Let me complete your song with a strong top line/vocal, create lyrics like no other, or write you a complete song. I look forward to collaborating. Oh, the joys of the internet and music...
I write songs for other artists, TV (notably Disney), film, special events, children & young people and myself. I've been writing songs for 20 years and have arranged, produced, played (Piano, mandolin, guitar, flute) and recorded 2 albums and countless tracks of my songs. My forte? Hooky songs.
As a lyricist, I've an ability to inhabit the mind of the protagonist, speak the unspoken, draw in the listener. Some of my lyrics are darkly humorous, some light, poignant, funny. Whatever serves the song. As a singer, I grew up listening to the blues, old soul, jazz, early harmony groups - I am no belty, tricksy diva but if it's a rich, gutsy, rocky, indy English voice you are after... Or perhaps a lighter, folkier feel?
+ Ownership/Publishing
- 50% Topline (melody/lyrics/full song)
- 25% Hooks/ Choruses or Co-writes
+ Buyouts/work for hire - contact for pricing
+ Commercial release upon approval
+ 1 free revision (a handful of small changes) included per song. After first revision, additional revisions can be made at a rate of $25/hour - additional funds released prior to additions.
+ Complete songwriting - contact for pricing
I'll send you an mp3 demo. On approval I'll send dry .wav stems.
So, have a listen, give me a shout. Let's get making music, people!
Click the 'Contact' above to get in touch. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Languages
- English
38 Reviews - 3 Repeat Clients
Endorse Abi Hercules
check_circleVerified (Client)thanks abi! pleasure working with you :)
check_circleVerified (Client)Abi was so pro on every level - amazing songwriting, vocals, great communication, reliable turnarounds with feedback and edits...another dream client! Ready to do it again when you are :)
check_circleVerified (Client)Great time working with Abi & her team - awesome songwriting and vocal performance...very professional!
The communication was always very friendly and they provided me with everything I needed in a clean and organized fashion. Would gladly do more work again in the future.
check_circleVerified (Client)It's always such a pleasure to work with Abi. She's a total pro to work with, and such an amazing songwriter. I can't get this recent song she wrote out of my head, so beautiful and emotional. Thank you Abi for allowing me to be a part of your project!
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Abi is such a professional musician and an amazing song writer! She never fails to deliver incredible songs. I love working with her!
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I had a wonderful time working with Abi, she's a real pro. very clear and has a great ear for detail. Highly recommended!
check_circleVerifiedAbi was really professional and wrote great lyrics that coveted the message I was trying to say in the song. Looking forward to working more with Abi in the future!
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I've worked with Abi several times now, she's a total pro. Mad song skills, and superb to work with! I would be happy to work with her anytime!
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Abi is such a super talented song writer. This was the second time that we worked together, and I cannot say enough good about her. So talented and absolutely professional - a complete pleasure to work with. This song we just did is massive. Keep it up Abi!
check_circleVerified (Client)Abi is a talented songwriter. She is very professional and such a pleasure to work with!
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First time working with Abi, and she wrote such an amazing song! She was clear with instructions on what she wanted and professional in every way. It was a complete pleasure working with her!
check_circleVerified (Client)Abi is super talented, professional, and excellent communicator! I highly recommend collaborating with this amazing writer :)
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Abi did a great job re-writing our lyrics. First, she listened very carefully, got into the mood of the song, very patient with a few iterations and re-writes. Great commitment - Abi finished the work despite going through difficult personal developments. Plus, great "free" advice on the key change for the last chorus section - something you get from an experienced musician/producer that takes your song to the next level!
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Definitely reaching out to Abi for any future projects. Great quality.
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Great to work with! Amazing voice.
check_circleVerifiedShe is very cooperative and helpful.
Great job!!!!- check_circleVerified
She tried her best for me. And her voice fits in my project perfectly.
The BEST!!!! - check_circleVerified
She is the best and perfect for my project.
Two thumbs up!!! - check_circleVerified
She is very easy to work with and she tried best efforts for my job.
BEST!!! 
check_circleVerifiedRepeat work with Abi - an all-round fantastic singer, flautist and musician - will work with again
check_circleVerified (Client)So many things I can say about Abi! She is super kind, funny and really a hard worker. She came into my life with this amazing song back in November of 2017 and she was relentless to get it done. We went back to the drawing board a few times and finally came out with perfection! I really enjoyed her positive energy and willingness to listen as we were getting this done. I highly recommend her for her vocal ability and amazing penmanship in writing. Thank you for making a difference, Abi.
check_circleVerifiedA highly professional singer, very easy to get along with and open to ideas. She said she really wanted to serve the song and make it the best it could be and that was just what I need. Abi has a fantastic voice. Highly recommended.
check_circleVerifiedI asked Abi to help me in a revision of my lyrics and she was really helpful and professional! I really advice to work with her!
check_circleVerifiedVery pleased with Abi's flute contribution to my song. She created beautiful parts that fit the vibe of the song wonderfully, and the quality of her recordings is excellent. She was very professional and generously provided me with extra takes to work with. Happy to work with her again!
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An amazing singer and very easy to work with!
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Abi is the utter professional. Her voice is amazing and her turnaround time for getting the work done is super fast and perfect at the same time.
I will be working with her again soon and encourage you to do the same. - check_circleVerified
Abi is a fantastic singer/songwriter with a very creative mind. In my recent project with her, she performed on the flute and created many optional ad libs and fills for me to play with. Most importantly, she worked very hard to ensure I was happy with all the parts that she worked on and was very patient with my tweaking. I highly recommend her.
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Abi did a beautiful job creating just the right sound for my song about child predators (not an easy subject). She created a finished product that needed some tweaking to get song timed correcty. She was able to accomplish everything to perfection. She has a lovely tone to her voice and is very talented. I highly recommend Abi for your project.
check_circleVerified (Client)Abi is an incredible songwriter who gave me creative freedom to do my thing. I really enjoyed working with her.
check_circleVerified (Client)Abi is such a terrific talent. I love working with her.
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Abi is such an amazing talent, and so professional. A joy to work with.
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Abi is a terrific collaborator and a real talent. I truly enjoyed working with her and look forward to many projects in the future. Couldn't recommend her more.
I have worked with Abi on many projects, live and in studio, always amazed by her talent. Her powerful, always spot-on vocals are done in no time, backing vocals and harmonies are literally the best possible ones you can dream of. Not to mention her songwriting skills and a massive catalogue of compositions. Thanks Abi!
Really happy with the wonderful rhymes and beautiful arrangements that Abi performed so beautifully. A very kind and creative person with a great soulful voice. Would highly recommend Abi as she has done an amazing job for me.
Abi is a fantastic singer/songwriter with a very creative mind. In my recent project with her, she performed on the flute and created many optional ad libs and fills for me to play with. Most importantly, she worked very hard to ensure I was happy with all the parts that she worked on and was very patient with my tweaking. I can not recommend her enough.
Abi is a wonderful songwriter you'll be humming her tunes after you hear them ! She's very adaptable and a very special creative force to be involved with ! She writes prolifically and her lyrics span a range of heartfelt to humorous. A great talent to have on board on any songwriting project.
Abi is a very talented singer/songwriter who I had the pleasure of working with some years ago on her album "cycling in stilettos." I love her songs and have played them endlessly over time. She is an inspiration to many and I recommend her music to others who have not yet heard her. A fabulous artist.
Abi is a wonderfully talented singer and song writer. I really enjoyed working with her and I can't wait to do so again. She wrote and performed the title song for my film and was nominated for several awards.
Interview with Abi Hercules
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Apart from all my early influences (anyone from Ella, Nina Simone, Otis Redding to Kate Bush, Yazoo, Peter Gabriel) I am enjoying Christine & The Queens, Joan As Police Woman, recent Paulo Nutini, Melody Gardot.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Peter Gabriel, Nial Rodgers, Vince Clarke - Masters in the field of sound
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I have self-produced two albums of my songs. The first was a live record but the second was more complex - several studios, many sessions, overdubs, backing vocals. I found my band, arranged the songs (including BVs and a horn section), ran the sessions whilst playing and singing, mixed the tracks with my engineer, oversaw the artwork...and off it went to the printers! I realise there are no grammy nominations in there but I guess what I am saying is I am hardworking, committed and have a positive energy.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: Currently, I am working up some new tunes of mine in the hope of finding a publisher, some sync or even an artist to re-record them.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Browse around and chat to a few providers before making a decision. No question is too daft and you can't ask too many; ensure you get a good feel for the potential working relationship before committing.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Arthur Pingrey
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: I will listen and work with you, I may question, challenge even but the end result will be something of which we are proud.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Sharing my passion and enjoying the collaborative journey.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: What is your hope for the finished track? Do you have a deadline? What attracted you to my profile? Why do you feel I may be the right collaborator for your project?
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Piano, Mandolin (spare strings!), a recorder, TC Helicon Voicelive Touch
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: An actress by trade I started writing songs on the road in 2000 and then when I stopped touring as an actress, I started performing and recording my own music. You don't have to wait for the phone to ring to write songs! I formed a band (The Easy Tigers) who supported me. My experience as an actress definitely colours my songwriting and my ability to inhabit the protagonist.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Strong storytelling, hooky tunes
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Leave space
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Currently, pop
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Listening
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: Honesty, guts, strong story-telling, imagery, weight, character, an English accent!
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: Topline: If you have some strong ideas for your track, that's great. I would find out from you what you would like to say to the listener, how you would like them to feel and I would use your input to shape the song you would like to create. Of course, your track is the foundation to the story we tell... Songwriting: If I write a song from scratch, it most commonly starts with a lyrical idea, developed in my mind over days, often whilst cycling. Mostly, I say what I want to say then I sit at the piano to write the music. Both lyrics and music are then developed together - the top line melody is honed once the song format is nailed. If it's a groove song, I may pull up a loop, lay down a bass line and then write to that. Song commissions: To help with lyrical content, I have a list of questions which I would like you to answer, which will inform the story we tell. Needless to say, Skype calls make the world a much smaller place!
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: Simple home studio - Roland Keys, Rode NT1000 mic, Logic X Pro
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: To date, writing and performing (and sometimes recording) complete songs but as I am new to Soundbetter, that's going to change...
I was the Songwriter (music & lyrics) in this production
- Top line writer (vocal melody)Contact for pricing
- Songwriter - LyricContact for pricing
- Songwriter - MusicContact for pricing
- Singer - FemaleAverage price - $300 per song
I retain 50% of writers share on songs I write, unless we negotiate otherwise. 1 free revision (a handful of small changes) included. Typical turnaround 7 days depending on complexity of project.
- Annie Lennox
- Karen Carpenter
- Eddi Reader
- Logic Pro X
- Rode NT1000
Multi-track discounts.
