And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan

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, creative control, and what it actually takes to become yourself in an industry that benefits from misunderstanding you.

And The Writer Is… Madison Beer!

What you'll learn:
• What it actually feels like to grow up in the public eye
• The gap between how artists are perceived vs who they really are
• Why longevity in music requires emotional resilience
• How Madison developed her sound and creative identity over time
• The pressure of early success — and rebuilding from it
• Why being misunderstood can either break you or sharpen you

This episode is brought to you by the NMPA — supporting songwriters and protecting the value of music.
And by Splice — the world’s largest library of sounds and samples, built for creators.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:42 Madison’s favorite songs of hers
3:00 Lyrics or melody first?
4:30 Ross meeting Madison at 13
6:00 Madison’s childhood, early memories
7:00 Going through parent’s divorce in early childhood
9:45 Why singing the national anthem is hard
10:00 Her family’s early encouragement
11:00 Madison’s first song
13:00 Starting her career at 10
18:40 Getting discovered overnight from a Justin Bieber tweet.
19:11 Contracts in music industry
19:58 Meeting Justin Bieber
21:46 Why getting dropped is a blessing
24:00 Struggling with early music identity
26:00 Why she felt she couldn’t fight back on creative control early on
28:00 finding her power through social media
31:55 Reclaiming creative control
33:50 writing reckless
35:28 Home with you
36:25 the importance of your collaborators
39:12 the original demo to Reckless
41:13 being easier to write dark songs than happy songs
41:40 the challenge of writing her new album
41:54 NMPA
42:36 Splice
43:26 Going back into the label system
45:00 her first tour in lockdown
46:50 Madison’s touring non negotiables
52:00 the story of Home to another one
53:41 Writing darker songs while in a happy relationship
55:55 Setting boundaries for mental health
56:55 “Showed Me” as an interpolation
58:37 Her mental health struggles and path to healing
1:01:54 How her album locket Freed her
1:03:25 the unlikely story of bittersweet
1:05:30 what writing a song with strangers is like
1:09:00 loneliness and missing out on a normal childhood
1:12:00 Dealing with constant criticism and how she manages it
1:12:47 Surviving the lowest point of her life
1:16:30 how she currently manages her mental health

Hosted by Ross Golan
Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad
Edited by Jad Saad
Post Production VFX by Pratik Karki
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 caught up
• Her philosophy on songwriting and the importance of your truth
• Protecting your creative voice in a commercial system
• Why being yourself is still the most important advantage
• And much more…

Hit the subscribe button 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…
Our lead sponsor, NMPA — the National Music Publishing Association. Your support means the world to us.
And @splice — the best sample library on the market. Period.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
2:00 The Real Meaning Behind “Disney Princess”
4:30 Introversion vs Performance
6:00 The Magic of Creating and Materializing Ideas
7:45 Her Creative Process — Titles, Concepts, and Staying Inspired
12:00 The Songs That Defined Her Early Career
12:48 Growing Up Writing — Her First Songs and Backstory
16:45 World-Building and Creating a True Artistic Identity
18:30 Rejection, Independence, and Dollhouse
20:00 “Blind Dating” in the Music Industry
24:00 Stage Fright and Early Creative Influences
26:00 What She’d Tell Her Younger Self
26:45 Advice for Artists Trying to Break Through
27:30 Hitchhiking to The Voice — And What It Really Was
30:00 The Reality of Music Competition Shows
31:42 NMPA — Our Lead Sponsor This Season
32:23 Splice
33:00 Ross on Music Competition TV
34:00 Performing Live and Managing Nerves
36:00 Finding Herself Through Dollhouse
37:20 The Story Behind Dollhouse
38:00 Fighting for Her Creative Vision
40:00 Where Her Ideas Come From
42:00 How She Builds Albums and Story Arcs
44:20 Writing Honestly Without Overthinking It
45:00 What Songwriters Get Wrong About Meaning
49:30 Are You Happy?
51:30 The Priorities That Changed Everything
54:00 Final Advice
55:00 Portals
57:47 Hades — A Dystopian World
1:00:20 The Utopian Album to Come
1:00:51 Her Favorite Songs on the Album
1:01:50 The Story of “Weight Watchers”
1:06:00 An Emotional Reflection — Her Message to Others
1:07:30 Her Inspirations
1:09:00 Social Media, AI, and Staying Human

Hosted by Ross Golan
Produced by Joe London & Jad Saad
Edited by Jad Saad
Post-Production VFX by Pratik Karki
Watercolor Art by Michael White
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Again” came together, and why it still feels unexplainable
• How early success shaped his career before his identity caught up
• Why the best songs often come from discomfort, not control
• The role of collaboration in pushing him beyond his instincts
• Sessions with legendary artists — and what those moments actually feel like
• The importance of staying human in an increasingly synthetic world
• And much more…

Hit the subscribe button and follow us on socials @andthewriteris
Every week, we go deep with the most interesting creatives in music.

A special thank you to our sponsors…
Our lead sponsor, NMPA — the National Music Publishing Association. Your support means the world to us.
And @splice — the best sample library on the market. Period.

Chapters:

0:00 Intro
2:46 Charlie Demos the Theme Song
5:00 The “Mouth Phone” Trick
7:00 His Secret Involvement in Dangerous Woman
9:00 “Stay” — The Power of Collaboration (Justin Bieber, Kid Laroi)
13:00 “Are You Where You Want to Be?”
16:00 Where His Best Work Comes From
16:53 The Story of See You Again
20:43 Wiz Khalifa’s Defining 'See You Again' Moment
23:02 When the Industry Didn’t Know What to Do With Him
27:22 The Song No One Believed In (We Don’t Talk Anymore)
29:52 Ross’s Philosophy on Sending Music
31:04 The Song That Changed Everything
34:09 Authenticity, Vulnerability, and Letting People In
39:00 Why It’s More Important to Be Human Than Ever
45:05 NMPA — Our Lead Sponsor This Season
45:56 Splice
46:38 Conflict, Collaboration, and Making the New Album
51:11 Coffee With Kenny G and Michael McDonald
55:39 Chris Stapleton's Songwriting Advice
1:02:05 The Artists and Producers He Studies
1:08:00 His Lowest Point
1:31:51 Charlie Shares Drum Samples

Hosted by Ross Golan
Produced by Joe London & Jad Saad
Edited by Jad Saad
Post-Production VFX by Pratik Karki
Watercolor Art by Michael White
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 catalog that feels both timeless and unmistakably her own.
Now, with a growing fanbase and a string of hits helping shape the sound of modern country, she’s writing the next chapter of her career in real time.

And The Writer Is… Megan Moroney!

In this episode of And The Writer Is… Megan opens up about:

• The unexpected moment that pushed her toward learning guitar
• Growing up around music and playing early shows with her family
• The traumatic accident that jumpstarted her music career
• Finding her voice in the Nashville songwriting community
• Why honesty and humor are essential to her writing
• How she stood out in early co-writes
• 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…
Our lead sponsor, NMPA — the National Music Publishing Association. Your support means the world to us.And @splice — the best sample library on the market. Period.

Chapters
0:00 Intro
5:00 Moving to Nashville: The First Steps
6:00 Working in the Music Industry Before Releasing Music
7:00 The Advice That Started Her Career
10:00 Growing Up Around Music in Georgia
13:50 “I Went to School to Be an Accountant”
16:30 Musical Theatre and Feeling Out of Place
18:56 The Accident That Started Everything
24:01 The Sorority Event That Led to Georgia Theatre
32:25 Learning the Business of Music in School
33:00 The Internship That Changed Everything
35:00 Creating the Tennessee Orange Cover Art on Her Phone
38:45 Writing Every Day and Building a Network in Nashville
40:20 NMPA — Our Lead Sponsor This Season
41:00 Splice
41:45 The Story of Tennessee Orange
45:50 How Influencing Helped Pay the Bills
47:10 Megan’s Writing Process
52:15 Exploring the Studio
54:10 Working With Ed Sheeran
58:42 A Full-Circle Moment With Kacey Musgraves
1:09:00 The Story of “Beautiful Things”
1:15:55 Rapid Fire
1:21:26 Megan Gives the Podcast Flowers

Hosted by Ross Golan
Produced by Joe London & Jad Saad
Edited by Jad Saad
Post-Production VFX by Pratik Karki
Watercolor Art by Michael White
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 this episode of And The Writer Is…, Jesse opens up about:
• Growing up in the industry before he understood it
• The unlikely formation and endurance of The Neighbourhood
• His journey through childhood acting, getting discovered, + losing his dad on the brink of success
• The advice he’d give himself before it worked
• 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…
Our lead sponsor, NMPA — the National Music Publishing Association. Your support means the world to us.

And @splice — the best sample library on the market. Period.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
2:09 I Never Wanted To Be Alternative

4:02 Why Thousand Oaks Produces Massive Bands
7:39 Becoming a Child Actor at 6

8:35 “My Self-Worth Is Tied to Entertaining”

9:55 Discovered in a Movie Theater at 5

14:16 Reconnecting With His Dad Before He Passed

17:28 Success Without the Fame He Expected
27:10 High School Metalcore Bands
33:17 How The Neighbourhood Formed

36:06 The First Riff of “Sweater Weather”

40:00 Getting Discovered Online by Their Manager

44:23 His Manager’s Warning…
47:20 Writing the Lyrics to “Sweater Weather”

48:42 Pop Writing Rules

55:23 Learning to Let Go of Instant Validation

59:32 Daddy Issues

1:02:30Watching Your Own Lyrics Affect Relationships

1:10:01 Why He Needs Alone Time
1:10:23 Feeling Invisible, the “Chip Chrome” Era

1:11:17 Touring the Same Venues & The Plateau Feeling

1:12:31 Why Chip Chrome Became His Favorite Creative Risk

1:13:48 “You’ve Got to Get People to Look to Listen”
1:16:00 Creative Direction as Identity Control

1:19:30 Self-Sabotage vs Reinvention

1:32:00 Band Brotherhood & Growing Up Together

1:36:00 Legacy, Impact & What Really Matters
1:41:00 Advice to His Younger Self

Hosted by Ross Golan
Produced by Joe London & Jad Saad
Edited by Jad Saad
Post-Production VFX by Pratik Karki
Watercolor Art by Michael White
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.