The Movement: On a Journey to Musical Success
Most people that work in the entertainment industry vie for the attention and love of others, but I’m about to introduce you to two artistic guys that would rather be heard and not seen.
Meet James Bunton and Corron Cole, known as The Movement, but call themselves a “one stop shop” because they’re songwriters, producers, vocal arrangers and engineers. Oh, and did I forget to mention they are humble… and just a tad bit shy, “We’d rather be heard than seen. Music is a movement, and we just want to be a part of that. People singing your records is the ultimate goal. We won’t get caught up in the celebrity thing. Our mission is to make hit records, ” said Bunton.
And hit records they have made. Have you heard of Jesse McCartney? Well I hadn’t until The Movement worked with him, “Tricky Stewart was our mentor. He and the art directors liked our sound and the rest is history,” said Bunton.
If you need a little review Bunton and Cole are the ones behind McCartney’s smash hit “Leaving.” They took an artist known for creating pop music and transformed him into an R & B crooner, writing and producing a song I immediately fell in love with. And don’t think they stopped there when it came to working with pop stars. The Movement has worked with an artist that’s so popular even if you don’t listen to his music you know his name, Justin Bieber. The gentlemen worked on Bieber’s hit record “One Time,” catapulting them to a level some producers only dream about.
Although these guys placed an artist into a totally different music genre successfully, there’s one singer they’ll never forget working with, Lionel Richie. “That was one of the best sessions we’ve ever had because he’s one of the best artists ever. It was a humbling experience to have someone with that many hits to want to sing our song [“Good Morning] and not want to change it. Lionel took the song to another level,” said Bunton.
Like most music producers, The Movement is inspired by a few of the best writers and producers in the business, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Babyface, “Babyface’s songs, sound, his melody and arrangement are all amazing” said Bunton. “Jimmy Jam on the bass is beyond the bass. Their musicianship is incredible,” said Corron.
They have been blessed to work with some of the most talented artists in the industry, but they aren’t picky when it comes to who uses their music, “We just want to work. You get the opportunity to make money doing something you love, no matter what act it is. It’s the obvious to say we want to work with artists of high caliber like Beyonce because they’ll make you look better. But a great song is a great song no matter who is singing it. We take everything seriously,” said Bunton.
It’s no surprise that with artists like Lady GaGa and Ke$ha, the sound of music has changed overtime, so why not ask the professionals where they see it going, “With music, lines are being erased and everyone is collaborating with everyone. First it was a domestic thing, now it’s more of a world thing. We’ve worked with an act from Iceland. Music is influential,” said Bunton. “Songs are different. Artists like B.o.B. are making music more creative. Even some pop music sounds like Hip-Hop with urban undertones,” said Corron.
Before I started interviewing The Movement they were hard at work creating music; because you know, hits don’t happen overnight, “We can get stuck on some records so time completion ranges. Our idea is to create a track in a couple of hours or one day. If it’s a special song then we may spend more time on it. For example, we’ll create a hook, leave and come back to it. We write all day and produce over 10,000 ideas; general ideas are quick,” said Bunton. “The creative part is quick. The production part takes a while,” said Corron.
Corron moved to Los Angeles by himself with just his luggage and a goal of becoming a successful music producer. He did that and more and wants you to know that accomplishing your dreams is possible. You have to stick with it. Don’t let anybody tell you ‘no’, figure out a way to get that ‘yes.’ If you feel you’ve got it, show them. You’re looking for that one ‘yes,” said Corron. “It’s a learning process and they made me earn it,” said Bunton.
The fellas may want to chime in closely on this next advice given by Corron: “Write records to girls. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable, people are looking to get inside of who you are. You want to be heard. Even if illegally, go listen to them songs and connect with that. Let’s write that record!”
And another thing, “It’s a marathon. There are no shortcuts. There’s a process. If you have it then you must put yourself in the position to learn. I started at the bottom, but it was good cause I saw them [Tricky Stewart] making records,” said Bunton.
They’ve worked with Mase, Lloyd and even 50 Cent. There’s a reason why The Movement call themselves a “one stop shop,” because when it comes to music, they can do it all. But trust me, after hanging with these guys I know for a fact, we haven’t seen anything yet.
Also Check Out:
Spotlight on Canada’s own, Global Syndicate
Pen Up Girls – No Pen Required To Write Hits
Rap duo, C-N-N talk Lil’ Kim vs. Nicki Minaj (video)
Meet Chris Henderson the Hit Producer Behind Jamie’s “Blame It”
