Rapsody - Afeni

Alanis Morissette fought tooth and nail for a career in a male-dominated industry. She explains how writing her hit song You Oughta Know helped her work through issues of depression, anger and disillusionment.

Robyn is the queen of reinvention. From an overworked prodigy to a seasoned pop giant, she redefined what success could mean for female popstars. She discusses her song With Every Heartbeat and her well-earned artistic freedom.

Not every R&B album draws comparison to the Beatles’ Sgt. Peppers, but Thundercat’s charm and appeal defies genre. In this episode, he breaks down his song Dragonball Durag and the universal power of humor.

Singer and cellist Kelsey Lu revels in change. In this episode, she walks through the creation of her newest song, the importance of embracing growth and the singular joy of surprising yourself.

Run The Jewels boasts one of the most prolific partnerships in rap. Killer Mike and EI-P reflect on a key touchstone in their origin story, A Christmas F***ing Miracle, and how they learned the art of vulnerability.

Patti Smith made a career by staying true to herself and her art, especially in the face of backlash. In this episode, the ‘punk poet laureate’ explains why her song Pissing In The River is the perfect case study.

The driving force behind Rapsody’s creativity has always been championing Black women. She shares how her song Afeni, the ultimate love letter to Black women, represents the culmination of her artistic vision.

Art is a powerful tool – it can bridge connections, provide catharsis and even make you cry. No one knows this better than Joe Talbot. In this episode, he shares how writing his song 1049 Gotho was an exercise in empathy.

David Byrne, former Talking Heads frontman, found his voice by venturing outside his comfort zone. He shares how a love of Latin music led to his genre-breaking song, Loco de Amor, and his own personal musical liberation.

From concepting to songwriting, making something new isn’t always straightforward. Host Shirley Manson and acclaimed musicians take stock of the moment in their careers that solidified their artistic identity.