Bonnie McKee

‘Bombastic’

Bonnie McKee is dauntless! Her new workout video “Bombastic” is sweeping the nation, with a wild song and a fully danceable beat overwhelmed with empowerment. The known songwriter and singer has just released her new EP, which is bombarded with animation and effervescence. 

McKee has written several singles that have reached #1 on the charts in both the U.S. and the U.K. She has collaborated with Katy Perry on her Grammy-nominated song ”Roar” and has also written for artists such as Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Carly Rae Jepsen, Ellie Goulding and Adam Lambert.

That video is crazy: very bold and very fun. What gave you the idea to do it?
Thank you. It was a collaborated effort. My friend directed the video, David Richardson. He’s a talented young director. He had put together a practice video, and a lot of people told me it was something that they would like to work out to. It was kind of an ‘80s vibe, and it just made sense.

Are you also a producer?
I’m a songwriter. I do voice production; however, I’m not known for that.

Who have you written for?
I wrote for Katy Perry and Britney Spears, Kesha, Cher, Adam Lambert – all of the pop regulars.

So you just decided to do a video and sing it yourself then?
Yeah. I put out a song a couple of years ago called “American Girl” with Epic Records, but it didn’t work, so I decided to seek the independent way.

Well, I love the video and think that you’re very brave to do it.
Well, it was a lot of fun. Part of the fun of being independent is that you don’t have to have anything approved, so I have artistic freedom. It’s very empowering.

When did you begin in the entertainment field, and what motivated you?
I moved to LA when I was 16 by myself. I got a record deal. I started out as an artist. I toured and did the whole thing, and then the classic Hollywood story, I was dropped. I was broke. I kind of had it all and lost it all. And then I started writing songs for other people. I had a publishing deal, and I just really needed to eat. So I started writing songs just so I could eat. Then I had a crazy run with the Katy Perry stuff, and Britney, so I put my artistry on hold, because I had golden opportunities coming my way, and I couldn’t exactly turn them down. So I concentrated on the songwriting thing, and then I decided I wanted  to do the artist thing again, so now it’s come full circle.

Are you touring to support that?
I’m not properly touring. I have been doing a lot of one-night stuff, and a lot of LGBT stuff, which is always the best crowd.

For sure. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Hopefully I would like to have done several world tours, by then; some Grammys too, and an Oscar just for fun. I think I would like to still be making music, and hopefully touring. I love performing live. It’s really my passion.

So you write a song for, say, Britney Spears: How does that work?
We are given assignments by the record company. They tell us they want something kind of like this, and then I write a song. Then I get residuals for the publishing. I own the publishing. That’s how we get paid. We very rarely get paid up front; actually, we never get paid up front, unless it’s for a TV thing.

Who inspires you?
There’s a lot of people. I really love Bruno Mars right now, because I know that he started out as a songwriter as well. He really fought his way up through the industry, started with songwriting and then turned out to be a superstar, and one of the most exciting performers out there today. He’s a big inspiration to me. I love Lady Gaga as well. She has a similar story too.

You should get out to Fire Island next summer and perform that video. You actually look like you had fun making it.I did, I really did. It’s the most fun I ever had making a video.

You are a new addition to a crayon box. What color are you?
It would probably be like cotton candy.

If you could sing anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I think I would like to sing in Madison Square Garden.

If we could look into your heart right now, what would we find?
A lot of gratitude. I have been through a lot, and I have survived a lot. I’m just grateful to be alive and to have the kind of life that I can do what I love. I know that most in the world do not get to do that.

Is there anything else that you’d like to talk about?
I have a new video coming out in like two weeks. It’s one of the songs from the EP, and I’m very excited about it.