In this episode, Anthony and Jonathan sit down with the unbelievably talented Halle Bailey—one half of the five-time GRAMMY-nominated duo Chloe x Halle, a Disney princess, and now a solo artist in her own right. Halle walks us through everything from being discovered by Beyoncé and growing up making music with her sister, to taking on the role of Ariel in Disney’s live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid, and pouring her heart into her debut album, Love?... Or Something Like It. She opens up about the pressure, the joy, the unexpected lessons along the way, and what it feels like to put something that’s 100% her own out into the world. It’s honest, inspiring, and full of those “wait—how is she this grounded??” moments.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 - Intro and catch-up time

06:30 - Theme song and the best intro ever

08:00 - Jodi Benson and Halle’s relationship The Little Mermaid

10:00 - Advice to young artists

11:00 - YouTube origins

12:15 - Beyoncé’s mentorship and advice

14:00 - Halle’s relationship with social media

16:30 - Disney + The Little Mermaid chat

19:30 - Debut album! (Love? … Or Something like It)

20:30 - Collaborating with Chloe

22:00 - Album title meaning

23:00 - “Bite Your Lip”

24:00 - Inspiration behind the album

25:00 - Nerves around putting out “Alone”

25:45 - Halle’s relationship with H.E.R.

28:00 - Halle’s involvement with writing/producing

29:30 - Signing off!

Stream Halle’s new album, “Love? … Or Something Like It”, now!

Follow her @hallebailey

Socials: Follow the hosts and stay connected!

@AnthonyGargiula

@JonathanTilkin

@CounterMelodiesPod

Listen and Watch: https://tinyurl.com/CounterMelodiesPod

The Team:

Executive Producer/Showrunner/Editor: Louis Gargiula

Consulting Producer: Renee Colvert

Jodi Benson (aka the voice of Ariel from The Little Mermaid) joins us in the kitchen today to celebrate Disney’s World Princess Week! From her early days on Broadway in Smile and Crazy For You to her iconic voice work in Disney’s The Little Mermaid and the Toy Story franchise - that’s right, she voiced the one-and-only Barbie - Jodi takes on a journey under the sea to explore all her favorite Disney memories. Stick around for an exciting conversation on her legacy, the importance of Disney Princesses, Broadway, and even some heart-wrenching stories of the late Howard Ashman and how Jodi is determined to keep his memory alive.

Episode Breakdown:

0:00 – Introduction

1:45 - Jodi Benson is here

3:00 - Performing origins

8:30 - Early broadway days

12:00 - Auditioning for “The Little Mermaid”

16:30 - Finding Ariel’s voice

17:30 – Being coached by Howard Ashman

18:30 - “Part of Your World” controversy

21:30 - Creating Ariel and The Little Mermaid

23:30 - Working with Howard Ashman and Alan Menken

25:00 - Howard Ashman’s passing and legacy

31:30 - ”The Little Mermaid” live-action

33:30 - Jodi and Hallee’s relationship

35:00 – Jodi at the live-action premiere

36:00 - How “The Little Mermaid” continues to live on

41:00 - Favorite “Part of Your World” performances

45:00 - Performing with her daughter

47:00 – Voicing “Barbie” and other iconic voices

49:00 - World Princess Week

52:00 - Game time!

56:00 - Final thoughts and goodbyes

Follow Jodi Benson:

Instagram: @jodibenson

TikTok: @jodi.benson

Follow the hosts:

@AnthonyGargiula

@Jonathantilkin

@CounterMelodiesShow

Listen and Watch:

https://pods.to/countermelodies

Credits:

Executive Producer / Showrunner / Editor: Louis Gargiula

Consulting Producer: Renée Colvert

Kyle Gordon has arrived! From viral alter egos like DJ Crazy Times to his genre-bending comedy albums Kyle Gordon Is Great and Kyle Gordon Is Wonderful, Kyle takes us behind the wigs, accents, and absolute chaos to reveal the real artistry behind parody. We dive into the wild ride of going viral, crafting characters that stick, and what it really takes to write music that’s both hilarious and genuinely good. It’s a laugh-out-loud, unexpectedly heartfelt journey through comedy, creativity, and the beautiful absurdity of the internet.

Episode Breakdown:

0:00 - Intro & Catch Up

4:20 - Welcome Kody Redwing!

8:00 - Kody’s Childhood and family

10:30 - Kody’s American Idol Experience

13:00 - Comparisons to other “millennial” bands

15:00 - Career Choices and their impact on family

17:00 - Favorite versions of “Hallelujah”

18:30 - What’s Next for Kyle

20:00 - “Married in a Year in The Suburbs” collab

22:10 - Welcome Kyle Gordon!

23:00 - A Cappella Roots

25:00 - Wardrobe Malfunction

26:30 - Transitioning into Musical-Comedy

27:45 - Music Background

29:00 - Tiktok Beginnings

33:00 - Kid Who’s No Fun

36:00 - Brendan Abernathy Collab

38:30 - Patterns of “Hate” on the Internet

43:30 - DJ Crazy Times Controversy

46:30 - Performing with the Jonas Brothers

50:45 - Running into Joe Jonas in NYC

53:00 - Jonathan and Paul McCartney

54:30 - Kyle’s new album!

1:00:20 - Game time!

Follow Kyle Gordon:

Listen to Kyle Gordon is Wonderful everywhere.

Follow @kylegordonisgreat on social for all the sparkle.

Follow the Hosts:

@AnthonyGargiula

@ JonathanTilkin

@CounterMelodiesPod

Listen and Watch:

⁠https://pods.to/countermelodies⁠

Credits:

Executive Producer / Showrunner / Editor: Louis Gargiula

Consulting Producer: Renée Colvert