What happens when you commit to writing one song a week for 100 weeks? For songwriter and producer Joel Riley, it led to his debut album The Fruits of Labour. In this episode, Joel takes us inside his imaginative practice. He shares how consistency built his confidence, how feedback helped him hear his songs differently and how living in Dubbo inspired him to embrace creative limitations as opportunities. Joel’s journey is a reminder that songwriting doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs you to show up.

About Joel: Joel Riley is an artist, songwriter and producer making music in Dubbo, Australia. He writes songs about things he cares about, things he worries about, and the occasional dinosaur. He loves to take adventures into genres he loves, like electronic music (with The Synthesizer Wizards of Dubbo), ambient jazz (with The DM) and indie rock (with Tomorrow Forever). His first album The Fruits of Labour was released in early 2025 to great acclaim in the family group chat. He is always keeping his eyes open for the next musical adventure!

Song Credit: “Bet Against Myself" - Written by Joel Riley. Performed live by Joel Riley.

Find out more and contact us at I Heart Songwriting Club & Francesca de Valence.

Ready to deep dive into songwriting? Join our 10-week online intensive course to write 10 new songs with lessons, personalised mentorship and practical tools to refine your craft. Learn more at iheartsongwritingclub.com/songwritingcourses.

Get your creativity, confidence, and songwriting output flowing. Join The Club and receive the support and structure to write 10 songs in 10 weeks and get feedback from a private peer community.

Just getting started on your songwriting journey and need more hands-on support? Establish a firm foundation and develop your musical and lyric skills with our Beginner Songwriting Courses.

Don’t struggle to write your next album - write an album a year with ease! Watch our Free Songwriting Masterclass.

Get songwriting insights from I Heart Songwriting Club: Instagram / Facebook / YouTube

Be inspired by Francesca on socials: YouTube / Facebook / Instagram

Theme song: “Put One Foot In Front Of The Other One” music and lyrics by Francesca de Valence

If you love this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and tell everyone you know about The Magic of Songwriting.

Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Elana Stone shares the joyful chaos of a creative life. A double ARIA Award-winner, Stone blends folk, electronica, indie pop and balladry with lyrical vulnerability and melodic flair. From writing songs between baby naps to performing with Missy Higgins, in this episode she reflects on how staying true to herself has shaped her artistry over time.

About Elana: Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Elana Stone is a double ARIA Award-winning musician whose style combines instrumental invention with quirk, and inclines to write pop that is by turns exultant or introspective. Elana Stone encompasses folk, modern electronica, indie pop and balladry, underpinned by Stone’s signature lyrical vulnerability and ear for melody.

Contact Elana : Website / Facebook / Instagram

Find out more and contact us at I Heart Songwriting Club & Francesca de Valence.

Song Credit: “Cephalopods" - Written by Elana Stone. Performed by Elana Stone.

Ready to deep dive into songwriting? Join our 10-week online intensive course to write 10 new songs with lessons, personalised mentorship and practical tools to refine your craft. Learn more at iheartsongwritingclub.com/songwritingcourses.

Get your creativity, confidence, and songwriting output flowing. Join The Club and receive the support and structure to write 10 songs in 10 weeks and get feedback from a private peer community.

Just getting started on your songwriting journey and need more hands-on support? Establish a firm foundation and develop your musical and lyric skills with our Beginner Songwriting Courses.

Don’t struggle to write your next album - write an album a year with ease! Watch our Free Songwriting Masterclass.

Get songwriting insights from I Heart Songwriting Club: Instagram / Facebook / YouTube

Be inspired by Francesca on socials: YouTube / Facebook / Instagram

Theme song: “Put One Foot In Front Of The Other One” music and lyrics by Francesca de Valence

If you love this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and tell everyone you know about The Magic of Songwriting.

Award-nominated composer Andrew McCrorie-Shand joins Francesca de Valence to share a songwriting journey shaped by curiosity, cinematic vision, and emotional depth. From hit TV themes like Teletubbies to reflective solo work, Andy’s decades-spanning career reveals the power of imagination and storytelling in music.

About Andrew: Andy is a multi-instrumentalist, arranger, producer and composer. As a teen he was greatly influenced by the American rock musician, composer and filmmaker Frank Zappa and British rock musician Keith Emerson. In 1974 Andy joined the progressive rock band Druid, with whom he co-composed and recorded 2 albums for EMI: Toward the Sun (1975) and Fluid Druid (1976). He went on to play with Curved Air, which included a pre-Police Stewart Copeland on drums.

Contact Andrew: Website

Song Credit: “Streetlights" - Written by Andrew McCrorie-Shand. Performed by Andrew McCrorie-Shand.

Ready to deep dive into songwriting? Join our 10-week online intensive course to write 10 new songs with lessons, personalised mentorship and practical tools to refine your craft. Learn more at iheartsongwritingclub.com/songwritingcourses.

Find out more and contact us at I Heart Songwriting Club & Francesca de Valence.

Get your creativity, confidence, and songwriting output flowing. Join The Club and receive the support and structure to write 10 songs in 10 weeks and get feedback from a private peer community.

Just getting started on your songwriting journey and need more hands-on support? Establish a firm foundation and develop your musical and lyric skills with our Beginner Songwriting Courses.

Don’t struggle to write your next album - write an album a year with ease! Watch our Free Songwriting Masterclass.

Get songwriting insights from I Heart Songwriting Club: Instagram / Facebook / YouTube

Be inspired by Francesca on socials: YouTube / Facebook / Instagram

Theme song: “Put One Foot In Front Of The Other One” music and lyrics by Francesca de Valence

If you love this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and tell everyone you know about The Magic of Songwriting.

Darwin-based songwriter and music therapist Crystal Robins shares how her connection to place and her work in music therapy shaped her debut album Moonflower, and explains how a weekly songwriting prompt led her to the powerful, fully produced track “Where This Heart’s Been”.

About Crystal: Crystal Robins is a songwriter living on Larrakia country (Darwin NT) in the tropical north of Australia. With stunning vocals and intricate guitar playing, Crystal’s songs weave a dreamy mix of indie-folk with a twist of alt-country and Americana, layering lush harmonies to accompany her heartfelt lyrics.

Contact Crystal: Website / Facebook / Instagram

Song Credit: “Where This Heart's Been" - Written by Crystal Robins. Performed by Crystal Robins.

Ready to deep dive into songwriting? Join our 10-week online intensive course to write 10 new songs with lessons, personalised mentorship and practical tools to refine your craft. Learn more at iheartsongwritingclub.com/songwritingcourses.

Find out more and contact us at I Heart Songwriting Club & Francesca de Valence.

Get your creativity, confidence, and songwriting output flowing. Join The Club and receive the support and structure to write 10 songs in 10 weeks and get feedback from a private peer community.

Just getting started on your songwriting journey and need more hands-on support? Establish a firm foundation and develop your musical and lyric skills with our Beginner Songwriting Courses.

Don’t struggle to write your next album - write an album a year with ease! Watch our Free Songwriting Masterclass.

Get songwriting insights from I Heart Songwriting Club: Instagram / Facebook / YouTube

Be inspired by Francesca on socials: YouTube / Facebook / Instagram

Theme song: “Put One Foot In Front Of The Other One” music and lyrics by Francesca de Valence

If you love this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and tell everyone you know about The Magic of Songwriting.

Genre-fluid pop artist Jaime Jackett shares the creative journey behind her debut album Reinvention, and how a single songwriting prompt led to the playful, percussive track Lemonade. From beatboxing and found sounds to multiple live arrangements, Jaime reveals how reinvention is both her process and her power.

About Jaime: Jaime Jackett is a powerful and evocative performer based in Broome, Western Australia. Jackett’s music delicately treads the contrast between light and dark, deliberately juxtaposing them, and playing with the patterns and shadows they create.

Contact Jaime: Website / Facebook / Instagram

Song Credit: “Lemonade" - Written by Jaime Jackett. Performed by Jaime Jackett and James Newhouse.

Ready to deep dive into songwriting? Join our 10-week online intensive course to write 10 new songs with lessons, personalised mentorship and practical tools to refine your craft. Learn more at iheartsongwritingclub.com/songwritingcourses.

Find out more and contact us at I Heart Songwriting Club & Francesca de Valence.

Get your creativity, confidence, and songwriting output flowing. Join The Club and receive the support and structure to write 10 songs in 10 weeks and get feedback from a private peer community.

Just getting started on your songwriting journey and need more hands-on support? Establish a firm foundation and develop your musical and lyric skills with our Beginner Songwriting Courses.

Don’t struggle to write your next album - write an album a year with ease! Watch our Free Songwriting Masterclass.

Get songwriting insights from I Heart Songwriting Club: Instagram / Facebook / YouTube

Be inspired by Francesca on socials: YouTube / Facebook / Instagram

Theme song: “Put One Foot In Front Of The Other One” music and lyrics by Francesca de Valence

If you love this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and tell everyone you know about The Magic of Songwriting.

Roots troubadour Pat Tierney joins Francesca to reflect on a decade of songwriting, the power of creative community, and the process behind his latest album Lost in the Haze. From songwriting as self-expression to turning a weekly challenge into a lead single, this episode explores the beauty of showing up and staying true to your voice.

About Pat: Pat Tierney is a lap slide guitarist and roots troubadour whose soulful fusion of blues and folk draws on influences like Bob Dylan, Ben Harper, and JJ Cale. Since his 2015 debut, he has toured extensively, performed at major Australian festivals, and shared stages with artists including The Beautiful Girls, Bobby Alu and Harry Manx. His acclaimed albums Red Moon and Lost in the Haze showcase his poetic songwriting and have earned national radio play, millions of streams, and multiple Queensland Music Award nominations. Tierney’s heartfelt performances and socially conscious lyrics mark him as a standout voice in modern folk and roots music.

Contact Pat: Website / Facebook / Instagram

Song Credit: “Golden Lover, Silver Song" - Written by Pat Tierney. Performed by Pat Tierney. With thanks to Yama-Nui Records.

Ready to deep dive into songwriting? Join our 10-week online intensive course to write 10 new songs with lessons, personalised mentorship and practical tools to refine your craft. Learn more at iheartsongwritingclub.com/songwritingcourses.

Find out more and contact us at I Heart Songwriting Club & Francesca de Valence.

Get your creativity, confidence, and songwriting output flowing. Join The Club and receive the support and structure to write 10 songs in 10 weeks and get feedback from a private peer community.

Just getting started on your songwriting journey and need more hands-on support? Establish a firm foundation and develop your musical and lyric skills with our Beginner Songwriting Courses.

Don’t struggle to write your next album - write an album a year with ease! Watch our Free Songwriting Masterclass.

Get songwriting insights from I Heart Songwriting Club: Instagram / Facebook / YouTube

Be inspired by Francesca on socials: YouTube / Facebook / Instagram

Theme song: “Put One Foot In Front Of The Other One” music and lyrics by Francesca de Valence

If you love this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and tell everyone you know about The Magic of Songwriting.

Award-winning Brisbane synth-pop artist Mardi Lumsden has long been known for her ethereal songwriting and shimmering sonic landscapes. But her sophomore album Slow Emotion came to life in a way that was as delicate and intimate as its title suggests—written asynchronously and collaboratively with her husband and producer, Pennay, in the quiet hours while their baby slept.

This episode of The Magic of Songwriting podcast explores the creative journey behind Slow Emotion, and in particular the evolution of its standout track, “nineteen.”

About Mardi and Andrew:

Mardi Lumsden is an award-winning synth-pop charmer from Brisbane. Mardi spent 2020 writing happy music resulting in her sophomore album "Slow Emotion", an 8-track delight written in IHSC that transverses disco, indie pop and stargazer anthems. The title track was added to Double J and was called "another stellar success" by Obscure Sound.

Andrew Pennay has spent his days teaching music in schools, lecturing in music education, and slowly working through a PhD in (not surprisingly) songwriting education.

Contact Mardi : Facebook / Instagram

Song Credit: ‘nineteen’ Written by Mardi Lumsden and Andrew Pennay and Performed by Mardi Lumsden.

Ready to deep dive into songwriting? Join our 10-week online intensive course to write 10 new songs with lessons, personalised mentorship and practical tools to refine your craft. Learn more at iheartsongwritingclub.com/songwritingcourses.

Find out more and contact us at I Heart Songwriting Club & Francesca de Valence.

Get your creativity, confidence, and songwriting output flowing. Join The Club and receive the support and structure to write 10 songs in 10 weeks and get feedback from a private peer community.

Just getting started on your songwriting journey and need more hands-on support? Establish a firm foundation and develop your musical and lyric skills with our Beginner Songwriting Courses.

Don’t struggle to write your next album - write an album a year with ease! Watch our Free Songwriting Masterclass.

Get songwriting insights from I Heart Songwriting Club: Instagram / Facebook / YouTube

Be inspired by Francesca on socials: YouTube / Facebook / Instagram

Theme song: “Put One Foot In Front Of The Other One” music and lyrics by Francesca de Valence

If you love this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and tell everyone you know about The Magic of Songwriting.

Francesca introduces the podcast theme for Season 8: turning consistent creative practice into a powerful body of work. She shares how members of I Heart Songwriting Club—from remote communities to bustling cities—have written full albums inside the Club. Each episode this season includes a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process, sharing a song from demo to final production.

Find out more and contact us at I Heart Songwriting Club & Francesca de Valence.

Get your creativity, confidence, and songwriting output flowing. Join The Club and receive the support and structure to write 10 songs in 10 weeks and get feedback from a private peer community. This is THE essential writing practice that has changed the careers and lives of 1000s of songwriters worldwide.

Just getting started on your songwriting journey and need more hands-on support? Establish a firm foundation and develop your musical and lyric skills with our Beginner Songwriting Courses. They are the perfect place to begin and cover everything you need to know to write your first songs. You’ll receive lessons from Francesca directly!

Ready to deep dive into songwriting? Join our 10-week online intensive course to write 10 new songs with lessons, personalised mentorship and practical tools to refine your craft. Learn more at iheartsongwritingclub.com/songwritingcourses.

Don’t struggle to write your next album - write an album a year with ease! Watch our Free Songwriting Masterclass.

Want more for your songwriting but don’t know where to go from here? Take the I Heart Songwriting Club Quiz to discover your next steps and inspire your way to writing better songs.

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Theme song: “Put One Foot In Front Of The Other One” music and lyrics by Francesca de Valence

If you love this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and tell everyone you know about The Magic of Songwriting.

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