And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan
Every week, host Ross Golan sits down with acclaimed songwriters to discuss what happens behind closed doors in the music industry. The podcast explores the stories behind hit songs and the people who write them, offering an intimate look at the craft of songwriting. Produced in association with Big Deal Music and Mega House Music.
Episodes
Ep. 268: Ilya Salmanzadeh | How The Swedes Cracked Hit Songwriting and Why Most People Won't
Today's guest is the Swedish producer and songwriter behind "Problem," "Into You," "Love Me Like You Do," "No Tears Left To Cry," "Santa Tell Me," and "Unholy,". He finally sits down with Ross for an And The Writer Is interview ten years in the making.He taught himself to make music from a demo CD that came in a cereal box. A radio si
Ep. 267: YG Opens Up. Bad Deals, Hit Records, and a Midlife Crisis
Today’s guest is a multi-platinum rapper and songwriter who took Compton to the charts and gave the world “My Hitta,” “Who Do You Love?” and “Big Bank.” From his debut album My Krazy Life to collaborations with Drake, Nipsey Hussle, and Nicki Minaj, he’s built a catalog that’s done serious damage to club speakers. Now, with The Gentlemen’s Club, he’s getting personal and reminding everyone there’s
Ep. 266: Tinashe’s Guide to Making It on Your Own Terms
Today’s guest is a singer, songwriter, producer and dancer who has spent her career trusting her own instincts—and building a world around them.From “2 On” to “Nasty” and “No Broke Boys,” Tinashe has kept releasing music through major-label deals, independent projects and viral breakthroughs.She’s collaborated with artists including Calvin Harris, Charli xcx and Kaytranada, and joins us to talk ab
Ep. 265: How Remi Wolf Built Her Career: Study the Greats, Take the Gig, Say Yes
Today’s guest is one of the most unmistakable voices in modern pop — an artist, songwriter and producer who has built a career by making music that sounds like nobody else. Her catalog has passed two billion global streams. She’s played top billing at festivals including Coachella, Lollapalooza and Outside Lands, opened for Olivia Rodrigo, Lorde and Paramore, and collaborated with artists includin
And The Update Is...Ella Langley Makes Billboard History, UMG Sues DistroKid & Songwriters Fight for Healthcare
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep. 264: How Aaron Dessner Became an Industry Favorite and the 3AM Text That Became 'folklore'
Today's guest is a musician's musician who co-founded The National, the Grammy-winning band behind Boxer, High Violet and Sleep Well Beast.He co-wrote and produced Taylor Swift's folklore and evermore, including cardigan and willow. folklore won Album of the Year at the Grammys.He worked on The Tortured Poets Department and produced Ed Sheeran's Subtract.He's behind Gracie Abrams' I Love You, I'm
Ep. 263: Ziggy Marley on Family Rules for Life, Music, and Success
Today's guest is a Grammy-winning songwriter, bandleader and activist who has spent four decades inside the most famous name in reggae — but whose real story isn't the inheritance. It's the set of rules underneath it, the ones the family actually lives by, which turn out to have almost nothing to do with music.And The Writer Is... Ziggy Marley!Subscribe to our channel and follow us on socials @and
And The Update Is...The Industry Mourns Dolly, AI Music, $11 BILLION in Ticket Fees & Ella Langley Takes Over the Charts
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep. 262: Ryan Beatty | How to Make It in Music Without Losing Yourself
Today's guest is an artist and songwriter whose career has taken him from teenage YouTube covers to working with Beyoncé, Tyler, The Creator, Brockhampton, Miley Cyrus and Jack Antonoff.But this conversation is really about something bigger: How to build a career in music without losing yourself along the way.Ryan talks about learning to trust his own taste, being grateful he never had a hit recor
Ep. 261: Travis Barker | Survival and Building a Legendary Career out of the Ashes
Today's guest is the drummer who took punk out of the garage, put it on your radio, then on MTV, then on your body. But his real story isn't the discography. It's what he did with everything that was supposed to end him.From a four-piece kit in Fontana to the center of the album cover, Travis carries three things simultaneously that most musicians never figure out how to hold at once: the craft of
Ep. 260: Role Model | Being Discovered by Mac Miller & How Getting Signed Changed His Music
Today's guest is an artist most people meet through the bit: the deadpan internet, the cowboy suit, the one-sided war he's been waging with Harry Styles for a year that Harry Styles knows nothing about. So this is the other version of him. A kid in Pittsburgh with a borrowed mic and beats ripped off YouTube, broke and failing out of school, who gets a message that Mac Miller loves a song off his f
And The Update Is...Suno Loses Copyright Case, Spotify Hits 300M & YouTube Music Dominates
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep. 259: Jessi Alexander on Writing "The Climb" The Week She Almost Quit... + What It Takes To Last as a Nashville Songwriter
Today's guest wrote "The Climb." She also wrote "I Drive Your Truck," "Mine Would Be You," "Don't Think Jesus," and "Ain't No Love in Oklahoma." But her real story isn't the hits. It's the ten years before the first one, the five years after it when the phone stopped ringing, and what she figured out in between about how to actually last in this business.From a dropped record deal and years as wha
And The Update Is…Labels Rein In AI, Miley Signs to Atlantic & Deezer Turns a Profit
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Ep. 258: Suki Waterhouse on Loveland, Motherhood, and Finding Her People
Today's guest is a songwriter four albums deep, with a song that's been picking up new listeners for nine years and Mick Fleetwood playing on her latest record. But her real story isn't any of that.From weekend stage camps in West London to opening Wembley for Taylor Swift five months after giving birth, she spent a decade releasing roughly one song a year into near silence. What kept her going wa
And The Update Is…Spotify Goes MTV, Triller Gets Sued & AI Floods the Industry
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep. 257: Adam Lambert on Idol, Fronting Queen, and Opting Out of the Industry Game
Today's guest is one of the great voices of his generation — the theater kid who auditioned for American Idol with Michael Jackson, watched the judges' faces fall, and demanded a second song because he'd just quit his job and had no health insurance. But his real story isn't the voice. It's the game — the one Freddie Mercury wrote about, the one that picks your singles, writes your headlines, and
SUNO Sued, Ai Labels, Resale Ticket Act, Choosin Texas Stays Ontop
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
![Rewind: The Benny Blanco Episode [Patreon Exclusive]](https://assets.pippa.io/shows/61b76666169562d85de9508f/1784313247009-06862310-2b04-4b1e-92c1-07e1215c69b5.jpeg)
Rewind: The Benny Blanco Episode [Patreon Exclusive]
Today's episode is a rewind to our conversation with Benny Blanco.To hear the rest of this episode, join our Patreon, where you'll find our full library of archived episodes with legends like Babyface, Shania Twain, Sabrina Carpenter, Benny Blanco, and many more. Members also get access to our monthly Writers Room on Zoom, where we play your demos and answer your biggest industry questions.We hope
Ep. 256: Gavin Rossdale (Bush) | "Glycerine" & Surviving the '90s
Today's guest is the frontman of Bush, one of the defining voices of '90s alternative rock and the "feral," self-flagellating songwriter underneath them, who still claws through every blank page 30 years in and can't tell you how he does it.From a broken home at 12 to painting dentists' offices after he'd already made 16 Stone, Gavin carries three things simultaneously that most rock leg
And The Update Is...Fake Streams, Billion-Dollar Deals & Ed Sheeran's Biggest Career Move Yet
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep. 255: Brittany Howard | How Alabama Shakes Went From a Garbage Truck to Playing with Prince
Today's guest is Brittany Howard — four-time Grammy winner, the voice of Alabama Shakes, and one of the most singular artists of her generation. But her real story isn't the accolades or the sold-out rooms. It's a single-wide trailer, a junkyard full of animals, and a garbage truck — and a woman who never once chased any of it.From a Cotton Patch trailer park to Paisley Park, Brittany built a care
And The Update Is...Spotify Deletes 500K Streams ,TIDAL Takes a Stand Against AI,The Charts Have a New Enemy
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
And The update Is...AI Lawsuits Are Coming, Clive Davis Remembered & Olivia Rodrigo Makes History
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep. 254: Zooey Deschanel | Her Secret Identity + The Journey of She & Him
Today's guest is one of the most recognizable faces of her generation — an actor whose voice you'd know in a single frame. But her real story isn't the one you've watched. It's the one she kept secret: for 20 years she's been a songwriter, and barely anyone — even people who know her — knew it.This is one of the more honest conversations we've had about being underestimated — as an actor who "coul
And The Update Is...Heartbreak In The Writing Community, Chart Toppers & Goats
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep. 253: Nessa Barrett on Fame, Music, and Finding Herself in Public
Today's guest built an audience of millions before she was old enough to sign a record deal, turned a 30-minute crying freestyle into her debut single, and made one of Gen Z's defining breakup anthems out of a phrase that became its own internet language. But her real story isn't the viral fame or the streams. It's the part that plays like a runaway and teaches like a masterclass: how she left hom
And The Update Is...Taylor & Drake Make History, AI Makes Headlines
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep. 252: Lizzo | Rock Bottom, #1, and the Game Nobody Explains
Today's guest is a Grammy winner, a two-time Billboard #1 artist, and one of the defining pop voices of the last decade. But her real story isn't the anthems or the awards. It's the part that plays like a rollercoaster and teaches like a masterclass: how she almost quit, what going #1 actually felt like, and everything about the music business nobody explains until you've survived it.The press ver
The Realest Conversation About Songwriting In 2026 | Gino The Ghost | Patreon Exclusive
Today's guest is a multi-Latin-Grammy-winning songwriter and producer with a wall of platinum records — and one of the few people in music willing to say the quiet part out loud. He came up as an actor and a rapper, moved to LA broke, stumbled into songwriting, and turned it into the kind of career most writers spend a lifetime chasing. He's also built one of the sharpest voices in the room as the
And The Update Is…Drake, AI, and a $5.4 Billion Question
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
And The Update Is...Universal's Big Week: AI, TikTok While Drake Dominates
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep. 251: Myles Smith | Stargazing, Therapy, and The Secret Cost of Success
Today's guest is a rising star who's risen so fast he's not really rising anymore — he's just a star.From a bedroom in Luton playing $50 nylon-string covers and open mics playing for 4 people... Three years later: a billion streams, "Stargazing" on President Obama's summer playlist, two singles that took over pop radio before he'd ever made a debut album, and a debut album sourced from the notes h
And The Update Is... AI Covers, Drake’s New Era & Why Michael Jackson Is STILL Charting in 2026
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep. 250: Niall Horan | Outlasting Pop's Biggest Band, "Dinner Party" & More
Today's guest came up in the biggest band in the world at seventeen, watched it pause at twenty-two, and built a solo career almost no one in his position has ever managed to sustain. From success, to tragedy, and back... This Irishman makes his triumphant return to the stage and our hearts with 'Dinner Party'.And The Writer Is... Niall Horan!He talks about Liam not as a tribute beat, but as a pre
And The Update Is...Pop Stars, Lawsuits & Billion-Dollar Moves
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Rewind: Jack Antonoff | How to Pick the Artists Who'll Define Your Career
Today's guest is a Grammy Producer of the Year who's tied with Babyface for the only three-in-a-row run in the award's history — and whose real story isn't the trophies, the radio, or the run of hits. It's the decision he makes once every few years that almost no other producer at his level makes: which artist he'll spend the next decade building.From frontman of touring indie band Steel Train to
And The Update Is…May the 4th Be With the Charts: Hits, Headlines & Industry Chaos
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep. 249: Rick Beato | Songwriters Got Poorer. AI Is Next. So Where Is Music Going?
Today's guest is a multi-instrumentalist, music educator, interviewer, producer, and songwriter. He is also one of the most influential independent music voices online. His real story isn't the channel he built after a 90-second video of his son's perfect pitch hit 80 million views overnight, it's his incredible value to the music community and the conversations he sparks online about the state of
And The Update Is...No Fakes Act, Trademark Protection, and Today's ChartToppers
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . This week Ross dives into No Fake Act, Justin Bieber's comeback to charts since Coachella, Country & KPOP chart toppers & more. Tune into this weeks episode of ATWI with Roget Chahayed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep. 248: Rogét Chahayed | From Pianist to Sicko Mode, Kiss Me More & APT.
Today's guest is a prolific producer behind Sicko Mode, Broccoli, Bad at Love, Kiss Me More, Laugh Now Cry Later, First Class, and APT. — but whose real story isn't the catalog. It's how most of those songs happened by accident.A classically trained concert pianist who spent his teens grinding through Liszt and Prokofiev knuckle-busters, Rogét quietly became one of the most important producers in
And The Update Is...The Charts Are Country. The Industry Is AI. Now What?
Every week, And the Writer Is brings you the most important news moving through the music industry — straight, sharp, and no fluff. This week Ross Golan opens the weekly And The Writer Is… news update (week of April 20, 2026) by highlighting major chart wins:Swimf by BTS is #1 on the Global 200 for a fourth weekChoose In Texas by Ella Langley holds #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a seventh weekHer
How Dan Nigro Builds Superstars | Ep. 195 | Rewind
Today's guest is the Grammy Producer of the Year who built the two biggest pop breakthroughs of the last five years back to back — and whose real story isn't about the hits. It's about the three years he spent making nothing and the rule he wants every producer in the game to understand.From indie rock frontman in As Tall As Lions to pop's most trusted collaborator, Dan built his career against al
And The Update Is… Live Nation Ruled an Illegal Monopoly, D4VD Arrested for Murder, Udio Pays Up on AI
Every week, And the Writer Is brings you the most important news moving through the music industry — straight, sharp, and no fluff. This week: a jury ruled Live Nation and Ticketmaster violated antitrust laws and operate as illegal monopolies, with a judge now weighing whether to force a breakup or sale. Max Lousada and Julie Greenwald — the A&R legends behind Warner's modern run — launched a
Ep. 247: Billy Corgan | How He Built Smashing Pumpkins Into a 30-Million Album Empire
Today's guest is the architect of alternative rock who sold 30 million albums and defined the sound of an entire generation — but whose real story begins after the hits stopped mattering to him.From the suburbs of Chicago to the apex of 90s mainstream success, Billy Corgan built an empire. Then he spent the last 20 years quietly dismantling the idea that commercial success is the same thing as rea
And The Update Is… Rap Lyrics Banned in Court, AI Deals Stalling, and a $64B UMG Bombshell
Every week, And the Writer Is brings you the most important news moving through the music industry — straight, sharp, and no fluff. This week: Maryland just passed the RAP Act, making it illegal to use rap lyrics as courtroom evidence, potentially setting the stage for federal law. Suno's licensing negotiations with Sony and Universal have stalled, leaving major AI royalty questions unresolved. An
Ep. 246: Dermot Kennedy | How an Irish Busker Became a Worldwide Phenomenon
Today's guest is the Irish troubadour who sold out arenas across the world and built one of the most durable careers in modern music, entirely on his own terms.From Dublin street corners and busking for strangers to headlining Madison Square Garden, this conversation is about what that actually costs to build the slow, deliberate construction of a career that answers to no one, yet resonates with
Ep. 245: Madison Beer | Becoming Yourself with the World Watching
Today’s guest is one of the most quietly enduring artists in modern pop — a songwriter and performer who’s spent over a decade growing up in public, learning how to separate perception from identity.She was discovered online as a teenager and quickly thrust into an industry that had already decided who she was.But behind the headlines, she was doing the real work — writing, refining her sound, and
Ep. 244: Melanie Martinez | How to Protect Your Creative Spirit in a Commercial World
Today’s world builder builds worlds worldwide to make her own universe! Dark and whimsical meets bubblegum grunge when this artist broke out on the scene to create her own cult following. When doors didn’t open, she built her own. And The Writer Is……Melanie Martinez!In this episode, Melanie opens up about:• Materializing ideas and her entire creative process• Why she never approached mus
Ep. 243: Charlie Puth Pt. 2| The Long Road to Becoming Yourself
Today’s guest is one of the defining voices in modern pop — a songwriter, producer, and artist behind some of the biggest records of the last decade.His songs have been streamed billions of times worldwide.He came to Los Angeles to write for others.Instead, he became a globally identifiable artist — before fully becoming himself.Now, he’s building something that’s truly his.And The Writer Is… Char
Ep. 242: Megan Moroney | The Unlikely Road of a Country Superstar
Today’s guest is one of the fastest-rising voices in modern country — a songwriter whose honesty, wit, and emotional precision have turned deeply personal stories into songs heard everywhere. She just became the 10th woman of the century to top the Billboard 200.Before the sold-out shows and chart-topping records, she was a college student playing small gigs with her dad and brother, trying to fig
Ep. 241: Jesse Rutherford (The Neighbourhood) | How an Unlikely Band Became Inevitable
Today’s guest is the frontman of one of the most defining bands of the 2010s — a songwriter whose voice helped shape an era of alternative pop that still echoes today.Before arenas. Before permanence. Before “Sweater Weather” became cultural shorthand.Now, after over a decade of hits, reinvention, and evolution, he looks back on the long arc of The Neighbourhood with clarity — and with honesty abo
Ep. 240: EJAE | A Career Built Slowly and Heard All at Once
Today’s guest is a Grammy-winning songwriter, global pop architect, and one of the most quietly influential voices shaping modern music across borders.Before the world heard her voice, she spent years training inside the K-pop system — learning discipline, structure, and endurance long before recognition ever arrived. When the system didn’t know what to do with her, she pivoted. Slowly.
Ep. 239: Marcus Mumford (of Mumford & Sons) | 'Catching' Songs + Avoiding Self-Sabotage
Today's guest is a festival headliner, Grammy-winning songwriter, and the architect of a sound that accidentally changed the course of folk, country, and alternative music forever.From singing as a family around a kitchen table to headlining arenas with banjos and mandolins, Marcus Mumford built something no one saw coming — and has spent years learning not to get in his own way once the stakes go
Ep. 238: Illenium | Addiction Almost Killed Him. Music Saved Him.
Today's guest is a multi-platinum DJ, producer, and songwriter who turned personal devastation into one of electronic music's most emotionally resonant careers.From opioid addiction in high school to wilderness therapy at rock bottom, he rebuilt his entire life in Denver—sober, alone, and teaching himself music theory from scratch.Now 13 years clean, he's become a voice for mental health in a scen
Ep. 237: Philip Lawrence | How a $5 Bus Pass Created Bruno Mars
Today's guest is a Grammy-winning songwriter, producer, and performer, best known as one-third of The Smeezingtons and a foundational creative force behind Bruno Mars’ career. He has co-written and helped shape some of the most influential pop songs of the last two decades, including Just the Way You Are, Billionaire, Locked Out of Heaven, When I Was Your Man, 24K Magic, Nothin’ on You, and many m
Ep. 236: John Ryan | The Playbook of a World-Class Songwriter
Today's guest has quietly shaped the sound of a generation.He has written and produced some of the biggest songs of the last 15 years—from One Direction's "Story of My Life" to Niall Horan's "Slow Hands," Sabrina Carpenter's "Taste", Teddy Swims' "Lose Control," and Olivia Dean's "So Easy to Fall in Love."A true songwriter's songwriter, John Ryan doesn't just chase hits—he shapes careers, defines
Ep.235: David Foster | What It Takes to Last in the Music Business
Today’s guest isn’t just a living legend.He’s one of the architects of modern music.As a songwriter and producer, he’s discovered artists, shaped careers, and defined entire eras.This one is required listening.A once-in-a-generation legendary hybrid of songwriting and production,And The Writer Is... David Foster!In this episode, David breaks down what actually makes music last, the cost of greatne
Ep. 234: Diplo | Branding Decides Who Wins
And The Writer Is... Diplo! This episode isn’t about hits. It’s about how culture actually gets made. Taste, burnout, and building culture without permission. From growing up in Florida crate-digging scenes no one cared about, to turning underground instincts into global movements, Diplo breaks down the uncomfortable truth behind longevity in music: following your taste when everyone else wants sa
Ep. 233: Alex Warren | Surviving on Delusional Self-Belief
And The Writer Is… Alex Warren.Alex joins the podcast to talk openly about resilience, finding his voice, and what it actually takes to turn pain into songs that connect.In this episode, he breaks down:Overcoming homelessness and instability while chasing musicEarning credibility in an industry that didn’t immediately take him seriouslyHow vulnerability became his songwriting superpowerWhat his wr
Ep. 232: FINNEAS | The Long Game of a Music Career
Today’s guest didn’t just enter the music industry — he grew up inside it. He isn’t just a Grammy-winning producer or a respected solo artist. He’s one of the rare creatives who’s built a career rooted in loyalty, advocacy, and taste — while learning in public and evolving in real time.And The Writer Is… FINNEAS!In this episode, he breaks down:Growing up in the industry without losing your footing
Ep. 231: Seth MacFarlane | The Discipline and Craft Behind a Creative Legacy
Today’s guest has carved out one of the most improbable creative legacies of his generation — commanding animation, comedy, film, and orchestral music with the same relentless discipline and near-obsessive craft. What began as a kid sketching characters in his bedroom grew into a fight to build Family Guy on his own terms… and eventually into Grammy-nominated big-band records that honor
Ep. 230: Cirkut | The Secrets of a Pop Super Producer
Today’s guest is the producer behind some of the biggest songs of the last 15 years — from “Wrecking Ball,” “Timber,” and “Dark Horse” to early records with The Weeknd and Britney Spears.From teaching himself production on cracked software and vinyl turntables… to going on a run of genre-defining hits.And the writer is… Cirkut!In this episode, he opens up about his early grind, the moment Britney
Ep. 229: Zedd | Inside the Mind Behind a Decade of Anthems
Today's guest went from making songs on a floppy-disk keyboard, sampling off a Kellogg’s cereal box DAW, and sending blind MySpace messages… to producing the some of the biggest crossover dance anthems of the last decade. And The Writer Is... Zedd!What makes this conversation special isn’t just the hits — it’s how brutally honest he is about the craft, the obsession, and the unexpec
Ep. 228: Hit-Boy | Success, Betrayal, & The Stories Behind Hip-Hop’s Biggest Anthems
Today’s guest has rewired modern hip-hop. His fingerprints live all over the last decade but the real story behind that success is far more human, painful, and transformative than the headlines ever show. In this conversation, he opens up about the highs and lows of being a producer in hip-hop: the pressure, the politics, the contracts, the moments that nearly broke him, and the breakthroughs that
Ep. 227: Ryan Tedder pt.4 | The Modern Music Economy, A.I. and The Future, and How to Win
Today's guest is a familiar face... A friend to the podcast and one of the most successful and influential creators in music history.He isn’t just a hitmaker. He's perhaps one of the few people in the history of music to have hits as a songwriter, artist, and producer... completely aside from one another across genres.And The Writer Is... Ryan Tedder!In this episode, he breaks down:🎯 Why the middl
Ep. 226: Olivia Dean | The Art of Loving (and Finding Yourself)
Today's guest is an international soul sensation...From writing “The Hardest Part” on Zoom to conquering imposter syndrome, crafting hits like "Dive" and "Man I Need," and creating her acclaimed album The Art of Loving.. She is on a meteoric rise in music.We discuss raw stories of heartbreak, growth, the magic of songwriting.. and how she learned to protect her voice in a room and write music that
Ep. 225: Julia Michaels pt.2 | The Woman Who Changed Pop
Julia Michaels has quietly rewritten the emotional DNA of pop music.From Selena Gomez to Justin Bieber to Sabrina Carpenter — her pen reshaped how vulnerability sounds on the radio.In this episode, Julia sits down with Ross to unpack the craft behind her catalog: the psychology of honest writing, the architecture of a hit, and the years she spent changing pop from behind the glass.They dive into t
Ep. 224: HAIM | Do It Your Way. (“I quit", + more)
Today’s guests are HAIM — one of the most unique voices in modern music, known for blending rock, pop, and soul into a sound that defined a generation. From garage band beginnings to Grammy nominations, they’ve collaborated with some of the biggest names in music while staying fiercely true to themselves.And the writer(s) are... HAIM!In this episode, we dive into a decade-long journey of grit
Ep. 223: sombr | How a 100% Writer-Producer Took Over Pop
Today’s guest is one of the most exciting young artists in the world right now.A once-in-a-generation artist writing and producing every record himself — and turning that independence into global hits.His records aren’t just topping charts — many of them are 100%ers. Self-written, self-produced, and streamed hundreds of millions of times.He’s building a world entirely his own...In this episode of
Ep. 222: Ed Sheeran | Inside The Craft of a Songwriter’s Songwriter
Today's guest is quite literally one of the greatest songwriters of all time.He also happens to be one of the biggest artists of all time. Imagine that.This legend needs no introduction...And the writer is... Ed Sheeran!Presented by our friends at NMPA.A huge thank you to our sponsors.NMPA fights for songwriters' rights, ensuring fair pay and protection.Check them out at NMPA.org and follow them o
Ep. 221: Andrew Watt | How He Became the Go-To Producer for the World’s Biggest Artists
Today's guest is one of the most sought-after hitmakers of the last decade. A Grammy-winning producer, songwriter, and guitarist whose genre-bending work has shaped the sound of modern music. From rock legends to pop superstars, he’s collaborated with Justin Bieber, Post Malone, Ozzy Osbourne, The Rolling Stones, Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus, and more — earning The Reco
Ep. 220: Tayla Parx | Longevity & Building a Lasting Career
Today’s guest is more than a hitmaker — she’s a creative force who has shaped the sound of a generation. From penning chart-toppers like “Thank U, Next” (Ariana Grande), “High Hopes” (Panic! at the Disco), and “Love Lies” (Khalid & Normani) to building her own label, publishing company, and artist career, her story is a masterclass in reinvention, resilience, and longevity.And t
Ep. 219: Laufey | Redefining Jazz for a New Generation
Today’s guest is nothing short of a phenomenon.With roots in Iceland and China, raised in a family of classical musicians, she grew up between symphony halls and jazz records — and has now become the defining voice of her generation.Her music is a breathtaking blend of timeless jazz, classical elegance, and modern storytelling that has captivated millions around the world. From posting standards o
Ep. 218: Conan Gray | From Bedroom to Global Sensation
Today’s guest began on YouTube — a teenager posting bedroom covers to a handful of viewers.Now, his songs have been streamed billions of times across the globe.He’s headlined sold-out arenas on multiple continents, become a global fashion force, and built one of the most devoted fanbases of his generation.He’s collaborated with legends like Max Martin, while never losing the raw honesty that made
Ep. 217: Rodney Jerkins (pt.2) | The Alchemy of Greatness
He believed before anyone else did.Before the Grammys.Before the 39 billion streams.Before Say My Name changed the sound of radio forever.He was just a kid on a New Jersey bus, chasing a dream no one else could see.In this episode, legendary producer Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins shares how faith, fire, and pure conviction took him from a basement studio to shaping the sound of a
Key Moment: Ryan Tedder | How to Be Irreplaceable
What does it really take to become irreplaceable in music?This is more than a lesson in music. It’s a masterclass in how to make yourself essential in any room you enter.In this episode, Ryan Tedder shares a raw, unfiltered blueprint for building a career that stands the test of time.From mastering guitar, piano, and production to writing two songs a day, Ryan unpacks why versatility, humility, an
Ep. 216: Ryan Tedder (pt.3) | How to Win in Music and Life
Today’s guest is the mastermind behind some of the biggest songs on earth – a creative force whose melodies have shaped generations. From crafting timeless anthems with Beyoncé, Adele, and Taylor Swift to leading OneRepublic to global dominance, he’s not just a hitmaker – he’s an architect of modern music.In this conversation, Ryan Tedder rips the veil off fame and fortune, revealing the hidden co
Key Moment: Russ | What Every Artist Needs to Know (10-Minute Blueprint)
In this powerful 10-minute blueprint, Russ breaks down what every artist needs to know to build a real career in today’s music industry. From his mindset of delusional self-belief to strategic release plans and business truths, this clip will change the way you approach your music journey forever.Subscribe for more industry insight and give us a rating if you enjoyed this! It helps us keep this sh
Ep. 215: Jessie Reyez | The Story of Betting On Herself (For Anyone Starting Over)
Today’s guest is a fearless storyteller whose voice is as raw as her lyrics—bold, emotional, and unapologetically real. A first-generation Colombian-Canadian, she turned hustle into art, weaving her experiences into songs that hit like truth bombs. Whether she’s penning heart-wrenching ballads or delivering razor-sharp verses alongside icons like Eminem and Beyoncé, her work is grounded in authent
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