Sam Nelson Harris (of X Ambassadors)

Sam Harris of X Ambassadors joins the guys in the kitchen today—and he’s telling all the stories you want to hear! From the random drumhead brand that inspired the band name to how a one-line fadeout turned into a billion-streamed hit, this episode is packed with career surprises, emotional songwriting, and laugh-out-loud moments. Sam talks about working with Rihanna, co-writing for Lizzo, how Imagine Dragons changed everything, and the surprising story behind their massive Jeep jingle (Renegades). Plus, he joins Anthony and Jonathan for the ultimate performer’s challenge: rank all of the possible live show fails that can happen.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 - catching up with the guys + a family affair! Anthony’s parents surprise the team with custom mugs and wooden spoons.

04:00 - Welcome Sam Harris! From mistaken identity (he’s not the neuroscientist) to the backstory behind his full name.

06:00 - The “X” in X Ambassadors. How a copyright issue, Photoshop, and Dan Reynolds led to a last-minute rebrand.

09:00 - The real origin of “Ambassadors.” Hint: it involves a drumhead.

11:30 - Upstate New York roots. Sam and Anthony bond over small-town New York, from Ithaca to Albany.

13:00 - VHS turns 10. Sam reflects on the album that changed everything.

14:30 - How a ballad got them signed. A five-minute sad song caught fire on Virginia radio, leading to a chance encounter with Dan from Imagine Dragons.

17:30 - Label rejections and a surprise call from Alex Da Kid. The real start of X Ambassadors’ record deal.

19:00 - Opening for Imagine Dragons. From schlepping gear to performing for arenas with no crew—it was chaos.

22:15 - Why collaboration changed Sam’s life. How writing with others freed him from perfectionism.

23:30 - The Sucker for Pain saga (full story). Featuring Lil Wayne, a hotel bathroom, and 7 million artists.

26:45 - Working with Lizzo. From writing Jerome and Cuz I Love You to co-producing her latest single.

31:00 - Writing with artists from different worlds. Sam’s approach to helping artists stay authentic, especially with voices as big as Lizzo’s.

33:00 - The Rihanna story. How American Oxygen took a year to write—and why it wasn’t the hit they hoped for.

37:30 - The myth of the “sure thing.” Sam reflects on the unpredictability of the industry.

40:30 - Writing Unsteady. How a song originally intended for Zedd became one of the band’s biggest emotional anthems.

46:00 - Fans and trauma-dumping. Sam opens up about the intensity of fan interactions and what it means when people say “your song saved my life.”

49:00 - TikTok and TV revivals. Why Unsteady lives on, and how Anthony may have helped reignite the trend.

51:00 - The Renegades twist. How Sam accidentally wrote a jingle for Jeep—and why he’s now proud of it.

58:00 - Game time! Sam and the guys rank all of the possible live show fails that can happen

57:00 - Game time: What’s the Rena-grade? Sam gives letter grades to live performance challenges: no soundcheck, broken packs, untuned guitars, and more.

1:11:00 - The rubber band trick. A therapy technique Sam uses to stop the spiral of self-blame.

1:12:00 - What’s next for X Ambassadors? Sam announces (exclusive!) that a VHS 10-year rerecord is coming, with tour dates to follow.

Follow Sam and X Ambassadors:

Stream their new releases and keep up with the band on all socials @XAmbassadors and at xambassadors.com

Socials: Follow the hosts for more fun content!

@AnthonyGargiula

@JonathanTilkin

@CounterMelodiesPod

Listen and Watch:

CounterMelodiesPod.com

Credits:

Executive Producer/Showrunner/Editor: Louis Gargiula

Consulting Producer: Renee Colvert