Best Podcast by Kaia Podcasts (2024)

1
John Smith is Finding Harmony in Chaos, ep. 271 55:10

1h ago55:10

55:10

Originally from Devon, the English singer-songwriter John Smith got his start playing bars and clubs in Liverpool, both with his own songs and as a side player for artists like Lianne La Havas, Lisa Hannigan and David Gray. Growing up with folk music and guitar music influences from Eric Clapton to Maria Callas to Nick Drake, John’s sensitivity as …

1
Peggy Seeger spills Folk Feminist Tea with Dawn Landes, ep. 270 1:10:30

26m ago1:10:30

1:10:30

Editor's note: For this episode, we invited our friend Dawn Landes to interview Peggy Seeger. Dawn was the perfect choice to interview the feminist folk icon. She recently joined us on a special episode with Aoife O'Donovan to discuss their feminist-themed new albums. We're thrilled to welcome Dawn back as guest host! I can’t believe it took me 40 …

1
Ana Egge on Dream-Writing, the Truth, and Sinead O'Connor, ep. 269 1:06:06

7d ago1:06:06

1:06:06

Folk music singer Ana Egge's 13th album Sharing in the Spirit came out of the musician one song at a time. She didn't even think about moving onto a new song before the writing and production of each song was complete. Working with her friend and collaborator Lorenzo Wolff, the songwriting process and music production plan was to just work on a han…

1
Soundcheck Stories and Life Lessons: Chris Smither and Peter Mulvey, ep. 268 1:01:23

9d ago1:01:23

1:01:23

Chris Smither has been Peter Mulvey's mentor since back in 1993, when the young Mulvey opened for the already seasoned Smither. The blues and folk legend liked what he heard and enjoyed the similarities in creativity and quirks and he took that young man on the road with him. Their musical partnership has crossed paths and outlasted the digital age…

1
Steve Poltz Wants to Listen to The Grateful Dead, Watch Laugh-In and Write a Song Together, ep. 267 1:18:43

21d ago1:18:43

1:18:43

If you're looking for recommendations for desserts, might I suggest asking folk music and comedy savant Steve Poltz? This man loves gluten and carb-heavy deserts. He also loves collaborations, camaraderie, creativity and using humor in music. It all began for Poltz, or Poltzy as his friends call him, in his birthplace of Halifax Nova Scotia, making…

1
Basic Folk Presents: Only Vans 29:52

18d ago29:52

29:52

Editor’s note: Basic Folk is pleased to introduce our listeners to one of our favorite podcasts by sharing an episode in our feed! I am awestruck with the charm and charisma of Texas Country Musician Bri Bagwell - most impressively demonstrated on her podcast Only Vans, where she talks to her friends in her van (actually she recently upgraded to an…

1
Archiving the Heart: Greg Brown on Music, Family, and Throwing Out Old Notebooks, ep. 266 44:27

23d ago44:27

44:27

Iowa folk music icon Greg Brown is living that retired life. After playing his farewell retirement concert in 2023, he's returned with a new book: Ring Around The Moon: A Songbook, which highlights a song selection personally picked by the songwriter himself, as well as family photos, personal anecdotes and self-penned drawings. The book features a…

1
The Reckoning of Montreal Banjo-Witch Kaïa Kater, ep. 265 1:23:59

1M ago1:23:59

1:23:59

After banjo player Kaïa Kater attended Americana Fest in 2016, the music industry started telling her she was a part of the genre, which encompasses all kinds of roots music, acoustic music, folk music, singer-songwriter and alternative country music. She was singing about heavy themes like historical trauma, her cultural heritage (her father is fr…

1
Guster is a Place, ep. 264 59:03

1M ago59:03

59:03

Frontman Ryan Miller joins us to talk about all things Guster. From their tried and true collaborative writing process to the theatrical delights of their recent "We Also Have Eras" tour, to what it really looks like to make environmental sustainability a priority on tour. Guster has just released their 9…

1
Finding Freedom in a Flip Phone: John Moreland's Quest for a Simple Life, ep. 263 59:05

1M ago59:05

59:05

I hate surprises. However, Oklahoma's pride and joy John Moreland surprised us with his latest album Visitor and I guess I'm okay with it. Moreland's gone back to a sparse acoustic instrumentation, unlike the electronic sound (which I also loved) on his previous release, 2022's Birds in the Ceiling. Recently, he took a page from his wife Pearl Rach…

1
The Fundraising Debrief (Ep. 11): Joe Orji (Trustcrow $550K Pre-Seed) 29:51

2M ago29:51

29:51

Joe Orji, founder and CEO of Trustcrow joins Vlad Cazacu, co-founder and CEO of Flowlie, to discuss their latest $550K Pre-Seed Round, his lessons from real estate, and why international focus can be a competitive advantage. 00:00 Introduction to Joe Orji and Trustcrow 00:16 Welcome to the Fundraising Debrief Podcast 01:21 Joe Orji's Early Career i…

1
#131 Scaling Contraceptive App to 2M Users By Daring Not to Be Free (Dr Elina Berglund, CEO Natural Cycles) 30:54

2M ago30:54

30:54

Dr Elina Berglund is the CEO/Co-founder of Natural Cycles, which she has grown to 2M users. When every other app seemed to be free — she made a brave decision: She charged her users a monthly fee. And it worked... 0:57 - The Birth of Natural Cycles2:57 - The Decision to Charge from the Start3:47 - Building Trust Through Pricing4:23 - From Personal …

1
Claps, Covers, and Come Ons: Inside Barnstar!'s Musical Mischief, ep. 262 57:49

2M ago57:49

57:49

Barnstar!, Boston's premiere kinda bluegrass and definitely bombastic band, has released their new album Furious Kindness and we're #blessed to welcome Mark Erelli and Zachariah Hickman to the pod. Originally a fun side hustle and bluegrass vehicle for Zack, the group, which also includes Charlie Rose and Taylor and Jake Armerding, started very cas…

1
Fran & Flora Are Reimagining Traditional Yiddish Folk Music, ep. 261 1:07:36

2M ago1:07:36

1:07:36

Two long-time collaborators, cellist Francesa Ter-Berg and violinist Flora Curazon, Fran & Flora, have bonded over their obsession with ancient music, rooted in Eastern European and Jewish culture, for over a dozen years. Together and separately, the English musicians have been studying with teachers of ethnomusicology in places like Transylvania a…

1
Relevant, Radical & ROTFL: Billy Bragg, Folk Music's Political Poet, ep. 260 1:04:52

2M ago1:04:52

1:04:52

Billy Bragg joins lizzie and Cindy on-board Cayamo to talk about songwriting, social justice, punk rock and, of course, The Little Guy (Bragg's nickname for Woody Guthrie). In our interview we talked about using humor as a way to connect to his audience, so that he can bring up his political activism like fighting for transgender rights, the import…

1
Leyla McCalla's Joyful Rebellion: Sun Without Heat and the Freedom of Play, ep. 259 1:21:36

2M ago1:21:36

1:21:36

Singer-songwriter Leyla McCalla and her band (bassist Pete Olynciw, drummer Shawn Meyers and guitarist Nahum Zdybel) join us onboard the Cayamo cruise to go through their incredible, righteous and fun new record Sun Without Heat. It is a Leyla McCalla solo album but no solo artist is an island! Once we saw Leyla perform with her band, with whom she…

1
Humbird: From Dinner Table Singing to Dismantling White Supremacy, ep. 258 1:05:00

3M ago1:05:00

1:05:00

Siri Undlin, better known as Humbird, is a talented singer-songwriter from the Twin Cities with deep roots in Minnesota music and the land that surrounds her. Growing up, she was a true cold weather kid who loved hockey during winter In Minnesota, but also loved music and feeding her vivid imagination. Her love of music was nurtured by her parents,…

1
Navigating the Waters of Folk Music: Community vs Capitalism, ep. 257 48:40

3M ago48:40

48:40

We're live at sea! lizzie and Cindy recorded this episode onboard Cayamo, which is a singer/songwriter cruise that's been sailing yearly since 2008 and is one of the best music festivals we've attended. AND it's another edition of FOLK DEBATE CLUB. This time it's Community vs Capitalism! Our panel features Jenny Owen Youngs (musician and co-host of…

1
Jontavious Willis Says Blues Music is for The Kids, ep. 256 49:38

3M ago49:38

49:38

Originally from Greenville Georgia, musician Jontavious Willis is a Blues music phenom. When we talk about the Blues, the phrase or the word "torchbearer" comes up a lot when it comes to young, new Blues artists. I think of that word as a double edged sword. When you think of a torchbearer, you think about someone who's carrying on a flame that was…

1
Aoife O'Donovan and Dawn Landes Surf All the Feminist Waves, ep. 255 1:12:02

3M ago1:12:02

1:12:02

Coincidentally, long-time friends Aoife O'Donovan and Dawn Landes both have new albums with strong feminist themes, so I (Cindy) wanted to interview them together and talk about WOMEN. Aoife's album, All My Friends, is specifically centered around Carrie Chapman Catt, a prominent leader in the Suffragist Movement, and her work in the fight for the …

1
Appalachian Bluegrasser Missy Raines Explains The West Virginia Thing, ep. 254 1:07:58

4M ago1:07:58

1:07:58

Acclaimed bluegrass musician Missy Raines is also a very cool and funny lady originally from West Virginia, not far from the Maryland border and the city of Cumberland. First of all, I had questions for her about why people from West Virginia are SO into their state. She gets into that and also the influence of the rich tapestry of bluegrass music …

1
#130 Kaia Health, Raising $125M By Turning $50,000 Elite Pain Rehab into an App (CEO, Konstantin Mehl) 29:52

4M ago29:52

29:52

Konstantin started Kaia Health after paying $50,000 to cure his back pain at an elite pain rehab centre. It worked. But it seemed stupid. Why did this need to cost $50,000? Kaia Health has since raised $125M and helped 625,000 users. 0:00 The 90 second story 1:22 How did he grow 20% every week? 2:15 Market timing is everything 7:43 We never put pre…

1
Bob Hillman's Rock and Roll Return: From Beach Volleyball to Marketing to Musician, ep. 253 55:21

4M ago55:21

55:21

Bob Hillman had a real thing going on in the early 2000's. He had made waves in New York City rubbing shoulders with some of the finest songwriters of the era at places like the open mic, Fast Folk and The Living Room, the singer-songwriter was creatively fulfilled, but not gaining the momentum in order to experience strategic growth in folk music.…

1
Joe Pug Will Not Ossify, ep. 252 58:11

4M ago58:11

58:11

Joe Pug will not engage in the Left-Brained Vs Right-Brained debate. His artistry and pragmatic business sense have lived in actual parallel through his music career. His songwriting and creativity are fueled by passion and result in dramatic and exciting songs, as on his new album Sketch of a Promised Departure. He also has stayed ahead of the cur…

1
Hannah Connolly is Finding Her Happy Little Emo Heart Again, ep. 251 57:59

4M ago57:59

57:59

Singer songwriter Hannah Connolly, originally from Eau Claire, WI (same as Justin Vernon and the Bon Iver crew!) has just released her second solo album, Shadowboxing. Written to reflect musical and life transitions, it was recorded in beautiful Idyllwild, CA, just outside of her new hometown of Los Angeles. While in the mountain town, Hannah recon…

1
Lizzie No: the GOAT on Gender, Tiaras and Leveling Up, ep. 250 1:13:22

5M ago1:13:22

1:13:22

Bestie Lizzie No has just released their career-defining new record Halfsies and we are 100% here for it on our 250th episode!! lizzie, who co-hosts Basic Folk, put her entire being, identity and creativity into this project. There's a lot going on with their main character, the avatar Miss Freedomland, and we're getting to the bottom of it in our …

1
Dinty Child Dreams Up Tunes on Island Time, ep. 249 50:18

5M ago50:18

50:18

Dinty Child, founding member of Session Americana, the beloved Boston roots music collective, who've accidentally been a band for twenty years, has just released his second solo album, Letting the Lions In. The new songs feature co-writing on all tracks between Dinty and Boston area songwriters like Mark Erelli, Kris Delmhorst and Dave Godowsky. A …

1
Tyrone Cotton: The Louisville Legend You Must Hear 34:22

5M ago34:22

34:22

Tyrone Cotton, a decades-long mainstay of the Louisville, KY music scene just released his 2023 debut album, "Man Like Me." A quick listen to these songs reveals an artist who has spent decades steeped in roots music. Lizzie No spoke with Tyrone and Ray Rizzo, one of the album’s producers, about Tyrone’s journey as an artist and the making of ‘Man …

1
Radio Waves to Musical Bliss: Talia Schlanger's Harmonious Journey, ep. 248 1:02:06

5M ago1:02:06

1:02:06

Canada's Talia Schlanger is best known for her work in broadcasting; guest-hosting Q with Tom Power on CBC and Alec Baldwin's "Here's the Thing" podcast, as well as taking over for David Dye on NPR Music's World Cafe in Philadelphia. Before all that, Talia was an actor and singer in many theater productions including Mamma Mia, Queen's We Will Rock…

1
#129 Jon Ronson on Writing, Hustle and the Psychopath Test 43:20

6M ago43:20

43:20

Jon Ronson is one of the most interesting people alive today — period.He’s the author of the Men Who Stare at Goats, So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed and The Psychopath Test — which spent 10 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.His two Ted talks have been watched 20 million times, his books have been brought to life by George Clooney on the bi…

1
Elise Leavy is the Faerie Kid of Folk, ep. 247 51:08

5M ago51:08

51:08

Dive into the enchanting world of Elise Leavy, a musician hailing from the picturesque Monterey, California through her latest album A Little Longer. Elise's artistic journey is steeped in the influence of her magical surroundings and a childhood filled with music, thanks to her mom's painting and stepdad's musical talents. Growing up with a deep a…

1
Strings of Support: Sarah Jarosz's Mentors and Co-Writing Magic, ep. 246 59:34

6M ago59:34

59:34

Sarah Jarosz is what happens when young women are taken seriously. A huge part of the mandolinist’s story is that she had supportive male mentors and that has added to her confidence. We all know the age old story of “Young woman shows promise, gets exploited by the patriarchy and it affects her work.” We need to hear stories like this. Starting in…

1
Imaginary People Chronicles: Viv & Riley's Tradition and Innovation, ep. 245 1:02:00

6M ago1:02:00

1:02:00

Vivian Leva and Riley Calcagno, known as Viv & Riley, dive deep into the nuances of old-time music, folk influences, and the process behind their album, Imaginary People. The duo, who met at a music camp in Port Townsend, Washington, trace their roots from Riley's disciplined musical practice to Viv's intuitive approach. The two found insp…

1
The Fundraising Debrief (Ep. 10): Yoav Oren (Zoog $2.2M Pre-Seed) 48:37

6M ago48:37

48:37

Yoav Oren, co-founder and CEO of Zoog joins Vlad Cazacu, co-founder and CEO of Flowlie, to discuss their latest $2.2M Pre-Seed Round, leadership during difficult times, and the role of the CEO for an early-stage business. 00:01 Introduction and Background of the Hosts 00:16 About the Podcast and Its Sponsor 01:10 Interview Begins: Current Situation…

1
Rachael Kilgour's Tribute to her Extraordinary Ordinary Dad, ep. 244 59:35

6M ago59:35

59:35

Rachael Kilgour unravels the layers of her late father on the album, "My Father Loved Me." Recorded in the cold of Toronto and produced by Rose Cousins (who also joins us for this conversation), this album carries the essence of Canadian roots and is a profound exploration of family heritage through the lens of an ordinary, hard working and humble …

1
Crying in Music: Darrell Scott's Honest Artistry, ep. 243 1:16:39

6M ago1:16:39

1:16:39

The cover of Darrell Scott's latest album, Old Cane Back Rocker, immediately sets the tone for your listening experience. The inclusion of the names of the Darrell Scott String Band (Bryn Davies, Matt Flinner and Shad Cobb) lets you know right off the bat that this recording is a band effort. The photo on the album cover gives a visual of Scotts' f…

1
Folk Legacy: Celebrating 25 Years of Club Passim's campfire. Festival 1:00:49

7M ago1:00:49

1:00:49

Let's get folking special! We're closing out 2023 with an exclusive live recording from folk mothership Club Passim, the historic folk venue located in Cambridge, MA, celebrating the bi-annual festival campfire. and its remarkable 25th anniversary. It started as a way for the club to book a slow holiday weekend and now 25 years later, campfire. is …

1
#128 AgeTech: Shopify vs Amazon Model — Birdie CEO, Max Parmentier 29:31

7M ago29:31

29:31

Max Parmentier is the CEO of Birdie, a Series B AgeTech startup who have raised $52M from the likes of Sofina, Omers Ventures and Index Ventures — and captured 10% of the UK market whilst currently scaling into Europe. 0:00 Intro 2:37 Shopify vs Amazon model in AgeTech 7:26 Product pivots: D2C never wins 11:56 Predictive AI AgeTech 13:58 I pitch an…

1
The Fundraising Debrief (Ep. 9): Kaia Parv (CrediLinq $8.1M Seed) 41:06

7M ago41:06

41:06

Kaia Parv, co-founder and Chief Investment Officer of CrediLinq, joins Vlad Cazacu, co-founder and CEO of Flowlie, to discuss their recent $8.1M Seed and Seed Extension raise and the unique challenges of raising capital for both a technology startup as well as a private credit fund. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:16 About the Host and the Podcas…

1
Maya de Vitry & Ethan Jodziewicz are Seriously Playful, ep. 242 59:58

7M ago59:58

59:58

Songwriter Maya de Vitry and bassist Ethan Jodziewicz come to their partnership with an understanding for their chosen lifestyle and a creative playfulness that enhances their connection. While Maya's roots are firmly planted in folk music, Ethan brings classical music and improvisation to the table. They've been collaborating together since Maya's…

1
Rosanne Cash is Not a Regular Mom, ep. 241 30:03

8M ago30:03

30:03

Thirty years ago, Rosanne Cash experienced an all-encompassing transformation. She had just left Nashville, her major label record deal and her marriage. She was living in New York and found herself falling in love with her producer, the guitarist John Leventhal. Her previous album Interiors had set the stage for the new Rosanne. With her landmark …

1
#127 Gentle Disruption Wins in Healthcare — DrDoctor CEO Tom Whicher 33:59

8M ago33:59

33:59

Tom Wicher is CEO of DrDoctor — who have served over 20M patients and just raised £10M in their recent Series A round. But he spent the first 7 years bootstrapping, and diverged from his colleagues: Opting for the slow and steady gentle disruption path. Why? 0:00 Gentle disruption beats move fast and break things 3:36 Picking a problem in healthcar…

1
Iron & Wine: Navigating the High School Reunion of My Music Career, ep. 240 1:07:07

8M ago1:07:07

1:07:07

Long before the world fell in love with the music of Iron & Wine, and even before he knew that he wanted a career in music, Sam Beam knew that he loved making things. His parents, who didn’t necessarily understand their artsy kid but wanted to support him, kept Sam well-supplied in drawing paper and art supplies so that his imagination could run fr…

1
Travis Book is a Practical Romantic, ep. 239 1:11:22

8M ago1:11:22

1:11:22

After two decades in The Infamous Stringdusters, the Grammy-award winning neo bluegrass band, Travis Book releases his rock americana debut: Love and Other Strange Emotions. That's not to say that Book, who thrives on collaboration, got here on his own. The Colorado musician (now residing in Western North Carolina), was raised by parents who went o…

1
Caroline Cotter: Home is Where the Ocean Is, ep. 238 55:25

9M ago55:25

55:25

Former trumpet player and anxious adventurer Caroline Cotter had been constantly on the move performing hundreds of live shows since 2015. At the dawn of the pandemic she had a full album in the can and ready to go. When the world shut down, so did she. She set her songs to the side and didn't pick up her guitar for a long while. She left her city …

1
The Fundraising Debrief (Ep. 8): Iliyas Issatayev (Hero's Journey $1.3M Seed) 41:13

9M ago41:13

41:13

Iliyas Issatayev, founder and CEO of Hero's Journey, joins Vlad Cazacu, co-founder and CEO of Flowlie, to discuss their recent $1.5M Seed raise and the unique challenges of raising capital for a Kazakhstan-based fitness technology startup. You can find Iliyas Issatayev on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/iliyas-issatayev-49ba2b10/ and learn …

1
Jobi Riccio is an Outdoor Kid, ep. 237 1:18:20

9M ago1:18:20

1:18:20

Jobi Riccio has only begun to scratch the surface of what they have to offer on their debut album Whiplash. The songwriting is centered around self-discovery and mourning past lives laid alongside super smart country and pop melodies. Our hero grew up an outdoor kid amongst the woods of Red Rocks Parks and Amphitheatre in Colorado. A strong bluegra…

1
#126 Drug Discovery is Becoming More $$$ — Here's Why, And The Startup Fixing It (Lindus Health) 35:59

9M ago35:59

35:59

Drug discovery is becoming more expensive and producing less results than ever before (Eroom's Law)—why?One of the ballooning costs are clinical trials. Pharma/biotech often outsource their trials to CROs (contract research organisations).But many CROs are incentivised to make trials as bloated and inefficient as possible. That means more money and…

1
Billy Keane: Curiosity, Luck, & Drive, ep. 236 55:29

9M ago55:29

55:29

Curiosity, luck and drive are three words that revolve around singer-songwriter Billy Keane. He was born with all three traits and they are the hallmark of his music, especially his new album Oh, These Days. The seven song cycle was written during the pandemic and right after some very big life changes: he got divorced, quit alcohol and split with …

1
The Fundraising Debrief (Ep. 7): Keren Fanan (Giraffe $10.5M Seed) 48:19

9M ago48:19

48:19

Keren Fanan, co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Giraffe, joins Vlad Cazacu, co-founder and CEO of Flowlie, to discuss their recent $10.5M Seed raise with a global base of investors. You can find Keren Fanan on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/keren-fanan-47268344/ and learn more about Giraffe at https://giraffe.us/ Learn more about Flow…

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