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 he wrote in therapy that saved him. He's proof that sometimes all you really need is a guitar, a wor...
May 26, 2026•1 hr 45 min•Ep. 251
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 22, 2026•6 min
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 presence — what fires you up to walk on stage when somebody you love would still want to be there. Af...
May 19, 2026•1 hr 31 min
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 15, 2026•5 min
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 one of the most decorated producers of his generation, he built his career against almost every mod...
May 12, 2026•1 hr 13 min
And The Update Is…a weekly beat on the industry . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 08, 2026•4 min
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 the music industry and his conversations with some of the biggest creators within it's orbit. This ...
May 05, 2026•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 249
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.
May 02, 2026•4 min
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 modern pop and hip-hop — and almost none of it happened the way he planned. This is one of the more...
Apr 28, 2026•1 hr 38 min
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 week Choose In Texas by Ella Langley holds #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a seventh week Her album Dandelion debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 He teases an upcoming Stagecoach interview an...
Apr 24, 2026•4 min
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 almost every industry instinct. He carries three things at once that most producers never figure out ...
Apr 23, 2026•1 hr 16 min
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 new long-term international label with Sony Music investment and distribution. And Udio signed a lic...
Apr 17, 2026•3 min
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 real value. He carries three things simultaneously that most artists never figure out how to hold at o...
Apr 14, 2026•2 hr 10 min•Ep. 247
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. And Pershing Square submitted a $64 billion bid for Universal Music Group, revealing just how underval...
Apr 10, 2026•4 min•Season 1Ep. 1
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 millions around the world. He carries three things simultaneously that most artists never figure ou...
Apr 07, 2026•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 246
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 slowly building a career on her own terms. This is a conversation about perception vs reality, cr...
Mar 31, 2026•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 245
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 music as a game • The reality behind shows like The Voice • How she built her identity before the industry cau...
Mar 24, 2026•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 244
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… Charlie Puth! In this episode, Charlie opens up about: • His early journey • The moment “See You Ag...
Mar 17, 2026•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 243
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 figure out where music might fit into her life. One honest song at a time, she began building a catalo...
Mar 10, 2026•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 242
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 about what success did and didn’t solve. And The Writer Is… Jesse Rutherford of The Neighbourhood! In...
Mar 03, 2026•1 hr 40 min•Ep. 241
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. Intentionally. And built a career that would eventually be heard everywhere. Now, as a songwriter whose work ...
Feb 25, 2026•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 240
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 got real. Now, as a solo artist and band leader, he's as honest about the creative process as he is a...
Feb 17, 2026•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 239
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 scene built on excess, collaborating with Jon Bellion, Halsey, Teddy Swims, and countless others to cr...
Feb 10, 2026•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 238
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 more... And The Writer Is... Bruno Mars! In this episode of And The Writer Is…, Philip Lawrence tells...
Jan 28, 2026•1 hr 59 min•Ep. 237
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 sounds, and knows exactly when inspiration is knocking. In this episode, John breaks down what it ...
Jan 21, 2026•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 236
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 greatness, and what it really takes to survive and stay relevant in the music business over decades, ...
Jan 14, 2026•1 hr 45 min•Ep. 235
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 safety. We get into: The real physical and mental toll of nonstop touring in a world that never shuts ...
Jan 06, 2026•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 234
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 music Earning credibility in an industry that didn’t immediately take him seriously How vulnerability became his songwriting superpower What his writing process looks like when the emotions are real — not manufactured The difference between ...
Dec 23, 2025•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 233
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 The quiet flaw baked into today’s music industry — and the one trait he’s seen in every truly ex...
Dec 16, 2025•1 hr 54 min•Ep. 232
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 the very foundations of American music. And The Writer Is... Seth MacFarlane! On this episode, Seth breaks dow...
Dec 10, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 231
