Twenty years ago songwriter Shelly Peiken ushered in the new millennium by penning it’s very first #1 song, the feminist anthem “What A Girl Wants” which was the #1 song in the United States on January 1, 2000. Looking back now on what’s transpired culturally when it comes to gender and gender roles, it’s very poetic that “What A Girl Wants” marked the start of the 21st century. This year Peiken is celebrating her incredible career in music by revisiting some of her biggest hits and recording her own versions of her most beloved songs starting with “What a Girl Wants” which was released worldwide today.
After years of writing and working for other artists, Peiken sat back and thought “what does this girl want?” The answer to that question was simply to create, but this time for her herself. Shelly does not see her age as an obstacle but as an advantage — she’s experienced life and is more comfortable talking about it than ever. Her desire to create is the same as anyone’s: to express herself and to connect.
“Most of the words to ‘What A Girl Wants’ were written on a receipt at the bottom of my jacket pocket, says Peiken. “My co-writer Guy Roche was free-styling on the keyboard when I realized that the sentiment would fit his music. Originally the song was called ‘What A Girl Needs.’ But Ron Fair requested that we change the order the Needs/Wants for Christina. He felt that the “wants” was sexier. And he liked the alliteration of the ‘what a’ and the ‘wants.’ I hesitated at first but ultimately I made the swap. No regrets! The rest is history.”
Peiken’s reimagined version of the song set to groovy vibes and deep tones, takes on new meaning as she recalls being inspired by her then-boyfriend who gave her the space she needed to determine the next steps in their relationship. Peiken and that boyfriend are celebrating 17 years of marriage this year.
In addition to “What a Girl Wants” Peiken, has penned a number of songs that have become cultural moments, including Meredith Brooks’ “Bitch,” Christina Aguilera’s “Come on Over Baby, Mandy Moore’s “I Want to be With You,” Brandy’s “Almost Doesn’t Count,” The Pretenders “Human,” Jessie J’s “Who You Are,” “Rotten To The Core” from Disney’s Descendents and hundreds more songs for artists such as Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears, Reba, Natash Bedinfeild, N’Sync, INXS, Celine Dion, Keith Urban, Mark Wills, Cher, Smash Mouth and more. Collectively her songs have sold an excess of 50 Million records (see the full list HERE). Shelly will be revisiting a number of these songs, in addition to a handful of new originals on her album 2.0 etc…, slated for release this summer.
Peiken is as prolific a songwriter as when she got her start as a young writer in New York in the 90’s, but a lot has changed since then. The digital economy has made it nearly impossible for most songwriters to sustain a livelihood so Shelly made it her business to do something about it. She became a founding member of SONA (Songwriters of North America) a creators’ rights advocacy organization that has been making a name for itself preserving the value of songs and songwriters in a new music marketplace.
In 2018 she penned a memoir, Confessions of a Serial Songwriter, which gave an humorous and honest look at her career as a working songwriter who has navigated the shift from physical to digital, weathered ageism, sexism and most importantly, showcases her love for music and the pure joy that she gets from the creative process. The book was nominated for a GRAMMY for Best Spoken Word Album at the 60th GRAMMY Awards.
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