Episodes

  • Gabe Simon: Building Economies, Not Empires
    Feb 16 2026

    Producer and songwriter Gabe Simon (“Stick Season” Noah Kahan, “Blue Banisters” Lana Del Ray, “The Man That Came Back” Jessie Murph) shares his journey from driving Uber while on a publishing deal to producing career-defining records for Noah Kahan, Dermot Kennedy, and Lana Del Rey. This conversation explores the financial realities of the music business, the importance of community over competition, and how to build sustainable creative careers. Gabe and the crew delve into some new topics for Songwriter Soup, hope you enjoy.

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • REPLAY: Don't Crush The Butterfly
    Feb 2 2026

    Trio de Songwriter Soup delve into art/business relationships and more on today’s episode. When it comes to a songwriter’s relationship with an artist, what is loyalty exactly? Is it a good thing? Is it a bad thing?

    Man, it sure can get tricky as people come and go (and come and go again). Holding too tightly and/or getting one’s feelings hurt can do damage, internally and externally. Let’s talk about it! But wait, are we even talking about songwriting? Totally.

    Are we talking about EVERYTHING? Perhaps? Either way, hope it helps!

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    56 mins
  • Dave Cohen: Studio Sessions, The Road, The Producer Chair, The Writer Room.. Where ISN’T Dave!?
    Jan 19 2026

    Dave Cohen (“Pray Hard”BigXThaPlug & Luke Combs, “Home” BigXThaPlug & Shaboozey, “Good Day For Living” Joe Nichols) is a previously full time touring musician, 5-time Academy of Country Music and 6-time Music Row Award-winning producer and multi-instrumentalist who pivoted to songwriting in recent years.

    There is so much to learn from Dave regarding expanding your toolbox, being a good collaborator and hang, and understanding those subtle hints that are pulling you towards a career path tweak.

    This episode covers the ever elusive music row imposter syndrome along with other music maker challenges, and how to treat the next generation better than the previous generation treated you. Enjoy this episode!


    Watch Dave's episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/k4qSLGVzApM

    Listen to songs Dave's played on: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/dave-cohen-the-session-musicians/pl.fc1ef8b91a354a8aa76bb694b6242703

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    1 hr and 35 mins
  • Natalie Hemby: Lady Gaga, The Highwomen and the Importance of Tranquility
    Jan 5 2026

    This week the crew is joined by ABSOLUTE LEGEND, artist and GRAMMY-winning songwriter Natalie Hemby (Kacey Musgraves "Rainbow", Miranda Lambert "White Liar", Little Big Town "Pontoon").

    The crew dives into that [very real] post-number-one depression, choosing family over touring, and getting pigeonholed as a songwriter. Natalie also shares the story of passing up writing "Shallow" with Lady Gaga and how she may be the only artist who doesn't want her own music to be "too successful".

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • Alysa Vanderheym: Steaming Hot Tea On Points, Fees, Stems & Blacklists
    Dec 22 2025

    Alysa Vanderheym (Rolling Up The Welcome Mat & Patterns Kelsea Ballerini, “Lose Somebody” Kygo & OneRepublic, “Hold On Me” Jelly Roll) gets into some big fat topics on the pod this week.

    The discussion covers craftsmanship, critical acclaim and the risks and advantages of artists who veer away from the radio and towards a finer art.

    The juiciest part of this episode BY FAR is when the crew talks about points, fees, the risk of sending around your production stems, and how easily songwriters get blacklisted for asking for things like participation in income streams aside from copyright royalties.

    This episode is chock full of sensitive and delicate topics, ones you’ll want to know more about before you’re in the middle of these dramas yourself.

    Knowing is truly half the battle, so let’s educate ourselves, kids!

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • Matt Dragstrem: The Hit Songwriter Who’ll Never Tell You He's A Hit Songwriter
    Dec 8 2025

    Matt Dragstrem (“I’ll Name The Dogs” Blake Shelton, “What My World Spins Around” Jordan Davis, “Just To Say We Did” Kenny Chesney) is a guy you’d meet at a party and find out years later, he wrote all of your favorite country songs.

    Songwriter Soup is proud to platform the least braggy writer in all of music row and discuss his journey from Starbucks to staff writer and how someone without that self promotion bug makes they’re way thru this business successfully. We cover the value of noodling, keeping it light and staying the course.

    Enjoy this episode of Songwriter Soup!


    Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6OsHLYFgEqY

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    58 mins
  • Tayla Parx: Sustainable Music Industry Ecosystems and Bettering The Culture For All
    Nov 24 2025

    Tayla Parx (“7 rings” & thank u, next” Ariana Grande, “High Hopes” Panic! At The Disco, “Like JENNIE” JENNIE) joins the crew this week and this episode covers a LOT— the LA style publishing deal compared to a Nashville style deal, how to tailor your business set up to fit your life and lifestyle, and how to approach mentoring with the aim to better the culture and leave something sustainable behind. Tayla is a one and only human and a big picture thinker. Lots to learn here guys! Enjoy.

    Watch and subscribe on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@SongwriterSoupPodcast

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • Thomas Daniel: Clocking The F In, Financial Literacy & The Lost Art of Free Mentorship
    Nov 10 2025

    Ok, strap in guys, this will be the most entertaining episode of Songwriter Soup so far, and maybe forevermore. Laura’s prediction for future Songwriter Of The Year, Thomas Daniel, is on the podcast this week, representing (for now, and not for long) the middle class songwriter.

    By that we mean, Thomas is fully in the meat of ‘publishing deal land’ and hasn’t had that first big hit… YET (absolutely inevitable). His questions and perspectives help fill in some very crucial blanks in the Songwriter Soup ecosystem, and the trio is so grateful and happy to discuss them.

    This episode covers a ton about mentorship, particularly why hit songwriters sign up and coming songwriters, and how they maybe, kinda, sorta shouldn’t necessarily do that. It also addresses the future of the songwriting industry and the importance of financial literacy at all stages of the career.

    Enjoy this episode and prepare for sore abs, Thomas is one funny MFer.

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    1 hr and 35 mins