How to make hits - songwriters Starrah and Frank Dukes share their stories

“I just listen to who [artists] are as people. The most I can do is get inside their minds and see what they’re thinking” - American songwriter Starrah tells Billboard about how she makes songs. She wrote for Travis Scott, The Weeknd, Drake, Halsey, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Camila Cabello, Maroon 5 and Rihanna, some of the most famous faces in music world, unlike her - she tends to cover her face when being photographed, and her social media presence is quite minimal. Billboard cover story has three other songwriters: Frank Dukes, who wrote for Drake and Lorde, and sees himself as a co-navigator - "We know where we’re trying to get, but we don’t have specific directions, so we’re just walking around, getting closer”; Louis Bell who likes his song to be short and simple: "A song can’t be too complicated, and the message has to be something everyone would want to say, I want people to feel like they have to listen until the end. That’s what makes the song have longevity” (wrote for Justin Bieber, Halsey); and Victoria Monet - “I’m hoping that people are inspired by the freedom we have to say what we want in songs" (Ariana Grande).