And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan

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 spans K-pop, pop, animation, and beyond — and as an artist stepping into her own voice — she represents a different kind of success: one built patiently, shaped by pressure, and defined by longevity rather than speed.And The Writer Is… Ejae!In this episode of And The Writer Is…, Ejae opens up about:The reality of the K-pop training system and what it actually teaches you about discipline and survivalRejection and why her voice didn’t fit the moment — and how that shaped her writingLearning to work alone after years inside a rigid systemHow songwriting became a safer, more powerful entry point than performingThe pivot that reframed her career and led to global successAnd 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: @andthewriterisA 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 Intro1:30 Early life & finding music6:10 Inside K-Pop training9:00 Ejae's writing process...28:00 Rejection from auditioning to be a K-Pop Idol... and $5 Karaoke training to pass.41:00 Ejae sings her first song41:37 Sponsor Spotlight: NMPA42:18 Sponsor Spotlight: Splice14:45 Discipline, pressure, and identity23:20 Being let go by the system26:19 The truth about the K-Pop system30:40 Rebuilding in isolation39:15 Discovering songwriting as power50:00 K-Pop's ultimate evaluation: Auditioning to debut50:37 Ejae's rejection and rock bottom... and the pivot that would change everything56:10 Global songs & delayed recognition1:00:00 How she wrote her first songs1:04:00 Writing her first song for film1:07:00 Writing 'Psycho' for Red Velvet at her first session1:13:00 K-Pop vs Pop music... And the reference to 'Psycho'1:14:00 K-Pop Demon Hunters1:20:00 The story behind 'Golden'1:26:00 The original 'Golden' voice memo...1:30:00 The process of co-writing the songs for K-Pop Demon HuntersHosted by Ross GolanProduced by Joe London & Jad SaadCreative Directed by Jad SaadPost-Production VFX by Pratik KarkiWatercolor Art by Michael White Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 create music that connects survivors.His latest album, Odyssey, is a cinematic journey through heartbreak, recovery, and the sessions that saved his life.And The Writer Is... Illenium!In this episode of And The Writer Is…, Nick Miller (Illenium) opens up about:* Moving every two years as a kid and never having roots* Falling into opiates at 15 and hitting bottom by 2011* Moving to Denver alone and getting sober at 21* The Good Things Fall Apart session (and demo)* How music saved his life entirelyand 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 at @andthewriterisA 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 Intro1:00 Childhood and Moving Every Two Years5:00 Getting Into Music Through Tiesto's Album6:30 The Electronic Artist That Inspires Industry Musicians9:00 Getting Sober—His Rough Patch in 201110:00 Escapism and Addiction12:30 The Wilderness Program That Saved His Life16:30 Getting Lost in Music and How He Learned to Create17:30 Illenium's Roots18:00 Learning From Other Producers and YouTube20:00 Thinking of Sound as a Picture21:00 World Building and Finding His Brand… and His Purpose23:00 Ross Opens Up on How Music Saved Him24:00 The Personality Trait All Successful Creatives Have26:00 How He Popped Off31:00 Working With Unknown Artists and How He Picks Them33:00 How to Find Your Sound34:30 NMPA and Splice Midroll41:00 Touring—The Downs After a Show44:00 Good Things Fall Apart47:00 Collaboration in DJ Culture49:00 Why He Doesn't Chase Big Songs54:24 COVID1:13:00 Gaming on Tour1:17:00 Good Things Fall Apart DemoHosted by Ross GolanProduced by Joe London and Jad SaadCreative Direction by Jad SaadPost-Production VFX by Pratik KarkiGuest Watercolor Art by Michael White Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 really takes to stay relevant across multiple eras, why authenticity always wins, and how he went from a Berklee kid living in his manager's parents' house to becoming one of the most trusted voices in pop music.We talk about:- The hardest years of his career- The real batting rate of the best songwriters- Meeting Sabrina Carpenter and Teddy Swims- Working with One Direction and losing Liam- Gems upon GEMS for up and coming musicians, songwriters, and producersand a special live performance of some of his biggest hits.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:00:00 Intro: John Ryan02:30 How John Got Into the Music Industry06:30 Songs from Eighth Grade & Writing Early10:30 Writing Like a Kid Again (The Picasso Effect)13:00 Berklee, Pro Tools & Learning the Craft17:00 How Many Songs Actually Make It Out?19:30 Maroon 5’s “Cold”21:30 Niall Horan: From One Direction to Solo Artist24:15 The Lowest Point of His Career26:00 The Realization That Saved Him28:00 Meeting Teddy Swims & Sabrina Carpenter31:00 Social Media, Virality & “I Don’t Have That on My Phone”33:30 Writing “Heaven” with Niall Horan34:00 Sabrina Carpenter’s “Feather”36:00 Stop Chasing Numbers. Start Betting on People38:00 Co-Writing with Amy Allen41:56 How John Ryan Produces Songs44:50 Country Music & Expanding Taste47:20 Liam Payne51:03 Olivia Dean – “So Easy to Fall in Love”56:45 John Ryan’s Take on Collaboration58:50 Writing “Tears” with Sabrina Carpenter59:40 Managing Life, Energy & Relationships1:02:01 “Steal My Girl” & “Night Changes” Should’ve Been Bigger1:04:52 Choosing Great People Over “Sure Things”1:07:00 John Plays & Sings His Hits1:20:00 Why 10,000 Hours Isn’t Enough1:21:06 GEM: Ruthlessly A/B Your Music to Get BetterHosted by Ross GolanProduced by Joe London and Jad SaadEdited by Jad SaadPost-Production VFX by Pratik Karki Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 off The power of branding and how he did it (and why you have to, to) Breaking scenes before they’re acceptable Burning out, disappearing, and rebuilding without chasing relevance Why instinct beats public approval every single time And the reality of turning risk into influence and underground energy into global impact This episode is for anyone building anything. Thank you for listeningA 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 00:00 – Diplo Is Here 01:02 – Episode Intro 01:45 – AI, Sora, and the Future 03:18 – How Diplo Uses AI in Music 06:15 – Using Prompts to Produce 07:44 – How Diplo Got Into Music 10:32 – How Ross and Diplo Met 14:05 – Life as a World-Touring DJ 16:04 – Dr. Luke Signed Me to Steal My Drums 16:36 – Diplo’s Origin Story 17:13 – Riff Raff, Culture, and Being Hated 18:43 – Making “Where Are Ü Now” 20:04 – Creating Jack Ü with Skrillex 21:37 – Orlando DJ Gigs to Philadelphia 24:33 – First Session with Vybz Kartel 27:23 – Branding, the Internet, and Selling Mixtapes 35:01 – The Story of “Paper Planes” (M.I.A.) 36:44 – How to Find Success in Music 37:57 – NMPA + Splice (Sponsors) 39:25 – “Climax” and Finding His Strengths 43:54 – Why He Started Mad Decent 46:41 – Learning Music and the Birth of Major Lazer 49:30 – The Story of “Lean On” 53:04 – Diplo’s Cheat Code for Creating Fearlessly 54:06 – Country Music 55:28 – “Heartless” and Morgan Wallen 56:19 – Collaborator Rapid Fire 1:00:28 – Diplo’s Branding Advice 1:03:32 – Charli XCX 1:05:00 – How He Doesn’t Lose Himself on Tour 1:06:59 – Nothing Is Perfect. Everything Gets Better. 1:07:19 – Diplo’s Run Club 1:08:00 – Diplo’s Final Advice Hosted by Ross Golan Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad Post Production by Pratik Karki Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 footingThe quiet flaw baked into today’s music industry — and the one trait he’s seen in every truly exceptional artistLoyalty over leverage — and why relationships still matterAdvocating for artists when you already have a seat at the tableLearning as you go without pretending you have it all figured outThis one is grounded and essential for anyone trying to build something that actually lasts.A special thank you to our sponsors... Our lead sponsor, NMPA aka the National Music Publisher's Association. Your support means the world to us!And  @splice  the  best sample library on the market, period.Chapters0:00:00 Teaser 0:02:37 What FINNEAS Would Change About the Music Industr0:07:40 “What Do You Do?” Identity & Being Multihyphenate0:08:54 Why taste beats momentum 0:10:51 FINNEAS & Ashe 0:12:51 From Workaholism to Efficiency0:14:17 Tools, Shortcuts & Speed in the Studio0:16:13 Him and Billie and Their Creative Differences0:20:11 Stage Fright, SNL & Performing Under Pressure 0:24:23 Writing Songs for Film vs Albums0:27:49 Writing “What Was I Made For?0:30:46 Writing Honest Lyrics in LA:0:32:48 Parenting, Legacy & Keeping Ego Out of the House0:36:42 Creativity and Parenting0:38:47 Homeschooling, Childhood & Creative Freedom0:41:46 Make your kids work with adults0:44:42 When You're Inspired... Collaborate With Your Influences0:46:30 Artists FINNEAS Would Love to Work With0:48:46 How Not to Chase Trends: Why reference points should be old, weird, and far away 0:50:02 NMPA Ad0:50:42 Splice Ad0:51:30 Favorite Albums to Listen to Deeply0:53:06 Writing with Billie, Honesty, Family & Creative Trust0:55:55 Claudia, Love, Partnership & Sustaining Ambition1:00:37 The 20% Rule1:02:00 The 'Lowest Point of His Career' and His Personal Victory From It1:04:57 Separating Your Work From Your Worth1:06:00 The Barometer of Success For A Solo Artist1:06:40 Doing The Apple TV Sound1:08:14 Not Comparing His Success With Billie, New Album, Knowing When to Pivot1:11:04 Repeating Success... Birds of a Feather, Taste as a Long-Term Advantage1:15:00 Signing Writers1:17:55 Why Some Artists Plateau1:21:11 Publishing Deals, Reversion, and Leverage.. Bad Deals with Good People and Good Deals with Bad People1:24:33 Avoiding burnout in a high-output career 1:28:01 Writing 'Lonely' for Justin Bieber with Benny Blanco1:31:14 Aging in the Industry... Collaborating with Ashe1:39:08 Big Songs On Deluxe Albums1:42:50 Writing for Prompts and Film1:45:01 What Still Excites Him About Music1:43:41 Are You Happy?1:52:37 Separating The Art From The Artist1:51:58 Building something that lasts without losing yourselfHosted by Ross GolanProduced by Joe London and Jad SaadEdit by Jad SaadPost Production by Pratik Karki Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is the producer behind some of the biggest songs of the last 15 years — from “Wrecking Ball,” “Timber,” and “Dark Horse” to early records with The Weeknd and Britney Spears.From teaching himself production on cracked software and vinyl turntables… to going on a run of genre-defining hits.And the writer is… Cirkut!In this episode, he opens up about his early grind, the moment Britney cut his beat, his first sessions in LA, working alongside Max Martin and Dr. Luke, and the mindset that helped him go from unknown kid with an MPC to one of the most important producers in modern pop.A special thank you to our sponsors...Our lead sponsor, NMPA aka the National Music Publisher's Association.Your support means the world to us!And @splice -- the best sample library on the market, period.00:00 — Intro: Who is Cirkut?00:04:37 — Early music influences: hip-hop, DJ culture00:05:49 — Discovering DJ gear & beat manipulation00:07:55 — First exposure to FruityLoops & early production00:10:24 — DJ’ing pep rallies with vinyl00:12:36 — Applying early skills later for Lady Gaga00:14:14 — Skipping audio classes to make beats00:16:46 — Early Drake encounter in Toronto00:18:40 — How the name “Cirkut” was born00:21:35 — How a CD of his beats got to Britney Spears00:22:10 — First big cut: Britney’s “Papi”00:23:01 — Discovering electronic music & the blog era00:23:49 — Learning from Masterkraft (the MySpace era)00:33:00 — Working with The Weeknd on “High For This”00:33:57 — Recognizing Abel’s early greatness00:35:06 — Moving to LA & hustling through the rat race00:38:49 — What finally got him out of the rat race00:39:33 — The call from Dr. Luke00:41:11 — The Flo Rida / Levels / Good Feeling near-miss00:42:37 — Losing a big cut overnight00:43:19 — When the hits start stacking: “Where Have You Been,” “Wrecking Ball,” “Timber”00:44:48 — The thing he brought that cut through the noise00:47:18 — What it’s like creating with Max Martin00:49:36 — Winning Producer of the Year (Junos)00:50:17 — When Cirkut realized he belonged at the top00:52:04 — Why his ego is different00:53:15 — His quiet superpower in the room00:55:45 — Ad: NMPA + ⁨@splice⁩  00:57:00 — The importance of speed00:59:00 — Secret sauce... Knowing his sounds and blind listening01:02:00 — Keeping production organic 01:03:57 — The Weeknd01:12:10 — Ross' funny Pitbull / Cirkut story01:13:03 — Cirkut's secret to success01:14:00 — 'Unholy' Sam Smith01:18:54 — Jung Kook, 'Seven' with Jon Bellion / Theron Thomas01:21:00 — Charli XCX01:22:00 — 'APT' and Bruno's 'Stank'01:30:56 — Lady Gaga + Watt01:42:30 — Production advice. Figure out what you're great atHosted by Ross GolanProduced by Joe London and Jad SaadWatercolor by Michael White Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.