Diane Warren apologises after questioning amount of credited writers on Beyoncé's "Alien Superstar"

Last Friday (29 July) Beyoncé released her new album Renaissance, and yesterday (1 August) legendary songwriter Diane Warren, who previously worked wth Beyoncé on 2011's "I Was Here", questioned how one song can have 24 writers on Twitter.

Although she didn't directly mention Beyoncé, her "Alien Superstar" song does credit 24 writers (according to Billboard), so Beyoncé fans were quick to jump on Warren's tweet. Warren followed it up by writing, "This isn't meant as shade, I'm just curious," but by then the Beyhive, and another Beyoncé collaborator - The-Dream - had already responded.

This isn't meant as shade, I'm just curious

— Diane Warren (@Diane_Warren) August 1, 2022

The-Dream wrote, "You mean how’s does our (Black) culture have so many writers, well it started because we couldn’t afford certain things starting out,so we started sampling and it became an Artform, a major part of the Black Culture (hip hop) in America.Had that era not happen who knows. U good?"

After Warren replied that she "didn't mean that as an attack or as disrespect," and thanked The-Dream for "making me aware of it". The-Dream then told Warren to "Stop acting like your records haven’t been sampled."

I didn't mean that as an attack or as disrespect. I didn't know this, thank U for making me aware of it. No need to be mean about it.

— Diane Warren (@Diane_Warren) August 1, 2022

Btw I know it’s not a one on one writing contest you looking for from no one over here…… you don’t want that smoke And you know I love you, but come on. Stop acting like your records haven’t been sampled

— MUSIC ICON THE-DREAM (@TheKingDream) August 1, 2022

Later, Warren posted an apology, writing, "Ok, I meant no disrespect to Beyoncé, who I've worked with and admire. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding."

Ok, I meant no disrespect to @Beyonce, who I've worked with and admire. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding

— Diane Warren (@Diane_Warren) August 1, 2022