Interview: Songwriter Matthew Tishler on The Long Road to ‘Camp Rock 3’

The original Camp Rock released in 2008, and remains one of the most memorable Disney Channel Original Movies of all time, a beacon of nostalgia for an entire generation. A decade-and-a-half later, an entirely new generation has their own entry in the franchise via Camp Rock 3, and songwriter/music producer Matthew Tishler sat down with Awards Radar to reflect on the series’ musical legacy and break down his Grammy-contending work on the threequel’s new song “One Beat Away,” cowritten with Shridhar Solanki.

“I think what’s so special about these musicals is that the songs become so deeply intertwined with people’s lives and live on for years after the movies come out,” says Tishler. “I regularly meet adults who vividly remember the Disney Channel movies they grew up with, and how much those songs meant to them. It’s pretty incredible to think that something we create can become such a meaningful part of someone’s childhood.”

Indeed, anyone between the ages of 25-35 can likely recall such tunes as “We Rock” and “This is Me” from the original film, and Tishler understood the complex responsibilities of carrying forward that tradition.

“You want to honor that history and emotional connection while bringing something fresh to the table,” he says. “Something that feels nostalgic to the fans who grew up with the originals, but equally exciting to a whole new generation discovering Camp Rock for the first time.”

If anyone is fit for the task, however, it is Tishler, who has also written songs for such Disney projects as Girl Meets World and Descendants: The Rise of Red, even winning an Emmy for the latter! He is also an experienced songwriter and producer in the world of K-pop, collaborating with such artists as BTS and EXO. His body of work lends Tishler a thorough understanding of what compels young listeners across a variety of genres and mediums.

“Today’s young audiences are incredibly sophisticated,” he says. “They have access to the same music, artists and global trends as everybody else. So why should the music we create for them be anything less? I want those songs to sound just as fresh, exciting, and competitive as anything else they’re listening to.”

The Toronto native prides himself on writing songs that never condescends to children, but rather recognizes their ability to tackle meaningful concepts through music.

“Capturing these emotions in an honest and relatable way, just like a real pop artist would, is always my goal.”

Mission accomplished, both in Camp Rock 3 and across Tishler’s expansive body of work on Disney Channel and beyond.

Check out our full conversation with Matthew Tishler below!

How did you first get involved with Camp Rock 3?

There’s a funny full-circle story here, actually. I first met Steven Vincent, who is the head of music for Disney Channel, way back in 2010, literally right after Camp Rock 2 wrapped. So for the past 15 years, we’ve had this running joke about how I completely missed the boat on the Camp Rock franchise! I’ve been fortunate to work on so many other incredible Disney musical franchises over the years, from High School Musical and Teen Beach to Descendants and ZOMBIES, but Camp Rock was always the one that got away.

So when Camp Rock 3 was greenlit all these years later, and the opportunity to contribute came around, you can bet I made it my mission to write songs for this movie! The fact that it actually worked out genuinely feels like a dream come true.

But beyond the personal history, Camp Rock is such an iconic part of Disney’s musical legacy, so it’s been incredibly special getting to help introduce that world to a whole new generation, while hopefully giving longtime fans a taste of that original Camp Rock flavor.

Camp Rock is something fans grew up with and continue to hold personally. What does it feel like to add songs to a property people care about so deeply?

There’s definitely a sense of responsibility, but it’s the best kind of responsibility! I think what’s so special about these musicals is that the songs become so deeply intertwined with people’s lives and live on for years after the movies come out. I regularly meet adults who vividly remember the Disney Channel movies they grew up with, and how much those songs meant to them. It’s pretty incredible to think that something we create can become such a meaningful part of someone’s childhood.

So with Camp Rock especially, you’re stepping into a world that already means so much to so many people. I just didn’t want to mess it up! You want to honor that history and emotional connection while bringing something fresh to the table. Something that feels nostalgic to the fans who grew up with the originals, but equally exciting to a whole new generation discovering Camp Rock for the first time.

How did you balance honoring the original’s pop-rock energy with giving this chapter its own identity?

Luckily for me, this kind of melodic, guitar-driven pop-rock energy is in my bones! Some of my favorite pop music of all time is probably the same stuff that inspired the original movies: artists like Kelly Clarkson, P!nk, Michelle Branch, Avril Lavigne, and of course Demi Lovato herself. So I didn’t have to stress too hard to get into the headspace of the original or figure out how to bring that sound into the “now”.

I think the key to striking that balance is capturing the spirit of the original movie and blending it with more contemporary production sonics. For us, that meant preserving that infectious combination of big melodies, youthful ambition, emotional sincerity, and LOTS OF GUITARS! Those are timeless ingredients, but we gave them a modern edge with updated guitar tones, punchy and contemporary drum sounds, and a production style that hopefully feels like it could live alongside the awesome pop-rock music happening today. And of course Liamani’s incredible lead vocals go a long way toward making these songs feel fresh and current. What a superstar!

You co-wrote “One Beat Away” with Shridhar Solanki. Can you tell us more about that collaboration and how the song evolved over time?

Shridhar is one of my favorite collaborators ever. The first song we ever wrote together became the theme song for Girl Meets World, called “Take On The World”, and since then we’ve really found our sweet spot working together on Disney movie-musicals. We always joke that opening numbers and finales have become our specialty!

Shridhar and I have a very similar ethos when it comes to writing songs for story-driven projects, and that usually begins by agonizing over the themes and figuring out how to capture the moment in a way that feels emotionally honest – and undeniably hooky! We’re constantly second-guessing ourselves, challenging every lyric to make sure it’s as truthful and punchy as possible, and pushing every melody to be as fun and fresh and catchy as we can make it.

With “One Beat Away” specifically, when we first read about that song moment in the script, it immediately leapt off the page. There’s so much excitement in the thought that your big break might be right around the corner and having a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s “I Hope I Get It” from A Chorus Line or “Lose Yourself” by Eminem. The pressure is on, there’s adrenaline, high hopes, and you’re willing to give everything you’ve got to make your dreams come true. We had so many different options for titles and chorus melodies, but ultimately landed on “One Beat Away” because we loved the music metaphor and double-meaning of “beat” to show just how close you are to achieving everything you’ve ever worked for.

You also contributed background vocals and programming on the Camp Rock 3 recordings. What does being that hands-on give you that writing alone doesn’t?

For me, songwriting and production have always been two sides of the same creative process. The production and execution of the recording are almost – ALMOST – as important to my ears as the melody and lyrics. It all has to come together into one cohesive vision: the sonics and textures, the instrumental hooks, the vocal performance, the energy, and how it all adds up to make somebody feel something.

I love getting into the details of the production and using every trick available to make sure the songs we write land with maximum impact. There’s also something really satisfying about helping to carry an idea from its earliest stages all the way through to a finished recording. You get to help shape the musical experience from beginning to end.

Of course, collaboration is also a huge part of that process. I love working with other producers, musicians and engineers to make these songs as great as they can be. Shoutout to all the incredible people who worked on my Camp Rock songs, especially the brilliant Mike Wise – who amazingly happens to be an old acquaintance from HIGH SCHOOL – who turned out to be the perfect co-producer for “One Beat Away”. Grayson DeWolfe who co-wrote and co-produced “Rhythm’s Only Right” with me. Jordyn Kane and Gigi Grombacher for so, so, so many stacks of crazy background vocals and Vic Florencia for pulling it all together in the mix. The best tracks are usually the result of a lot of talented people pushing to make something as great as it can be!

You’ve won two Emmys for Outstanding Original Song, for “Grow Your World” from Rise Up, Sing Out and “Red Christmas” from Descendants: The Rise of Red. Looking at those two songs side by side, what’s the thread you’d say runs through your best work, and did you find that same thread in Camp Rock 3?

Wow, I’ve never thought about a common thread until this question! On the surface, those two songs couldn’t be more different: “Grow Your World” is a sweet, earnest, encouraging song about expanding your horizons and learning about other cultures, while “Red Christmas” is a big, mischievous holiday anthem set in the world of Descendants.

But now that I think about it, I love taking a complex emotional or thematic idea and distilling it into an instantly accessible pop-song concept. That’s really become my sweet spot: finding the intersection between storytelling and contemporary pop music. I want my songs to help drive the story, but I also want huge hooks, infectious melodies, and contemporary production that can stand alongside anything else on your playlist!

And that’s exactly what we wanted with “One Beat Away”. It’s a song that serves a very specific dramatic moment, but hopefully it also makes you want to roll down the windows and blast it in your car too!

I also just have to say, winning those Emmys was such an incredible honor. I’m still in shock that it happened, honestly. Especially since those two songs represent such different corners of my creative world. The fact that two such wildly different songs were recognized in that way makes it all the more meaningful.

Your career goes well beyond family entertainment, from writing and producing for K-pop artists like BTS and EXO to scoring and songwriting for TV and film. How do those different worlds come together in a project like Camp Rock 3?

I actually think those worlds have much more in common that people might expect. Some of the most exciting K-Pop records are incredibly cinematic and visual. They’re built around big emotional arcs, dramatic tension, larger-than-life production, and really distinctive musical identities. It can be colorful and theatrical, just like a movie-musical!

Working in K-Pop has been an endless source of creative inspiration for me. There are almost no limits to what it can be, and I love that freedom because my own musical tastes are so varied. I’ve never wanted to be confined to one genre or sound, and working across different musical worlds constantly pushes me to explore new ideas, sounds, and production techniques. It also helps me keep my finger on the pulse of what music lovers around the world are actually listening to.

And that’s particularly valuable in kids & family entertainment, because today’s young audiences are incredibly sophisticated. They have access to the same music, artists and global trends as everybody else. So why should the music we create for them be anything less? I want those songs to sound just as fresh, exciting, and competitive as anything else they’re listening to.

Looking at your work across family projects, what do you keep in mind when writing for a family audience, both in the messaging and in how a song lands emotionally?

My number one rule is that I never want to write down to kids. I honestly don’t even really like the idea of “writing for kids” in the first place. I’ve only ever wanted to make great pop songs. The fact that young people might be the primary audience for some of my music affects, maybe, 10% of my decisions. Great music, first and foremost!

Some of my favorite songs I’ve written for family projects deal with surprisingly big ideas: finding your identity, self-doubt, insecurity, heartbreak, ambition, embracing what makes you different, believing in yourself. There’s no reason to dumb it down or be condescending. Capturing these emotions in an honest and relatable way, just like a real pop artist would, is always my goal.

I was recently at Disney’s Worlds Collide concert tour, and hearing thousands of fans singing along to songs I helped create was a pretty surreal experience. It really drove home just how much this music becomes a part of people’s lives. As songwriters, we spend so much time obsessing over every lyric, melody, and production detail, and then we send these songs out into the world and they take on lives of their own. Getting to witness that firsthand is pretty magical. But if anything, it just makes me want to get back in the studio to write the next one!