The Hardest Part

Palm Tree Island
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Music Commentary
  • Updated Biweekly

Hosted by Kieron Banerji, The Hardest Part dives deep into the most challenging songs ever written. Every two weeks, an artist joins Kieron in the studio to break down the struggles, breakthroughs, and raw emotions behind their toughest songwriting experiences. From overcoming creative blocks to tapping into painful memories, these conversations reveal the delicate balance between self-expression and self-protection. Each episode wraps with an exclusive live performance of the song—raw, real, and sometimes heard this way for the first time. Follow the Hardest Part wherever you get your podcasts, and watch footage from the show on our YouTube and socials.

  1. 3d ago

    HP #46: Ava Joe on Songwriting and Nostalgia.

    In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with Ava Joe to break down the making of “Am I a Dreamer”, a song inspired by one of the most complicated emotions she experiences: nostalgia.   Unlike most of her songwriting, which begins with a specific experience and the feelings that follow, this song started with an emotion. Ava set out to write about nostalgia itself, drawing together memories, places, films, relationships, and moments that all carried the same emotional weight.   This episode explores why nostalgia can feel more painful than comforting, the strange experience of feeling nostalgic while living through a moment, and the fear of time passing too quickly. From watching the sea in Greece to reflecting on her teenage years, Ava explains how “Am I a Dreamer? became a meditation on memory, growing up, and the moments we know we’ll miss before they’ve even ended.   Kieron and Ava also talk about songwriting, collaboration, creative blocks, and why some of the best artistic breakthroughs happen when you stop forcing them. Guest: Ava JoeHost: Kieron Banerji Mix Engineer: Max WalkerRecording Engineer: Giovani AlimonteCreative: Callum Baker - 00:00 Intro00:55 Why nostalgia is so difficult to write about02:00 Starting with a feeling, not a memory02:45 Why nostalgia feels painful03:40 Feeling nostalgic in the present moment05:25 The memories behind the song07:10 Why time is her biggest fear08:40 Building a song from emotion10:15 Writing with producer Eddie George11:00 Finding the right collaborators12:30 The writers who ask the right questions14:00 Why she chose the nylon-string guitar15:00 Creative blocks and losing her voice16:20 Learning to stop forcing creativity18:20 How listeners hear the song differently19:50 Full session See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    24 min

  2. Jun 5

    HP #45: Metric on the Song That Defined the Album

    In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with Metric to break down the making of “Victim of Luck”, the opening track from their latest album and the song that took longer to finish than any other. The challenge wasn’t writing it. The challenge was knowing when it was right. Emily and Jimmy Shaw tell Kieron how the song was intended to introduce the entire record, setting the tone for everything that followed. But as the album evolved, so did the song. Lyrics changed, arrangements changed, production choices came and went, and even the title itself didn’t arrive until the rest of the album was complete. At the center of the track is a deeply personal realization. What began as a fictional story about a band’s rise gradually became something much more direct: a reflection on success, anxiety, self-criticism, and the strange feeling of becoming a “victim of luck.”  This episode also features an exclusive stripped back acoustic version of the track recorded for the show.  Guests: Metric Song: Victim of Luck Host: Kieron Banerji Creative: Callum Baker and Giovanni Alimonte Produced by: Palm Tree Island See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    19 min

  3. May 31

    #HP 44: Will White of The Maccabees on Writing Through Discomfort

    In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with Will White to break down the making of “6:30 AM”, a song that became the catalyst for everything that followed. Unlike most of his work, the song stayed with him for years. That alone was unusual. Will describes a songwriting process where songs either arrive fully formed or disappear entirely. He rarely revisits unfinished ideas, yet somehow “6:30 AM” refused to go away.  Kieron and Will explore discomfort as a creative tool, the mystery of songwriting, and why some songs seem to know more about your future than you do. Will also talks about how the meaning of “6:30 AM” has evolved over time, from imagining someone still awake after a long night to experiencing the same hour as a parent waking up to a completely different life.  Guests: Will White Song: 6:30 AM Host: Kieron Banerji Creative: Callum Baker and Giovanni Alimonte Produced by: Palm Tree Island See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    25 min

  4. May 22

    #HP 43: Witch Fever on Christianity, misogyny, religious trauma, and making of “The Garden”

    In this episode of The Hardest Part, Witch Fever break down the songwriting process and music production process behind “The Garden,” a song shaped by religious trauma, feminist rebellion, and the emotional tension of leaving the church behind. We talk about how the band nearly abandoned the song after feeling the chorus sounded “too Jesus-y,” triggering memories of Christian worship music and charismatic church environments. The band explains how growing up in a strict religious setting influenced the lyrics, which reinterpret the story of Eve as something empowering rather than shameful. We also chat about collaborative songwriting, instinctive vocal melody writing, and how producer Chris Ryan helped the band hear the full potential of the track during the recording process. LIsten to the full episode and hear the song at the end. Guests: Witch Fever Song: The Garden Host: Kieron Banerji Creative: Callum Baker and Dylan Roberts Produced by: Palm Tree Island See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    23 min

  5. May 13

    HP #42: Lily Moore Breaks Down Grown Up Girl Regrets.

    In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with Lily Moore to break down the making of “Grown Up Girl Regrets” and why it became one of the most important songs she has ever written. Written during her first studio session after lockdown, the song emerged from a period of uncertainty, isolation, and emotional exhaustion. Walking back into a writing room for the first time in months, Lily found herself confronting feelings she had spent years avoiding in her songwriting. Kieron and Lily explore the difference between songs that slowly evolve over years and songs that appear almost fully formed, arriving exactly when they are needed most. For Lily, “Grown Up Girl Regrets” was the latter: chaotic, immediate, and deeply personal.   Artist: Lily Moore Guitar: Frankie South Song: Grown Up Girl Regrets Host & Executive Producer: Kieron Banerji Mix Engineer: Max Walker Creative: Callum Baker Recording Engineer: Giovani Almonte Lily Moore Team: Natalie Nichols See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    20 min

  6. May 6

    HP #41: Young the Giant on Returning to the Spirit of Their Early Days

    In this episode of The Hardest Part, Young the Giant break down the songwriting process and music production process behind “Different Kind of Love,” exploring how the band tried to return to the spirit of their first record. After years of touring, remote writing, adult responsibilities, and fragmented workflows, Young the Giant wanted to reconnect creatively by getting back into a room together and writing instinctively as a band again. Through writing retreats in Joshua Tree and Idyllwild, they rebuilt their process around collaboration, momentum, and live energy. We talk about songwriting process, music production, creative flow, and how producer Brendan O’Brien helped the band stop overthinking and trust the energy of being together in the studio. They also discuss how “Different Kind of Love” evolved structurally over time, and why this album became an attempt to reconnect with the openness and joy that defined their earliest work. Artist: Young the Giant Host: Kieron Banerji Song: Different Kind of Love Album: Victory Garden (2026) Creative: Callum Baker Engineers: Max Walker and Giovanni Almote Young The Giant Team: Lloyd Williams and Natalie Nichols See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    23 min

  7. May 1

    HP #40: Westerman on isolation, injury, and writing “Mosquito.”

    What happens when you can’t move, can’t escape, and a song is the only thing you can build. In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with Westerman to break down the making of “Mosquito” from his 2025 album A Jackal’s Wedding.  The song was written during a period of physical and emotional isolation, after Westerman tore his meniscus while travelling in northern Greece. Unable to move for months in extreme heat, with little contact with anyone else, the song emerged slowly in fragments, built from a looping guitar idea and moments of clarity in an otherwise disorienting time. He explains how the track became a kind of soundtrack to that period, shaped as much by limitation as by intention. From the physical difficulty of writing while injured to the emotional weight that led him there in the first place, the process was both technically and psychologically demanding. We explore how environment influences sound, from the hazy, heat-soaked textures of the demo to the decision to treat the physical surroundings as an active part of the record. He also reflects on abstraction in songwriting, why not everything needs a fixed meaning, and how stepping away from the work can be the only way through creative blocks. Guest: Westerman Host: Kieron Banerji Song: Mosquito Album: A Jackal's Wedding (2025) Creative: Callum Baker Recorded backstage at The Village Underground, London. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    20 min

  8. Apr 24

    HP #39: Winter on the importance of finding the right tempo and key.

    Sometimes the hardest part is not writing the song, it is making it feel right. In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with Winter to break down the making of “Misery” and how the song transformed completely in the studio.  What started as a faster demo in a different key with only one verse became the longest and most complex process on the record. Through experimentation with tempo, pitch, and arrangement, the track slowly evolved into something entirely new. She explains how working closely with her producer led to key decisions like pitching the vocals down, slowing the tempo, and reshaping the song’s emotional tone. These production choices did not just change the sound, they changed the meaning. Guest: Winter Host and Executive Producer : Kieron Banerji Creative: Callum Baker Engineer: Max Walker Studio: The Thin White Duke, London. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    23 min
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About

Hosted by Kieron Banerji, The Hardest Part dives deep into the most challenging songs ever written. Every two weeks, an artist joins Kieron in the studio to break down the struggles, breakthroughs, and raw emotions behind their toughest songwriting experiences. From overcoming creative blocks to tapping into painful memories, these conversations reveal the delicate balance between self-expression and self-protection. Each episode wraps with an exclusive live performance of the song—raw, real, and sometimes heard this way for the first time. Follow the Hardest Part wherever you get your podcasts, and watch footage from the show on our YouTube and socials.

Information

  • Creator
    Palm Tree Island
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    47
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Palm Tree Island
  • Show Website
    The Hardest Part

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