Interviews

Britt Daniel//Spoon

Spoon’s Britt Daniel often finds his greatest success as a songwriter comes when he’s not trying to write songs. In his songwriting process, organization often leads to a dead end.

Ben OpipariFebruary 15, 2022Comment

Ben Bridwell//Band of Horses

“You would think that suffering leads to good art, but that’s false. I find it stifling.” Like most songwriters, Ben Bridwell from Band of Horses has found the past two years to be a bane to his creative process.

Ben OpipariFebruary 2, 2022 Comment

Allison Russell & Aoife O'Donovan

Allison Russell and Aoife O’Donovan are celebrated songwriters—and working moms. This makes for a songwriting process in which the only ritual is recognizing that you don’t have one.

Singer/Songwriter, AmericanaBen OpipariJanuary 23, 2022singer songwriter Comments

Keb' Mo'

“As a songwriter, my job is to figure out how to draw some optimism out of any situation.” Five-time GRAMMY winner Keb’ Mo’ draws that optimism from the “big bubbling river” of creativity. And folding clothes.

Grammy WinnerBen OpipariJanuary 18, 2022Comment

Anais Mitchell & Charlotte Cornfield

Artists are always searching for the ideal creative state, that perfect time when the songs effortlessly flow. For both Anaïs Mitchell and Charlotte Cornfield, that ideal state involves, well, not really being aware of when they’re in that ideal state.

Singer/SongwriterBen OpipariJanuary 3, 2022singer songwriterComment

Sylvan Esso

As a found sound band, Sylvan Esso find inspiration everywhere, from appliances to well pumps to fast food sauce dispensers. Even hold music is fair game.

Ben OpipariDecember 15, 2021 Comment

Yola

For Yola, songwriting is all about the colliculus. And sometimes a good vacuum.

Indie Rock, AmericanaBen OpipariDecember 8, 2021Comment

Mia Berrin//Pom Pom Squad

For Mia Berrin of Pom Pom Squad, how a song looks is as important as how it sounds. And her latest album Death of a Cheerleader looks and sounds like red.

Indie RockBen OpipariNovember 17, 2021Comment

Derek Miller//Sleigh Bells

A move to Upstate New York has given Derek Miller of Sleigh Bells two boons to his creative process: football and the chance to get really, really loud.

IndieBen OpipariNovember 3, 2021Comment