The legendary Diane Warren and the talented Sofia Carson, are with me today! They're here celebrating the Academy Awards Best Original Song nomination of "Applause", written by Diane, and performed by Sofia, for the movie "Tell It Like A Woman".
You may not immediately recognize Diane's name, but she has penned countless hits, like "Rythm Of The Night", "If I Could Turn Back Time", "Nothin's Gonna Stop Us Now", Unbreak My Heart", "Because You Loved Me", "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing"... and so many others! Her latest, "Applause", is described as an anthem for women, yet I know once you hear it you'll agree that it's perfect for anyone who's ever faced a challenge - which means it's a song for all of us!
Sofia is fresh from her role as Cassie in Netflix's "Purple Hearts", where she also co-wrote and performed the soundtrack as well as acted as Executive Producer. You do NOT want to miss this dynamic duo! ~ Delilah
How is your month going. Are you seeing any signs of spring yet? Any daffodils or crocus popping up out of the cold, hard ground. I've got quite a few daffodils that have popped up. They're not blooming yet, but they've popped up out of the ground. I'm not so sure they're happy about the way the weather has gotten weird after that weird cold snap. They probably felt it. They probably felt like pulling the covers back up over their little daffodil heads and sleeping a few weeks longer. March will be here before you know it. It'll probably come roaring in like a lion, but hopefully it will go out like a lamb. It is a month of transitions, and by the time that the month of March has passed, spring will be showing off in many wonderful ways. Let's hope it is more lamb like than lion like. The Oscars is an early spring event that's fun for a lot of people. The dominees for sure, but the millions of viewers too. Will you be watching the Oscars? If it's something you look forward to all year long, you will be thrilled with My guests today I've got a dynamic duo with US legendary songwriter Diane Warren and beloved actress singer Sophia Carson. The film they were involved with last year, tell It Like a Woman, has received denomination from the Academy for Best Original Song. Applause was written by Diane and performed by Sophia Carson. Diane Warren is one of modern music's most respected songwriters. She's penned nine number one's, thirty two top ten hits on the Billboard Hot one hundred. She is tied for having written the most number one songs as a soul songwriter in Billboard's history. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in two thousand and one. You might not know her name, but you got to know her songs. Rhythm of the Night, If I could turn back time, Nothing's gonna stop us now and break my heart because you love me and my favorite I don't want to miss a Thing by Aerosmith. All those songs sung by the biggest stars out there, all pinned by Diane Warren. She's an honorary Oscar recipient Honorary The woman has written the best songs in the history of my career, been nominated fourteen times, and she's won an Honorary Academy Award. She's won Grammy's, Emmy's Golden Globe winners. Her songs have been featured in more than a hundred motion pictures, and she's the sole owner of her publishing company, Real Songs, the most successful female owned and operated business in the music industry. Diane, who is a recipient of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Sophia Carson, who got her start on the Disney Channel, is also a force of nature forging a singular path in music, film, television, and philanthropy. She's a multi Platinum Award nominated singer and songwriter. In addition to performing Diane's song Applause that We're Gonna Talk About Today from the movie Tell It Like a Woman. Sofia recently starred as Cassie in the Netflix global phenomenon Purple Hearts, also serving as executive producer. An She co wrote and performed the film's original soundtrack. Next, Sophia will start opposite her friend, her bestie Tarran Egerton and Jason Bateman in the Netflix and Ambient thriller Carry On. Tell It Like a Woman is each your film comprised of seven short stories with women as the star. Each of the very different women face different challenges in their lives, and they each face them with extreme determination and courage that makes them stronger, more self aware. Some of the stories, which take place all over the world, are inspired by true events, while others are narrative fiction. All speak to empowerment, perseverance, inspiration. I am so excited about this, but before we talk to these ladies, let me tell you about one of my inspiring podcast sponsors, also created by a woman, and then we will dive right in after we talk about Eyes of Faith. 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Someone is the incredibly talented superstar written every hit song I think I've played in the last thirty or forty years of my career, Diane Warren, along with a beautiful talented young actress and singer. And my daughters and my granddaughters are all in love with so Fia Carson. Welcome to the podcast. Thank you guys. Tell It Like a Woman. I need to hear about how this collaboration came together, how you two came together, and how that collaboration came together. So I wrote the song for the movie Talt Like a Woman, which is a it's basically seven short films within one film about women's various women's stories and struggles, and it needed to be a song that could really speak to getting through it and giving yourself some applause for everything that you went through that you got through it. And it's really an really empowering song. And there was nobody that I could have gone to side Sophia to do the song because she's she is what that song is all about. She's such a strong woman, amazingly beautiful on the outside, beautiful on the inside, great singer, and here we are. It's just great that and it just got nominated for an Oscar and yeah, not that, but yeah, give yourself apause. Yeah, that's that's amazing. And just the fact that this song is really, like like you said, it's you know, it's resonating with people, it's resonating beyond the movie. That's the best case scenario when you do a movie song or any song that it resonates. But if you write something for a movie and it fits that movie, which is the first thing you have to do, but when it can go beyond that movie and speak to what people are going through, and everybody really needs to give themselves some applause. No matter who you are, you have to stop and go you know what. Life isn't easy. One of the things I noticed when I listened to it, like for the third or fourth time is that it's an anthem and you could have had like share with powerful, you know, tear your guts out, powerful voice, but Sophia, your gentleness with those strong words combined, it's like silk. Silk is the strongest fabric. Did you know this? The silk thread if they could replicate If scientists could replicate a silk thread, you could suspend a truck from a rope like a half inch long. Wow, I mean a half inch around. It's the strongest fabric there is. Wow. And they can't they can't replicate that. And yet it's silk. It's the soft, it's soft and it's strong. And so that's that's Sophia. Yeah, that's what I got out of that song. And you're not You're like, but you're not like that and all that. You know, you didn't need that for that song. You couldn't have beend it, you know it needed Yeah, powerful and in the power is I can't explain what I'm trying to say. Maybe and the emotion, Yeah, it's like it's the that's what I got. I love. This is an empowerment song, but it is like silk. It's strong, but it's not abrasive, it's gentle. If other singers would have saying it, it could have been you know, could have it might have been abrasive. But what Sophia brought to it is that quiet power. It's like that wiet power. You're right, It's like, yeah, you know, it's like you know, it's like some of someone whispers and you have to like lean in to hear it, right, and then it's that's what's beautiful about it. But it's still powerful and at the end you get you go full on power. Then yeah, So I've got some questions here, Sophia, that granddaughter wrote to me who loves You, and she said, what is the favorite rule? What's a favorite role you've ever played? Oh, favorite role I've ever played? That's it's a tough question. Um. I don't have kids, but it feels like it's like picking your favorite child in a way, because I've really like your favorite song. It's like every role that you've played or every song they steal a piece of your heart. You know, you pour a piece of yourself into this character and you love them for a different reason. Um. But it is true maybe with kids as well, that you too have favorites or at least I have favorites, I would say right now, maybe because it's fresh just in my memory, or I think it meant a lot to me as an actor and as a performer as I was acting as her. It was Cassie and Purple Hearts, um my movie on Netflix, right yeah, big yeah, big phenomenon. And her other question was was it difficult to transition from being a kids star to the phenomenon that you'd become. Was that got a hard transition or it's if Sometimes it's a fun fact for people. I think sometimes people think that I started younger than I did. But I was not a kid's star. I was twenty one when I got my first job. I had gone to college. I got my first dish or my first callback in the middle of final exams at UCLA. So I wasn't a child star. So I was lucky that I didn't have as difficult as a transition as I would imagine if I was a child in this business. I was an adult, and although I have grown a lot as an artist throughout the years, it's felt like a very seamless transition. Every song that I've written, every role that I've chosen with time. I feel like I've grown with my audience at the same time, and it's been a really beautiful journey. Well, I hope you have many, many, many more decades of this beautiful Ny. She will, by the way I think she will. And Diane, oh my gosh. Last night I jotted down a list because I don't know if you can see here, but I take notes while I'm on the air. I write down the person's name and a little bit about their situation. Joslyn lost two kids and their best friends in a tragic accident, and Jamie wanted a song, you know, So I take these notes and I went through like the last two weeks of my notes, and I just want to read you a list of some of the songs, Diane, that were requested just in the last two weeks. I get week by Brenda Carlyle. Nothing's going to stop us now. For a couple that both went through COVID, both ended up in the hospital, both are back on their feet and just going forward into the future. If I could turn back time, I wrote this down Maria, who lost her hubby and wanted to tell him one more time how much she loved him, And she said, I know that song means something else, but for me, if I could turn back time, I just want to say I love you again. Oh my god, Wow, my favorite song ever. I don't want to miss a thing. That was Peter for his wife Linda a fifty five years Wow, that's the song he wanted. Perfect. Somebody called last night who was getting married. One of that is their wedding song. Reba ile B was requested Taylor Dane, I'll be your shelter. I got that request like two weeks ago, and I'm way back in the Yeah, I'm sitting here as I'm going through my notes going, oh my gosh, it's like you you have like this direct connection to the heartbeat of my audience. Wow. It's yeah, because music is so powerful, you know, Like and even if you write something from a movie, you know, outside of that movie, it takes on another life. Like you know, I don't want to miss the thing was Armageddon, you know, but yet it becomes this big anniversary song you know, applause. It is written you know, for the movie. Tell it like a woman, but yet it goes beyond that and it speaks to people, you know that. I just love the fact that these songs, can you know speak to whatever somebody's going through? I think that listening to the words of applause over and over. You know, schools are trying hard coming out of COVID to re engage kids and get them reconnected to what matters to them. I was thinking as I listened to the words of that song. We need to have grade schools and junior highs and high schools having assemblies and being gifted that song for each kid. Now, I'm down any any school can use that. I'm happy to let that song be used everywhere. Wouldn't that just be amazing if kids could listen to the lyrics and go, you know, you're so right, absolutely everything. Recognize who you are sometimes I know it's hard, but you shine. You're super nova. They can't stop you. You were born unstoppable, and you dared to dared to know you're remarkable. Stand up, raise your hands up everything. It's about flooding yourself, loving yourself, using your voice, being unafraid. It's absolutely what everyone in the world needs to hear, especially, like you said, children who are being molded as we speak, and bullied as we sallied believe I was bullied. I was I was one of those kids that gotullied a lot. You too, Yeah, yeah, you know what. Look where we are now and what we're what we're here. We're like doing so well, and you are so the antithesis of bully. You have a rescue farm where you save lives of animals and the biggest heart in the world. Exactly. You like to hide behind this and a snarky um facade, but I stay right through it. You've just got this huge heart for humanity, for the planet, for creatures, for animal for the things that have single handedly written the songs that are synonymous with love. You know what I mean, Like she has a pulse on that, like you said, in the most extraordinary way. Thank you. That's your superpower. Thank you, that's your superpower. You're able to take the human experience, whether it's losing somebody, whether it's going through you know, hell and standing. You said one time, you know what, I would much rather know that my song is number one and people are requesting it, then get some stupid award. Your priorities are right, Yeah, I want these songs to reach people. Of course, you know it wouldn't someone doc if somebody would like recognize it, but we already agnize it. Thank you. You know, I had tim million folks tuning in every night who recognize it, so million every night, fourteen time Academy Award nominations. Yeah, I mean that's pretty cool. But I mean it's just exciting the fact that you know, here all you know, you know, with ten million people listening to you, and they're requesting my songs over and over and over, and beautiful thing is this song is going to speak to all of them. Applause. Yeah, everybody, no matter who you are. You know, like the most confident person in the world is not confident. Yeah, you know you might have like what you just said about me, Like you know, someone could be so confident and like you think they're they've got so together, but you know what, inside, you know, they're beating beating themselves up and they don't really know who they are. If just one out of ten people who listen to applause take it to heart and go, dang I I am. If you look at your fingerprint, there's nobody else like you in the history of taking fingerprints that has ever been found to have the exact same fingerprint. Did you know that not even identical twins. Yeah, they're pretty identical. Twins have different finger prints. They begin identical, but then as life goes on and you get burned or you get cut, it changes the nature of your singer prints and even the habits you have, how you hold your pencil, that sort of thing. Right, If we are that unique by a one inch square piece of skin, how much more unique by our hearts, our souls, our passions, our experiences, our dreams. And that's what applause speaks to. Wow, wow, that's deep. But it's true. It's true. It's true. I can't sing a note. I have a three note range. I went out for quiet. Voice goes way beyond that three note. By the way you look exactly, Realize who you are, Jelilah. Realize and realized I was a super nover superstar who was given a voice to talk, not to sing. And that's that's my gift, that's my superpowers. Your voice still your voice, your voice and heels and makes a difference. Yeah, and everybody has a voice, even those who literally don't have the ability to speak, they still have their story to share. So thank you for applause, and thank you for years and years and years of great music. How wild is it that we get a chance to talk to these two incredible, empowered women. I'm in heaven right now. My girls are in heaven right now. We've got a little more time with them. But first I'm going to spend a minute on a podcast sponsor that also deserves some applause, an empowered woman who has created not just a legend, but she's created a legacy. Right now, we want to talk about Laura Geller. Don't wait for a special occasion or a date night to look and feel your best. Go ahead, try out that new eyeshadow palette that makes your eyes pop. Have fun with it for a night in or a night out. I've spoken about my love for Laura Geller products, and I'm currently enjoying some new favorites. The Rose Glow Spackle skin perfecting primer is divine, and I'm head over heels for the Italian Marble lipsticks that come in so many different shades. There's a perfect match waiting for you. Give yourself the gift of some Laura Geller beauty products and splurge on some of your besties too. The time to practice self care and self love is now and Laura Geller is here to help. Visit Laura Geller dot com today be shure and use code Laura twenty five for twenty five percent off your order. My daughter's tapping me. What do you want to ask one of I have four favorite movies that you play in Purple Heart Descendants, I send so I have a shoe fits and feel the feat Oh my god, thank you so much for watching those do a favorite of them a descendant Descendant. That's awesome. I'm just I am thrilled that you. I know that it's a crazy season and you've got a lot going on, and you got a lot of interviews. And by the way, you both look hot. Um, thank you. It's lighting. Lighting, lighting is working at Diane, your hair is rocking. And the little shiny star there the whole few and the pow is a power wow wow wow. Yeah socket to them. So thank you for taking time to be and I appreciate you both. Thank you. Yeah, I'm gonna that's all good. Everybody in the room give yourself from applause, all right, and I'm gonna be enjoying playing that. For no kidding. At least ten of the people I talked to last night on the phone needed to hear that message. So yeah, I can't thank you women enough for being with us who are incredibly talent, and those talents are a gift to so many. Please keep doing what you're doing, come back and join me again. Best of luck on Oscar night you, Diane, you deserve this honor so much. Legendary songwriter Diane Warren beloved singer songwriter actress Sophia Carson released the original song Applause from the feature film Tell It Like a Woman. The song, beautifully penned by Warren and passionately but gently performed by Carson, is a global anthem of empowerment, not just women, but empowerment for all of us, and it's available now. Carson has expressed her honor at being the voice for the song dedicated to the women of the world. She calls it a deeply timely reminder to applaud ourselves for how far we've come, because we fight like women, we survive like women, and we do it together. Diane two fills a similar honor, saying to be a part of a film that promotes women in front of and behind the camera has been a very rewarding experience. Sophia's beautiful and dynamic voice embodies the emotion and strength of both the song and its message. The film premiered at the Taromia Film Festival, where it won the Excellence Award. It arrived on video on demand platforms including Google Play, Prime Video, and Voodoo on February seventeenth. Be sure to check it out and be watching the ninety fifth Academy Award ceremony March twelfth. Cheer On Diane Applause is hailed as a female empowerment anthem, but after listening, you will see how easily it will be everyone's anthem. Every man, every woman, every child, who has ever had to face the wind, has persevered, has overcome obstacles, has been made stronger for it. Of course, that includes you. Whatever you're facing, trust that it is not permanent. All storms pass, and we're generally more compassionate people because of them. On your darkest days. Look for signs of hope, the new buds that are starting to come out on the trees, a bird's call, a bird's nest, an empowering song, and of course, tune into my radio show each night. I'll do my best to keep you company through the good days and the tough days. Give yourself applause. You've got this. God bless you, and I'll see you next time. I love someone with the Lila