It's Giving

Ingela | This Must Be The Place
  • 5.0 (10)
  • Music Interviews
  • Updated Weekly

Musicians talking about social good. It’s Giving impact. Hosted by Ingela Travers-Hayward, co-founder of the overdose prevention nonprofit This Must Be The Place, It’s Giving explores the intersection of music and philanthropy through raw, insightful conversations with artists about the causes they support. Join us as we go behind the scenes with your favorite musicians to discuss the heart behind the art and the movements they are building off-stage. New episodes every Wednesday, starting May 6. To support us, follow along on Substack: itsgivingpod.substack.com

  1. 3d ago

    It's Giving: Lawrence Rothman

    This week on It's Giving, Ingela sits down with Lawrence Rothman on the heels of their brand new album Here Lies Love / Sawdust to Stardust.  This episode is rooted in the question ‘what if being your most authentic self is its own form of activism’? Lawrence talks about refusing to hide, on stage or off, and what that refusal has cost them over the course of their career. One of the prime examples Lawrence talks about is an experience back in 2010 during an Interview magazine spread that advertisers pulled out of because of how they dressed. But they also talk about why they wouldn't water down "LAX," a song about abusing laxatives, knowing others were struggling in silence. Lawrence also makes the case that entertainers have a responsibility to drop the filters and show the human behind the performance, and calls for a culture that's less judgmental and more forgiving of people still growing into themselves. "The freedom to be oneself. A lot of artists before me have paved that way for me to be myself, but there's still a lot of work to be done." If you loved this interview, please leave a rating, drop a review, and subscribe to support the show so I can bring you even more artist interviews! Don't miss next Wednesday's episode, where I'll introduce another incredible musician leveraging their platform for meaningful advocacy!

    It's Giving: Lawrence Rothman

  2. Sep 30

    It's Giving: Contra-ICE

    This week on It's Giving, we're doing something a little different. Ingela is talking to to not one but FOUR musicians for a special extended episode about Contra-ICE Vol. 1: ICE OUT. It's a massive multi-genre benefit album dropping October 2, and all proceeds go to grassroots organizations on the front lines of the fight for immigrants' rights. The backstory: after the 2024 election, artist and activist Dali Colorado and her best friend since sixth grade, Uli Bella of Ozomatli, got to talking about the defiant music and art that came out of the Reagan era. That conversation turned into a compilation of more than 30 artists, including Kathleen Hanna, Fred Armisen, and Tom Morello. Uli walks us through how it all came together and what ICE raids have looked like in his own neighborhood. As he puts it, "If they can do this to the immigrants, then the next step is going to be, 'Hey, you got a copy of that book?'" Adrian Quesada of Black Pumas talks about growing up in a Texas border town and watching a longtime bandmate get profiled. Gretchen Parlato shares the story behind "Call in the Angels," her song with poet Jasmine Becerra Green, and describes what daily life in LA feels like right now. And DJ and host Luxxury traces the history of benefit records and explains why the uncomfortable conversations are worth having. For Ingela, a Canadian who has called the US home for nearly 13 years, this one is personal. The best thing you can do after listening is pick up the album when it drops, and check out the organizations it supports, including Unión del Barrio and National Day Laborer Organizing Network. If you loved this episode, please leave a rating, drop a review, and subscribe to support the show so I can bring you even more conversations about music and advocacy!

    It's Giving: Contra-ICE

  3. Sep 23

    It's Giving: On Macklemore + Ed Sheeran

    This week on It's Giving, things get a little personal. Ingela's co-director at This Must Be The Place (and, as he graciously continues to identify, her husband) William Perry is back on the mic to break down the Macklemore and Ed Sheeran fiasco that's taken over everyone's feeds. The recap: Macklemore takes the stage in Philly and speaks up for Palestine, the same way he has at every show for years. Days later, stadium owners, reportedly led by Robert Kraft, want him off the tour. Macklemore steps down, the other openers walk in solidarity, and Ed responds with a both-sides statement and a teleprompter apology that manages to make it all about Ed. Perry, who once watched Macklemore pull a Palestinian flag out of his bag backstage at Innings Festival, has thoughts. Many of them. Including that Ed Sheeran is "essentially the Wonder Bread of the music industry." Two of the amazing pieces written about this are an Op-Ed by Roxanne Gay in the New York Times and Naaman Zhou’s story in the New Yorker. Make sure you read them both, since those are two people much smarter than either Ingela or Perry!  If you loved this episode, please leave a rating, drop a review, and subscribe to support the show so I can bring you even more conversations about music and advocacy! Don't miss next Wednesday's episode, where I'll introduce another incredible musician leveraging their platform for meaningful advocacy!

    It's Giving: On Macklemore + Ed Sheeran

  4. Sep 16

    It's Giving: Johanna Samuels

    This week on It's Giving, Ingela sits down with Johanna Samuels, an LA-based singer-songwriter who's no stranger to turning her platform toward community organizing and mutual aid. A big part of this episode centers on the digital festival Johanna helped organize during the 2020 Georgia Senate runoffs. Alongside Ben Lee and promoter Sid the Cat, she pulled together artists for a virtual show that raised $10,000 for Fair Fight, in a moment that finally felt like doing something. She's candid about how that's shifted since - a heavier fear of visibility, more reluctance from fellow artists when she later tried organizing an ICE benefit, and the quiet shame she's noticed comes with speaking up, especially for women. Plus, Johanna opens up about the less political side of her advocacy: volunteer nights cooking at LA's Downtown Women's Center, her steady monthly gift to Amnesty International, and why she believes the small, tangible acts matter just as much as the loud ones. "My personal stance toward it is just to turn toward the thing, and try to walk the line of honesty — but with grace and kindness." If you loved this interview, please leave a rating, drop a review, and subscribe to support the show so I can bring you even more artist interviews! Don't miss next Wednesday's episode, where I'll introduce another incredible musician leveraging their platform for meaningful advocacy!

    It's Giving: Johanna Samuels

  5. Sep 9

    It's Giving: Taking Back Sunday

    This week on It’s Giving, Ingela sits down with Adam Lazzara, frontman of Taking Back Sunday. With over two decades of touring under their belts, Adam reflects on how the band uses their platform to give back through personal, community-driven causes.   Adam shares how his religious upbringing and early scene roots instilled a deep responsibility to look out for others – a familiar through line shared by many guests on the show like Medium Build, Michigander and Logan Lynn. A big part of this show centers on Adam explaining why supporting the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund is so deeply personal to them: filling the critical gap for touring artists facing health crises, mental health struggles, and a lack of safety nets on the road.  He dives into the evolving conversation surrounding mental health in the music industry, the hidden isolation of life on tour, and the band's partnership with Concerted.live - an initiative that trades community service hours for concert tickets to rebuild real-world connection.   Plus, Adam opens up about why he chooses to focus on shared humanity rather than divisive politics, and his hope that Taking Back Sunday’s legacy is rooted in bringing people together and making listeners feel seen.  “When you're there and doing the thing, none of that matters. It's people connecting and all getting lost in the same thing at the same time, which creates this real powerful, real-world magic.I hope people look back and think, man, they helped people feel seen.”   If you loved this interview, please leave a rating, drop a review, and subscribe to support the show so I can bring you even more artist interviews! Don't miss next Wednesday's episode, where I'll introduce another incredible musician leveraging their platform for meaningful advocacy!

    It's Giving: Taking Back Sunday

  6. Sep 2

    It's Giving: Logan Lynn

    Today on It’s Giving, Ingela sits down with musician, advocate, and nonprofit leader Logan Lynn. From launching the Pass the Mic Foundation alongside Portugal. The Man to activating tours with acts like Boygenius and NoFX, Logan brings decades of hands-on experience at the intersection of music, community empowerment, and mental health advocacy.   Logan breaks down his philosophy of "nothing about us without us", highlighting how artists can leverage their platforms to support their listeners and introducing PortuGAY, his new imprint designed to uplift and sustain LGBTQ+ voices in the music industry.  Plus, he opens up about his 12th studio album and its accompanying documentary, The Pain and the Power, exploring his journey through early trauma, addiction, long-term recovery, and using honest storytelling as a vehicle for personal and family healing.   “My music has always been the container for me to say what's really happening in my life... I hope what people get out of it is that they're not alone. If I can transform myself from a homeless, traumatized young drug addict into who I am today, anyone can.”  If you loved this interview, please leave a rating, drop a review, and subscribe to support the show so I can bring you even more artist interviews! Don't miss next Wednesday's episode, where I'll introduce another incredible musician leveraging their platform for meaningful advocacy!

    It's Giving: Logan Lynn

  7. Aug 26

    It's Giving: Grace Potter

    Today on It’s Giving, Ingela sits down with four time Grammy-nominated artist Grace Potter. From driving cross-country between California and her family farm in Vermont to connect with strangers across political divides, to taking her music into a Rhode Island women's prison with the Newport Folk Foundation to bear witness to forgotten stories, Grace offers a deeply honest perspective on how to navigate the raw, chaotic state of our world with empathy and self-actualization instead of fear.   Grace breaks down the heart behind her nonprofit, the Grand Point Foundation, which she built to uplift rural creatives and give independent artists a real platform. We also dive into the themes of her new album, Trespasser, exploring how stepping past boundary lines - both literally on the open road and creatively through song - allows us to confront life’s messy truths, process trauma, and share our light without fear.   “Getting curious starts with not being all-knowing... acknowledging that we don't have all the answers and that the systems we have held in place for generations are systems that are not working anymore. There is no way out, only through.”   If you loved this interview, please leave a rating, drop a review, and subscribe to support the show so I can bring you even more artist interviews! Don't miss next Wednesday's episode, where I'll introduce another incredible musician leveraging their platform for meaningful advocacy!

    It's Giving: Grace Potter

  8. Aug 19

    It's Giving: Westside Cowboy

    Today on It’s Giving, Ingela sits down with Westside Cowboy’s Aoife Anson O'Connell. Aoife shares an honest look at what it means to build a band grounded in practical social justice, navigating the daunting responsibility of having a growing platform while trying to ensure your work aligns with your values.   Aoife breaks down the origins and impact of No Band Is an Island, a Manchester-based community initiative launched alongside fellow local bands to put on accessible gigs, feature guest speakers from a variety of non-profit groups, and raise funds for humanitarian aid charities like UK Med. From keeping ticket prices low and demanding venue accessibility to using creative projects - like their thoughtful concept for the "Kickstones" music video - as a tool for advocacy, Aoife offers a grounded perspective on doing what you can without getting paralyzed by the pressure of perfection.  We also dive into the fine line between genuine advocacy and optics in the music industry, the balance between escapism and political engagement, and why small, tangible actions often make the biggest difference.   “Activism to me is just the knowledge that you will never reach a steady plane... you’ll never be doing the best you can ever, but that’s okay as long as you’re doing something and looking towards doing more.”   If you loved this interview, please leave a rating, drop a review, and subscribe to support the show so I can bring you even more artist interviews! Don't miss next Wednesday's episode, where I'll introduce another incredible musician leveraging their platform for meaningful advocacy!

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About

Musicians talking about social good. It’s Giving impact. Hosted by Ingela Travers-Hayward, co-founder of the overdose prevention nonprofit This Must Be The Place, It’s Giving explores the intersection of music and philanthropy through raw, insightful conversations with artists about the causes they support. Join us as we go behind the scenes with your favorite musicians to discuss the heart behind the art and the movements they are building off-stage. New episodes every Wednesday, starting May 6. To support us, follow along on Substack: itsgivingpod.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Ingela | This Must Be The Place
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    25
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Ingela | This Must Be The Place
  • Show Website
    It's Giving

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