Don’t see things ending as a failure and don’t be afraid to fail.” It’s something I have to remind myself constantly.
Interview
Unfiltered conversations with artists about the work, the moments, and the meaning behind the music.
TCHAKALLA on Reclaiming His Name and Redefining Success
by Your art doesn’t need a filter and you need to express the full breadth of your creativity regardless of genre.
Rosie Haze on Tenderness, Transformation, and Her Debut Album
by Music and writing feels like the natural response to any strong emotions I feel, and writing and singing helps me work through and understand these feelings.
Catching up with Voltaire’s Ghost
by Magnus from Voltaire’s Ghost talks about their first trip to London, the visual world behind Black Petals Fallen, and why they can’t stop writing songs long enough to rehearse the ones they already have. Creative chaos, country goth EPs, and what happens when Ruby walks out of the bathroom. We…
Kata on Protest, Presence, and Writing Songs That Meet the Moment
by It was the day after the senseless killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis that I found myself doom scrolling TikTok. I came across a young man with a guitar singing about the tragedy with so much conviction and clarity that he captured everything I was feeling in that moment. I…
Malört and Savior: Heathens with Good Intentions
by We sent Malört & Savior a few questions and got out of the way. Pete, the band’s songwriter and keyboard player, answered with the kind of wit and sincerity that defines the band. Have at it. Malört & Savior are a Chicago punk band built on bad jokes, shared vocals,…
Sean Tobin: From Jersey Shore to Nashville
by I couldn’t quite put into words what I felt after listening to Sean Tobin’s song John Wayne. It took a moment to realize that was the point. The song ended, and the silence that followed lingered, leaving its mark in a way the music itself didn’t need to explain. That…
Judah Jones: The Song Always Comes First
by Judah Jones writes songs with intention, starting from melody and working outward. For him, a song has to connect before it can reveal anything deeper. Shaped by the places he grew up and the music that surrounded him, Judah approaches songwriting as a careful balance between vulnerability and accessibility. He…
Lonesome Skeleton Band: The Man Behind the Skull
by Lonesome Skeleton Band is the solo project of Charles Urban, created after stepping away from a traditional band setting and into something more solitary and self-directed. Writing and recording on his own, Urban uses the project as a space to explore ideas, emotions, and sounds without the filter of collaboration.…
The Last Words of Shanghai Treason
by There’s a moment at a Shanghai Treason show where the line between band and crowd completely dissolves. Pints are raised, feet are moving, and whatever weight you walked in carrying gets traded, at least temporarily, for sweat, laughter, and noise. Rooted in Sheffield and unapologetically working class, Shanghai Treason’s self-described…