In 2001, Linda Perry had a hit on her hands, a made-for-radio amalgamation of major chords and shout-along lyrics. The songwriter sent “Get the Party Started” to Madonna, who passed. A week later, P!nk called, and the rest is history.
As the frontwoman of popular ’90s band 4 Non Blondes and a card-carrying member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Perry, 54, has many stories to tell, not all of them happy.
“I know artists who should be at Adele’s level who are prostitutes right now,” she says. In 2017, she cofounded the management and production company We Are Hear with the goal of developing new artists for long-term success. Perry knew what she’d wanted early in her own career, so she figured, “Let’s offer our artists that,” she says. The strategy is working: Last December, Perry became the first solo woman since 1999 to earn a Grammy nomination for nonclassical producer of the year. But the biggest project of all, she says, is being a mom. Perry and her wife, actress Sara Gilbert, welcomed a son in 2015.
“I don’t really need sleep,” Perry says, “but I love working and I love my son, so somehow I’m managing to weave all of it together.”
How did you come to find and produce a new artist like Willa Amai?
Linda Perry: When I met Willa, she had braces and Coke-bottle glasses—I’m a big fan of the overly dorky kid. She played a song, and I could tell right away. Her voice was so full. I said, “Write five songs. Call me in two months.” On the dime, two months later, Willa called me with six songs. Three weeks later, she showed up [to record] with 12. I knew I had a 12-year-old version of Carole King.
What is the hardest part of perfecting a song?
I have a gift and a curse. I can write a song at any moment of the day on any instrument. I open my mouth, and the song starts showing itself. That’s a gift. I can write five ideas in one day, but I can’t finish them all because I move so quickly sometimes. So I’ll have 500 finished songs and 500 unfinished songs.
Which musicians are you currently following?
I love Brandi Carlile. Brandi doesn’t need me, but it’d be great to write a song with her because we’re on the same emotional page. I also love Cardi B, and I’m really excited to see what Billie Eilish does.
What was it like working with Dolly Parton?
When Dolly walks into a room, the whole room gets lifted. Her energy is so high, like she’s an alien. She’s operating on frequencies that I’ve never seen. And she’s like a walking catchphrase. Everything she says could be on a bumper sticker.
This article will appear in the October 2019 issue of ELLE on newsstands September 24.
