Ryan Tedder thinks getting a hit single everywhere in the world except his home country is a "slap in the face".
The 37-year-old singer and songwriter – who is the lead vocalist of OneRepublic – has vowed never to pick the singles he plans to release and has given that responsibility to his manager, his wife Genevieve, his friends, and people with "good ears" in a bid to make his music more successful in America.
He told PEOPLE: "We’re the worst at picking our singles. I’ve basically told the label, my manager: ‘From now on, I’m gonna ask you, I’m gonna ask my wife, I’m gonna ask a couple good buddies of mine who have really good ears, and that’s it’. I’m not even gonna have a vote anymore because I have no idea. It is frustrating when you have a song that’s a hit everywhere else but your home country — it almost feels like a slap in the face."
And the ‘Counting Stars’ hitmaker – who co-wrote and produced Adele’s singles ‘Rumour Has It’ and ‘Remedy’ – has credited the ‘Hello’ hitmaker as a "singular talent" and a "unicorn" among a group of musicians who want to be on her level.
Speaking about the 28-year-old British star, he said: "Adele is just a singular talent; she’s a unicorn amongst a sea of people that want to be unicorns. She’s a true original, and I think part of her success lies in the fact that she sounds like nothing else on radio.
"She has a once-every-couple-decades voice."
And Tedder has praised Taylor Swift, 27, as being "the most talented writer" he has ever worked with.
He explained: "Taylor is more high-energy, more intense and active, like I am.
"She’s probably the most talented writer I’ve been in the room with. Taylor’s constantly switching between left brain and right brain. A lot of artists I work with are very right-brain, just artistic – it’s hard for them to think any more like cerebral fashion, they’re just purely artistic right brain. Some of the most successful people you’ll find are equal left and right brain."
Ryan Tedder feels it’s a ‘slap in the face’ when he doesn’t get a hit in his home country
