Unfamous with Justin Tranter

Justin Tranter + Morgan Stuart
  • 4.8 (25)
  • Music Interviews
  • Updated Weekly

Most of what you love in pop culture didn't happen the way you think it did. Unfamous, hosted by Grammy-nominated songwriter Justin Tranter, reveals how creative work actually gets made. Each episode pairs a celebrity with the collaborator behind their biggest moments in music, comedy, film, and entertainment. You get honest stories, real insight, and a practical blueprint for building a creative career. New episodes drop every Wednesday. Like, comment and subscribe. www.instagram.com/unfamousthepodcast www.tiktok.com/@UnfamousThePodcast www.patreon.com/Unfamousthepodcast

  1. 2d ago

    How Music Gets Into Hit TV Shows | The Hidden Process Behind Prime's "Off Campus" + More

    How does a song actually make it into a hit TV show, and what makes the right placement capable of changing an artist’s career? Live from the GMS Conference, Justin Tranter sits down with Emmy-nominated music supervisors Amanda Krieg Thomas and Anna Romanoff to reveal the hidden process behind the music you hear on screen. They break down how Off Campus on Prime built its musical world from the scripts up, how artists like G Flip and The Beaches landed major moments, what it really takes to clear an iconic song, and why you can’t simply manufacture a viral soundtrack. They also share what songwriters need to understand about writing for film and TV, why the business side of creativity matters, and practical advice for anyone trying to break into music supervision: get close to the work, learn the craft, build your community, and don’t rush the process. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans and the Guild of Music Supervisors. Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/w4mqomzg #CashAppPod Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. Cash App Green features, Savings, Direct deposit, Round ups, Overdraft coverage and Discounts provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    How Music Gets Into Hit TV Shows | The Hidden Process Behind Prime's "Off Campus" + More

  2. Sep 2

    Bella Kay + Alexis Idarose Kesselman | “iloveitiloveitiloveit”+ How Great Collaborators Disagree

    Bella Kay and songwriter-producer Alexis Idarose Kesselman break down the creative partnership behind Bella’s debut album, from meeting during one of Bella’s first-ever writing sessions to making “I Love It, I Love It, I Love It,” “Stop,” “Blur,” and “Karaoke.” They talk about learning the rules without losing what makes an artist unique, fighting for ideas, turning messy relationships into songs, handling criticism, and why the best collaborators make you feel even more like yourself. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Lizbeth Alvarez, Priscilla Felten, Justin Frazier, Mandy Weiss, Cyndi Williams, Adam Mersel, Tracy Wasserman and Deborah Radel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Bella Kay + Alexis Idarose Kesselman | “iloveitiloveitiloveit”+ How Great Collaborators Disagree

  3. Aug 26

    Ruth B + Cole MGN | What Happens After Your First Song Becomes a Massive Hit

    Ruth B’s career exploded with her very first song. Then came the harder question: how do you do it again? Ruth and producer Cole MGN join Justin Tranter to unpack the pressure that followed “Lost Boy,” why “Dandelions” unexpectedly going viral five years later changed Ruth’s relationship with success, and how the two built her most personal album yet. They break down abandoning the songwriting-session treadmill, reinventing Ruth’s creative process, taking nearly two years to finish “Breathe,” and finally completing “Storm,” the Vine-era song fans had been asking for for a decade. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Bobbie Gale + Nina Savio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Ruth B + Cole MGN | What Happens After Your First Song Becomes a Massive Hit

  4. Aug 19

    Recap | How Artists Rebuild, Find Their Identity + Build the Right Team

    Host and co-creator Justin Tranter and co-creator Morgan Stuart revisit their conversation with artist Valencia Grace and manager Kyle Stuart to unpack what it really takes to build an artist from the ground up. They break down why getting dropped can sometimes unlock the artist you were supposed to become, why the right manager needs to be genuinely obsessed with the work, and why virality, a record deal, or industry attention can never replace creative identity, trust, and a team that actually believes in you. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Wendy Laister & Magus Entertainment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Recap | How Artists Rebuild, Find Their Identity + Build the Right Team

  5. Aug 12

    Bea Miller | Child Stardom on The X Factor, Depression and the Wild Stories Behind Her Songs

    Bea Miller joins longtime collaborator Justin Tranter to unpack growing up as a child star, surviving The X Factor, and finding her confidence as a songwriter. They break down how real conversations about depression, relationships, insecurity and bad decisions became songs like “Feel Something,” “Drunk Enough,” “Depressed on the Internet,” and “Sex for Attention,” plus sexism in writing rooms, Paramore’s influence, and the new album marking her first in a decade. This episode is funny, brutally candid, and basically a masterclass in turning your worst experiences into very good pop songs. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Tim Smith and Mike Powers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Bea Miller | Child Stardom on The X Factor, Depression and the Wild Stories Behind Her Songs

  6. Aug 5

    Recap: Kid Cudi on Creative Trust, Criticism, and the Meaning of "Pursuit of Happiness"

    Unfamous host Justin Tranter and his co-creator Morgan Stuart revisit Justin’s conversation with Kid Cudi, unpacking what it reveals about trust, creative risk, criticism, and longevity. From the chaotic first session that helped unlock “Saltwater,” to Cudi pushing himself vocally, to “Pursuit of Happiness” becoming something bigger than its original meaning, this minisode looks at how great artists keep evolving without losing what makes them singular. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Kasey Sobey and Sydnee Nanas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Recap: Kid Cudi on Creative Trust, Criticism, and the Meaning of "Pursuit of Happiness"

  7. Jul 29

    Recap: Caleb Hearon + Caitie Delaney on TV Writing, Ego, and Bad Notes

    Unfamous host Justin Tranter is joined by his co-creator Morgan Stuart to revisit their episode with comedian, actor, and writer Caleb Hearon and TV writer Caitie Delaney, whose credits include Big Mouth and Rick and Morty. Together, they unpack what Caleb and Caitie’s creative partnership reveals about writer room dynamics, ego, executive notes, knowing when to push back, and why the best collaborators care more about the work than getting credit. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Caleb Hearon, Caitie Delaney, Jimmy Knehans, Mark Beaven and Michelle Kariuki Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Recap: Caleb Hearon + Caitie Delaney on TV Writing, Ego, and Bad Notes

  8. Jul 22

    Wendy Goldstein

    Wendy Goldstein, Chairwoman and CCO of Republic Records, joins Justin Tranter for a masterclass on how artists are discovered, careers are built, and hit records are made. From signing The Roots in her first week at Epic Records to helping guide artists like Ariana Grande, Joe Jonas, and DNCE, Wendy shares lessons from decades spent shaping some of the biggest careers and moments in modern music. She breaks down what A&R really is, how she evaluates songs, why some artists become stars while others don't, and the instincts, decisions, and philosophies that turn potential into longevity. Whether you're an artist, songwriter, manager, creative, or simply curious about the music business, this episode offers a rare look inside the art of building a career that lasts. Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Luke Nichols, Joe Carozza and Beau Benton. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Wendy Goldstein
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4.8
out of 5
25 Ratings

About

Most of what you love in pop culture didn't happen the way you think it did. Unfamous, hosted by Grammy-nominated songwriter Justin Tranter, reveals how creative work actually gets made. Each episode pairs a celebrity with the collaborator behind their biggest moments in music, comedy, film, and entertainment. You get honest stories, real insight, and a practical blueprint for building a creative career. New episodes drop every Wednesday. Like, comment and subscribe. www.instagram.com/unfamousthepodcast www.tiktok.com/@UnfamousThePodcast www.patreon.com/Unfamousthepodcast

Information

  • Creator
    Justin Tranter + Morgan Stuart
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Explicit

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