“The Songwriters Hall of Fame Is the Holy Grail” — Walter Afanasieff

Walter Afanasieff, ISINA mentor and the man behind some of pop music’s most iconic songs, has won two Grammy Awards during his illustrious career, including Producer of the Year, Non-Classical, and Record of the Year for his work on Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On.”

This year Afanasieff received a Grammy nomination, a Primetime Emmy nomination, and won at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards—all for “Love Will Survive,” a song performed by Barbra Streisand and co-written with Hans Zimmer, Kara Talve, and Charlie Midnight.

And, earlier in November, he was also nominated for induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, further cementing his legacy as one of the most influential figures in music.

So, what does this continued recognition mean to a man who has spent nearly four decades making the music that has shaped pop history? We spoke with Walter in an exclusive 10-minute chat to get his thoughts on these latest milestones, and what it’s like to be nominated for such honors after a long career.

— You’ve been behind some of the most iconic songs of all time. Do awards and Hall of Fame inductions still carry special meaning for you?

— Of course, it’s a high honor. We don’t create music just for that—we don’t do it to get nominations or awards. But when we receive one, it’s a privilege, an honor, and it’s very pleasing. Not everybody gets to be nominated for Grammys or Emmys. Actually, the hardest one, I think, is the Songwriters Hall of Fame. That, to me, is the holy grail.

— Why do you think “Love Will Survive” received such recognition?

— It’s very rare for someone like Barbra Streisand to perform a song in a television series. She’s never done that before. She’s always performed her own music in her own films. For her to sing about something so deeply important, like the Holocaust and its atrocities, is extraordinary. Getting her to agree to do this was a monumental achievement. There’s only one Barbra Streisand in the world—she’s a legend. I can only compare her to someone like Paul McCartney or another artist of that magnitude.

I’ve been nominated [for Grammys] 14 times. Usually, those nominations come with mega-hits, like Celine Dion’s song or Mariah Carey’s, or something huge like the Aladdin or Beauty and the Beast songs. But this particular song is for a film. When you have a hit song, it’s highly visible and easier to get nominated. But something like this, a song from a movie, is very rare. There are only five films worldwide that could have a chance at this, as opposed to a hundred, two hundred, or even a thousand number-one songs all vying for attention.

— What do you think of the other nominees this year?

— Oh, I respect everyone. Some of them are such incredible artists that it’s surprising they’re not already in there. As for the Grammy Award, the song we’re nominated for is so important. It’s done exceptionally well this year. We were fortunate to be nominated for an Emmy, we just won the Hollywood Music in Media Award, and now the Grammy recognizes us. I think we have a good shot. And, of course, we’re hoping for the Golden Globes as well. We’ll know more on December 9th. 

— Do you think ‘Love Will Survive’ could be nominated for an Oscar?

— Unfortunately, it’s not eligible for the Academy Award because the Academy requires songs to be featured in theatrical films. Since this was for a television series, it’s not eligible for the Oscars. But definitely eligible for the Golden Globes, so… fingers crossed! 

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