What’s It Like to Write Songs With Madonna, McCartney, and the Stones?

Producer Andrew Watt spent the past year working with several major artists, including the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Brandi Carlile and Michael Stipe. His collaborations show how he has become a sought-after producer for established musicians, and work with Stipe has grown into a partnership on the singer’s forthcoming solo album.

Watt describes how conversations with Madonna about New York’s Danceteria club inspired “Danceteria”, a song about her early life and career. Charli XCX later recorded her own origin story for a remix, and the artists worked with Watt on its production; he says both are highly technical and precise producers whose involvement helped make the track personal.