"What surprised me was the songwriters I worked with," Smith says. "I got put in the room with some of the best songwriters of all time. Even though some of the songs I've done with certain songwriters [didn't make] the album, like I got to work with Sia and Linda Perry�that's amazing, just to meet them."

In the end Smith largely wrote with Eg White and Frazier T, who he calls "geniuses" and new songwriting talents Jimmy Napes and Two-Inch Punch. Smith says that he takes a Taylor Swift approach to songwriting, saying he goes in the room and reveals everything about his personal life and mindset that he needs to so the songs that come out of his sessions can be their best.