The Hardest Part
Hosted by Kieron Banerji, The Hardest Part dives deep into the most challenging songs ever written. Every two weeks, an artist joins Kieron in the studio to break down the struggles, breakthroughs, and raw emotions behind their toughest songwriting experiences. From overcoming creative blocks to tapping into painful memories, these conversations reveal the delicate balance between self-expression and self-protection. Each episode wraps with an exclusive live performance of the song—raw, real, and sometimes heard this way for the first time. Follow the Hardest Part wherever you get your podcasts, and watch footage from the show on our YouTube and socials.
Episodes
What do you do when you have five separate demos and no idea how they fit together?
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji sits down with NYC psych-pop collective Psymon Spine to unpack the twisting, turbulent process behind their ...
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji sits down with Elles Bailey to unpack the long, personal, and painful process behind “Ballad of a Broken Dream,” a track that sat in her voice notes for over five years before she could face recording it.
Originally writ...
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji is joined by Adult Jazz to unpack the long and winding process behind “Earth of Worms,” one of the most technically complex and emotionally unruly songs on their album So Sorry So Slow.
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In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji sits down with Deep Sea Diver at Third Man Records in Soho to unpack the complicated road behind their track “Shovel.”
It started out as the easiest song they’d ever written&...
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji sits down with Sophie Jamieson to explore the writing of “How Do You Want to Be Loved?”, a delicate and emotionally loaded song from her album I Still Want To Share.
Unlike many of her...
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji is joined by Anna B Savage to unpack the long and winding process behind “Donegal,” a standout from her album You and i are Earth.
Anna reflects on her changing relationship to songwri...
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji is joined by London band Famous to unpack the writing of “Leaving Tottenham,” a climactic and emotionally charged track from their debut album Party Album.
The band’s frontm...
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji sits down with Devi Mambouka, the artist and music producer who performs as Masma Dream World, to explore the deeply spiritual and emotionally raw process behind the making of her art.
Unlike traditional songwriting, Devi's process is entirely intuitive—a sonic ritu...
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji is joined by Australian group Folk Bitch Trio to reflect on the long, messy road to finishing “Sarah,” a song that was nearly cut from their debut album Now Would Be a Good Time.
What began as a heartbreak-fueled acoustic track quickly became the most difficult song to finish—emotion...
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji is joined by Bria Salmena to unpack the winding creative journey behind “Closer to You,” a standout track from her debut solo album Big Dog.
Written across two cities—Bria in Los Angeles, Duncan Hay Jennings in Toronto—the song came to life through long-distance collaboration a...
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji is joined by singer, songwriter, and producer Jack Garratt for a deeply introspective conversation about his track “Mara” from the album Love, Death & Dancing.
Jack opens up about the emotional and psychological weight that followed his debut album, and how “Mara” became a ...
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji sits down backstage at The Barbican with Casper Clausen of Danish band Efterklang to dive into the quiet evolution of their track “Getting Reminders,” from the album Things We Have In Common.
Unlike their typical in-the-box ...
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji is joined by Ashaine White to explore the emotional and creative depths of her song “Hotel.”
Ashaine opens up about how the track was sparked by a phrase she often heard growing up: “You treat this house like a hotel.&...
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji is joined in the studio by Matt Thomson of The Amazons to unpack the creative journey behind two defining songs: “Black Magic” and “Joe Bought a Gun.”
Matt reflects on the early days of writing “Black Magic,” a track that first came tog...
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji is joined in the studio by musician Ora Cogan to explore the intricate journey behind her song "Crickets." Ora shares how the song took shape over an extended period, written across multiple landscapes—including New Mexico, th...
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji is joined in the studio by Amahla to explore the creation of her song "Apathy." The conversation delves into the deeply personal journey behind the track, touching on themes of emotional overwhelm, detachment, and the vices people turn to when life becomes too difficult.
Influenced by folk and gospel music,...
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji sits down with Canty to explore the emotional depth behind his track "hahaha." Canty opens up about the personal struggles he faced during this period, from navigating the challenges of the music industry to dealing with personal health issues.
He shares how these experiences shaped the song, which captures...
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji sits down with singer-songwriter Molly Payton to explore the journey behind her song "You're On Your Own This Time, Again."
Molly opens up about the deeply personal inspiration for the track, which reflects on her father’s arrest when she was 18. She shares how finishing the song years later became a cathartic process, allowing her to navigate complex emotions and under...
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji sits down with Rosie Lowe to explore the story behind her song "Gratitudes." Rosie recounts the intense and challenging journey of creating the track during a session in Berlin with her collaborator D'Monk.
She shares the frustration of losing the original session due to a power cut and the eventual acceptance that led to creating something entirely new. Reflecting on this ex...
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji is joined by Rohan and Lou from the band Kiioto to discuss the challenges behind their song "Wild Geese." The conversation explores the complexities of balancing individual creativity within both a romantic and professional partnership. Rowan and Lou share how the song evolved from its initial concept, "Goldfinch," into the final version of "Wild Geese," showcasing their dyna...
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