We recently connected with Andre Writer and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Andre thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

One of the things I’d say my parents did right—well, two things, lol—was encourage me to be creative and to operate in my purpose… and they scared me a little which kept mean the right path, lol. My parents always spoke LIFE into me.

My mother is an actress—her name is Dwan Smith—and she’s best known for playing Deloris in the hit movie Sparkle. My father was a producer and songwriter. I grew up in a very creative environment. My dad always had a studio in our home.

I remember when I was in 7th grade, I got in trouble at school for something silly, lol. When I got home, my mom was going off on me. In the middle of the lecture, she said (at the top of her voice, by the way), “Your daddy has a whole studio out there, and you don’t even know how to work it! Get in there and learn something!”

For some reason, those words shook me to my core and woke something up inside me. I remember that week—I went in the studio and never came out. That was all I needed.

I love and cherish my parents for always encouraging me not only to be creative, but also for teaching me how important creatives are—and the responsibility we carry.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Andre Writer. I’m a music manager and songwriter, and I run a publishing and management company called iPenHitz Music and Publishing, as well as F.A.M.E. Management (Frederick Anthony Management Entertainment). I manage Dayna Madison (@_DayMadison) and Rayven Justice (@RayvenJustice), and I provide a range of services including music production, management, marketing, publishing administration, consulting, and recording.

The problem I help solve for clients is guiding them from point A to Z—navigating the industry, building their careers, and reaching their goals. Empowering people is incredibly important to me. One of the things I’m most proud of is witnessing the growth and success of my clients.

For example, when Dayna got her first sync placement, I was overjoyed. Hearing her voice on TV was a moment of pure satisfaction. I genuinely want to see my people win.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

So, unlike a lot of people in music, I actually started out as an artist—lol. My first introduction to the industry was being in a group called 4U. We were signed to HDH (Holland–Dozier–Holland). Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Brian Holland were some of the biggest songwriters at Motown, so that was a major learning experience.

After that, I kept rapping, writing, and eventually got into producing. I’ve always wanted to be in the “driver’s seat,” but I also had the itch to be an artist. My stage name was JonDoe. Around 2010 (not to age myself, lol), I won a competition called Rip the Mic, presented by Sheik Shoes, Def Jam, and Reebok. I ended up being the R&B winner, while Dizzy Wright took the rap category.

That led to a deal with 7 Aurelius and Ghost Kasen, which opened the door for me to work with Ja Rule on his last album PIL2. But after that, life started life-ing. I had my first child at 25, and my second not long after. I moved to Texas, went through a divorce, and eventually broke away from the label. It was one of the hardest moments of my life, and I knew I had to make a change.

I ended up pivoting to songwriting and rebranding myself as Andre Writer (Andre is my birth name). Stepping into songwriting gave me the ability to work with other artists and navigate into spaces I couldn’t as a solo artist.

In life, you’ve got to know when to switch up the play. Your talent never leaves you—but sometimes, you have to take a different route. It’s humbling, but necessary.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative, to me, is knowing that the art you create can truly impact people’s lives. As creatives, we have a responsibility. Words have LIFE.

If you put out art that’s negative, then negative things can happen. I wouldn’t want to be the kind of creative whose music promotes or causes violence and harm. I want my art to uplift people—to help shape and shift perspectives.

I want to be a voice for the voiceless.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @ImAndreWriter
• Twitter: @ImAndreWriter
• Other: www.youtube.com/@daymadison
  www.youtube.com/@RayvenJustice1

Image Credits

Tunecore “WTF is Music Publishing Panel”