A feeling isn’t a song until you can see it.
Co-writing and toplining for independent artists: melody and lyric over your track, or the whole song from scratch.
Aotearoa New Zealand
The scene test
Every song here passes one test before it’s finished: take the production away and point to what’s happening. If you can’t picture it, it isn’t written yet.
Mood
“I miss you every single night”
Accurate, and invisible.
Moment
“I still sleep my side, leave your half made tight”
Just as true, and visible.
One you feel, one you can see. Read more about the scene test →
The work
Most artists who get in touch already know what the song should feel like. What’s missing is what it’s about: the specific thing that happens, and who it happens to. That’s the part I get hired for — through co-writing and topline writing, remote or in the room.
Working together
Co-writing & toplining
Bring the song that’s stuck.
A voice memo, a beat, a chorus that almost works: that’s enough to start. Sessions run remote, in person (NZ), or async. First draft inside a week, final within two to four rounds.
Music supervisors and agencies: sync briefs run a little differently.
About
I’m Reece Hallum, a songwriter, producer, and topliner based in Aotearoa New Zealand. My work is built on character, tension, and specific moments rather than vague emotion. Artists usually come to me when a song feels close but something isn’t connecting: the structure, the lyric, the chorus that won’t land yet.
More about ReeceHow a Project Starts
Latest from the Journal
Working notes on song structure, lyric craft, and why some songs land.
Subscribe to the Journal
Occasional writing on song structure, lyric craft, and what actually lands. No spam; leave whenever.
Questions
Usually it starts with a conversation — references, the feeling you're after, where the project is at. From there I'll typically have something back within a week: a rough topline sketch, a structural demo, or a fully produced reference depending on what the project needs. Topline writing especially tends to move fast once the direction is clear. Nothing is presented as finished — we iterate from there. Most collaborations reach a final form within two to four rounds.
A topliner is a songwriter who specialises in writing the vocal melody and lyrics on top of an existing track or beat — the "top line" of the music. Topliners work closely with producers and artists to create the song that sits above the production. If you have a track and need a melody and a lyric that actually means something, that's toplining.
That depends on the type of collaboration and what we agree upfront. For custom toplines and co-writes, ownership terms are always discussed and agreed before we start — nothing is assumed. If you have questions about how this works, bring them to the first conversation.
Send an email to hello@liminl.music. Tell me what you're working on — even if it's vague. A reference, a feeling, a fragment of an idea is enough. I read every message and respond to all serious inquiries, usually within 48 hours.
It depends on what we're making. For toplines and co-writes, you'll receive a final mix reference, stems if needed, and any lyric/chord documentation required for publishing registration. For sync projects, stems and metadata are standard. We agree on deliverables at the start so there are no surprises at the end.
Yes — I work remotely and location isn’t a barrier. I’m based in Aotearoa New Zealand, but if the project fits, we’ll sort the timezone.
From ‘liminal’: the state between two things. Most of the artists I work with are somewhere in between, between the feeling and the words for it, when they show up. That seemed like the right thing to name the practice after. The a fell off somewhere along the way.
Book a free chat
Tell me where the song is at. You’ll get a straight answer on whether I can help, what it costs, and how long it takes.
- Clear fee quoted before anything starts
- Ownership & splits agreed upfront
- Reply within 48 hours