Bonnie McKee is a grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, filmmaker, and producer whose music has collectively sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. After scoring a record deal and moving to L.A. at the age of 16, she navigated “many lives” in Hollywood and faced setbacks when she was later dropped from the label. At a point in time, McKee was struggling to get by - with no running hot water or a cell phone - until the stars began to align and fortuitous introductions were made, like meeting Katheryn Hudson (who we know as Katy Perry) in a thrift store. She relaunched her career and went on to write 10 #1 hits, including “Teenage Dream,” “California Gurls,” and “Dynamite,” and collaborated with some of the biggest artists in the industry: Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Taio Cruz, Kelly Clarkson, and Kesha to name a few. In 2020, McKee wrote, edited, and produced an award-winning short film, “April Kills the Vibe,” that has earned her over 40 awards. In this episode, McKee imparts valuable insight on her past struggles with comparison and staying relevant in the ever-changing music industry, shares stories of “getting back up and doing it again” despite experiencing failure, reflects on how her definition of success has evolved, and highlights the importance of collaboration.
Trigger warning: there is conversation about SA.
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ABOUT JAMIE VINICK: Jamie is the founder and President of The Women's Network, or TWN, the largest collegiate women's networking organization in the United States and the host of Redefining Ambition.
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