Carla Marie Williams

Carla Marie Williams is a British songwriter, producer and singer, she is also the founder of Girls I Rate.[1] Notable songs she has written or co-written include Beyoncé's "Freedom", Naughty Boy's "Runnin'" and Britney Spears's "Private Show".[2][3][4] In 2016, Williams was nominated for two Grammy Awards for her work on Beyoncé's Lemonade album.

Carla Marie Williams
Born
Harrow, London
NationalityBritish
Occupation
  • Songwriter
  • singer
  • record producer

Early life

Williams grew up in Harlesden, London, England. At the age of 10, she formed girl group "The Likkle Mentions".[5] They entered local singing competitions and appeared on local radio. Williams completed her GCSEs and studied her A-Levels at Bentley Wood High School, an all-girls comprehensive school in Harrow. She worked as a youth worker, helping hard to reach young people for four years.[4]

Career

Williams moved to full-time songwriting in 2006 after losing her voice from muscular tension.[2] She was signed to Xenomania as a songwriter by Brian Higgins.[6] Williams has written tracks for Girls Aloud, The Saturdays, Kylie Minogue and Alesha Dixon. Most notably she co-wrote Girls Aloud's "The Promise", for which she received a BRIT Award,[7] and from her work writing "Runnin' (Lose It All)" for Naughty Boy, she was nominated for a Grammy for her work on Beyoncé's Lemonade album, via the track "Freedom" she wrote for Beyoncé featuring Kendrick Lamar.

Since leaving Xenomania, Williams has founded her own writing collective, NewCrowd,[8] and has worked with artists Sean Paul, Rudimental, Rodney Jerkins, Mario, Wizkid, Jess Glynne, Nao, Paloma Faith, Mabel McVey, Craig David and Ray BLK.

Williams founded the Girls I Rate movement in 2015, launching it in March 2016.[9][10]

In 2016, Williams was recognised by Music Week in its Women in Music Roll Of Honour.[11] Girls I Rate has partnered with organisations such as PRS for Music,[12] Island Records/Universal Music,[13] as well as PRS Foundation[14] and VEVO[15] to deliver educational programmes for its GIR Academy of next generation young women, such as the Get Heard A&R masterclasses,[16][17] Arts Academy Weekenders, social events throughout the year and most recently Mentor Me in partnership with Musicians Union and PPL,[18] as well as the All My Girls UK Tour.[19]seeing her mentor over 300 girls and even GIR Radio.[20]

Williams signed a worldwide deal with Reservoir Publishing in 2018.[21]

At the end of 2019, Williams was invited by Simon Cowell to join The X Factor: The Band, as part of the industry experts panel alongside Fred Ball, Naughty Boy and Ella Eyre.[22] In July 2020, Williams took over the cover of Music Week,[23] which contained an open letter to the music industry.[24] Carla is also a PRSF Foundation Keychange 2020 Ambassador[25]

List of notable writing credits

Songwriting credits and discography
YearArtistSongLabelCredit
2019 JP Cooper ft. Stefflon Don "The Reason Why" Island Co-wrote
2019 Elderbook & Rudimental "The Reason Why" Parlophone Co-wrote, co-produced, vocal produced
2018 Mario "What You Started" Island Co-wrote
2018 Sean Paul ft Ellie Goulding "Bad Love" New Citizen/Empire Co-wrote
2016 Craig David "Better with You" Insanity Co-wrote
2016 Britney Spears "Private Show" RCA Co-wrote
2016 Britney Spears "What You Need" RCA Co-wrote
2016 Beyonce ft Kendrick Lamar "Freedom" Parkwood/Columbia Co-wrote
2015 Naughty Boy ft Beyoncé "Runnin' (Lose It All)" Virgin EMI Co-wrote
2015 Becky G "The Lights" Co-wrote
2014 The Saturdays "Not Giving Up" Polydor/Fascination Co-wrote
2013 Charlie Brown ft. Misha B "Floodgates (part II)" All Around the World/Universal Music Co-wrote
2013 Nabiha "Transition" Sony Music Co-wrote
2012 Girls Aloud "Something New" Polydor Co-wrote
2013 Amelia Lily "You Bring Me Joy" Xenomania/Sony Music Co-wrote
2012 Jodie Connors ft Stylo G "Talk" Universal Music/3 Beat Co-wrote
2010 Kylie Minogue "Mighty Rivers" Parlophone Co-wrote
2010 Mini Viva "One Touch" Polydor/Geffen Co-wrote
2010 Fugative "Crush" Hard2Beat Co-wrote
2009 Crookers ft. Kardinal Offishal "Put Your Hands on Me" Southern Fried Records Co-wrote
2009 Mini Viva "Left My Heart in Tokyo" Polydor/Geffen Co-wrote
2008 Girls Aloud "The Promise" Polydor Co-wrote
2008 Alesha Dixon "The Boy Does Nothing" Atlantic Co-wrote
2008 Girls Aloud "Love Is Pain" Polydor Co-wrote
2008 Girls Aloud "Fix Me Up" Polydor Co-wrote
2008 Girls Aloud "Rolling Back the Rivers in Time" Polydor Co-wrote
2008 Girls Aloud "Revolution in the Head" Polydor Co-wrote
2007 Girls Aloud "Can't Speak French" Polydor Co-wrote
2007 Girls Aloud "Sexy! No No No" Polydor Co-wrote
2007 Girls Aloud "Fling" Polydor Co-wrote
2005 Roll Deep "Intro" Relentless/Virgin Co-wrote

References
  1. "GIRLS I RATE". girlsirate.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  2. Butter, Susannah (10 November 2016). "Carla Marie Williams: 'We need more swag in the industry – women need to bring it back'". The Evening Standard. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  3. Baiden, Kamilla Rose (16 May 2016). "Introducing Carla Marie Williams, The North London Songwriter Penning Tracks For Queen Bey". Vibe. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  4. "Meet Carla Marie Williams, the British songwriter who wrote Freedom for Beyonce". Newsbeat. BBC News. 25 April 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  5. Spendelow, Nathan (20 January 2016). "Meet the Harrow woman who ended up writing songs for Beyoncé". getwestlondon. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  6. Williams, Carla Marie (29 February 2016). "Carla Marie Williams: For black women in music it's hard to defy the stereotype". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  7. Wright, Matthew (8 March 2016). "10 Questions for Songwriter Carla Marie Williams". The Arts Desk. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  8. Baiden, Kamilla Rose (16 May 2016). "Introducing Carla Marie Williams, The North London Songwriter Penning Tracks For Queen Bey". Vibe. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  9. Psarias, Vicki (18 March 2016). "GIRLS I RATE Gala Dinner". Honest Mum. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  10. Williams, Carla Marie. "uardian Available for everyone, funded by readers ContributeSubscribeSearch jobsSign in Search current edition: UK edition News Opinion Sport Culture Lifestyle Show More Women in Leadership Carla Marie Williams: For black women in music it's hard to defy the stereotype". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  11. Gumble, Daniel (25 October 2016). "Music Week Women in Music Roll of Honour revealed". Music Week. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  12. Writer, Staff (9 March 2019). "PRS for Music celebrates International Women's Day with Girls I Rate". PRS For Music. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  13. Lerner, Rebecca (24 March 2018). "Programs Like 'Girls I Rate' In The U.K. Empower Young Female Artists". Forbes. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  14. Homewood, Ben (10 July 2020). "PRS Foundation partners with MOBO, Girls I Rate & more to support black musicians". Music Week. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  15. Gumble, Daniel (27 February 2018). "Girls I Rate gala dinner to be held on International Women's Day". PSN Europe. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  16. Staff, Writer. "Girls I Rate". PRS Foundation. PRS Foundation. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  17. Ottewil, Jim (24 April 2017). "Get your music heard with Girls I Rate". PRS M Magazine. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  18. Garner, George (1 October 2020). "Girls I Rate Academy launches new mentoring scheme for female creatives". Music Week. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  19. Writer, Staff (1 March 2019). "Carla Marie Williams Songwriting Masterclass". Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  20. Writer, Staff. "GIR Radio". Girls I Rate. Girls I Rate. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  21. Ingham, Tim (28 March 2019). "CARLA MARIE WILLIAMS SIGNS WORLDWIDE PUBLISHING DEAL WITH RESERVOIR". MusicBizWorldwide. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  22. Writer, Staff (9 December 2019). "X Factor: The Band... Meet the Experts". ITV. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  23. Garner, George (6 July 2020). "New edition of Music Week out now". Music Week. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  24. Williams, Carla Marie (7 July 2020). "'I want more black women to be celebrated': An open letter to the music business from Carla Marie Williams". Music Week. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  25. Radcliffe, Maya (23 September 2020). "UK music industry commits to Keychange Gender Equality Pledge". PRS M Magazine. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
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