Oscars 2024: Legendary Songwriter Diane Warren Discusses Her New ‘Flamin’ Hot’ Track

15-time Academy Award-nominated songwriter Diane Warren opens up about “The Fire Inside,” performed by Becky G, as the end-title track for Eva Longoria’s directorial debut, Flamin’ Hot. The film, now streaming on Hulu and Disney+, tells the story of the invention of the Flamin’ Hot Cheeto and Richard Montañez’s rise from factory janitor to corporate executive.

It all started with the title.

Diane Warren jotted down the line “The Fire Inside” shortly after watching Flamin’ Hot for the first time.

Of course, the “fire” is partly a nod to the Hot Cheetos’ addictive, lip-smacking kick. But even more so, “The Fire Inside” is an ode to Richard Montañez, his commitment to perfecting a snack that paid homage to his Mexican heritage, and his determination to provide a better life for his family.

“The Fire Inside” is about passion—an idea and characteristic that connects Warren to Flamin’ Hot and the Montañez story—and what makes “The Fire Inside” one of Warren’s most personal hits.

Here in conversation with Awards Daily’s Shadan Larki, Warren discusses the inspiration behind the Reggaeton anthem, hand-selecting Becky G to perform the track and the deep, ever-evolving love of songwriting that keeps Warren in demand as one of our best and most beloved songwriters.

Awards Daily: How did you become involved with Flamin’ Hot?

Diane Warren: I’d heard about the movie because I’d worked on another film with DeVon Franklin, and he was telling me about it. The story is so intriguing to me. I love the fact that this is basically the American dream. It’s just such a crazy story that here’s a guy who was a janitor and got to the head of the company.

AD: You truly are one of the most in-demand songwriters in the business. I have to know what makes you say ‘yes’ to writing for a particular project.

DW: If I can get inspired by something, I’ll say yes to it. I can do something great for it. I always love the idea of someone doing something against all the odds.

When I wrote the song “The Fire Inside,” it had the double meaning, of course, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. But the fire inside is passion. It’s a fire in your belly. It’s that thing that drives you. It’s what drove me to become a songwriter. It’s what drives me every day. I’m from Van Nuys. I didn’t know anybody in the music or film industries at all, but I had a dream, and nothing was going to stop me.

I don’t know if I answered your question.

AD: Yes, I just want as much insight into your brain and process as possible!

DW: You know, as I was writing this song for this movie, I was writing it for Richard Montañez and his story. But I could have been writing it about myself. I relate to this idea that nothing can kill your vibe when you have the fire inside, and they can’t stop what’s inside of you.

When you have that passion for whatever you want to do in your life, a lot of people will try to stop you and tell you that you can’t do it and that it’s not work. And it’s interesting because Eva Longoria, who directed this movie, is like that too. And she’s had to fight against all kinds of odds, too. It’s kind of cool that we both ended up doing this movie together.

AD: You collaborated closely with Eva Longoria and Becky G, what was that process like?

DW: I just kept bugging Eva about, ‘So, when, so when’s the movie happening?’ Because I knew she was going to direct it. And, like I said, I was so intrigued by the whole idea. And finally, there was something to see. I saw the movie, and as soon as I left, I wrote down ‘the fire inside’ because I just love that idea that it had the two meanings of the fire inside: you’re eating these Hot Cheetos, and it’s pretty fiery, and then the, the passion in you that that’s going to make you get through every wall and every obstacle to make your dream come true.

Here’s the thing: when I do a song from a movie, I’m kind of like a casting director, too. The director casts the movie, but I cast the song, and it has to be authentic. It almost has to be that the artist could be in that movie.

Becky G could have been in Flamin’ Hot. Becky G has a similar story. I mean, she came from nothing, from L.A., with a dream of becoming a singer, and somehow, through all the odds of being against her—it’s the same with all of us— the odds weren’t in our favor. Think of what I do; how many people make a living being a songwriter? But what drives you? What’s the common denominator for anybody that succeeds in something that’s not easy is that fire inside.

AD: What I love about the song is that it does have dual meanings, and it could also stand entirely on its own. If you didn’t know that it was tied to this movie, “The Fire Inside” could stand entirely on its own as this fun, pop-y anthem, which I love.

DW: Yeah, and by the way, that’s really important to me to do that. When I write a song for a movie, that’s paramount to me. First of all, it has to fit in that movie, right? It goes without saying that song has to be the perfect song for the movie, but when I do it right, that song will stand outside of the movie, like you just said, and be its own thing.

You could hear “The Fire Inside” and just love the song. Or these other songs I’ve done for movies over the years.

It’s almost like the songs get different meanings. You hear a song, and you go, ‘Oh, that could mean that,’ Or, ‘Oh yeah, I relate that to my life.’

The song I wrote for Lady Gaga, “Til It Happens To You,” in The Hunting Ground, was about sexual assault, but oh my God, that song took on such different meanings, anti-bullying, all kinds of stuff. When you write a great song, it becomes part of the soundtrack for the movie, but then it can become part of your soundtrack, too.

“The Fire Inside” to me is the theme song for anybody with a dream.

AD: What keeps “The Fire Inside” alive for you after all these years and so many songs? The incredible highs, the disappointments; do you ever have the moment where you go, ‘Enough is enough?’

DW: No, I’ve never had the moment where I say, ‘Enough is enough.’ Never. I don’t think I ever will. I love doing this so much. I love writing songs. I have to write, or I’ll go crazy if I don’t write songs, right? I have to keep creating. That’s part of who I am. So yeah, I have a fire inside that just burns. It’s just there. I don’t think it’s ever going to stop. I just have it in me to keep getting better and keep writing better songs. For me, it’s always about what’s next. I don’t ever really look back.

I’m always onto the next thing. With Flamin’ Hot, I got to write a Reggaeton song. That was really fun. The last few songs have been big ballads, which I love. I love nothing more than a big ballad, but it’s kind of fun to kind of go into another genre. I do love to write for a lot of different artists and different genres.

AD: What is the Diane Warren songwriting process like?

DW: Show up. I show up, and I work. I don’t know what I do, exactly. But I do sit down every day to write.

AD: Do you have a writing room? Do you have a favorite time of day to work? Do you write in pieces and let it come together later on?

DW: Well, usually, I start something in my writing room. With “The Fire Inside” it began with the title. After I saw the movie, I thought, this is such an excellent title for this song because of the two meanings we discussed.

The Fire Inside was really the fire that Richard Montañez had. He had an idea, and no one was listening to him. Everybody said he couldn’t do it. He finds the chairman’s number and he calls him from the janitor’s room and makes it happen. It’s pretty cool. And, like I said, I related to that because I never take no for an answer. And I never stopped. If I really believe in something, ask anybody…Everybody says I’m annoying. I’m a pain in the ass until something really works. And then they go, ‘Oh, you have so much passion.’

AD: I feel like you really have worked with everyone. Do you have a dream collaboration?

DW: I don’t have one particular artist. I work with so many different people. I just did a song on Taylor Swift’s new album called “Say Don’t Go,” and that was really cool. It was a song we’d written a while ago that she finally put out on 1989 (Taylor’s Version).

I’ve had two Beatles on my songs. A couple of years ago, I did “Here’s to the Nights” with Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney. I don’t even know how it gets better than having the two surviving members of the Beatles on your song.

I’m always excited to work with new artists, whoever they are. I’m working with lots of different people now. But, it’s not like there’s one artist where I go, ‘Wow, I just wish I could get in a room with them.’ But the way it happens with me is people find me; somehow, I work with the people I’m supposed to work with.

AD: Are there upcoming projects you’re allowed to discuss?

DW: Oh, there’s some exciting stuff next year, but I’ll just let you hear about it.

AD: So let me ask you this: 10 years from now if I’m lucky enough to interview you again, and I ask you about “The Fire Inside,” what is going to stand out to you about this song?

DW: It’s hard to look back. I think it’s a really great song. I’m really proud of it. And I’m sure I’ll be proud of it in the future too. I love that people love it. I write a lot of songs for different movies, but this one was really close to me. I was like, ‘I’m writing it for this movie, but that sounds like me.’ I’m really proud of the movie, and working with Eva and Becky G was awesome.

AD: Thank you, Diane! I needed some wisdom and a smile today; this was such a pleasure!

DW: Thank you! I hope it won’t be ten years before we talk again.