So figure that the writing camp cost about $18,000 per song. At the end, Rihanna shows up like the celebrity judge and picks her favorites. I was shocked at how much money they were spending! But, guess what? They got the whole album out of that one camp.'Ī writing camp is like a reality show, where top chefs who have never met are forced to cook together. The writing camp for Rihanna's album 'had to cost at least 200 grand,' Daniels says. To get that twelve minutes of inspiration from a top songwriting team is expensive - even before you take into account the fee for the songwriters.Īt a typical writing camp, the label might rent out 10 studios, at a total cost of about $25,000 a day, Daniels says. They wrote the lyrics to 'Man Down' in about 12 minutes, Daniels says. The Thomas brothers knew producer Shama 'Sham' Joseph, but they had never heard his Caribbean-flavored track that became 'Man Down.'Īccording to Daniels, the brothers listened to the track and said, 'Let's give Rihanna a one-drop! Like, a response to 'I shot the sheriff!'

Here's who shows up at a writing camp: songwriters with no music, and producers toting music tracks with no words.