Taylor Monet Parks, better known as Tayla Parx, is a singer, songwriter and producer
behind some of pop's biggest hits.
She’s written for artists like Justin Bieber, Jennifer Lopez, and Christina Aguilera, Parx
has penned several number one hits, and likely at least one of your favorite pop songs.
Tayla Parx broke into the entertainment industry when she moved to LA at age 13.
At the time, she’d been an actress, and was known by her birth name Taylor Parks.
She’d initially been a singer, then a dancer, but was advised by Debbie Allen herself to
pick up acting.
Tayla appeared in True Jackson VP, Everybody Hates Chris, and Victorious.
Her biggest acting role was as little Inez in 2007s Hairspray.
Though she enjoyed acting, Tayla said she was always looking for something more, and
another outlet to express her creativity Tayla said once she realized songwriting was
a job, and she could use her acting skills to help her songwriting, she knew that was
the career she wanted.
In addition to writing, Tayla spent time learning how to produce and vocally record tracks herself.
At the age of 19, Tayla signed as a songwriter to Warner Chappell Publishing, a subsidiary
of Warner Music Group, which owns Atlantic Records.
Tayla Parx originally just wrote for other artists, helping them pen some of their biggest
hits.
She says she always tries to help the artistre their truth, and sometimes reveal in music
things they wouldn’t in interviews.
Parx says to be a good songwriter, you have to remove yourself from your own emotions
and be able to tap into someone else’s.
Her time as an actress only helped her ability to do that
Tayla Parx’s songwriting career took off in 2013 after co-writing Call me Crazy for
Sevyn Streeter.
Some of Tayla’s earliest songs turned out to be some of her biggest hits, including
Ariana Grande’s My Everything and 5th Harmony’s Boss.
She said both songs were a result of her spending time truly honing her craft.
Producing those hits helped her be taken more seriously as an effective songwriter, as many
didn’t considering she was a young, black woman, and hadn’t built a repertoire of
hits yet.
Tayla said a lot of people who hadn’t believed in her came back around once her songs became
popular.
Tayla has also written English lyrics for kpop songs like f(x)’s Diamond and Red Velvet’s
Dumb Dumb.
She’s also written for BTS.
In the late 2010s, Tayla contributed to pop hits like Jojo’s F apologies, and the title
track from Chloe and Halle’s debut Album, the Kids are Alright.
In 2018, Tayla helped write multiple songs from Janelle Monae’s album Dirty computer
including Pynk, I got the Juice, and I like that.
When it came to working with Janelle Monet, she said it was a bit of a struggle because
Janelle had a specific sound she was after with Dirty Computer.
Still, Janelle trusted Tayla enough to give her a lot of creative freedom while writing
the songs.
Her work on Dirty Computer earned Parx her first Grammy nomination.
That same year, Tayla also wrote Love Lies, the collaboration between Normani and Khalid.
Parx said Normani and Khalid had both wanted to work with her for a while, and were interested
in collaborating.
She said writing Love Lies was the easiest session she had, and everything kind of just
came together.
Love Lies was a hit, peaking at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and going #1 on US Pop radio.
The song has gone 5 times platinum and was featured on the album for Love, Simon.
Tayla Parx is probably most known for collaborating with Ariana Grande.
The two have worked together since 2014, and are close friends.
Parx wrote the majority of the songs on thank u next.
She wrote thank u next, 7 rings, needy, NASA, Makeup and ghostin.
Thank U Next was a joint effort between Parx, Grande, Victoria Monet and their producers.
Thank U Next peaked at number one on the hot 100 and remained there for 7 weeks.
It was Ariana’s first #1 single, and was listed as one of the 100 songs that defined
the 2010s.
Ariana and Parx wrote multiple versions of thank u next, as Ariana was unclear of where
her relationship with pete davidson stood at the time, and where it would stand when
the song was released.
Parx also said she’d initially been hesitant about Ariana naming her exes in the song.
Ariana recorded a version where her exes weren’t mentioned, but they ended up going with the
version where she namedropped her famous exes.
Truly, it was a bold move but it worked out in the end, as it was one of the most talked
about parts of the song.
Thank u next became an instant break up anthem and coined a new phrase and thousands of memes.
Parx also appeared in a performance of thank u next on ellen, singing backup vocals with
victoria monet.
In November of 2018, thank u next, love lies, and panic at the disco's high hopes were all
simultaneously top 10 singles– Parx was the first female songwriter since 2014 to
achieve this.
Tayla Parx also helped pen the next single from thank u next, 7 rings.
7 rings was inspired by a trip ariana and her friends had taken to tiffanys, during
which ariana bought the 7 of them diamond friendship rings.
Tayla,’of course one of the recipients of the rings, as she and Ariana grande are close
friends 7 rings also went number one, and remained
at that spot for 8 weeks.
7 Rings was nominated for 2 Grammys, Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.
Overall, the songwriting was praised on Thank U Next.
it fit Ariana’s new sound, and perfectly communicated to fans the trying yet formative
experiences she’d had since Sweetener.
All 12 of the songs on thank you next charted on the hot 100, and the album was nominated
for best pop vocal album and album of the year.
For her work on thank u next, Parx was listed on the Forbes 30 under 30 list in 2019.
About making Thank U Next, she said,”it feels incredible, simply because [Thank U,
Next] is more than just a song and album at this point.
Anytime you're helping somebody go through their history and it's something so genuine
to them, I think it's more than the numbers that it does in that way.
It becomes this moment in history for you—when do you remember making that song?
Why did you make it?
Why was it necessary for that artist?
That's more of an experience.”
Tayla said her favorite thing about her friendship and collaborations with Ariana is the honesty
between the two of them.
She said it’s difficult to write good songs for artists unless they’re honest.
In 2019, Tayla Parx continued to songwrite for artists like Kesha and Tori Kelly.
Demand for her had increased, as many of the albums she’d written for were defining projects
of the artist's career.
Tayla had said on the last few projects she’d worked on, she’d written at least half the
album or more, and was used to helping artists craft their own identity through
the music.
It was this year that she would also release
her debut album, We Need to Talk.
Previously, parks had only released mixtapes and singles, but had mostly focused on songwriting.
Now, aside from solely creating for other artists, she would follow in the footsteps
of other songwriters turned singers like Julia Michaels and Bebe Rexha.
We need to talk has themes of relationships, self discovery.
The album was fun, bright, and colorful, and didn’t take itself too seriously.
In the somgs, Tayla expressed the growing pains of getting older, as well as navigating
fame, love, and her bisexuality.
The album had features from Cautious Clay and Joey Badass.
The album was Tayla’s own personal retelling of the journey she’d been on the past few
years.
Though Tayla usually helped artists find their own voices, on We Need To Talk, Tayla was
showcasing her own voice.
Pitchfork’s review of the album says that despite still being a compelling songwriter,
Parx lacked the stage presence and the album didn’t come across as a cohesive body of
work.
A lot of songwriters turned performers face a similar challenge, as they’re used to
writing about numerous experiences and in numerous styles, sometimes they haven’t
yet crafted an artistic persona of their own.
To be fair, it’s not really needed when writing for different artists, and its usually
considered a talent for a songwriter to be able to adapt to the style of the artist they’re
writing for.
Tayla herself said she felt anxious about stepping from behind the scenes, but wanted
to tell her story from her perspective.
She said her album is about self discovery, and living her life on her terms.
She said about her album “I like things that aren’t straightforward, because I’ve
created a lot of straightforward music already.
I like things that are left-of-center.
I want to start a conversation.”
The songs on We Need to Talk created a world of creativity and fluidity, both of which
are near and dear to Taylas heart.
Tayla says one of her favorite things about her relationship with most of her artists
is that they acknowledge her as a songwriter.
They respect her creative talent, and don't try to keep her secret or take credit for
their work.
In some cases, like with Ariana Grande, Tayla was even friends with the artist.
She’s said that she’s proud to defy the expectations and stereotypes people have put
on her as an artist.
Tayla has written a diverse amount of hits, and at one point or other has had the number
one song on the Latin, Pop, Rock, and R&B charts.
As an artist, Tayla’s goal has been to redefine music, but by remaining as authentic as possible.
She tries to pull a story out of an artist in a way that’s authentic to them, and make
a unique piece of art from it.
About her intentions, Parx said, “As a writer, I’ve worked in so many different areas of
music that I just want to redefine what popular music is.
What I do sounds just like my personality.
It’s fun and loud.
It’s my colorful world.”
Aside from being a singer-songwriter, Tayla has also established herself on the business
side of the music industry.
After navigating her own career, Parx took what she learned and started the Umbrella
company Taylamade incorporated.
Under Taylamade are Parx’s 4 companies: Parx Publishing, 3020 Management, Parx Studios,
and Trailer Parx.
With 3020 Management, Parx’s goal is to provide artists the type of support she felt
she’d lacked early in her career.
This includes setting up collaborations for her artists, as well as setting them up with
producers and writers to help them succeed.
Parx publishing helps upcoming songwriters hone their craft.
Her strategy involves treating the artists like family and taking a quality over quantity
approach.
She’s also head of Parx Studios, which she describes as a creative collective that serves
as a hub for photographers, designers, and stylists in the industry.
Trailer Parx was a lifestyle brand with clothes Tayla herself would wear.
A lot of the designs are the work of Parx Studios artists, and the designs are meant
to be bold and gender neutral.
Tayalmade Inc is meant to provide artists with creative support, as well as remind them
that they can remain in control of their creative work.
In 2020, Tayla Parx teamed up with her pal Ari again for positions.
She cowrote a majority of the album, including 34+35, My Hair, Shut Up, Love Language, Worst
Behavior, POV, and test drive.
She said the collaboration process for this album was a lot different since covid prevented
them from spending time together.
Still, it was important for the work to capture how Ariana had grown since her previous album
and that’s what she and Victoria wanted to put into the album.
In late 2020, Parx released her second album Coping Mechanisms.
Though the album has an R&B Vibe, there were electropop influences as well.
The style and visuals are experimental but they’re essential to the creative world
Parx is trying to establish.
She released a music film to accompany the album and set the visual tone for it.
Coping Mechanisms still has themes of heartbreak and failed relationships, and has a more jaded
vibe than We Need to Talk.
Still, the album explored exciting parts of romance too.
The track “Dance Alone” was inspired by Parx’s girlfriend, and she continued to
use her music to explore her bisexuality.
The guardian rated coping mechanisms a 4 out of 5 and praised it for its songwriting and
production.
The project was considered a fresh take on a breakup album, and taylas skills as a songwriter
and producer shown through the project.
Tayla said she hopes her legacy as an artist is one that inspires others to take their
career into their own hands.
She said a lot of the time the industry makes artists doubt themselves and their ability
to manage their career, but she wants to be an example that its possible.
Most recently, Tayla’s written Dua Lipa’s If it aint me, and Step Back, Got the beats
controversial single.
In April, she released her single rich, which is a darker R&B song about not being ready
to be hurt again.
At the end of June, she released her new single Flowers.
It has more of a soft pop, R&b feel, but is still a happier song about hoping she gets
her flowers while shes alive.
if you’re a fan of artists like SZA, Solange, and Victoria Monet, it might be worth it to
check out Parx’s music because it has a similar sound.
What makes Tayla Parx so great is that she’s truly passionate about letting the music speak
for itself.
She doesn’t try to talk over artists, or create music for the sake of creating.
She lets the music be a vessel for the artist’s story, and makes sure they feel heard every
step of the way.
It also seems like Tayla is coming into her own sound, and using those same principles
of self discovery and introspection have really helped.
Tayla’s artistry, as both a songwriter and singer, is about capturing the balance between
creativity and authenticity.
She wants to give her artists something innovative, but not to the extent that it doesn’t represent
them.
At the same time, she’s kept her mind open enough to lend her talents to multiple genres,
and has made a big name for herself doing so.
Tayla Parx’s art is about pushing boundaries and exceeding expectations, which she herself
has managed to do in her career.
If you want to hear just how good of a songwriter she is, there’s a Written by Tayla Parks
playlist on Spotify.
I’ll link it below, some of your favorite songs are probably there.