Song Stories

Song Stories

'Song Stories' explores the creation of one new album over the course of each season. The featured artist breaks down the lyrical inspiration behind each song in a series of interviews, audio diaries and in-studio confessionals that showcase how the tracks morph from conception to completion — from the mind of the musician to the ear of their fans. Whether it's in the writer's room, inside the vocal booth, behind the mixing desk or even onstage, the series provides listeners with an intimate, fly-on-the-wall perspective of how their favorite stars make their music.

Episodes

August 26, 2022 28 mins

So far, the interviews we’ve shared were recorded shortly after Finneas had released his solo debut, Optimist, in the fall of 2021. But it’s also interesting to hear from an artist in the midst of their creative process — to hear firsthand about their emotional state, in addition to the challenges and even doubts they face in the studio.
So with this in mind, we're sharing an interview with Finneas from fall of 2020 for another ...

Mark as Played

They that every character in your dreams is really you. The same goes for songs. Finneas spoke to us about how themes on Optimist began to emerge — ones that he wasn’t necessarily aware of as he wrote it. It helped him make sense of the tumultuous last few years, and how it changed him as an artist and as a person. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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August 12, 2022 20 mins

“Sharing” is the key word when he comes to most artists. It’s only natural: You’ve made something you’re proud of, and you want as many people as possible to enjoy it. That’s all well and good, until the audience begins to turn their attention away from your art, and onto you. Some people enjoy the attention and thrive. Others, like Finneas, emphatically don’t.

This week, we continue our exploration of Optimist, as Finneas digs dee...

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August 5, 2022 23 mins

Success can open doors, but it can also be confusing, sometimes crippling. This episode, Finneas begins to take us track-by-track through his album Optimist, discussing his influences and the wide variety of experiences he drew on in the writing. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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July 27, 2022 26 mins

These days, you don't need a studio or a $10,000 microphone to make a good sounding record. In fact you probably have everything you need available on whatever you're using to listen to this podcast! 

Finneas is one of the most visible beneficiaries of this democratization of music. This episode, he talks about the tools and tricks he uses to create, stay inspired, and make the music that he hears in his head.  

See omnystudi...

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July 20, 2022 31 mins

How do you make a hit record? To try to answer this not-so-simple question, we're sitting down with someone who helped define the sound of popular music in recent years, Finneas, to take us through the life cycle of a song from studio to stage and everything in between. 

You may know his sister, Billie Eilish. Their first song together, "Ocean Eyes," went viral practically overnight, and the album that followed became one of...

Mark as Played
July 13, 2022 2 mins

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played

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Jordan Runtagh

Jordan Runtagh

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