. Don’t try and copy a sound or style that somebody has already created. Don’t try to copy a style like Gnarls Barkley, just because it’s hot. Write for yourself and your family and friends – write what makes you happy as a songwriter. It’s important to get yourself in the studio, to get ‘naked’ against the record. Put a song together with just you, and your own song sensibility.” (Link)

More Daniel Powter on Blogging Muses.