Nominee Diane Warren need another Oscar to keep her honorary one company: “He wants a friend!”

Erik Melvin

At the Oscars on March 12, legendary songwriter Diane Warren has received her 14th nomination for Best Original Song for “Applause,” from the movie Tell It Like a Woman. but while she feels the nomination is its own award, she wouldn’t mind taking home the Oscar — to keep one of her other awards company.

“I already won,” she tells ABC Audio. “[My song was] already chosen to be one of five songs chosen by the best musicians, best composers, best songwriters in music and the planet.” She adds, “Whatever happens after that happens, but what a great feeling and what a great sign of respect.”

And even though last year Diane became the first-ever songwriter in Academy history to receive the honorary Governors Award — which she calls “the big Oscar they give to, like, Orson Welles or Walt Disney” — she wants a “regular” Oscar too.

“I’d still like to win a competitive Oscar….[because] he gets very lonely,” she laughs. “He just sits there on my piano. He wants a friend!”

On the Oscar telecast Sunday on ABC, Diane will play the piano while singer/actress Sofia Carson sings “Applause.” Diane says Sofia was the perfect person to record the empowering tune because “she’s beautiful inside, and it comes out in her voice.”

In addition, Diane says Sofia is “strong,” and reveals that “record executives have told her, ‘You gotta take your clothes off’…and she’s like, ‘No, I’m doing it on my terms.’ And you know what? Look at her. She is! She’s going to be on the Academy Awards!”

Oscars aside “Applause” is also climbing the chart, so which would Diane prefer: to win on Sunday, or to see “Applause” hit number one?

“Why can’t I have both?” she laughs. “Why do you gotta choose?”