Shelly Peiken: The Woman Who Wrote Pop’s Biggest Anthems

On the Record with Poppy Reid · Nov 16, 2025 · 1h 12m

Shelly Peiken is a two-time Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum songwriter whose music has shaped the soundtrack of pop culture. She’s written some of the most iconic songs of the last 30 years including “Bitch” (Meredith Brooks), “What a Girl Wants” (Christina Aguilera), “Almost Doesn’t Count” (Brandy), and countless others recorded by Britney Spears, Celine Dion, Ed Sheeran, Miley Cyrus, and more.

In this episode, Shelly opens up about:– Her 10-year struggle before her first hit– The unexpected moment that inspired “Bitch”– Writing hits in an era before social media– The shock of hearing her…