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And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan: Daily Summaries Delivered
by And The Writer Is
Every week, we sit down with an acclaimed and venerable songwriter to intimately discuss what happens behind closed doors in the music industry. There are millions of singers, thousands of artists, and only 40 top songs per genre at a time... this podcast is about the people who make them.
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- 3 days ago1h 17m
How Miranda Lambert Keeps Writing Country Hits 20 Years In
Today’s guest is a three-time GRAMMY-winning singer, songwriter and producer behind some of country music’s biggest songs. Across more than two decades, she’s built a career on honest stories, unmistakable songs and doing things her own way. And The Writer Is… Miranda Lambert! Recorded live at Casa Rosa in Nashville, Miranda joins Ross to tell the stories behind “Kerosene,” “Gunpowder & Lead,” “The House That Built Me,” “Mama’s Broken Heart,” “Vice” and “Tin Man.” She shares how she co-wrote “Choosin’ Texas” with Ella Langley, why she gave Steve Earle half the credit for “Kerosene,” and why some of the most important songs in her set weren’t written by her. And The Writer Is… is presented by Amazon Music and SONA. Listen on Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/bfeec5ec-e02d-43eb-917c-5d4e182eadb4/and-the-writer-is-with-ross-golan CHAPTERS 00:00 Introducing Miranda Lambert 00:56 Writing Choosin’ Texas with Ella Langley 05:21 Finding New Song Ideas After So Many Albums 06:36 Chris Stapleton and a New Retro Sound 08:47 Songwriting Retreats and Creative Chemistry 16:35 Learning the Craft in Texas Honky-Tonks 21:37 Nashville Star and Her Mom’s Wake-Up Call 25:06 Casa Rosa: A Place for the Girls 27:30 Kerosene, Steve Earle, and Doing It Her Way 33:42 The Stories Behind Gunpowder & Lead 36:52 Revolution and The House That Built Me 42:24 Writing Over You with Blake Shelton 45:03 Mama’s Broken Heart and Outside Songs 49:49 Building Platinum 53:55 Somethin’ Bad with Carrie Underwood 57:54 The Weight of These Wings and Vice 1:02:55 Writing Tin Man 1:06:01 Wildcard, the Love Junkies, and Bluebird 1:08:47 Life Off the Road and Writing on Zoom 1:13:08 Palomino and a Changing Music Business 1:14:52 Letting Go of Expectations and Staying Yourself Join the ATWI Patreon for monthly Zoom hangs, demo feedback, special guests and access to 200+ archived audio episodes: https://www.patreon.com/andthewriteris Subscribe for more conversations with the songwriters behind the songs. Follow And The Writer Is… Instagram: https://instagram.com/andthewriteris Hosted by Ross Golan Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 1 weeks ago5 min
And The Update Is…Spotify’s Royalty Fight, Universal’s Bloodbath, and the Week in Music
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 1 weeks ago1h 31m
Ep. 269: RAYE | How She Escaped Her Record Deal and Became a Superstar
Today's guest is the British singer-songwriter behind “Escapism.” and “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” After seven years in a record deal without releasing her debut album, she went independent, landed a UK No. 1 and won six BRIT Awards in one night. This is the story of how she found her own way to succeed—and brought her people with her. And The Writer Is... RAYE! In this episode, we get into: • Signing a record deal at 17, having hits, and still being unable to release her debut album. • The album called “too risky,” the partner who backed it, and “Escapism.” changing everything. • Bringing her family and band into the success, and demanding fairer treatment for songwriters. • Her full writing process, early “Click Clack Symphony.” demos, and nine hours on the “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” bridge. and much more. Hit subscribe and turn on notifications. Every week, we go deep with the most interesting creatives in music. Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/andthewriteris Follow us on socials: @andthewriteris A special thank you to our sponsors for making these conversations possible. Our lead sponsor, NMPA — the National Music Publishers' Association. Your support means the world to us. PRS for Music — supporting songwriters, composers and publishers. Find out more: https://www.prsformusic.com/join And @splice — the best sample library on the market. Period. Have you tried variations yet?CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro 1:10 Making music and touring with her family 7:38 What happened to her grandfather's songs 9:49 Ad: PRS for Music 11:09 Ad: Splice 12:16 Ross's stolen-song story and the line between influence and theft 17:33 Who deserves a songwriting credit? 19:52 Why songwriters deserve fees and master points 25:29 The power to say no and protect your splits 28:50 Advice for young writers: choosing your battles and avoiding comparison 33:18 Writing her first song at seven 36:48 The BRIT School and finding her voice 42:21 Subscribe to And The Writer Is 42:50 Jazz freedom and her first music-industry reality check 47:13 The dance hits that came with conditions 48:17 Signing her record deal at 17 54:26 Seven years, hit records and still no debut album 56:33 Going independent and the Escapism. breakthrough 1:02:56 Ice Cream Man. and finding strength through music 1:08:15 The BRIT Awards night she still has not watched back 1:10:38 Making THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE. on her own terms 1:12:38 Playing the early Click Clack Symphony. demos 1:14:53 Why she writes with Auto-Tune 1:17:15 Title first: heels, lyrics and theatrical melodies 1:18:48 Nine hours on the WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! bridge 1:21:19 Getting bigger without trying to please everyone 1:23:30 Who is Suzanne? Picking a song for every mood 1:26:18 Her grandfather's poems in Fields 1:27:04 Opening for Bruno Mars 1:28:48 Closing: building a better music industry CREDITS Hosted by Ross Golan Produced by Joe London & Jad Saad Edited by Jad Saad Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 2 weeks ago2h 4m
Ep. 268: Ilya Salmanzadeh | How The Swedes Cracked Hit Songwriting and Why Most People Won't
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 3 weeks ago1h 36m
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 a storyteller behind the hits. And The Writer Is… YG! In this episode we go deep on:- The inspiration behind his new album - The Def Jam singles deal with five album options: "I could have sued everybody" - What he'd tell an 18-year-old holding a label offer- Why having a catalog doesn't mean you own it - What a YG session looks like: tequila, "next beat," and a BPM in his head - How "FDT" got made with Nipsey, and why Def Jam wouldn't release it - The night Nicki said "don't put this out without me" - "Who Do You Love?": three months, hook writers, and Drake telling him to do it himself And much more... Hit subscribe and turn on notifications.Every week, we go deep with the most interesting creatives in music. Follow us on socials: @andthewriteris A special thank you to our sponsors for making these conversations possible. Our lead sponsor, our Patreon! Patreon.com/andthewriteris And @splice — the best sample library on the market. Period. Chapters 0:00 Intro 0:32 Hiring a "Hitman" 8:07 "Were you ever suicidal?" and the homies who said "same" 9:10 Chin up, chest out: what the streets never let you say 10:28 "2004," the song he cut from the album 24:31 Turning himself in while his song blew up, and the label that called his mom 27:31 Signing young: "I could have sued everybody" 28:24 Ross: athletes get rookie orientation, artists get "good luck" 34:57 What he'd tell an 18-year-old holding a label offer 39:40 The masters trap: you have a catalog, but you don't own it 41:30 What a session with YG actually looks like 47:39 Why he made Gentleman's Club: "they were playing with my name" 50:10 How "Hollywood" with Shoreline Mafia got made 53:51 How "FDT" happened with Nipsey, and why Def Jam passed 59:40 Meeting Nipsey: two different gangs, one mission 1:05:56 How do you stay brave when the people around you get killed? 1:10:59 The night "My Hitta" got made 1:13:03 "Big Bank": Nicki says don't put it out without me 1:18:15 What he knows at 36 that he didn't at 20: the streets don't love you back 1:27:20 "Who Do You Love?": three months and Drake's "you do the hook" 1:30:02 What makes a Mustard beat different Credits Hosted by Ross Golan Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Sep 29, 20261h 18m
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 about the journey behind it all.And The Writer Is... Tinashe!Hit subscribe and turn on notifications. Every week, we go deep with the most interesting creatives in music.Follow us on socials: @andthewriterisA special thank you to our sponsors for making these conversations possible.Splice, the best sample library on the market, period.and our lead sponsor, our Patreon page!We're still giving away free Universal Audio Recording Gear in our next zoom hang.Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/andthewriterisCHAPTERS0:00 Intro0:46 Tinashe and Ross reconnect—back to The Stunners3:48 “Deep in the Night”—the song she wrote at five5:08 Tinashe’s French fry rankings6:12 Child acting, Whoopi Goldberg, and moving to LA9:11 Life in a girl group without creative control11:22 Buying a microphone and building a bedroom studio14:10 Getting signed—and expecting it to be easy18:40 Join the ATWI Patreon19:32 Splice: Sounds and Variations20:39 Early Travis Scott sessions and being taken seriously in the studio23:29 Recording 200 songs—and trusting the big producer’s opinion26:33 Trusting your gut and knowing when to leave a session30:43 “2 On” takes off. What happens after the first hit?36:03 Writing “2 On” in a garage with friends37:37 Does having a hit teach you how to make one?39:20 Leaving her label and rebuilding trust in her own ideas43:29 What releasing music independently actually takes46:10 Filming her own videos and building her visual world48:14 How dancing shapes the way she writes songs50:08 Working with a label again—and finding Ricky Reed52:11 Getting the call from Calvin Harris53:52 Why genre doesn’t define her music55:19 “Nasty” takes off after she stops needing another hit57:04 Why she won’t write for a TikTok trend58:43 Charli xcx and finding freedom after early hits1:00:41 The unexpected remix journey of “No Broke Boys”1:03:31 Taking the Grammy off her lock screen after seven years1:05:14 Making POPSTAR—and giving herself time to play1:05:55 Which POPSTAR song fits every mood?1:08:19 Claiming the pop star she’s always been1:13:32 “Just don’t stop”—keep putting your music out1:14:42 Her advice to young women in music: intuitionCreditsHosted by Ross GolanProduced by Joe London and Jad Saad Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Sep 22, 20261h 36m
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 including Nile Rodgers, Beck, Dominic Fike and Sylvan Esso. And The Writer Is... Remi Wolf! In this episode, we get into - The USC training that rebuilt her voice - Waiting tables and taking Craigslist gigs while building a career - The 30-minute session behind “Photo ID,” - Industry lessons for every artist to take notes on... and much more. Hit subscribe and turn on notifications. Every week, we go deep with the most interesting creatives in music. Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/andthewriteris Follow us on socials: @andthewriteris A special thank you to our sponsors for making these conversations possible. Our lead sponsor, NMPA — the National Music Publishers' Association. Your support means the world to us. CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro 0:40 “You can’t teach tone” — how Remi found hers 2:13 USC: “We’re going to beat you down until you feel like you’re nothing” 6:15 Fourteen, busking the Bay Area, and writing songs in Chloe’s kitchen 13:40 “Carousel” — the first song she ever wrote 15:41 A substitute teacher, an apartment, and her first recording 18:05 Ski racer by day, songwriter by night 19:05 Meeting Jared Solomon at 15 — then finding each other again 21:07 Applebee’s on tour — and the road to sobriety 24:04 Rehab, writing Juno sober, and why clarity changed the songs 29:02 “It’s not ready” — why she refused to release music in college 30:22 Six songs in one week — the reunion that started everything 34:24 Restaurant shifts and Craigslist gigs: how she paid to keep making music 39:26 The Sofar show that led to her first manager 42:39 “I had no expectations” — making music before the industry got involved 45:28 35,000 decisions a day — what creative control actually costs 49:22 “You have to start protecting yourself” 51:34 What is the goal? Redefining success 56:51 Her first album rollout sober 59:21 Social media, warped expectations, and screaming into the void 63:22 “Photo ID,” TikTok, and the accident that helped it explode 66:40 “Photo ID” took 30 minutes — and she thought it was horrible 70:15 Her first professional topline session: “I was overcome with social anxiety” 72:11 Why I’m Allergic to Dogs worked during lockdown 74:56 Why Juno is called Juno 78:50 Hayley Williams and singing with another “belt queen” 82:25 Five years of nonstop touring — and finally hitting pause 87:15 “I Won’t Cry” — her favorite song she’s ever written 89:15 “I was sick of the uptempo shit” — writing 130 songs for Mud 90:49 Her first pitch session was for BTS 92:34 Which Mud song fits every mood 94:10 “I’m the happiest I’ve been in my life”CreditsHosted by Ross Golan Produced by Joe London & Jad Saad Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Sep 19, 20264 min
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.
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About And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan
Every week, we sit down with an acclaimed and venerable songwriter to intimately discuss what happens behind closed doors in the music industry. There are millions of singers, thousands of artists, and only 40 top songs per genre at a time... this podcast is about the people who make them.
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