Oklahoma-born songwriter gets boost
Oklahoma-bred singer-songwriter Audra Mae’s debut album isn’t due out until March, but her anthem "Who I Was Born to Be” already has sold 1.8 million copies.
The Putnam City High School graduate penned the only original song on Scottish singing sensation Susan Boyle’s debut album, "I Dreamed a Dream.” Boyle’s record has topped the Billboard 200 charts for three weeks; only Taylor Swift’s "Fearless” has moved more units in 2009. "I feel really honored just to be a part of that,” Mae said by phone from Los Angeles, where she moved about six years ago. "Nobody expected it to be as big as it is. ... What she represents in the world is that leap of faith and just the underdog story and the late bloomer story. And I think that’s why people are so just in love with her.” Mae, 25, became a fan of the Scottish singer when Boyle, 48, first appeared on "Britain’s Got Talent.” After Boyle finished second, Swedish songwriting trio Play Production, whom Mae has written with for about a year, sent the Oklahoma native the chords and melody for a song for Boyle’s album and asked her to pen the lyrics. "I loved her, her story, and so I said, ‘Sure, I’ll take a crack at it,’” said Mae, grandniece of Judy Garland. "I went online and just Googled her and read everything I could about her, learned about her and then wrote the song. And I knew after I wrote it that it was perfect for her, but I didn’t know whether she was going to like it. ... That you never know.” Mae got word that Boyle planned to record "Who I Was Born to Be,” but didn’t bank on it until the album was finished. After all, her uncle, Michael Sherwood, wrote a song for Michael Jackson’s "Thriller,” but "For All Time” didn’t make the album until the 25th anniversary reissue. Mae recently released her debut EP, "Haunt,” on indie label SideOneDummy Records and will put out a full record, "The Happiest Lamb,” in spring. Between "Who I Was Born to Be” and plans to play South by Southwest 2010, she has high hopes. "More people want to talk to me about my music or her song ... which is (a) wonderful opportunity. You know, it’s like priceless.” For more music news, go to blog.newsok.com/bamsblog.
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