What to Know About the Writer Behind Meghan Trainor's New Song "Hurt Me"

From Oprah Magazine

• After John Legend, will.i.am, Kelsea Ballerini, and the Jonas Brothers appeared as celebrity guest judges on NBC's new show, Songland, it was Meghan Trainor's turn.

• The songwriters-Brandin Jay, Kole, Zachary Kale, and Josh Wood-gave it their all on Tuesday, but it was Kole's "Hurt Me" that had Trainor literally screaming for joy.

On this week's episode of Songland, Meghan Trainor was on the hunt for a new single and she got exactly what she wanted. For those of you who didn't know, the 25-year-old Grammy winner actually got her start as a songwriter too.

"It's about time the songwriters get to shine," she says during the episode. "It's really cool to show viewers at home how to write a song and how it's a journey and not something that magically appears."

The four contestants-Brandin Jay, Kole, Zachary Kale, and Josh Wood-wrote their best songs, but it was Kole's pop tune "Hurt Me" that Trainor felt was made for her.

The song is about the aftermath of a breakup and making sure you always rise above the drama.

"It was inspired by a little breakup that I went through. After we broke up, I kept hearing he was going around to my friends and talking about me," Kole said during the episoe. "Then I get this crazy text and I’m like 'alright, instead of answering this, I’m just gonna go and write a song about it.'"

The 22-year-old singer, songwriter, and producer admitted that when the idea for the song came up, she immediately thought it would be perfect for Trainor, best known for catchy tunes like "All About That Bass," "Me Too," and "NO"-all empowering songs about loving yourself and sticking by your beliefs.

"When I originally wrote the song I remember thinking 'this would be amazing for Meghan Trainor but how would I ever get it to her?' and here we are," Kole said.

The lyrics to the chorus go: "Don't be so bitter/How bout we keep it sweet/Don't need to talk to me like we're enemies/No, you were never worth all my energy/And just 'cause you're hurting don't mean you get to hurt me/You don't get to hurt me, no/And just 'cause you're hurting don't mean you get to hurt me."

When Ryan Tedder first heard it, he knew he had to work with Kole to perfect it.

"First impression of 'Hurt Me' was that Kole knew what she was doing. She clearly understands pop writing," he says. "She cut the vocals, she produced the track, she wrote the lyrics and the melody, so she's kind of a one stop shop."

During the episode, viewers got to learn a little bit about Kole-whose real name is Nicole, according to her Instagram-and how she found her love of songwriting.

"Music has just always been a huge part of my life. I was pretty ostracized in middle school, I didn't have a lot of friends, so I really isolated and music was the thing I turned to get me through those years," she said. "I love writing quirky things that are slightly left of center, so it's not direct pop but it is kind of fun and different and has a unique sound. I love pop music, I just love it! I want to get something stuck in your head."

Before appearing on Songland, Kole had written and sang pop songs and released them on streaming platforms like Spotify. Some of them are "Shiitake," "Let It Burn," and "Wildflower." Once you listen to them, there's no denying that Kole knows what makes a good pop song.

Kole, originally from Tarzana, California, graduated from UCLA in 2017, according to her Spotify bio. Since then, she's worked with producers like Wayne Wilkins-the man behind Natasha Bedingfield's "Unwritten" and Beyoncé's "Sweet Dreams."

"Move All Night," which she wrote and lends her vocals to alongside SNBRN and Autograf, has already reached over two million plays on Spotify.

When Trainor heard the new version of "Hurt Me," she literally screamed out loud.

"You are so cute. I love everything. That's fire!" Trainor said. "So good! Oh my god, amazing. I love everything. You remind me a lot of myself. Kole, I'm picking your song and I love you."

What struck Trainor the most about it was the message behind the lyrics. "This song is empowering in so many ways. It's not just a sassy, mean song. It's like a powerful, 'I love myself' song," she added.

Listen to Meghan Trainor's new single "Hurt Me" above-and on Apple Music, Spotify, and other streaming platforms now.

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