The Song Saloon | Songwriting, Live Performance, & New Music Discovery Jordan Smith Reynolds

Today's episode features Kat Sophia! Kat Sophia is an Orange County / LA based artist. We talk about her journey in overcoming her "people pleaser" mentality and cultural blocks to pursuing a career as an artist. 

00:00 Introduction to the Song Saloon
00:34 Kat Sophia's Musical Journey
01:49 The Story Behind 'Fade Away'
10:10 Songwriting Process and Inspiration
16:12 Overcoming Personal and Cultural Barriers in Music
20:09 Community and Affirmation
28:10 Exploring Self-Indulgence and Connection Through Art
33:44 Kat Sophia's Production Experience and Future Plans
42:47 Closing Thoughts and Goodbyes
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This episode of the Song Saloon features Mike McClellan, a Burbank-based songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. McClellan shares insights into his approach to songwriting as a music producer, and why he writes while working so heavily in production. He discusses the impact of working on his song 'The Afterlife,' a piece inspired by the pandemic, highlighting the new life it took on post pandemic with its abstract and universal themes. Mike and Jordan exchange thoughts on the lyricism, melody, and the process of song creation, including working with unusual time signatures. We also chat about the shortcomings of streaming platforms, detailing Mike's experience with his music being removed from Spotify due to bot-generated streams and the lack of support from distribution and streaming companies. They conclude with a discussion on the importance of building genuine connections with an audience beyond streaming numbers. This episode offers a look into the complexities of modern songwriting, production, and navigating the digital music landscape.


00:00 Welcome to the Song Saloon: Introducing Mike McClellan
00:27 Getting to Know Mike: the Masterful Multifaceted Musician
01:18 Balancing Songwriting and Production
04:28 Exploring the Abstract in Songwriting
05:51 Lyrics in 'The Afterlife'
07:44 Live Performance
11:04 Song Structure
19:40 Exploring Musical Influences and Time Signatures
20:35 "Comfortable" Writing Music
21:42 The Maya Principle: Balancing Novelty and Comfort
32:12 Building Your Fanbase
37:58 Final Thoughts and Future Projects

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Listen to "The Afterlife" on Spotify
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This episode is with incredible Kent, England raised Los Angeles based artist named Georgia Parker on her song "Twin Flame." "Twin Flame" is a single off her upcoming album this year!

Georgia's bio:
Los Angeles based songwriter and storyteller from Kent, England, Georgia Parker places an emphasis on powerful vocal performances and poignant lyricism to draw out an emotive response from her listener. She has been releasing music and performing around the US since moving to the States at 18. Her unique tone and emotive delivery have proved to set her apart as an artist, akin to legends such as Joni Mitchell and Alanis Morrisette. She is currently finishing up an album to be released next year.

This is one of my favorite live performances to ever grace the podcast, you don't want to miss it!

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Listen to Twin Flame on Spotify



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In this episode of the Song Saloon, we explore the songwriting process and inspirations with indie pop singer-songwriter Casey Conroy, originally from Orlando, Florida. Casey discusses her journey in the music industry, her approach to songwriting, and the story behind her song 'Glad You Hate Me.' We talk about Casey's collaborative relationship with her partner and producer Willy, the importance of being authentic in the creative process, and staying emotionally connected to music through writing & recording. 
Listen to "Glad You Hate Me"
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Inside Story: The Making of 'Rest of My Life' by Jacob Khalil

New York based artist Jacob Khalil discusses his song, 'Rest of My Life', explaining that it was created with the intent of engaging audiences in a sing-along during live performances, much like The Beatles' 'Hey Jude'. He also shares insights into the song's development and production, which included collaboration with a Los Angeles-based producer, Jacob Sigmund. Jacob Khalil discusses the extensive touring plans he has coming up and his emphasis on building a contactable fan base through an ever changing social media climate.

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Listen to "Rest of My Life"

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:28 Discussing Previous Podcast and Live Performance
01:22 Introduction to 'Rest of My Life'
01:29 The Inspiration and Creation of 'Rest of My Life'
02:33 Engaging the Audience and the Power of Sing-along
05:07 The Magic of Timeless Songs
07:31 Live Performance of 'Rest of My Life'
11:46 Post-Performance Discussion and Reflection
13:21 The Production Process of 'Rest of My Life'
16:47 The Importance of Loving Your Work
18:28 The Value of Personal Connection and Email Lists
20:02 Closing Remarks and New York Vibes
20:29 New Year's Eve Experience in Times Square
21:19 The Energy of Crowds and Shared Experiences
21:42 New Year's Gigs
21:55 Songwriting Process and Inspiration
23:23 The Evolution of a Song's Hook
24:25 The Struggle of Choosing the Right Melody
28:06 The Importance of Authenticity in Songwriting
29:05 The Journey to Finding One's Unique Sound
33:26 The Quest for Authenticity in Music
33:34 Upcoming Performances and Projects
35:51 Closing Remarks and Goodbyes
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Meet Fresh Hot Waffles, the witchiest folk duo in the west! Fresh Hot Waffles consists of LA based artists Maddi Fraser and Ryan Spitzel.

In this episode, the duo dives into their songwriting process and talk about how to stay inspired as a songwriter, and where they find inspiration. The discussion ranges from the challenges of writing upbeat songs, the influence of improv comedy and emotional experiences in lyric writing, and how to put the witchy in witchy folk!
 
'Monsters Aren't Scary' is about choosing life and love over our shortcomings. Be on the lookout for their new EP this year!!

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00:00 Introduction
00:35 Meet the Band: Fresh Hot Waffles
01:31 Discussing the Song 'Monsters Aren't Scary'
03:44 Songwriting Process and Evolution
04:58 Live Performance: Monsters Aren't Scary
07:39 Post-Performance Discussion and Musical Influences
10:21 Balancing Projects and Band Commitments
12:55 The Band's Formation and Songwriting Collaboration
19:40 Future Plans and Touring Aspirations
25:34 Navigating Creative Blocks and Performance Anxiety
28:33 Song Inspiration and Writing Techniques
29:36 The Power of Community in Music
29:56 WRITING LYRICS
30:34 The Influence of Joni Mitchell
31:56 The Art of Songwriting
33:40 The Emotional Journey of a Songwriter
34:00 The Challenge of Writing Upbeat Songs
37:58 Emotions in Songwriting
42:15 The Story Behind 'Monsters Aren't Scary'
46:21 The Artwork of 'Monsters Aren't Scary'
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