Songwriter Diane Warren nurturing new artists

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Songwriter Diane Warren, who has composed chart-topping pop ballads for the likes of Aerosmith, Celine Dion and LeAnn Rimes, is branching out into artist development.

While details are under wraps, she has been spending time in London working with a newcomer.

"It's a pretty cool thing because it's new for me," Warren says. "Obviously I love (writing) good songs for artists, but I love the fact that you can conceptualize something aside from that and also help them build from the ground up."

These are adventurous times for the prolific Los Angeles-based scribe. She wrote a vintage R&B song, "Do You Feel Me," for Ridley Scott's gangster movie "American Gangster." The tune, reminiscent of the classic soul of Otis Redding and Al Green, was performed by Anthony Hamilton.

"He's been under the radar, even though he's sold so many albums," says Warren, who has written nearly 100 songs that have been featured in motion pictures. "He's such a talent. It was fun to do something different."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter