Today’s guest is the producer behind some of the biggest songs of the last 15 years — from “Wrecking Ball,” “Timber,” and “Dark Horse” to early records with The Weeknd and Britney Spears.

From teaching himself production on cracked software and vinyl turntables… to going on a run of genre-defining hits.

And the writer is… Cirkut!

In this episode, he opens up about his early grind, the moment Britney cut his beat, his first sessions in LA, working alongside Max Martin and Dr. Luke, and the mindset that helped him go from unknown kid with an MPC to one of the most important producers in modern pop.

A special thank you to our sponsors...

Our lead sponsor, NMPA aka the National Music Publisher's Association.

Your support means the world to us!

And @splice -- the best sample library on the market, period.

00:00 — Intro: Who is Cirkut?

00:04:37 — Early music influences: hip-hop, DJ culture

00:05:49 — Discovering DJ gear & beat manipulation

00:07:55 — First exposure to FruityLoops & early production

00:10:24 — DJ’ing pep rallies with vinyl

00:12:36 — Applying early skills later for Lady Gaga

00:14:14 — Skipping audio classes to make beats

00:16:46 — Early Drake encounter in Toronto

00:18:40 — How the name “Cirkut” was born

00:21:35 — How a CD of his beats got to Britney Spears

00:22:10 — First big cut: Britney’s “Papi”

00:23:01 — Discovering electronic music & the blog era

00:23:49 — Learning from Masterkraft (the MySpace era)

00:33:00 — Working with The Weeknd on “High For This”

00:33:57 — Recognizing Abel’s early greatness

00:35:06 — Moving to LA & hustling through the rat race

00:38:49 — What finally got him out of the rat race

00:39:33 — The call from Dr. Luke

00:41:11 — The Flo Rida / Levels / Good Feeling near-miss

00:42:37 — Losing a big cut overnight

00:43:19 — When the hits start stacking: “Where Have You Been,” “Wrecking Ball,” “Timber”

00:44:48 — The thing he brought that cut through the noise

00:47:18 — What it’s like creating with Max Martin

00:49:36 — Winning Producer of the Year (Junos)

00:50:17 — When Cirkut realized he belonged at the top

00:52:04 — Why his ego is different

00:53:15 — His quiet superpower in the room

Hosted by Ross Golan

Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad

Watercolor by Michael White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest went from making songs on a floppy-disk keyboard, sampling off a Kellogg’s cereal box DAW, and sending blind MySpace messages… to producing the some of the biggest crossover dance anthems of the last decade. And The Writer Is... Zedd!

What makes this conversation special isn’t just the hits — it’s how brutally honest he is about the craft, the obsession, and the unexpected moments that built his career.

A special thank you to our sponsors...

Our lead sponsor, NMPA aka the National Music Publisher's Association.

Your support means the world to us!

And @splice -- the best sample library on the market, period.

Chapters:

0:00:00 – Teaser

0:01:06 – Welcome & Episode Intro

35:58 – Zedd on Never Thinking He’d Be Successful

25:41 – Growing Up Poor & Studying One Album a Month

18:01 – The Kellogg’s DAW That Started Everything

15:33 – Learning Music on a 16-Track Floppy-Disk Keyboard

30:44 – Why He Thought EDM Was a Joke at First

38:12 – The Skrillex MySpace Story That Changed His Life

31:25 – Finding His Sound Through Curiosity & Obsession

47:14 – The “Lightning Moment” Behind Clarity

59:34 – Being Wrong More Often Than Right

1:03:03 – Why Most Music Feels the Same Today

1:03:37 – Extraordinary vs. Average: What Listeners Actually Feel

1:00:08 – “All I’m Doing Is Chasing a Feeling”

56:26 – The Chaos Behind Making The Middle

1:00:47 – Realizing the Scale of His Own Success

28:23 – What It Takes to Stay Inspired

6:48 – The Creative Principles He Still Lives By

41:22 – The Fastest Way for Artists to Get Noticed

1:05:23 – Zedd’s Final Advice for Musicians

1:07:19 – Closing Thoughts

Hosted by Ross Golan

Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad

Watercolor by Michael White

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest has rewired modern hip-hop. His fingerprints live all over the last decade

but the real story behind that success is far more human, painful, and transformative than the headlines ever show.

In this conversation, he opens up about the highs and lows of being a producer in hip-hop: the pressure, the politics, the contracts, the moments that nearly broke him, and the breakthroughs that almost didn’t happen.

He also shares the lessons shaped by fatherhood, betrayal, and real perseverance — all while creating some of the most important and culture-defining music of our time. And The Writer Is... Hitboy!

A special thank you to our sponsors...

Our lead sponsor, NMPA aka the National Music Publisher's Association. Your support means the world to us!

And @splice -- the best sample library on the market, period.

Chapter list

0:00 TEASER

1:20 Ross’ Intro

2:02 Fatherhood and Being a Full-Time Dad

5:12 Parenting, Hoops, and What His Son Really Loves

6:29 The Humbling Reality Check: Kids Don’t Care About Your Hits

7:29 Growing Up Between Pasadena & San Bernardino

8:34 Seeing His Uncle’s Success & Wanting to Be on TV

9:35 Falling in Love With Beat Programming

10:12 Learning to Write & Rap at 13

11:23 Selling His First Beat for $20 at 16

12:24 MySpace Era: The Birth of “Hit-Boy”

13:09 First Major Betrayal: Partner Gets Signed Behind His Back

15:01 Advice to His Younger Self: Patience & Self-Belief

15:23 Building Early Industry Relationships Through MySpace

16:13 First Time Inside a Real Studio (The Underdogs)

17:39 The Underworld of LA Sessions & A Young Hit-Boy Watching Greats

18:44 First Major Placement: Jennifer Lopez

19:06 Providing for His Mom With His First Checks

19:27 Growing Up Without a Present Father

20:22 His Dad’s Return & Going on a Run Together

22:04 How Fatherhood Changed His Time, Focus & Creativity

23:27 Recording Nas: The Hidden Role People Don’t See

24:57 Getting His First Publishing Deal (And the 18-Year Lock-In)

28:02 Staying Current: “I Update My Software Every Day”

28:21 First Big Hit: Drop The World Lil Wayne & Eminem

29:47 Why He Used to Clash With Kanye

32:00 The ‘N*****s in Paris’ Moment (Language Question + Setup)

33:35 First Song With Kanye: The Christmas Track

34:12 Making Music With Kanye, Jay-Z & the Good Music Family

35:40 Hearing 'Paris' for the First Time in the Planetarium

36:32 Realizing the Song Was Going to Be a Cultural Earthquake

38:23 Big Sean, Executive Production & Sharpening His Ear

39:09 How Drake Found the ‘Trophies’ Beat

39:52 Stripping Beats Down to Let Artists Shine

40:33 When to Stop Producing: The Minimalism Lesson

41:38 Depression, Contracts & Losing the Relationship With Drake

42:57 The Pain of ‘Trophies’ Not Making Drake’s Album

43:13 What His Publishing Deal Held Him Back From

44:22 Working From a Place of Fear vs. Freedom

45:01 Working With Beyoncé (Excellence at Every Level)

46:22 The Story of ‘THIQUE’: An 8-Year-Old Beat Comes Back to Life

46:39 Why Old Beats Deserve Second Lives

47:57 The Making of Sicko Mode & Travis Scott’s Explosion

48:20 The Greatest Timing Ever: Streaming, Social Media, Travis

49:00 The Long Journey of Sicko Mode (2016 → 2018)

50:13 Are Producers Songwriters? The Eternal Debate

51:30 Nipsey Hussle: Early Sessions & Mutual Respect

53:53 Nipsey Claims the Song: “I Need This for My Project”

Hosted by Ross Golan

Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest is a familiar face... A friend to the podcast and one of the most successful and influential creators in music history.

He isn’t just a hitmaker. He's perhaps one of the few people in the history of music to have hits as a songwriter, artist, and producer... completely aside from one another across genres.

And The Writer Is... Ryan Tedder!

In this episode, he breaks down:

🎯 Why the middle class of music is disappearing

🎯 How splits, streaming, and AI are reshaping the game

🎯 The mindset you need to survive as an artist today

🎯 What real creative value looks like in 2025 and beyond

This one isn’t just inspiring — It’s essential listening for anyone who wants to last in music..

A special thank you to our sponsors... O

ur lead sponsor, NMPA, the National Music Publisher's Association.

Your support means the world to us!

And Splice -- the best sample library on the market.

Hosted by Ross Golan Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest is an international soul sensation...From writing “The Hardest Part” on Zoom to conquering imposter syndrome, crafting hits like "Dive" and "Man I Need," and creating her acclaimed album The Art of Loving.. She is on a meteoric rise in music.

We discuss raw stories of heartbreak, growth, the magic of songwriting.. and how she learned to protect her voice in a room and write music that actually feels like her.

And The Writer Is...Olivia Dean!

Whether you're a songwriter, fan, or music lover, this episode is packed with inspiration, laughs, and behind-the-scenes gems.

Presented by NMPA..

The National Music Publisher's Association. Championing songwriters everywhere.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Co-presented by Splice.

The best music sample library in music.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 – Welcome to the Soul

01:50 – “I Still Feel So British”

03:00 – First Trip to L.A. (With No GPS or Plan)

04:00 – Learning to Trust Her Own Taste

07:40 – When Artists Had Time to Be Bad

08:30 – Making Meaningful Music in a Chart World

09:20 – “I Don’t Write Every Day”

13:35 – Disney, West Side Story, and Other Early Teachers

15:50 – The First Song: “Mean Boy”

17:05 – Parents Who Said Yes

17:20 – The BRIT School Plan

20:05 – Busking, Best Friends, and the Birth of a Band

22:15 – The First Show: 70 Tickets, 10 People on Stage

23:40 – Signing Her First Deal

25:00 – The Studio Explosion (Her Worst Song Story)

27:00 – Surviving the Rooms

29:15 – How the Best Songs Are Written

30:45 – The Yellow Van Tour (COVID-Era Reinvention)

31:30 – “OK Love You Bye” — The First Song That Felt Free

34:00 – From 70 Fans to 100 Million Streams

36:00 – It Takes a Village (and a Lot of Gratitude)

39:00 – “The Hardest Part” — The Song She Hated (That Changed Everything)

40:00 – The Take That Hurts Is the Take That Wins

43:20 – NMPA Ad Read

44:05 – Splice Ad Read

47:45 – Crying on the Studio Floor

48:00 – “Dive” — When the World Started Singing Back

51:40 – Being a Woman Who Writes (and Plays)

53:10 – The Anatomy of a Song

56:25 – “I Don’t Write Lies”

57:35 – “The Art of Loving” — How the Album Was Born

1:00:15 – What Love Actually Taught Her

1:01:35 – Making Time for Love Anyway

1:02:55 – Ross’s Mirror Moment

1:04:30 – Learning to Sit in Silence

1:05:45 – The Weight of Words

1:06:30 – Being Heard

And The Writer Is...

Hosted by Ross Golan

Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julia Michaels has quietly rewritten the emotional DNA of pop music.

From Selena Gomez to Justin Bieber to Sabrina Carpenter — her pen reshaped how vulnerability sounds on the radio.

In this episode, Julia sits down with Ross to unpack the craft behind her catalog: the psychology of honest writing, the architecture of a hit, and the years she spent changing pop from behind the glass.

They dive into the writing of hits, the evolution of her artistry, and what it means to sustain creative integrity in a fast-changing industry.

Chapters

0:00 Intro: The Woman Who Reshaped Pop Music

0:59 Welcome Back: Reflecting on 8 Years in the Industry

2:13 Music Industry Evolution: Then vs. Now

3:00 Adapting Songwriting to Social Media and Trends

4:32 Early Career Advice: Mental Health and Boundaries

6:03 Panic Attacks and Performance Anxiety

9:25 From Songwriter to Artist: Reluctance and Breakthrough

11:23 Influence on Songwriting: Changing Pop's Sound

15:06 Hit Runs, Burnout, and Creative Pauses

17:55 Writing for Disney's Wish: Behind the Scenes

19:42 Future Plans: Musicals, Retirement, and Balance

21:05 Artistry and Collaborations

23:00 Inside the Sabrina Carpenter Camp

29:01 Breaking Down Hits: Taste, Bed Chem, and Coincidence

30:50 Joining Tate McRae: From 17 to Global Hits

33:39 Favorite Producers: Ryan Tedder, Stargate, and More

36:04 Working with Ed Sheeran: Panic, Brotherhood, and Hits

39:30 Crafting Lose You To Love Me with Selena Gomez

43:24 Longtime Bond with Selena: Firsts and Milestones

45:50 Celebrating Wins in a Changing Industry

47:19 Songwriter Struggles: Pay, Radio, and Streaming

50:26 Fair Splits and Standing Up for Writers

55:09 Gender Challenges: Overworking Female Writers

1:00:06 Regimented Life: Balance and Boundaries

1:02:40 Running Her Own Label: Freedom and Control

1:04:15 Career Lows and Highs

1:06:10 Perfect Studio Moment: Working with Britney Spears

1:07:34 Reflections: Where She Thought She'd Be

1:08:45 Uncut Demos and Sacred Songs

1:11:27 Wrapping with Selena, Benny, and Unlikely Stars

1:15:55 Ego-Free Sessions and Lifelong Roots

1:18:22 Outro and Credits

NMPA fights for songwriters' rights, ensuring fair pay and protection.

Check them out at NMPA.org and follow them on social media at @NMPAorg

Splice is the industry’s top sample library—royalty-free for all. It empowers creators with its incredible library and ethical AI tools, supporting original artists every step of the way.

Download Splice today and follow them on social media at @splice

And The Writer Is...

Hosted by Ross Golan

Executive produced by Joe London and Jad Saad

Follow us on socials at @andthewriteris

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guests are HAIM — one of the most unique voices in modern music, known for blending rock, pop, and soul into a sound that defined a generation. From garage band beginnings to Grammy nominations, they’ve collaborated with some of the biggest names in music while staying fiercely true to themselves.

And the writer(s) are... HAIM!

In this episode, we dive into a decade-long journey of grit, growth, and creative conviction — from rejection to recognition. The sisters open up about the early years, the family dynamics, and the lessons that shaped their songwriting and success.

In this episode:

• How HAIM built success on their own terms after years of “no’s”

• The real stories behind their biggest records

• What they’ve learned about songwriting, collaboration, and creative control

0:00 Intro Teaser – HAIM’s Gritty Start Against All Odds

0:30 Nobody Wanted to Sign Us – Early rejections that almost stopped HAIM

1:10 The Sister Dynamic – Therapy, tension, and love between bandmates

2:30 Strict Parents, Rebellion & First Gigs

5:00 Leaving for Tour at 19 – Danielle’s leap of faith

7:30 Almost Famous IRL – Touring with Jenny Lewis & Julian Casablancas

9:15 Skipping College & Faking Dentist Notes

12:30 Oldest Sibling Pressure & UCLA Lessons

15:00 Nobody Wanted Rock Music – Breaking through rejection

16:00 Meeting Ludwig Göransson – The producer who changed everything

18:30 2 AM Sessions & the “Forever” EP

20:00 SXSW Madness – 14 shows in 5 days

22:00 The UK Breakthrough – Why British fans got it first

25:10 How They Learned to Write Songs – Lessons from “Rockin’ Haim”

27:00 Recording Songs from the Radio – Childhood obsession that sparked their craft

31:10 The First HAIM Song Ever – From bad demos to “The Wire”

34:10 The 10,000 Hours – Becoming one of LA’s best live bands

35:45 Days Are Gone – Finding their sound amid chaos

38:30 Working with James Ford & Ariel Rechtshaid

40:50 Balancing Chaos and Craft – The HAIM recording process

42:10 Collaborating with Kid Cudi – Their first big studio moment

43:10 Touring Exhaustion & Finding Their Groove

45:15 Shutting Down Ventura Blvd – The iconic “Want You Back” video

47:39 Women in Music Pt. III – Growth & vulnerability

48:30 GarageBand & Songwriting – Danielle’s creative superstition

49:30 The Making of “I Quit” – A new era of HAIM

50:00 Creative Control & Saying No to Labels

52:00 Lessons from Paul Thomas Anderson – Vision & long-take storytelling

@NMPA | @nmpaorg – Fighting for songwriters’ rights and fair pay.

Learn more at NMPA.org.

@Splice – The industry’s top royalty-free sample library and creator platform, supporting original artists with world-class sounds and ethical AI tools.

Download Splice and start creating today.

And The Writer Is...

Hosted by Ross Golan

Executive Produced by Joe London & Jad Saad

Follow us everywhere → @andthewriteris

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is one of the most exciting young artists in the world right now.

A once-in-a-generation artist writing and producing every record himself — and turning that independence into global hits.

His records aren’t just topping charts — many of them are 100%ers.

Self-written, self-produced, and streamed hundreds of millions of times.

He’s building a world entirely his own...

In this episode of And The Writer Is, Ross Golan sits down with Sombr to unpack how he:

- Writes and produces 100% of his music

- Went from viral moments to global success

- Deals with pressure, purpose, and proving himself

Presented by our friends at @NMPA @splice

A huge thank you to our sponsors.

Chapter list

0:00 The Rise of Sombr: Bedroom Producer to Global Prodigy

0:01:02;15 [NMPA] - Fighting for Songwriters (Season Sponsor)

0:01:51 Early Discovery: Why Warner Music Bet on a 16-Year-Old

0:03:38 My First Song Blew Up: Waking Up to 200K Likes & Columbia Records

0:06:00;14 From NYC Roots to Proving Haters Wrong

0:08:16 From Charlie Puth to Operatic Arias: My Secret Classical Music Training

00:11:04 How I Dropped Out of LaGuardia to Get Signed (TikTok Made Me Quit)

00:13:39 Opening for The Strokes at SXSW

00:14:41 The Imposter Syndrome of a Global Superstar

00:15:36 From GarageBand to Global Hits: My FLOPS & Early Projects (Cherry Valley)

00:17:50 Who is Sombr? Shane vs. The Artist & Why New York Makes Anything Possible

00:21:02 The TRUTH About "Caroline": She's Everyone... She's You.

00:22:13 The $0 Photo Shoot That Became My Global Album Cover

00:24:28 Advice to My 16-Year-Old Self

00:26:18 My Secret Writing Method: Saving Choruses & How I Made the Album in 1 Month

00:28:14 [NMPA] - The Power of Music Publishers (Sponsor Segment)

00:28:56 [SPLICE] - Using AI Ethically & Protecting Creators (Sponsor Segment)

00:30:42 "Back to Friends": Writing a Global Hit from a Career Low

00:36:44 Working with Tony Berg: A Mentor and Real Instruments

00:40:54 "Undress": Building Confidence After a Breakthrough

00:43:40 Sacrifices of Fame: Losing My Social Life

00:45:30 Anxiety and Expectations: Navigating Global Success

00:51:23 Critics vs. Appreciation: Why Art Shouldn’t Be Rated

00:058:09 The Final Word: Why the Haters Say I'm Not "Serious" (A Joke)

00:58:50 The Beatles & The Muse: The Real Secret to Timeless Art

00:59:11 Thank You & Outro

NMPA fights for songwriters' rights, ensuring fair pay and protection.

Check them out at NMPA.org and follow them on social media at @NMPAorg

Splice is the industry’s top sample library—royalty-free for all. It empowers creators with its incredible library and ethical AI tools, supporting original artists every step of the way.

Download Splice today and follow them on social media at @splice

And The Writer Is...

Hosted by Ross Golan

Executive produced by Joe London and Jad Saad

Follow us on socials at @andthewriteris

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.