Podcast Episodes
Interviews with musicians, producers, and industry veterans. Ordered from newest to oldest
Why Every Rapper Needs to Listen to Jazz | Derek Minor Interview
Derek Minor talks about a 20-year music career built on discipline rather than raw talent, what he calls a Season of Death that nearly ended it all. He covers his path from a 2005 mixtape to writing sports anthems for the NBA and ESPN, the weight of losing his mother at 20, and how his father’s unheard jazz recordings still shape his sound today. He also explains how the Wonka film broke a lifelong hatred of musicals.
How to Build a Billion-Stream Music Brand from Your Bedroom | Powfu & Dave Faber Interview
Dave Faber and his son Isaiah (Powfu) talk about the gap between Dave’s rock career and Isaiah’s bedroom-produced hits with over a billion streams. Dave gets into going from multi-platinum to bankruptcy, driving a truck, and rebuilding using the Atomic Habits philosophy. Isaiah walks through how Death Bed came together and the accidental Spanish track that caught The Chainsmokers’ attention.
The Katy Perry Tweet That Changed Aurora’s Life Forever | Geir Luedy Interview
Geir Luedy talks about managing Aurora and Sigrid after years grinding 11-hour days as a tape boy. He shares the week he spent making tea for a paranoid 50 Cent, why he walked away from a multi-million-dollar deal because the vibe was wrong for a teenage Aurora, a betrayal in London that changed how he handles contracts, and what one Katy Perry tweet actually did to Aurora’s career overnight.
How Coding is Exactly Like Writing a 3-Minute Hit Song | Cowboy Coder Interview
Cowboy Coder explains why writing software and writing a rock song follow the same structure. He talks about his cowboy coding philosophy — learning the rules just well enough to break them — the meditative technique he uses to work through complex bugs, and the conceptual framework behind his latest album. He also gets into the permanent web and how he thinks about giving users what they want before they know they want it.
The “Gangsta’s Paradise” Secret: Why the Label Took the Song from LV | L.V Interview
Larry Sanders (LV) tells the real story of how Gangsta’s Paradise was pulled from his unfinished solo album and handed to Coolio. He talks about growing up in South Central LA, learning soul from blues legend Harmonica Fats, collaborating with Tupac and Biggie, and the advice he got from Russell Simmons about keeping his integrity. He also explains how he recorded every part of the song’s iconic choir himself and his first reaction to Weird Al’s Amish Paradise.
The Stratford Busking Strategy: How Justin Bieber Inspired a Rising Artist | Anna Belleth Interview
Anna Belleth talks about how childhood anxiety on the sports field led to singing both national anthems at a major league baseball game. She discusses ditching music theory books to find her own voice, the Muskoka cottage where Bird Song came together, and her time busking in Stratford. She also gets into why she thinks the rap industry needs more female artists focused on emotional depth over viral trends.