Inside My Heaven

I started writing songs when I was 15. Growing up in Manassas, Virginia, and then Austin, Texas, in a typical Indian family with a large Indian community around us, it was a big surprise to my family when I decided to drop out of college to try my luck in music. Many family members and friends tried to talk me out of it, but I didn’t relent. I knew music was in my soul.

The American music industry is one of the most competitive in the world, but with hard work and luck, I signed my first publishing deal with BMG Publishing when I was 19. A few years later I signed with EMI Music Publishing, after which I’ve had songs recorded by many artistes including Enrique Iglesias, Westlife, Celine Dion, Tata Young and Lindsay Lohan.

But despite all the success, here I am, a nervous wreck. Sitting at Location Studios, I have this fear deep within me that it’s all a big mistake and that the American Idol producers have changed their mind. Downstairs, a producer and I are supposed to be in the middle of a recording with Enrique Iglesias, but I can’t be bothered. I run in and out of the office every few minutes to call my parents in Texas.

‘‘Is it on yet?’’ I ask.

‘‘No,’’ they say.

‘‘Ok, I’ll call you back,’’ I hang up and rush back to the recording.

All I can think of is what the next American Idol will sing.

Almost six months ago, I had co-written a song called Inside Your Heaven with my good friend Andreas Carlsson and another great writer, Pelle Nylen. I thought it was a pretty good song, but nothing amazing. I never thought this song would change the course of my career and make one of my dreams come true.

So here’s the story of Inside Your Heaven. It sat on my shelf for a few months until I flew to LA to meet with American Idol judge and president of S Records, Simon Cowell. I was meeting Simon to play him the songs I had done for his group Westlife. I thought I’d play him Inside Your Heaven as well, with the hope that he’d let Westlife do it.

I was desperate to make a great first impression because I thought it might be my only chance with him. I first played him the three songs that Westlife had already recorded during their previous trip to Stockholm. ‘‘Fantastic!’’ said Simon, in his famous British accent.

Then came the dilemma. Should I make him listen to Inside Your Heaven? Or should I put the CD back in my pocket and leave the meeting on a high note? After a lot of thought, I decided not to play it.

It turned out to be a smart move. For the fourth season of American Idol, Clive Davis, head of BMG records in the US, was picking the winner’s song. My co-writer on the song, Andreas, had sent him a CD compilation of some of my songs. A month later, while back in LA, I got the call.

‘‘Guess what, Inside Your Heaven will be the American Idol winner’s song!’’ the voice said. I knew it would mean a #1 record in America. But I also knew from experience never to believe anything anyone tells you in the music industry until you see it for yourself.

So here I am, listening to the American Idol finals over the phone. It’s almost time now. They have the envelope. I hear Ryan Seacrest say, ‘‘And the winner is… Carrie Underwood!’’ The crowd screams, I get even more nervous, I’m dying to hear those words. And finally it comes: ‘‘Now, singing her debut single Inside Your Heaven, here is your American Idol.’’

Those words are magic to me. I know all my years of hard work and struggle to ‘make it’ have finally paid off.

A few weeks later, the song topped the charts in the US, and a week after that runner-up Bo Bice’s version of the song went to the #2 slot. It was the first time that two versions of the same song were in the top five at the same time on the American charts. It was an amazing feeling, not only because I had a #1 record, but also because I’m hopefully paving the way for more Indians to make it in the American music industry.

(Savan Kotecha is a songwriter based in Sweden)