This article is about the American songwriter. For the Canadian author, see Dianne Warren. For the American politician born Diane Lynn Warren, see Diane Black.
Diane Eve Warren (born September 7, 1956)[1][2] is an American songwriter. She has won an Academy Honorary Award, Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, two Golden Globe Awards and three consecutive Billboard Music Awards for Songwriter of the Year from 1997 to 1999. She first gained recognition for her work on DeBarge's 1985 single "Rhythm of the Night". By the late 1980s, she joined the record label EMI, where she became the first songwriter in the history of Billboard magazine to have written seven hit songs, all of which by different artists, prompting EMI's UK Chairman Peter Reichardt to call her "the most important songwriter in the world".
She founded the publishing company Realsongs, through which she holds the masters of her work. Her debut studio album was released on August 27, 2021.[4]
Early life
Warren, the youngest of three daughters, was born to David, an insurance salesman, and Flora Warren,[5] in the Los Angeles community of Van Nuys,[6] where she said she felt misunderstood and "alienated" as a child growing up.[7] Her family's surname "Warren" was originally "Wolfberg", but her father changed the name because he wanted it to sound less Jewish.[8] Warren says she was rebellious as a child[7] and told NPR's Scott Simon that she got into trouble and ran away as a teen but returned because she missed her cat.
As a child, Warren loved listening to and dreamed of performing on the radio herself.[8] She was also influenced by music her parents and her sisters would play.[9] She began writing music when she was 11 but took a more serious approach at 14, commenting "music saved me."[8][10] Warren has said that her mother asked her to give up her dream of a songwriting career[11] and take a secretarial job. However, her father continued to believe in her and encouraged her. In addition, he bought her a 12-string guitar and a metal shed for her to practice and took her to music auditions.[1] She wrote Celine Dion's 1996 song "Because You Loved Me" as a tribute to her father for his encouragement.[12]
On the February 12, 2016, edition of All Things Considered, Warren said that she had been molested at age 12 and had later experienced sexual harassment and assault by a sound engineer during her working career.[15]
She's actually more like the Emily Dickinson of Pop. As in the case of the great nineteenth-century reclusive New England poet known for her simple yet eloquent verses, Warren leads a life focused almost entirely on her art.
The original name for her publishing company, Realsongs, was "Warren Piece" because "War and Peace" was already taken.[16] In 1998, Realsongs and its international partner, EMI Music Publishing, distributed A Passion For Music, a six-CD box set showcasing her music. EMI Music's London office assisted in distributing 1,200 copies of the box set primarily to the film and television industry for consideration in soundtracks and other commercial endeavors. It was not marketed to consumers.[17]As of 2011[update], Warren's music has appeared in the soundtracks of over sixty films. She was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame[18] in 2001.[19]
The Diane Warren Foundation, in conjunction with the ASCAP Foundation and the VH1 Save the Music Foundation created a joint initiative, beginning in 2000, called Music in the Schools. The initiative provides sheet music, band arrangements, folios, and method books to each of the schools that are already recipients of musical instruments from the VH1 Save the Music Foundation.[20]
In 2004, Warren released a compilation album of love songs titled Diane Warren Presents Love Songs, which includes several of her hits.
In 2010, Warren partnered with Avon Products as a celebrity judge for Avon Voices,[23] Avon's global online singing talent search for women and songwriting competition for men and women. For the contest, Warren wrote a special anthem which was recorded by the finalists and produced by Humberto Gatica.[24] Warren has been recognized six times as ASCAP Songwriter of the Year and four times as Billboard's Songwriter of the Year.[25]
In 2012, Warren wrote the song "Counterfeit" for Tulisa's debut solo album The Female Boss.
Warren's success in the US has been paralleled in the UK, where she has been rated the third most successful female artist.[27] Peter Reichardt, former Chairman of EMI Music Publishing UK, credited her as "the most important songwriter in the world."[28]
Warren is the first songwriter in the history of Billboard magazine to have seven hits, all by different artists, on the singles chart at the same time. Warren has had nine of her compositions hit No. 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100, all by different artists, and overall 33 of her songs have hit the US top ten.[29] Additionally, two of the top 13 hits in the Hot 100's 57-year history were written by her - "How Do I Live" (number four) and "Un-Break My Heart" (number 13).[30] She has had even more success on the US Adult Contemporary charts, where sixteen of her songs have gone to No. 1, and overall more than 40 songs have hit the top ten on that chart. Warren has had three No. 1 hits in the UK and more than 20 top ten hits. She has been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[31]
Warren's debut studio album, Diane Warren: The Cave Sessions Vol. 1, was released on August 27, 2021, via Di-Namic Records and BMG.[32] Its first single, "Times like This" with Darius Rucker, was released on November 10, 2020.[33] The second single, "She's Fire" with G-Eazy and Carlos Santana, was released on July 13, 2021.[34][35] The single "Seaside" with Rita Ora, Sofía Reyes, and Reik was released on the same day as the album.[36]
In October 2023, "Say Don't Go", a song Warren wrote with singer-songwriter Taylor Swift in 2013, was released as part of Swift's album 1989 (Taylor's Version).[37][38] Debuting at #5, the song marked the first time a song written by Warren hit the top ten of the US Hot 100 in 22 years.[29]
The soundtrack single "Gonna Be You" from the movie 80 for Brady was released January 20, 2023. The song was written by her and performed by Dolly Parton, Belinda Carlisle, Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry and Gloria Estefan. The official music video shows Parton, Carlisle, Lauper, and Estefan performing while wearing football jerseys similar to the ones worn by the women in the film, interspersed with clips from the film.[39]
Personal life
Warren has never married,[40] and does not think of herself as a person of commitment. In interviews, she has said that she believes that her lack of a romantic life makes her more peculiar as a songwriter.[8] She was in a relationship with songwriter and record producer Guy Roche[41] that ended in 1992[8] and claims she has not had another relationship since, commenting "I've never been in love like in my songs. I'm not like normal people. I'm no good at relationships. I draw drama to me—it's the Jew in me".[42] Warren considers herself to be cynical regarding romance, but she does not let this affect her songwriting[8] and prefers to write alone rather than co-writing, commenting "When I write with other people, the experience is different. You have to compromise, which I have problems with. I'd rather listen to my own mind".[14]
In a 2000 interview, Warren explained that she never let go of music despite experiencing rejections, depression and poverty.[8] In 1994, Warren's house was damaged by the Northridge earthquake, causing her to be miserable and homeless, drifting from hotels to rental houses. She has said that therapy helped her with songwriting.[8] She has also revealed that she works 12–16 hours a day, always takes her keyboard whenever she travels[16] and is "...more crazy and intense than I was at 20..."[5]
Warren does not usually allow anyone into her Hollywood Hills office,[8] which she describes as a "cluttered, airless room". In 2012, Warren said that nothing in her office had been cleaned or moved for 17years because she is superstitious; she prefers to think of that room as her "secret world".[5] In that room, Warren records melodies with a tape recorder on which she plays them again and chooses the songs she likes the most.[5] Warren did allow part of a 2016 interview with CBS News Sunday Morning correspondent Ben Tracy to be taped in the office.[43]
Warren is autistic and believes her condition made her a better songwriter.[44]
Legacy
A jukebox musical is planned to be written by Joe DiPietro and directed by Kathleen Marshall, titled Obsessed, The Story of Diane Warren...so far. Warren has composed nine No. 1 and 33 top-10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in a career spanning 40 years.[45][29]
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García, known as Gloria Estefan, is a Cuban-born American singer, actress, and businesswoman. Estefan is an eight-time Grammy Award winner, a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and has been named one of the Top 100 greatest artists of all time by both VH1 and Billboard. Estefan's record sales exceed 100 million worldwide, making her one of the best-selling female singers of all-time. Many of Estefan's songs became international chart-topping hits, including "1-2-3", "Don't Wanna Lose You", "Coming Out of the Dark", "Turn the Beat Around", and "Heaven's What I Feel". Other hits include "Bad Boy", "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You", "Get On Your Feet", and "You'll Be Mine ".
Céline Marie Claudette Dion is a Canadian singer. Referred to as the "Queen of Power Ballads", she is noted for her powerful and technically skilled vocals. Her music has incorporated genres such as pop, rock, R&B, gospel, and classical music. Her recordings have been mainly in English and French, although she has also sung in Spanish, Italian, German, Latin, Japanese, and Chinese.
Karl Martin Sandberg, known professionally as Max Martin, is a Swedish record producer and songwriter. He rose to prominence in the late 1990s with production credits on a string of hit singles, namely Britney Spears's "...Baby One More Time" (1998), the Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way" (1999), Céline Dion's "That's the Way It Is" (1999) and NSYNC's "It's Gonna Be Me" (2000).
All the Way... A Decade of Song is the first English-language greatest hits album by Canadian singer Celine Dion. Released by Sony Music on 12 November 1999, it features nine previously released songs on most editions and seven new recordings on all editions. Dion worked on new tracks mainly with David Foster. Other producers include Max Martin, Kristian Lundin, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, James Horner, and Matt Serletic. It is the best-selling greatest hits album in the US during the Nielsen SoundScan era. All the Way... A Decade of Song has sold over 22 million copies worldwide, including over nine million in the United States, five million in Europe, two million in Japan and one million units in Canada.
"When I Fall in Love" is a popular song, written by Victor Young (music) and Edward Heyman (lyrics). It was introduced in Howard Hughes' last film One Minute to Zero as the instrumental titled "Theme from One Minute to Zero". Jeri Southern sang on the first vocal recording released in April 1952 with the song's composer, Victor Young, handling the arranging and conducting duties. The song has become a standard, with many artists recording it; the first hit version was sung by Doris Day released in July 1952.
Samuel Joshua Watters is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and record executive. Watters was a member of the multi-platinum selling 1990s R&B group Color Me Badd and co-authored many of their hits including "I Adore Mi Amor", and "All 4 Love". Watters has also written and produced songs for Grammy-winning and nominated artists such as American Idol winners Fantasia, Kelly Clarkson and Jordin Sparks, and other superstars such as Céline Dion, Whitney Houston, Leona Lewis, and Anastacia. Watters is a member of the production/songwriting team The Runaways including fellow hitmakers Rico Love, Wayne Wilkins, Ryan Tedder, and Louis Biancaniello.
"I Turn to You" is a song written by American songwriter Diane Warren and first recorded by R&B quartet All-4-One from the soundtrack album to the film Space Jam (1996). The ballad, produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, received little recognition until American pop singer-songwriter Christina Aguilera recorded it for her self-titled debut album. Aguilera, who worked with Warren in another song for her debut album, felt connected to the song after relating its lyrics to her relationship with her mother, and was encouraged by Warren to record the track.
"Everlasting Love" is a song written by Buzz Cason and Mac Gayden, originally a 1967 hit for Robert Knight and since covered numerous times, most successfully by Love Affair, as well as Town Criers, Rex Smith & Rachel Sweet, Carl Carlton, Sandra Cretu, U2 and Gloria Estefan. The original version of "Everlasting Love" was recorded by Knight in Nashville, with Cason and Gayden aiming to produce it in a Motown style reminiscent of the Four Tops and the Temptations. When released as a single, the song reached No. 13 on the US chart in 1967. Subsequently, the song has reached the US top 40 three times, most successfully as performed by Carl Carlton, peaking at No. 6 in 1974, with more moderate success by the duo Rex Smith and Rachel Sweet and Gloria Estefan.
"How Do I Live" is a song written by Diane Warren. It was originally performed by American singer and actress LeAnn Rimes and the extended version of the song was later featured on her second studio album, You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs (1997). A second version was performed by American singer Trisha Yearwood, which was featured in the film Con Air. Both versions were released to radio on May 23, 1997.
"For You I Will" is a song by American singer Monica. It was written by Diane Warren and produced by David Foster, and recorded for the soundtrack of the live-action/animated sports comedy film Space Jam (1996), directed by Joe Pytka and starring basketball player Michael Jordan. One out of several songs from the album to be released as a single, it was issued in February 25, 1997 by Atlantic Records and Rowdy Records. A downtempo pop and R&B ballad, the song's lyrics involve the singer pledging love and devotion and promising to help an unnamed "you" overcome any difficulty, regardless of the magnitude.
"Love Will Lead You Back" is a song recorded by American singer Taylor Dayne for her second studio album, Can't Fight Fate (1989). Written by Diane Warren and produced by Ric Wake, the song was released on January 12, 1990, by Arista Records as the second single from the album.
"Because You Loved Me" is a song performed by Canadian singer Celine Dion on her fourth English-language studio album, Falling into You (1996). It was released on 19 February 1996 as the first single in North America, and as the second single in the United Kingdom on 20 May 1996. "Because You Loved Me" was written by Diane Warren and produced by David Foster, and served as the theme song from the 1996 film Up Close & Personal, starring Robert Redford and Michelle Pfeiffer. Billboard ranked it as the 14th "Top Love Song of All Time".
"If You Asked Me To" is a song written by American songwriter Diane Warren and produced by Stewart Levine and Aaron Zigman. It was originally recorded by American singer Patti LaBelle for her ninth studio album, Be Yourself (1989), and also for the soundtrack to the James Bond film Licence to Kill. The song was released as the soundtrack's second single on June 12, 1989 by MCA Records. The lyrics are from the point of view of a woman who pleads to her significant other: "If you asked me to, I just might change my mind, and let you in my life forever". Three years later, Canadian singer Celine Dion covered the song for her 1992 self-titled second English-language studio album. Released as the album's second single, Dion's version topped the Canadian charts and peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"Here We Are" is a song by Cuban-American singer-songwriter Gloria Estefan. It was released in 1989 in the United States and in 1990 to the rest of the world as the third single of her debut solo album, Cuts Both Ways (1989). It was released with the B-side song "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me", that was included on the European version, later to appear on the Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me album. A Portuguese version of the song, "Toda Pra Você," is included on the compilation Exitos De Gloria Estefan as well as the Brazilian edition of the Cuts Both Ways album. As a duet for her special television concert All The Way Concert, Celine Dion performed this song, while Estefan sang Dion's song, "Because You Loved Me". A new Spanish version called "Tu y yo" was released in July 2019 on Estefan's official YouTube channel, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the song. This version was also included on her 2020 album Brazil305.
"Where Does My Heart Beat Now" is a song performed by Canadian recording artist Celine Dion for her ninth studio album and debut English-language album, Unison (1990). It was released by Columbia Records as the third single from Unison in Canada on 1 October 1990. It was also issued as the lead single in the United States in late 1990, and in other parts of the world in early 1991. "Where Does My Heart Beat Now" was written by Robert White Johnson and Taylor Rhodes in 1988, and recorded by Dion one year later. The song was produced by Christopher Neil. Dion premiered the song at the Eurovision Song Contest 1989 in Switzerland, where she performed it along with her 1988 winning song, "Ne partez pas sans moi".
"Love Can Move Mountains" is a song by Canadian singer Celine Dion, recorded for her second English-language studio album, Celine Dion (1992). Written by Diane Warren and produced by Ric Wake, it was released as the fourth single in October 1992. It is an up-tempo pop song drawing influence from gospel and dance music, and its lyrics detail the abilities that love has as an emotion. "Love Can Move Mountains" was later included on Dion's greatest hits albums, All the Way... A Decade of Song in 1999 and My Love: Ultimate Essential Collection in 2008.
Canadian singer Celine Dion has released 137 singles in both English and French discography as a lead artist. According to Billboard magazine, Dion is the world's best-selling contemporary female artist of all time. As of 2021, she has reportedly sold around 200 to 250 million records worldwide. Referred to as the "Queen of Power Ballads", Dion has released a string of worldwide hits, with "My Heart Will Go On" being her career's biggest hit, with estimated physical sales of over 18 million worldwide, making it the 2nd best-selling physical single by a woman in history. It reached over 117 million radio impressions during its peak, becoming the most-played radio hit in history and became the best-selling single of 1998 worldwide. "Because You Loved Me" is her biggest hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, spending six weeks atop the chart and selling six million copies in its first six months of availability worldwide. "Pour que tu m'aimes encore" was the 4th biggest hit of the 1990s in France and has sold over four million copies worldwide.
"I Want You to Need Me" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Celine Dion for her 1999 greatest hits album, All the Way... A Decade of Song. It was written by Diane Warren and produced by Matt Serletic. "I Want You to Need Me" was released as the second single in North America and Japan in April 2000, and third single in selected European countries in July 2000. Several club remixes were created by Thunderpuss. The song received positive reviews from music critics and topped the Canadian Singles Chart. The music video was directed by Liz Friedlander.
"Reach" is a song by Cuban-American singer and songwriter Gloria Estefan. It is co-written by Estefan with Diane Warren and was the official theme song of the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta, United States. The single was included on the official Atlanta 96 album, Rhythm of the Games, and later on Estefan's seventh studio album, Destiny (1996). The song became a sizeable European hit, peaking within the top 10 in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Norway and Spain, where it reached number two. In the UK, it peaked at number 15, while on the Eurochart Hot 100, the song reached number 47 in June 1996. Outside Europe, it peaked at number 23 in Australia as well as number 42 on the US Billboard Hot 100. "Reach" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the ceremony in 1997, but lost out to Toni Braxton's "Un-Break My Heart", which was also written by Diane Warren. The accompanying music video for the song was directed by Marcus Nispel.
"Heaven's What I Feel" is a 1998 song by Cuban American singer and songwriter Gloria Estefan, released as the lead single from her eighth studio album, gloria! on May 5, 1998 by Epic Records. The song was written by Kike Santander originally for Celine Dion. It was produced by Emilio Estefan, Jr. and Santander. The song is an up-tempo dance-pop, house and dance song.
↑ Arianne Cohen (October 9, 2006). "I Belong to Me". Nerve.com. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
↑ Palanker, Louise (March 28, 2018). "Diane Warren Eric Carmen". Retrieved July 10, 2023. some sort of function somewhere with Diane Warren where she brought her parrot. In the photo are Guy Roche, Doreen Dorian and Eric Carmen. — with Maria Vidal, Michael Anthony Rodriguez, Diane Warren, Guy Roche and Jimmy Reed.
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