The stats will tell you that almost every single one of the most popular songs over the past four decades has been vocal tracks, proving that humanity’s favorite instrument is the human voice. And know this, it’s no wonder why top-level vocalists are constantly in demand.
Brando is one such vocalist whose infectious vocal hooks can be heard on popular TikTok songs and chart-topping singles.
And to celebrate the release of his latest single on Armada, we sit down with Brando to pick his brain about how to write vocal melodies for dance music that move crowds, rack up millions of plays, and stay with you long after the record has ended.
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Stream ‘Sunday Monday’ Below
Brando is in high demand lately, garnering massive attention for his viral popularity on TikTok as much as in the underground club music scene. Much of this is a testament as much to the high production value that comes alongside every one of Brando’s releases as it does to the sheer catchy musicality held within the productions.
Brando’s unique and insatiable love of infectious hooks and ear-worm vocal melodies is on full display throughout his impressive tunes, and his latest single, “Sunday Monday.” continues this legacy.
Stream, Link, And Support This Single Here
Why is writing a catchy hook so hard?
Nowadays, it’s tough to discern what will be considered catchy and what is not. Many massive hits right now aren’t catchy to me but strike a nerve with many other people, and vice versa.
Music is becoming more dynamic and creative over time, which is fantastic for me as a songwriter and artist.
Still, it also makes it much harder to do a “copy and paste” template of what song is a guaranteed hit and what isn’t, like you could back in the early 2000s. I make music because that’s what I love to do, and I know the more I experiment with different sounds and formats, the more likely I’ll land on something that connects with many people.
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How can you tell when you’ve written a catchy vocal?
I think songs are at their catchy when you start humming them randomly for no reason while doing something else. Or even better, when someone says a particular word in a conversation, which triggers your recollection of that song.
For instance, I can’t tell you how many times my fiancée and her brother last year would start singing the hook of “The Business” whenever they’d be doing something.
When in the creative process should you start writing vocal sections?
I start writing the topline right from the beginning of the song creation process.
Usually the producer I’m working with will start building off of a chord progression we’re vibing with then I’ll instantly start coming up with melody ideas for the vocals.
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Where do you start writing a vocal to get the catchiest results?
I tend to start with the hook as, generally, that’s the part people remember the most, but sometimes you can come up with a melody that works better in the verse rather than the hook.
But to be honest, I also love writing hooks; they are by far my favorite part of the song because you have to summarize the whole meaning into one short phrase that’s super memorable.
What are your main four strategies for creating a catchy vocal melody?
I wouldn’t say there is any primary strategy to it, as creativity is fluid, and I don’t believe in following a rigid structure to come up with music. That said, I start humming melodies while some chords are being played.
Melodies are my favorite part of toplining because they are a universal language; anybody can remember a melody, but lyrics tend to be the things we forget or we don’t even understand in the first place.
Finding a catchy melody creates harmony between the track and the vocals. The best kind is simultaneously in sync with the music, incredibly distinct and memorable.
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Full Lyrics To Brando’s ‘Sunday Monday’
Everybody talking about Monday,
it’s still Sunday,
And I’m gonna drink til the morning,
Cut me off a piece of that honey,
I got money,
And it don’t sleep if you’re boring
Whiskey sour sweet, pour one up for me,
I’ll be in the booth with my girl by my side,
California heat, I be sweating deep,
Shawty is so bad they should make it a crime,
Ride on me, if you want stare longing,
I’m outside lovely, in my m4 looking so sweet
Everybody talking about Monday
it’s still Sunday,
And I’m gonna drink til the morning,
Cut me off a piece of that honey,
I got money,
And it don’t sleep if you’re boring
Everybody talking about Monday
it’s still Sunday,
And I’m gonna drink til the morning
And I’m gonna drink til the morning
Skip another line, Got you 9 to 5,
I’m not gonna waste another minute with you,
Stick it into drive, as we’re getting high,
Lying in my bed we got nothing to do,
Ride on me, if you want stare longing,
I’m outside lovely, in my m4 looking so sweet
Everybody talking about Monday it’s still Sunday,
And I’m gonna drink til the morning,
Cut me off a piece of that honey,
I got money,
And it don’t sleep if you’re boring
Everybody talking about Monday
Cut me off a piece of that honey,
Everybody talking about Monday Cut me off a piece of that honey,
Everybody talking about Monday it’s still Sunday,
And I’m gonna drink til the morning, Cut me off a piece of that honey, I got money, And it don’t sleep if you’re boring
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
