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Dan Wilson politely asks songwriters everywhere to stop contacting him about Adele

by Andrea Swensson

March 21, 2012

In a self-explanatory post titled "Dear fellow-songwriters-pitching-me-songs-for-Adele-to-sing," Minnesotan songwriter Dan Wilson, now based in L.A., is filing an open letter politely requesting that aspiring songwriters stop asking him how they can get their work to Adele.

Wilson was one of the more visible helping hands behind Adele's Grammys sweep last month; in addition to being personally thanked by the now-world-famous singer as she accepted the award for Best Pop Vocal Performance for the song "Someone Like You," one of three on her latest 21 co-written by Wilson, he also appeared directly behind her on stage when she accepted the award for Album of the Year.

"I have no idea whether Adele is taking submissions from songwriters these days – and I’m not sending her any song ideas right now," Wilson writes, setting the record straight.

But the most insightful part of his open letter comes further on, when he does offer up a bit of advice for struggling songwriters aching to be heard.

"I’m not saying to stop trying to get your song to Adele," he writes. "After all, she’s an amazing singer, and I, of all people, know how powerful it is to collaborate with her. But if I may suggest a parallel strategy, I’d say try to get your work covered by the 'next' Adele, someone you think is a brilliant singer with tons of soul, someone whose music you believe in but who hasn’t already become a global superstar. I think that is a better bet for your song."

In case you somehow haven't heard it yet, here's Wilson and Adele's now-famous song, which actually features Wilson at the piano:

 

And here is a very sweet live rendition by Wilson himself:

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