The Other 22 Hours

Michaela Anne, Aaron Shafer-Haiss
  • 4.9 (70)
  • Music Interviews
  • Updated Weekly

An exploration of the creative life, lived in the in-between. A sanctuary for the creative spirit in a results-obsessed world. Moving beyond the highlight reel, hosts and working musicians Aaron Shafer-Haiss and Michaela Anne facilitate intimate, artist-to-artist conversations with renowned musicians, authors, visual artists and actors about the grit required to sustain a life in the arts. From navigating doubt to finding stillness, this is the reality of the work. Unfiltered.

  1. 4d ago

    Jim James on the illusion of arrival, healing the internal workhorse, and alien-mandated therapy.

    As the frontman of Grammy-nominated rock band My Morning Jacket, Jim James has spent decades at the center of new alternative. His long list of achievements includes a solo catalog of five studio albums, recording as part of the supergroup Monsters of Folk, and producing artists such as Ray LaMontagne, S.G. Goodman and Basia Bulat. Yet, beneath these accomplishments was an exhausting cycle of perfectionism and self-loathing fueled by the quiet fear that rest equals irrelevance. In this tender and expansive conversation, Jim explores what happened when he stopped trying to outrun his own shadow. He reflects on four years of sobriety, the transformative nature of EMDR and parts work therapy, learning to dance with his creative muse rather than whip the workhorse, and why reclaiming true creative vitality starts by making peace with the human being inside. In This Episode: Jim James My Morning Jacket Iris DeMent Grateful Dead Kurt Cobain Nina Simone Wowed OutBrian Reitzell Brendan O'Brien Carl Broemel Bo Koster Billie Eilish Kane Parsons The BackroomsHollywood Bowl Bob Weir Ep 80 - John Moreland ManKind Project Mister Rogers Go Deeper: Watch: View this entire conversation on YouTube.Explore: Find similar conversations in these themed playlists.Connect: Join the conversation on Instagram.The Hosts: The Other 22 Hours is hosted by Aaron Shafer-Haiss (Producer/Mixer) and Michaela Anne (Songwriter/Creative Coach). More about Aaron’s work.More about Michaela Anne’s work.Credits:  Produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Original music written, performed and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Part of the Bluegrass Situation Podcast Network.

    Jim James on the illusion of arrival, healing the internal workhorse, and alien-mandated therapy.

  2. Sep 2

    Brandy Clark on standing out, surviving self doubt, and friendship bracelets.

    We are often sold the myth that success cures insecurity. Brandy Clark joins us to unravel that narrative. Named one of the '"30 Greatest Living Songwriters" earlier this year by the New York Times, she is also a Grammy-winning artist who has placed her songs with Kacey Musgraves, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban and Reba McEntire. In addition, she is the co-writer of the Tony Award-winning musical Shucked. In this beautiful conversation, originally aired in November 2024, she opens up about her fifteen-year journey to a breakthrough, the courage it takes to be a gay woman in country music, and the importance of only staying in rooms where you feel like a genius. In This Episode: Brandy ClarkCyndi FormanDave BrainardShucked MusicalEp 60 - Lori McKennaJessie Jo DillanEp 43 - Gretchen PetersEp 46 - Mary Chapin CarpenterKieth UrbanDwight YokamBrandi CarlisleShangri-La StudioShane McAnallyk.d.langEp 126 - Chely WrightEp 97 - Fancy Hagood Go Deeper: Watch: View this entire conversation on YouTube.Explore: Find similar conversations in these themed playlists.Connect: Join the conversation on Instagram.The Hosts: The Other 22 Hours is hosted by Aaron Shafer-Haiss (Producer/Mixer) and Michaela Anne (Songwriter/Creative Coach). More about Aaron’s work.More about Michaela Anne’s work.Credits:  Produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Original music written, performed and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Part of the Bluegrass Situation Podcast Network.

    Brandy Clark on standing out, surviving self doubt, and friendship bracelets.

  3. Aug 26

    Maggie Smith on self trust, moving beyond scarcity, and name-brand cereal.

    What if the messiness of life isn’t an obstacle to making art, but the very material itself? In this reissued conversation from our archives, we sit down with New York Times bestselling poet and author Maggie Smith (Good Bones, Dear Writer). Together, we explore what happens when you dismantle the dividing wall between art and everyday life, the discipline of staying in solitude rather than catering to an audience, and how learning to trust your own instincts becomes the ultimate safety net for a sustainable creative life. In This Episode: Maggie Smith“Dear Writer: Pep Talks & Practical Advice for the Creative Life”“My Thoughts Have Wings”"For Dear Life" - Maggie's SubstackLucinda WilliamsJoan Didion - The Center Will Not Hold documentaryJane Goodall“Good Bones”Jim Carrey commencement speechTara BrachStanley Plumly Go Deeper: Watch: View this entire conversation on YouTube.Explore: Find similar conversations in these themed playlists.Connect: Join the conversation on Instagram.The Hosts: The Other 22 Hours is hosted by Aaron Shafer-Haiss (Producer/Mixer) and Michaela Anne (Songwriter/Creative Coach). More about Aaron’s work.More about Michaela Anne’s work.Credits:  Produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Original music written, performed and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Part of the Bluegrass Situation Podcast Network.

    Maggie Smith on self trust, moving beyond scarcity, and name-brand cereal.

  4. Aug 19

    Rodney Crowell on letting go of recognition, 40-year songs, and talking to trees.

    With two Grammy Awards, 15 number-one singles, and a songwriting catalog recorded by legends like Emmylou Harris, Bob Seger, and Waylon Jennings, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Rodney Crowell stands as one of Americana's most enduring icons. Yet, after 50 years in Nashville, Rodney’s relationship to his craft is grounded not in recognition, but in the quiet, daily act of showing up. In this conversation from 2023, Rodney reflects on the early years of roaming Nashville alongside Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt to evolving past the need for applause, the spiritual discipline of 7-day vision quests, and why a song can take 40 years to finally tell you what it wants to be. In This Episode: Rodney CrowellJedd HughesMarty StuartJD Miller's Recording StudioWilburn BrothersEmmylou HarrisGuy ClarkMickey NewburyBob Seger Go Deeper: Watch: View this entire conversation on YouTube.Explore: Find similar conversations in these themed playlists.Connect: Join the conversation on Instagram. The Hosts: The Other 22 Hours is hosted by Aaron Shafer-Haiss (Producer/Mixer) and Michaela Anne (Songwriter/Creative Coach). More about Aaron’s work.More about Michaela Anne’s work. Credits:  Produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Original music written, performed and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Part of the Bluegrass Situation Podcast Network.

    Rodney Crowell on letting go of recognition, 40-year songs, and talking to trees.

  5. Aug 12

    Mary Gauthier on the business mindset of an artist, art as recovery, and owning a clam shack.

    GRAMMY-nominated songwriter and author Mary Gauthier, whose songs have been recorded by everyone from Tim McGraw and Blake Shelton to Boy George and Jimmy Buffett, joins us for a deeply resonant exploration of life, survival, and craft. Starting her songwriting journey at age 40 after a successful career as a chef and restaurant owner, Mary offers a deeply grounded perspective on what it means to build a long-haul artistic life. Originally aired in August 2023 as Episode 27, we are revisiting this favorite conversation from our archive to unpack her 33-year journey in recovery, the necessity of patience in art and persistence in business, and how songwriting serves as a container for processing trauma and bridging human divides. In This Episode: Mary GauthierSongwriting With Soldiers 'Saved by a Song: The Art and Healing Power of Songwriting'Ep 152 - Matraca BergEp 43 - Gretchen PetersBeth Nielsen ChapmanLiz RosePatty GriffinNeko Case Go Deeper: Watch: View this entire conversation on YouTube.Explore: Find similar conversations in these themed playlists.Connect: Join the conversation on Instagram.The Hosts: The Other 22 Hours is hosted by Aaron Shafer-Haiss (Producer/Mixer) and Michaela Anne (Songwriter/Creative Coach). More about Aaron’s work.More about Michaela Anne’s work.Credits:  Produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Original music written, performed and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Part of the Bluegrass Situation Podcast Network.

    Mary Gauthier on the business mindset of an artist, art as recovery, and owning a clam shack.

  6. Aug 5

    Ruby Amanfu on guarding your creative energy force field, the illusion of major-label financials, and cooking dinner for Willie Nelson.

    This week, we dive into our archives for this special reissue of our conversation with GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter, producer, activist, and chef Ruby Amanfu. Known for her profound collaborations with H.E.R., Brandi Carlile, Alicia Keys, and Beyoncé, Ruby has navigated the highest peaks of the music industry while fiercely protecting her inner peace. In this episode, we explore the structural collisions that force us to speak our truth, the reality of reclaiming your identity outside of financial validation, and what happens when we finally release our death grip on how we thought our lives would look. In This Episode: Ruby AmanfuSam and RubyPorter’s CallAndy LittleMusiCaresLee Ann WomackWillie NelsonLove Rising Concert Go Deeper: Watch: View this entire conversation on YouTube.Explore: Find similar conversations in these themed playlists.Connect: Join the conversation on Instagram.The Hosts: The Other 22 Hours is hosted by Aaron Shafer-Haiss (Producer/Mixer) and Michaela Anne (Songwriter/Creative Coach). More about Aaron’s work.More about Michaela Anne’s work.Credits:  Produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Original music written, performed and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Part of the Bluegrass Situation Podcast Network.

    Ruby Amanfu on guarding your creative energy force field, the illusion of major-label financials, and cooking dinner for Willie Nelson.

  7. Jul 29

    Yancey Strickler on artist power, interdependent networks, and a zip file worth thousands.

    What happens when creative people stop looking for a seat at the table and build a table of their own? For generations society has treated an artist's life as an economic sideline, a romanticized piecemeal struggle. Today, we are witnessing a structural revolution. With Colorado recently passing the nation's first Artist Corporation legislation (the Colorado Artist Company Act) in June 2026, we are reissuing our definitive conversation with the architect of that very movement, Yancey Strickler. As the co-founder of Kickstarter, Metalabel, and the Artist Corporations Foundation, Yancey has dedicated his life to equipping creators with the structural tools to act as real entrepreneurs. In this expansive conversation, we trace the line between blue-collar artistry and private equity, explore why the industry trades meaning for convenience, and look closely at how interdependent networks can finally break the cycle of artistic exploitation. In This Episode: Yancey StricklerA-CorpsColorado Legislation, June 2026MetaLabelThe Creative IndependentHipgnosisNirvanaThe Royal Alberta AdvantageEp 68 - Evan Honer“All The King’s Men”Virgil AblohBentoismCS Lewis - “The Inner Ring” Go Deeper: Watch: View this entire conversation on YouTube.Explore: Find similar conversations in these themed playlists.Connect: Join the conversation on Instagram.The Hosts: The Other 22 Hours is hosted by Aaron Shafer-Haiss (Producer/Mixer) and Michaela Anne (Songwriter/Creative Coach). More about Aaron’s work.More about Michaela Anne’s work.Credits:  Produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Original music written, performed and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Part of the Bluegrass Situation Podcast Network.

    Yancey Strickler on artist power, interdependent networks, and a zip file worth thousands.

  8. Jul 22

    Hrishikesh Hirway on creative wholeness, strategic dilettantism, and surrendering to sandpaper.

    We often treat our creative identities like lanes, fearing that branching out looks like simple dilettantism. This week, we explore the delicate balance of identity and creative output with singer-songwriter Hrishikesh Hirway, the brilliant mind behind hit podcasts The West Wing Weekly and Home Cooking, as well as the globally-acclaimed Netflix series and podcast 'Song Exploder,' which features the likes of Paul McCartney, Billie Eilish, REM, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Despite a decade of monumental success in the podcast and broadcast worlds, Hrishikesh found himself battling a quiet, profound depression born from leaving his primary identity as a singer-songwriter behind. He recently returned to music with his first album in 15 years and joins us for a beautifully tender conversation on breaking through a 10-year writer's block, navigating the vulnerability of cold-calling collaborators, and learning to sit comfortably within a "queer divine dissatisfaction." In This Episode: Hrishikesh HirwaySong Exploder (Podcast / Netflix Series) Alison Russell Linda Ronstadt Talking Heads The Band The Grateful Dead Bob Dylan Phil Weinrobe Ep 117 - Maia FriedmanJeff Tweedy - How to Write One Song (Book) Carl Jung / Depth Psychology The West Wing Weekly (Podcast) Home Cooking (Podcast) Samin Nosrat Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat (Book) Josh Malina Allison Janney Jenny Owen Youngs Yep Roc Records John Mark Nelson Matt Ross Spang (Memphis TED Talk) Agnes de Mille Martha Graham Go Deeper: Watch: View this entire conversation on YouTube.Explore: Find similar conversations in these themed playlists.Connect: Join the conversation on Instagram. The Hosts: The Other 22 Hours is hosted by Aaron Shafer-Haiss (Producer/Mixer) and Michaela Anne (Songwriter/Creative Coach). More about Aaron’s work.More about Michaela Anne’s work. Credits:  Produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Original music written, performed and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Part of the Bluegrass Situation Podcast Network.

    Hrishikesh Hirway on creative wholeness, strategic dilettantism, and surrendering to sandpaper.
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4.9
out of 5
70 Ratings

About

An exploration of the creative life, lived in the in-between. A sanctuary for the creative spirit in a results-obsessed world. Moving beyond the highlight reel, hosts and working musicians Aaron Shafer-Haiss and Michaela Anne facilitate intimate, artist-to-artist conversations with renowned musicians, authors, visual artists and actors about the grit required to sustain a life in the arts. From navigating doubt to finding stillness, this is the reality of the work. Unfiltered.

Information

  • Creator
    Michaela Anne, Aaron Shafer-Haiss
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    167
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2023-26 The 0ther 22 Hours Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Other 22 Hours

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