Mary Lambert On Writing “Same Love” With Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

The indie rap duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis took home four Grammy Awards last night, including the one for Best New Artist. But those in the songwriting community know that one of the secrets of their triumph is a Seattle-songwriter named Mary Lambert. And though Lambert had to share the spotlight with Madonna last night and some 33 couples being married right there by Queen Latifah, it was the beauty of her message which shone through, and has led the world to love this song, “Same Love,” with it’s inspirational “I can’t change” chorus. Before Macklemore & Ryan Lewis invited her to contribute a chorus to their gay rights song, she was working three jobs to get by, and doing small gigs when she could get them. Raised in the church, she grew up aware that she was gay, and feeling sorrowful over her inability to change. She would go to the church every Sunday and cry, and apologize to God for being a sinner. Though they had never met her, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis sent her the track all finished except for one part – the chorus. Everything else was in place, and her job was simply to come…