And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan

• Ep. 226: Olivia Dean | The Art of Loving (and Finding Yourself)

  Today's guest is an international soul sensation...From writing “The Hardest Part” on Zoom to conquering imposter syndrome, crafting hits like "Dive" and "Man I Need," and creating her acclaimed album The Art of Loving.. She is on a meteoric rise in music.We discuss raw stories of heartbreak, growth, the magic of songwriting.. and how she learned to protect her voice in a room and write music that actually feels like her.And The Writer Is...Olivia Dean!Whether you're a songwriter, fan, or music lover, this episode is packed with inspiration, laughs, and behind-the-scenes gems.Presented by NMPA..The National Music Publisher's Association. Championing songwriters everywhere.Thank you to our sponsors!Co-presented by Splice.The best music sample library in music.CHAPTERS:00:00 – Welcome to the Soul01:50 – “I Still Feel So British”03:00 – First Trip to L.A. (With No GPS or Plan)04:00 – Learning to Trust Her Own Taste07:40 – When Artists Had Time to Be Bad08:30 – Making Meaningful Music in a Chart World09:20 – “I Don’t Write Every Day”13:35 – Disney, West Side Story, and Other Early Teachers15:50 – The First Song: “Mean Boy”17:05 – Parents Who Said Yes17:20 – The BRIT School Plan20:05 – Busking, Best Friends, and the Birth of a Band22:15 – The First Show: 70 Tickets, 10 People on Stage23:40 – Signing Her First Deal25:00 – The Studio Explosion (Her Worst Song Story)27:00 – Surviving the Rooms29:15 – How the Best Songs Are Written30:45 – The Yellow Van Tour (COVID-Era Reinvention)31:30 – “OK Love You Bye” — The First Song That Felt Free34:00 – From 70 Fans to 100 Million Streams36:00 – It Takes a Village (and a Lot of Gratitude)39:00 – “The Hardest Part” — The Song She Hated (That Changed Everything)40:00 – The Take That Hurts Is the Take That Wins43:20 – NMPA Ad Read44:05 – Splice Ad Read47:45 – Crying on the Studio Floor48:00 – “Dive” — When the World Started Singing Back51:40 – Being a Woman Who Writes (and Plays)53:10 – The Anatomy of a Song56:25 – “I Don’t Write Lies”57:35 – “The Art of Loving” — How the Album Was Born1:00:15 – What Love Actually Taught Her1:01:35 – Making Time for Love Anyway1:02:55 – Ross’s Mirror Moment1:04:30 – Learning to Sit in Silence1:05:45 – The Weight of Words1:06:30 – Being HeardAnd The Writer Is...Hosted by Ross GolanProduced by Joe London and Jad Saad Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Ep. 225: Julia Michaels pt.2 | The Woman Who Changed Pop

  Julia Michaels has quietly rewritten the emotional DNA of pop music.From Selena Gomez to Justin Bieber to Sabrina Carpenter — her pen reshaped how vulnerability sounds on the radio.In this episode, Julia sits down with Ross to unpack the craft behind her catalog: the psychology of honest writing, the architecture of a hit, and the years she spent changing pop from behind the glass.They dive into the writing of hits, the evolution of her artistry, and what it means to sustain creative integrity in a fast-changing industry.Chapters0:00 Intro: The Woman Who Reshaped Pop Music0:59 Welcome Back: Reflecting on 8 Years in the Industry2:13 Music Industry Evolution: Then vs. Now3:00 Adapting Songwriting to Social Media and Trends4:32 Early Career Advice: Mental Health and Boundaries6:03 Panic Attacks and Performance Anxiety9:25 From Songwriter to Artist: Reluctance and Breakthrough11:23 Influence on Songwriting: Changing Pop's Sound15:06 Hit Runs, Burnout, and Creative Pauses17:55 Writing for Disney's Wish: Behind the Scenes19:42 Future Plans: Musicals, Retirement, and Balance21:05 Artistry and Collaborations23:00 Inside the Sabrina Carpenter Camp29:01 Breaking Down Hits: Taste, Bed Chem, and Coincidence30:50 Joining Tate McRae: From 17 to Global Hits33:39 Favorite Producers: Ryan Tedder, Stargate, and More36:04 Working with Ed Sheeran: Panic, Brotherhood, and Hits39:30 Crafting Lose You To Love Me with Selena Gomez43:24 Longtime Bond with Selena: Firsts and Milestones45:50 Celebrating Wins in a Changing Industry47:19 Songwriter Struggles: Pay, Radio, and Streaming50:26 Fair Splits and Standing Up for Writers55:09 Gender Challenges: Overworking Female Writers1:00:06 Regimented Life: Balance and Boundaries1:02:40 Running Her Own Label: Freedom and Control1:04:15 Career Lows and Highs1:06:10 Perfect Studio Moment: Working with Britney Spears1:07:34 Reflections: Where She Thought She'd Be1:08:45 Uncut Demos and Sacred Songs1:11:27 Wrapping with Selena, Benny, and Unlikely Stars1:15:55 Ego-Free Sessions and Lifelong Roots1:18:22 Outro and CreditsNMPA fights for songwriters' rights, ensuring fair pay and protection.Check them out at NMPA.org and follow them on social media at @NMPAorgSplice is the industry’s top sample library—royalty-free for all. It empowers creators with its incredible library and ethical AI tools, supporting original artists every step of the way.Download Splice today and follow them on social media at @spliceAnd The Writer Is...Hosted by Ross GolanExecutive produced by Joe London and Jad SaadFollow us on socials at @andthewriteris Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Ep. 224: HAIM | Do It Your Way. (“I quit", + more)

  Today’s guests are HAIM — one of the most unique voices in modern music, known for blending rock, pop, and soul into a sound that defined a generation. From garage band beginnings to Grammy nominations, they’ve collaborated with some of the biggest names in music while staying fiercely true to themselves.And the writer(s) are... HAIM!In this episode, we dive into a decade-long journey of grit, growth, and creative conviction — from rejection to recognition. The sisters open up about the early years, the family dynamics, and the lessons that shaped their songwriting and success. In this episode:• How HAIM built success on their own terms after years of “no’s”• The real stories behind their biggest records• What they’ve learned about songwriting, collaboration, and creative controlChapters0:00 Intro Teaser – HAIM’s Gritty Start Against All Odds0:30 Nobody Wanted to Sign Us – Early rejections that almost stopped HAIM1:10 The Sister Dynamic – Therapy, tension, and love between bandmates2:30 Strict Parents, Rebellion & First Gigs5:00 Leaving for Tour at 19 – Danielle’s leap of faith7:30 Almost Famous IRL – Touring with Jenny Lewis & Julian Casablancas9:15 Skipping College & Faking Dentist Notes12:30 Oldest Sibling Pressure & UCLA Lessons15:00 Nobody Wanted Rock Music – Breaking through rejection16:00 Meeting Ludwig Göransson – The producer who changed everything18:30 2 AM Sessions & the “Forever” EP20:00 SXSW Madness – 14 shows in 5 days22:00 The UK Breakthrough – Why British fans got it first25:10 How They Learned to Write Songs – Lessons from “Rockin’ Haim”27:00 Recording Songs from the Radio – Childhood obsession that sparked their craft31:10 The First HAIM Song Ever – From bad demos to “The Wire”34:10 The 10,000 Hours – Becoming one of LA’s best live bands35:45 Days Are Gone – Finding their sound amid chaos38:30 Working with James Ford & Ariel Rechtshaid40:50 Balancing Chaos and Craft – The HAIM recording process42:10 Collaborating with Kid Cudi – Their first big studio moment43:10 Touring Exhaustion & Finding Their Groove45:15 Shutting Down Ventura Blvd – The iconic “Want You Back” video47:39 Women in Music Pt. III – Growth & vulnerability48:30 GarageBand & Songwriting – Danielle’s creative superstition49:30 The Making of “I Quit” – A new era of HAIM50:00 Creative Control & Saying No to Labels52:00 Lessons from Paul Thomas Anderson – Vision & long-take storytellingPresented by@NMPA | @nmpaorg – Fighting for songwriters’ rights and fair pay.Learn more at NMPA.org.@Splice – The industry’s top royalty-free sample library and creator platform, supporting original artists with world-class sounds and ethical AI tools.Download Splice and start creating today.And The Writer Is...Hosted by Ross GolanExecutive Produced by Joe London & Jad SaadFollow us everywhere → @andthewriteris Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Ep. 223: sombr | How a 100% Writer-Producer Took Over Pop

  Today’s guest is one of the most exciting young artists in the world right now.A once-in-a-generation artist writing and producing every record himself — and turning that independence into global hits.His records aren’t just topping charts — many of them are 100%ers. Self-written, self-produced, and streamed hundreds of millions of times.He’s building a world entirely his own...In this episode of And The Writer Is, Ross Golan sits down with Sombr to unpack how he: - Writes and produces 100% of his music - Went from viral moments to global success - Deals with pressure, purpose, and proving himselfPresented by our friends at @NMPA @splice A huge thank you to our sponsors.Chapter list0:00 The Rise of Sombr: Bedroom Producer to Global Prodigy0:01:02;15 [NMPA] - Fighting for Songwriters (Season Sponsor)0:01:51 Early Discovery: Why Warner Music Bet on a 16-Year-Old0:03:38 My First Song Blew Up: Waking Up to 200K Likes & Columbia Records0:06:00;14 From NYC Roots to Proving Haters Wrong0:08:16 From Charlie Puth to Operatic Arias: My Secret Classical Music Training00:11:04 How I Dropped Out of LaGuardia to Get Signed (TikTok Made Me Quit)00:13:39 Opening for The Strokes at SXSW00:14:41 The Imposter Syndrome of a Global Superstar00:15:36 From GarageBand to Global Hits: My FLOPS & Early Projects (Cherry Valley)00:17:50 Who is Sombr? Shane vs. The Artist & Why New York Makes Anything Possible00:21:02 The TRUTH About "Caroline": She's Everyone... She's You.00:22:13 The $0 Photo Shoot That Became My Global Album Cover00:24:28 Advice to My 16-Year-Old Self00:26:18 My Secret Writing Method: Saving Choruses & How I Made the Album in 1 Month00:28:14 [NMPA] - The Power of Music Publishers (Sponsor Segment)00:28:56 [SPLICE] - Using AI Ethically & Protecting Creators (Sponsor Segment)00:30:42 "Back to Friends": Writing a Global Hit from a Career Low00:36:44 Working with Tony Berg: A Mentor and Real Instruments00:40:54 "Undress": Building Confidence After a Breakthrough00:43:40 Sacrifices of Fame: Losing My Social Life00:45:30 Anxiety and Expectations: Navigating Global Success00:51:23 Critics vs. Appreciation: Why Art Shouldn’t Be Rated00:058:09 The Final Word: Why the Haters Say I'm Not "Serious" (A Joke)00:58:50 The Beatles & The Muse: The Real Secret to Timeless Art00:59:11 Thank You & OutroNMPA fights for songwriters' rights, ensuring fair pay and protection.Check them out at NMPA.org and follow them on social media at @NMPAorgSplice is the industry’s top sample library—royalty-free for all. It empowers creators with its incredible library and ethical AI tools, supporting original artists every step of the way.Download Splice today and follow them on social media at @spliceAnd The Writer Is...Hosted by Ross GolanExecutive produced by Joe London and Jad SaadFollow us on socials at @andthewriteris Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Ep. 222: Ed Sheeran | Inside The Craft of a Songwriter’s Songwriter

  Today's guest is quite literally one of the greatest songwriters of all time.He also happens to be one of the biggest artists of all time. Imagine that.This legend needs no introduction...And the writer is... Ed Sheeran!Presented by our friends at NMPA.A huge thank you to our sponsors.NMPA fights for songwriters' rights, ensuring fair pay and protection.Check them out at NMPA.org and follow them on social media at ⁨@NMPAorg⁩Splice is the industry’s top sample library—royalty-free for all. It empowers creators with its incredible library and ethical AI tools, supporting original artists every step of the way.Download Splice today and follow them on social media at ⁨@splice⁩Chapters:00:00:00 - Intro00:02:05 - Ed and Ross Reconnect00:04:41 - From Rap Battles to Shaping His Songwriting00:07:07 - Painting as Creative Outlet00:09:13 - Emotional Ties to Songs, Writing Honest Songs for Himself and Others00:12:05 - Childhood Music: Beatles, Dylan, and Irish Trad Influences00:15:07 - Fatherhood’s Impact: Balancing Music and Family00:16:26 - Ed Sings His First Song!00:18:30 - Ed Sings, Ross Tests His Song Memory00:20:27 - The Key to Confidence Starts With....00:22:10 - Advice: Navigating the Music Industry’s Challenges00:24:20 - Where Ed Gets His 'Buzz' From Music00:25:50 - The Thing That Made His Songwriting 'Stick'00:28:35 - No Plan B: Why He Never Gave Up00:30:04 - Discovery by Jamie Foxx: Breaking into the Scene00:36:14 - Mid-Roll Ad: NMPA Fighting for Songwriters00:36:52 - Mid-Roll Ad: Splice Supporting Creators with AI00:44:11 - First Cuts: Writing for Olly Murs and One Direction00:46:58 - Creative Process00:52:12 - The Lawsuit That Changed Everything00:55:49 - Protecting Songwriters: Why No Union Exists01:05:57 - Making "Perfect" to Prove Himself After the Lawsuit01:12:49 - Advice to Young Songwriters...01:14:03 - Legacy Songs: What Ed Wants His Grandkids to Hear01:15:23 - Family Over Fame: Being a Present Dad01:20:38 - Songs Ed’s Jealous Of01:23:46 - Closing: Ed’s Gratitude and Future PlansAnd The Writer Is...Hosted by Ross GolanExecutive produced by Joe London and Jad SaadFollow us on socials at @andthewriteris ​ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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