Music

Meghan Trainor Wrote ‘All About That Bass’ in Only 45 Minutes

Meghan Trainor' first hit song, 'All About That Bass,' seemingly came out of nowhere. The singer-songwriter wrote it that fast, too.

by Mishal Ali Zafar

Published on November 11, 2022

2 min read

‘All About That Bass’ propelled Meghan Trainor’s music career

Trainor started her music career at the age of 15 and wrote and produced three albums — Meghan Trainor (2009), I’ll Sing with You (2011), and Only 17 (2011) — in her early years. She then went on to write songs for notable artists, including Hunter Hayes, Rascal Flatts, and Sabrina Carpenter.

Pop singer Meghan Trainor holds her trophy for Best New Artist in the press room during the 58th Annual Grammy Music Awards in Los Angeles on February 15, 2016. Trainor’s tongue-in-cheek play on weight issues “All About That Bass” became an Internet sensation. | Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images)

In 2013, Trainor and producer Kevin Kadish wrote “All About That Bass.” 20 minutes after she performed it Epic Records, L.A. Reid signed her to the label.

The song was released in June 2014. It was an international success, reaching number one in dozens of countries and selling over 11 million units globally. “All About That Bass” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two months and was certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America.

In September 2014, Trainor released her EP Title which featured “All About That Bass” and hits like “Lips Are Movin” and “Like I’m Gonna Lose You.” The album was a commercial and critical success. And it earned her a Best New Artist Grammy in 2016.

Meghan Trainor wrote ‘All About That Bass’ in 45 minutes

“All About That Bass” gave Trainor her big break and made her an international pop star. And as she revealed to Chris Wallace on CNN, it was a project that came together organically for her and Kadish.

She noted that it was inspired by some of her own insecurities and perspectives. And it took her only 45 minutes to whip up.

“It was a quick write,” Trainor recalled as she detailed how she met Kadish at his home to write the song. “We talked about where we’re from and how I was a chubby kid growing up. He said I have a title, ‘All Bass No Treble.'”

Trainor put a modern spin on Kadish’s title to make it “All About That Bass.” And she thought it would be fun to make the lyrics about body image. “I was like let’s just be confident in our skin, which is so opposite of what I thought in real life.”

‘All About That Bass’ received backlash that Meghan Trainor still doesn’t understand

Along with its widespread success, “All About That Bass” also received backlash. Some insinuated that the song featured body-shaming lyrics.

But Trainor insisted that she didn’t write it to body shame anyone. And she noted that the negative attention caused some producers and songwriters to ice her out.

“I was so naïve of what was happening,’ she said in Wallace’s CNN interview. She continued, “I was so sure every door will finally open. I finally worked hard enough that now everyone will want to work with me and it would be easy now.”

“It was the opposite and every door actually shut harder,” Trainor continued. “I don’t know to this day…like my dream producers and songwriters that I grew up studying and worshiping, I was told that no, they won’t write with you.”