Sunday, March 17, 2013 5:24am ET by  
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Cathy Dennis on songwriting for Kylie and Katy Perry

Cathy Dennis may not be a household name in her own right these days but it would be virtually impossible to avoid the huge number of hits she has co-written for some of the biggest names in the music industry.

Her UK number one hits include Kylie Minogue's 'Can't Get You Out Of My Head', Britney Spears' 'Toxic', Katy Perry's 'I Kissed A Girl', Sugababes' 'About You Now', and Will Young's 'Anything Is Possible'.

But Norwich-born Dennis, who also had a stream of hits in the 1990s as a solo pop star, has not let success go to her head with her quiet determination to succeed and strong work ethic.

This week she gave a talk organised by music writers group Basca and The Institute of Contemporary Music in London, to give advice to the songwriters of tomorrow. Dennis told the BBC:

"If you believe in yourself you have to be prepared to knuckle down and put in the hours and really commit to what you want to do. Hopefully if it is your destiny it will work out for you.".

The writer has mixed feelings about singing talent competitions, believing that some can give the dream of fame to young performers before they have really proved their worth:

"The expectation the person will have because they have won is unrealistic."

However, although Dennis entered a BBC TV talent show herself when she was 14, she feels the experience was beneficial.

"They told me I wasn't right, I wasn't good enough - and that was great for me because every time that happens you realise you are going to have to take control and do it for yourself."

Dennis was working for insurance giant Norwich Union (now Aviva) - one of the largest employers in Norwich - when she was spotted singing in a club by manager Simon Fuller.

She went on to score a number of UK hits including Touch Me (All Night Long) in 1991 and a cover of Ray Davies' Waterloo Sunset in 1996.

 

 

Watch the official video's for Cathy Dennis' hit 'Touch Me (All Night Long)', and Kylie's 'Can't Get You Outta My Head' below: