And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan

• Ep. 229: Zedd | Inside the Mind Behind a Decade of Anthems

  Today's guest went from making songs on a floppy-disk keyboard, sampling off a Kellogg’s cereal box DAW, and sending blind MySpace messages… to producing the some of the biggest crossover dance anthems of the last decade. And The Writer Is... Zedd!What makes this conversation special isn’t just the hits — it’s how brutally honest he is about the craft, the obsession, and the unexpected moments that built his career.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.Chapters:0:00:00 – Teaser 0:01:06 – Welcome & Episode Intro 35:58 – Zedd on Never Thinking He’d Be Successful 25:41 – Growing Up Poor & Studying One Album a Month 18:01 – The Kellogg’s DAW That Started Everything 15:33 – Learning Music on a 16-Track Floppy-Disk Keyboard 30:44 – Why He Thought EDM Was a Joke at First 38:12 – The Skrillex MySpace Story That Changed His Life 31:25 – Finding His Sound Through Curiosity & Obsession 47:14 – The “Lightning Moment” Behind Clarity 59:34 – Being Wrong More Often Than Right 1:03:03 – Why Most Music Feels the Same Today 1:03:37 – Extraordinary vs. Average: What Listeners Actually Feel 1:00:08 – “All I’m Doing Is Chasing a Feeling” 56:26 – The Chaos Behind Making The Middle 1:00:47 – Realizing the Scale of His Own Success 28:23 – What It Takes to Stay Inspired 6:48 – The Creative Principles He Still Lives By 41:22 – The Fastest Way for Artists to Get Noticed 1:05:23 – Zedd’s Final Advice for Musicians 1:07:19 – Closing ThoughtsHosted by Ross GolanProduced by Joe London and Jad SaadWatercolor by Michael White Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Ep. 228: Hit-Boy | Success, Betrayal, & The Stories Behind Hip-Hop’s Biggest Anthems

  Today’s guest has rewired modern hip-hop. His fingerprints live all over the last decade but the real story behind that success is far more human, painful, and transformative than the headlines ever show. In this conversation, he opens up about the highs and lows of being a producer in hip-hop: the pressure, the politics, the contracts, the moments that nearly broke him, and the breakthroughs that almost didn’t happen. He also shares the lessons shaped by fatherhood, betrayal, and real perseverance — all while creating some of the most important and culture-defining music of our time. And The Writer Is... Hitboy! 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. Chapter list 0:00 TEASER 1:20 Ross’ Intro2:02 Fatherhood and Being a Full-Time Dad 5:12 Parenting, Hoops, and What His Son Really Loves 6:29 The Humbling Reality Check: Kids Don’t Care About Your Hits 7:29 Growing Up Between Pasadena & San Bernardino 8:34 Seeing His Uncle’s Success & Wanting to Be on TV 9:35 Falling in Love With Beat Programming 10:12 Learning to Write & Rap at 13 11:23 Selling His First Beat for $20 at 16 12:24 MySpace Era: The Birth of “Hit-Boy” 13:09 First Major Betrayal: Partner Gets Signed Behind His Back 15:01 Advice to His Younger Self: Patience & Self-Belief 15:23 Building Early Industry Relationships Through MySpace 16:13 First Time Inside a Real Studio (The Underdogs) 17:39 The Underworld of LA Sessions & A Young Hit-Boy Watching Greats 18:44 First Major Placement: Jennifer Lopez 19:06 Providing for His Mom With His First Checks 19:27 Growing Up Without a Present Father 20:22 His Dad’s Return & Going on a Run Together 22:04 How Fatherhood Changed His Time, Focus & Creativity 23:27 Recording Nas: The Hidden Role People Don’t See 24:57 Getting His First Publishing Deal (And the 18-Year Lock-In) 28:02 Staying Current: “I Update My Software Every Day” 28:21 First Big Hit: Drop The World Lil Wayne & Eminem 29:47 Why He Used to Clash With Kanye 32:00 The ‘N*****s in Paris’ Moment (Language Question + Setup) 33:35 First Song With Kanye: The Christmas Track 34:12 Making Music With Kanye, Jay-Z & the Good Music Family 35:40 Hearing 'Paris' for the First Time in the Planetarium 36:32 Realizing the Song Was Going to Be a Cultural Earthquake 38:23 Big Sean, Executive Production & Sharpening His Ear 39:09 How Drake Found the ‘Trophies’ Beat 39:52 Stripping Beats Down to Let Artists Shine 40:33 When to Stop Producing: The Minimalism Lesson 41:38 Depression, Contracts & Losing the Relationship With Drake 42:57 The Pain of ‘Trophies’ Not Making Drake’s Album 43:13 What His Publishing Deal Held Him Back From 44:22 Working From a Place of Fear vs. Freedom 45:01 Working With Beyoncé (Excellence at Every Level) 46:22 The Story of ‘THIQUE’: An 8-Year-Old Beat Comes Back to Life 46:39 Why Old Beats Deserve Second Lives 47:57 The Making of Sicko Mode & Travis Scott’s Explosion 48:20 The Greatest Timing Ever: Streaming, Social Media, Travis 49:00 The Long Journey of Sicko Mode (2016 → 2018) 50:13 Are Producers Songwriters? The Eternal Debate 51:30 Nipsey Hussle: Early Sessions & Mutual Respect 53:53 Nipsey Claims the Song: “I Need This for My Project” Hosted by Ross Golan Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Ep. 227: Ryan Tedder pt.4 | The Modern Music Economy, A.I. and The Future, and How to Win

  Today's guest is a familiar face... A friend to the podcast and one of the most successful and influential creators in music history.He isn’t just a hitmaker. He's perhaps one of the few people in the history of music to have hits as a songwriter, artist, and producer... completely aside from one another across genres.And The Writer Is... Ryan Tedder!In this episode, he breaks down:🎯 Why the middle class of music is disappearing🎯 How splits, streaming, and AI are reshaping the game🎯 The mindset you need to survive as an artist today🎯 What real creative value looks like in 2025 and beyondThis one isn’t just inspiring — It’s essential listening for anyone who wants to last in music..A special thank you to our sponsors... Our lead sponsor, NMPA, the National Music Publisher's Association.Your support means the world to us!And Splice -- the best sample library on the market.Hosted by Ross Golan Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• 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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