Ep. 221: Andrew Watt | How He Became the Go-To Producer for the World’s Biggest Artists

And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan

And The Writer Is

Unknown, Music Interviews, Songwriting, Music, Songwriters, Education, Interviews, Music Creation, Artists

4.9 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 15 September 2025

⏱️ 82 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today's guest is one of the most sought-after hitmakers of the last decade. A Grammy-winning producer, songwriter, and guitarist whose genre-bending work has shaped the sound of modern music. From rock legends to pop superstars, he’s collaborated with Justin Bieber, Post Malone, Ozzy Osbourne, The Rolling Stones, Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus, and more — earning The Recording Academy’s Producer of the Year award and cementing his status as one of the most in-demand hitmakers on the planet.

And the writer is... Andrew Watt!

In this episode, Watt opens up to Ross about the relentless drive, bold creative leaps, and collaborative ethos that fueled his journey from bar gigs and $100-a-week tours to producing global anthems.

Listeners will learn:

How to build trust and chemistry in the studio
Why great producers prioritize vibe and artist comfort over gear
How to manage egos, collaboration splits, and team dynamics at the top level
The real stories behind hits like Let Me Love You, Havana, Señorita, Stay, and Peaches
How to survive imposter syndrome and stay creatively free under pressure

Chapters

0:00 - Andrew Watt: The Hitmaking Legend

1:12 - From Bieber to Ozzy: Watt’s Epic Journey

2:20 - Studio Sparks: Watt’s Energy vs. Cirkut’s Chill

4:47 - Rock Gods: Producing Pearl Jam & Stones

8:02 - Post Malone Meets Ozzy: A Game-Changer

9:31 - Rainbow Bar Magic: Ozzy & Post’s Collab

14:54 - Greece Hustle: $100/Week Tour Life

19:14 - Why Watt Never Quit Music

24:44 - Guitar to Glory: Cody Simpson to Bieber

27:01 - Music Truth: Results Are Everything

28:52 - “Let Me Love You”: Bieber’s Wild Ride

39:52 - Pop Hits: “Havana” & “Wolves” Secrets

42:02 - Dream Team: Ali, Brian & Pop Gold

46:21 - “Havana” Moment: Camila’s Mic Drop

48:27 - Post Malone: Instant Bond & Real Talk

50:06 - Imposter Syndrome: Honesty in the Studio

51:17 - “Stay”: Post’s Non-Pop Masterpiece

56:22 - “Peaches”: Justin’s Jam with Shawn & Hailey

58:38 - Demos That Hit Hard: Watt’s Emotions

1:00:36 - Lady Gaga: Crafting a Visual Epic

1:02:15 - Bruno & D’Mile: “Die with a Smile” Magic

1:06:34 - Prank Call Chaos

1:12:11 - Prank Aftermath

1:19:17 - Heartfelt Loss: Watt’s Tribute to a Friend

1:20:16 - Ozzy’s Advice: Be Kind on the Way Up

This season of And The Writer Is… is presented by the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) — the voice of American songwriters, composers, and music publishers.

And The Writer Is...

Hosted by Ross Golan

Executive Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	And Ozzy actually always used to say,
0:01.7	be really careful of the way you treat people on the way up because you're going to see those same people on the way down. One of the most influential hit makers ever, from Justin Bieber, post-Ballone to Ozzy Osbourne. And you finally would call me and they'd be like, what the hell are you doing? Did you ever question what the hell you were doing? No. I just was following music.
0:21.9	Jimmy Hendrick cover bands. I'm playing at nightclubs anywhere that will have me. And I got the Cody
0:27.4	Simpson gig. And then we got a gig opening up for Justin Bieber. And that's how we became friends.
0:31.9	You know, I left the Bieber tour to be an artist and play rock. And our car breaks breaks down and we're in a tow truck getting to
0:40.3	Reno and I hear Let Me Love You on the radio and I'm just like, fuck this. I'm not doing this anymore.
0:46.4	We have to talk about the prank. I think that's why it took you so long to invite me on this show.
0:50.8	You think so? Are you over it yet? Do you actually even know what really
0:54.6	happened? I would like to hear from your side. This is a long time ago. It was.
1:03.5	This season is presented by NMPA, the National Music Publishers Association, champions of songwriters
1:10.6	and publishers everywhere.
1:12.7	Welcome to And The Writer is.
1:14.7	I am your host, Ross Golan.
1:17.0	Today's super producer has been on a legendary run for almost a decade.
1:22.9	He's altered the genre of pop and reinvigorated the sound of rock and roll.
1:28.8	From Justin Bieber to Ozzy Osbourne, from Post Malone to Mick Jagger, from Lady Gaga
1:34.5	to Pearl Jam.
1:35.8	This producer defines and redefines so many careers from so many genres.
1:41.0	It's like he cloned himself a thousand times.
1:46.7	Originally from New York, this guy is basically everywhere, all the damn time, but always, always on the charts. And the writer is
1:54.6	Andrew Watt. Hey, we got you. Pretty good, man. I should hire you.
2:01.5	We finally got you on this thing.
	...

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