The If Ever You’re Listening Podcast

If Ever You're Listening

In the If Ever You’re Listening Podcast, I have conversations with music industry professionals about their careers in the field. From early-stage musicians to music journalists, each podcast episode contains gems for anyone looking to gain insights and knowledge about the ever-changing and globalized music industry. Here, we discuss tips for early-stage musicians, advice for fellow indie music writers, and analysis of music industry trends for casual music listeners. Join my newsletter by subscribing to the link below! ifeveryourelistening.substack.com

  1. Aug 24

    In Conversation With Zack King

    Zack King is an inspiring example of an artist who uses his platform to improve the lives of others. In his career, he’s known for talking, creating music, and lecturing about the challenges surrounding musicians’ mental health. He doesn’t just talk the talk as well. Through his albums, Mess and Songs I Wrote Instead of Texting You, he shares his own struggles with self-worth and romantic relationships. These are thoroughly enjoyable projects too and showcase the exceptional levels of musicianship he puts into his songs, from the album concept to his songwriting. Zack’s projects in the early years had a more indie rock/singer-songwriter edge to them. They were revealing without being saddening. Vulnerable in the most relatable way. As he gained better control of his sound, he transitioned to a grander pop-punk sonic direction on his sophomore album, and the results are marvelous. His visuals are on point, and the messaging couldn’t be clearer. This is an artist who isn’t afraid to share his story in order to help others find their way quicker. Mental health affects us all in the music industry, so it’s encouraging for artists like him to speak about ways he’s overcoming some of the downfalls in his public lectures and performances. In our conversation today, we go back to the therapy sessions that changed Zack’s life and put him on a creative professional path. We also discuss concrete steps artists can take to get out of the psychological lows that come from pursuing a career as a musician. All of Zack’s great albums and EPs are covered in detail in our podcast episode today too. You will also learn a little bit about the great music Zack is working on for 2027. LISTEN TO ZACK’S NEW ALBUM HERE VISIT JACK’S WEBSITE HERE This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ifeveryourelistening.substack.com/subscribe

    In Conversation With Zack King
  2. Aug 17

    In Conversation With Boscomoestas

    During the pandemic, Frederico Bosco, artistically known as Bosco, spent many days and many months producing songs on Ableton. For a while, he was developing songs to construct an aesthetic he found pleasing. After listening to 22, A Million by Bon Iver, he figured out how to add more emotion to the electronic tunes he was crafting. Soon, his music became more personal. Suddenly, his emotions led the songs to their final destination. Across four projects and one EP, Bosco has demonstrated the rich tapestry of experimental electronic and hip-hop music. On some of his projects, like Corona, he leans more towards the vocal chops. Alternatively, on Oscuro Casi Ceirto, he dives deeper into minimalism. When he made his third album, Asi es, Bosco more confidently addressed the current political climate in Argentina. From land exploitation to corruption, Bosco’s music from this point on took on a more socially conscious feel. We hear this even more aggressively on his great new album, Ellos. In our conversation today, we discussed the making of this project, from its lyrics to its production. Further, we unpack Bosco’s view of Argentina’s current political culture. There are wonderful insights into Bosco’s creative process, all the way down to the details about the mood he was in when he created certain songs. LISTEN TO BOSCO’S NEW ALBUM HERE LEARN MORE ABOUT BOSCO ON HIS WEBSITE HERE This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ifeveryourelistening.substack.com/subscribe

    In Conversation With Boscomoestas
  3. Aug 13

    In Conversation With Mike Bankhead

    Even though Mike Bankhead began making music a little later than he would have liked, it didn’t stop him from dedicating a lot of time and effort to the art form for over two decades. From Dayton, Ohio, the songwriter and recording academy member has long been releasing albums for fans of rock music and many of its subgenres. In addition to the music, Mike also runs the You Could Be My Aramis Podcast, where he interviews musicians about their latest releases and the inspiration behind their songs. Mike also sees art as a necessary tool to reflect cultural events and history. A few years ago, he embarked on the multimedia project I AM Experienced, which reflects on black artistry in the music industry. The project contains original songs, essays, poems, and guest pieces reflecting on the black experience in the music industry and addressing a lot of the injustices that still exist. Mike is a firm believer in physical media and still gets a lot of his art pressed on CD. There’s a terrific array of topics we discuss in today’s podcast episode. Some of them include the following: What are the true benefits of being a Recording Academy member? What’s it like being a black music journalist/artist in today’s age? How much time goes into making every album and song? Where do you pull inspiration from? This conversation will feel like a cool hang between friends, and that’s because it is. CHECK OUT MIKE BANKHEAD’S WEBSITE HERE Subscribe for more music interviews! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ifeveryourelistening.substack.com/subscribe

    In Conversation With Mike Bankhead

About

In the If Ever You’re Listening Podcast, I have conversations with music industry professionals about their careers in the field. From early-stage musicians to music journalists, each podcast episode contains gems for anyone looking to gain insights and knowledge about the ever-changing and globalized music industry. Here, we discuss tips for early-stage musicians, advice for fellow indie music writers, and analysis of music industry trends for casual music listeners. Join my newsletter by subscribing to the link below! ifeveryourelistening.substack.com