Explore every episode of the podcast Unfamous with Justin Tranter

Does understanding what works make the art stronger, or can knowing too much flatten the feeling? In this Unfamous minisode, Grammy-nominated hit songwriter Justin Tranter and co-creator Morgan T. Stuart dig deeper into some of the debates sparked by clips from the show: song math, the first five seconds of a hit, TikTok, artist promotion and whether the pressure to optimize everything is changing the art itself. Justin explains why understanding melodic structure can make a great song more effective but can never manufacture the original idea, why naturally gifted songwriters often follow musical patterns without realizing it, and why grabbing someone’s attention is not the same thing as rushing a song. They also look at the business surrounding the art. Has TikTok actually made executives more willing to take creative risks? Should artists learn how their own marketing works before they lose access to the team doing it? And is today’s pressure to “make content” really that different from the resistance artists once had to making music videos? From the Gershwins and Patty Griffin to Madonna, Kurt Cobain and the modern pop machine, Justin and Morgan ask where structure and strategy can help, and where optimization has to stop. Chapters 0:00 Are We Optimizing the Art Out of Music? 1:14 Welcome to Unfamous 1:52 Why We’re Having This Conversation 3:38 CRAFT: Do the Rules Kill the Feeling? 6:08 The Subconscious Rules Behind Great Songs 7:54 Why a Great Chorus Can Still Feel Weak 9:46 ATTENTION: Does a Song Have to Win You in 5 Seconds? 10:59 Were Pop Songs Always This Short? 11:50 A Word From Rula 14:16 From Two-Minute Songs to Seven-Minute Songs 14:58 SOCIAL MEDIA: Has TikTok Made Big Creative Swings Safer? 17:22 PROMOTION: Hasn’t This Always Been Part of the Job? 18:47 Kurt Cobain, Madonna and “Making Content” 20:33 CREATIVITY: What Should Never Be Optimized? 21:57 Why Structure Still Matters 24:00 Why We Want to Make More of These Minisodes 24:44 Follow, Subscribe + See You Next Wednesday Credits Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Julia Gargano Special thanks to Mark Beavan and Jimmy Knehans. Chat with the Unfamous team: https://tr.ee/XMEBI7 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Sweet Disposition” started with someone practicing scales in a tiny rehearsal room. The music came together almost immediately. The lyrics were finished the next day. In this episode of Unfamous, The Temper Trap join Justin Tranter to break down how one of their most enduring songs was actually written — and what happened after something created almost entirely on instinct became the song everyone wanted them to recreate. They talk about reaching a point where, after nearly 15 years of writing, recording and touring, they were spent — creatively, relationally, all of it — and what happened after time apart gave them the opportunity to get back into a room together with no expectations. Within the first hour, they felt a spark again. The band also gets into what more than two decades of making music, stepping away and finding their way back to the collaboration has taught them about ego, compromise, resentment and trust, including the early “Temper Trap manifesto” that still shapes how they think about the work: it doesn’t matter who comes up with the part. It matters whether it’s the best part for the song. It’s a conversation about writing a great song — but even more about what it takes to return to a creative partnership with enough perspective to make something new. Chapters: 0:00 Preview: “Sweet Disposition,” Burnout & the Spark 0:38 Meet The Temper Trap 5:49 Why Being in a Band Is the Ultimate Collaboration 9:01 When a Song Keeps Refusing to Be Finished 9:53 How “Sweet Disposition” Was Written 14:38 Can You Recreate Your Biggest Hit? 16:59 When “Sweet Disposition” Found a New Generation 21:09 What Happens When a Band Runs Out of Fuel? 23:40 What Actually Brought The Temper Trap Back 26:25 How a Solo Song Became a Temper Trap Song 28:38 Compromise, Ego and the Creative Marriage 32:25 Serve the Song, Not Your Ego 33:38 The Temper Trap Manifesto 34:36 Does Great Art Need Conflict? 38:37 From Retail Jobs to Starting The Temper Trap 43:56 The 10-Hour Drives That Built the Band 46:44 The Songs That Made Them Want to Be Musicians 54:03 What They’d Tell Their Younger Selves 56:33 The Skill That Matters Beyond Talent Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, and Lily Golightly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do “Good Luck, Babe!” and “Sorry” feel so immediately satisfying?In this Unfamous recap, Justin Tranter breaks down the songwriting math behind both songs — from where each section enters in the phrase to how verse, pre-chorus and chorus are built to feel distinct. Justin and Unfamous co-creator Morgan Stuart also revisit their conversation with Bongo ByTheWay and Ant Clemons about lyric structure, producer psychology, interpolation, publishing and artist development — including why structure can actually create more freedom for creatives, when an interpolation is worth giving up publishing for, and what artists need to be prepared for beyond making great music. Plus: Paul McCartney taking 100% of the publishing, why emotional production matters as much as technical production, and the creative decisions behind songs that actually connect. Chapters 0:00 Paul McCartney, Producer Psychology & the Rules Behind Hits 0:42 Why the Behind-the-Scenes Creators Connected 1:52 Paul McCartney Took 100% of the Publishing 3:24 Sample vs. Interpolation: What You’re Actually Paying For 5:32 When Should You Kill an Interpolation? 7:46 The Producer’s Job Is Emotional, Too 11:58 The Song Map: Who, What, Where, When, Why 14:22 Why Structure Creates More Creative Freedom 15:22 The Melodic Math Behind “Good Luck, Babe!” and “Sorry” 19:26 What Music Is Missing: Artist Development 21:22 Singer-Songwriters Need Development Too 23:33 How Do You Prepare an Artist for Success? Credits Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, & Cory Jasin. Chat with the Unfamous team: https://tr.ee/jwPZ3j Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The best-looking photo can still be the wrong cover. And one bad compromise can turn a bold creative idea beige. The Hollywood Reporter’s Maer Roshan and Alison Edmond join Justin Tranter to reveal what actually happens behind some of Hollywood’s biggest covers—from Angelina Jolie asking them to redo an entire lighting setup after one shot, to orchestrating The White Lotus cast across two coasts and pulling together a Mikey Madison shoot the morning after her Oscar win. They break down how a cover goes from an idea to the final image, what happens when talent or publicists push back, why the most beautiful photograph doesn’t always serve the story, and why great creative work can fall apart when too many people get a vote. It’s a conversation about taste, trust, fighting for an idea, knowing when to defer to someone else’s expertise, and developing enough experience to stop second-guessing your own. CHAPTERS 0:00 Why the Best Photo Can Still Lose 1:16 Meet The Hollywood Reporter’s Maer Roshan & Alison Edmond 7:31 How a Hollywood Reporter Cover Actually Gets Made 11:08 Why the Most Beautiful Photo Isn’t Always the Right One 13:21 Photographing a Controversial Celebrity Story 17:07 Why Celebrities Care So Much About Their Image 18:03 Angelina Jolie Made Them Change the Entire Lighting Setup 19:44 What Happens When the Talent Has a Bad Idea? 23:15 How Do You Avoid a PR-Controlled Interview? 27:16 The Insane Logistics Behind The White Lotus Cover 30:11 Shooting Mikey Madison the Morning After Her Oscar Win 32:08 How Do You Create an Iconic Image in the iPhone Era? 37:05 The Most Common Way a Great Idea Gets Ruined 38:47 Why Creativity Dies by Committee 40:17 How to Fight for a Great Idea Without Killing the Collaboration 44:39 How Alison Edmond Learned to Stop Doubting Her Taste 49:31 Their First Jobs in the Magazine Business 52:09 How They Spot Talent Before Everyone Else Does 54:16 Why a Print Cover Still Means Something 56:08 “Don’t Be Stupid”: Alison’s Path to British Vogue 59:28 Growing Up With Censored Magazines in Iran 1:00:46 Why “Manifesting” Still Requires an Obscene Amount of Work 1:03:08 The Prince Harry Cover That Got a Letter From the Palace 1:04:38 How The Hollywood Reporter Balances Print, Digital & Social 1:09:01 Gag or Drag: Celebrity Creative Directors, Publicists & Bad Covers 1:14:14 The Career Advice They Wish They’d Learned Earlier CREDITS: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Luke Burland + 2BEntertainment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An Instagram DM became “Rush.” “Bloom” started with Troye Sivan thinking it wasn’t working. And after more than a decade of writing together, Troye and Leland are still trying to surprise themselves. On Unfamous, they break down their creative partnership, how Troye keeps evolving without repeating himself, the stories behind “Rush” and “Bloom,” imposter syndrome, writing for RuPaul’s Drag Race, and what makes the right collaborator click. Chapters are below so you can jump straight to your favorite parts. Chapters 0:00 Troye Sivan Introduces Leland 2:09 How Troye Sivan + Leland Met 6:27 Their First Song Together Ended Up With BTS 10:57 Why Troye Never Wants to Make the Same Album Twice 18:43 Why Songwriting Is Mostly Social Skills 22:10 How an Instagram DM Became “Rush” 26:57 Troye + Leland on Imposter Syndrome 29:46 Cirkut, Mark Ronson + Getting Nervous Around Your Heroes 32:34 How “Bloom” Went From “This Isn’t Working” to an Album Title 37:12 What 11 Years of Writing Together Teaches You 43:08 Writing Pop Hits vs. Writing for RuPaul’s Drag Race 47:33 Britney, Janet + the Pop Music That Changed Them 55:55 Why Great Artists Are Secretly Music Geeks 57:01 How Troye Keeps Evolving Without Forcing It 1:03:33 What Troye + Leland Would Tell Their Younger Selves 1:10:42 Gagged or Dragged: TikTok, Gay Icons + Pop Songwriting 1:16:31 The Best Advice for Creative Collaboration 1:18:52 Troye’s Advice to Songwriters: Not Every Collaboration Works Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Sherrae Rucker Special thanks to Mark Beaven and Jimmy Knehans Shout out to Leslie Tranter and Chloe Pappas on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Rescues spent five years writing The Lost Boys for Broadway. They wrote nearly 60 songs, rewrote lyrics again and again, cut a song they loved after watching it stop the show cold in front of an audience, and reached a point where they had to ask whether they could keep working together after it was over. Justin Tranter reunites with Kyler England, AG and Gabriel Mann to break down what actually went into creating the musical, and what happens when three longtime collaborators with completely different ways of working take on the hardest project they’ve ever made together. They also trace the unlikely path that got them there, from forming for a $500 wedding gig and landing five Grey’s Anatomy placements to building separate creative careers before The Lost Boys unexpectedly brought them back together. Plus: why they needed “band therapy,” how they learned which creative battles actually mattered, why a great song still might need to be cut, and what five years of rewrites taught them about trust, ego and letting the audience tell you what isn’t working. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Wayne Wolfe, Hannah Wallace, and Nicolette Carcaldi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when pushing through stops making you stronger and starts getting in the way of the art? Justin Tranter sits down with Rainbow Kitten Surprise's lead singer/songwriter Ela Melo and her partner and movement director Cat Cogliandro to unpack how movement, trust and recovery changed the way Ela and the band perform. They trace “Devil Like Me” from a homemade recording built with cardboard-box stomp claps to its live reinvention, revisit the 2022 Red Rocks performance that forced Ela to confront how far she had pushed herself, and talk honestly about sobriety, creative conflict and knowing when to ask for help. It’s a conversation about building a better show, but also a more sustainable way to keep making art without buying into the idea that suffering is what makes an artist great. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Bailey Katler and 2BEntertainment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes a great song when everyone is trying to reverse-engineer hits, virality and the “right” way to be an artist? Justin Tranter sits down with friends and collaborators Sasha Alex Sloan and Amelia Moore, two artist-songwriters whose careers keep proving that some of the best creative decisions are the ones that look wrong on paper. They unpack how an imperfect choice became one of the most memorable parts of Camila Cabello’s “Never Be the Same,” why the “too complicated” riff in Amelia’s “See Through” became a TikTok singing challenge and helped lead to her second record deal, and what getting dropped taught both of them about failure, freedom and trying again. Plus: writing for other artists, the very different mechanics of K-pop, how to say no without killing a writing session, and why neither industry rejection nor industry praise can tell you who you are. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Shaina Botwin, Sam French and Mady Davis. Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/w4mqomzg #CashAppPod Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. Cash App Green features, Savings, Direct deposit, Round ups, Overdraft coverage and Discounts provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes one song perfect for a scene while another, even a great one, just doesn’t work? Justin Tranter sits down with music supervisor Julia Michels and songwriter, producer and arranger Alana Da Fonseca to break down the judgment behind the music in Pitch Perfect, The Devil Wears Prada, Wednesday, Off Campus and more. They get into testing whether “Toxic” would still connect with a younger audience, knowing instantly that KT Tunstall’s “Suddenly I See” belonged in The Devil Wears Prada, reinventing “Paint It Black” for cello, and why writing for screen means serving the story instead of protecting your song. Along the way, they unpack taking notes without ego, navigating directors and creative politics, and why the best song you’ve ever written can still be completely wrong for the moment. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans and the Guild of Music Supervisors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How does a song actually make it into a hit TV show, and what makes the right placement capable of changing an artist’s career? Live from the GMS Conference, Justin Tranter sits down with Emmy-nominated music supervisors Amanda Krieg Thomas and Anna Romanoff to reveal the hidden process behind the music you hear on screen. They break down how Off Campus on Prime built its musical world from the scripts up, how artists like G Flip and The Beaches landed major moments, what it really takes to clear an iconic song, and why you can’t simply manufacture a viral soundtrack. They also share what songwriters need to understand about writing for film and TV, why the business side of creativity matters, and practical advice for anyone trying to break into music supervision: get close to the work, learn the craft, build your community, and don’t rush the process. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans and the Guild of Music Supervisors. Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/w4mqomzg #CashAppPod Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. Cash App Green features, Savings, Direct deposit, Round ups, Overdraft coverage and Discounts provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bella Kay and songwriter-producer Alexis Idarose Kesselman break down the creative partnership behind Bella’s debut album, from meeting during one of Bella’s first-ever writing sessions to making “I Love It, I Love It, I Love It,” “Stop,” “Blur,” and “Karaoke.” They talk about learning the rules without losing what makes an artist unique, fighting for ideas, turning messy relationships into songs, handling criticism, and why the best collaborators make you feel even more like yourself. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Lizbeth Alvarez, Priscilla Felten, Justin Frazier, Mandy Weiss, Cyndi Williams, Adam Mersel, Tracy Wasserman and Deborah Radel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ruth B’s career exploded with her very first song. Then came the harder question: how do you do it again? Ruth and producer Cole MGN join Justin Tranter to unpack the pressure that followed “Lost Boy,” why “Dandelions” unexpectedly going viral five years later changed Ruth’s relationship with success, and how the two built her most personal album yet. They break down abandoning the songwriting-session treadmill, reinventing Ruth’s creative process, taking nearly two years to finish “Breathe,” and finally completing “Storm,” the Vine-era song fans had been asking for for a decade. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Bobbie Gale + Nina Savio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host and co-creator Justin Tranter and co-creator Morgan Stuart revisit their conversation with artist Valencia Grace and manager Kyle Stuart to unpack what it really takes to build an artist from the ground up. They break down why getting dropped can sometimes unlock the artist you were supposed to become, why the right manager needs to be genuinely obsessed with the work, and why virality, a record deal, or industry attention can never replace creative identity, trust, and a team that actually believes in you. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Wendy Laister & Magus Entertainment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bea Miller joins longtime collaborator Justin Tranter to unpack growing up as a child star, surviving The X Factor, and finding her confidence as a songwriter. They break down how real conversations about depression, relationships, insecurity and bad decisions became songs like “Feel Something,” “Drunk Enough,” “Depressed on the Internet,” and “Sex for Attention,” plus sexism in writing rooms, Paramore’s influence, and the new album marking her first in a decade. This episode is funny, brutally candid, and basically a masterclass in turning your worst experiences into very good pop songs. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Tim Smith and Mike Powers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unfamous host Justin Tranter and his co-creator Morgan Stuart revisit Justin’s conversation with Kid Cudi, unpacking what it reveals about trust, creative risk, criticism, and longevity. From the chaotic first session that helped unlock “Saltwater,” to Cudi pushing himself vocally, to “Pursuit of Happiness” becoming something bigger than its original meaning, this minisode looks at how great artists keep evolving without losing what makes them singular. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Kasey Sobey and Sydnee Nanas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unfamous host Justin Tranter is joined by his co-creator Morgan Stuart to revisit their episode with comedian, actor, and writer Caleb Hearon and TV writer Caitie Delaney, whose credits include Big Mouth and Rick and Morty. Together, they unpack what Caleb and Caitie’s creative partnership reveals about writer room dynamics, ego, executive notes, knowing when to push back, and why the best collaborators care more about the work than getting credit. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Caleb Hearon, Caitie Delaney, Jimmy Knehans, Mark Beaven and Michelle Kariuki Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A hit isn't just a great song. Wendy Goldstein breaks down the decisions that shaped career-defining moments for The Roots, DNCE and Ariana Grande. Republic Records Chairwoman and CCO Wendy Goldstein joins Justin Tranter to break down how she evaluates artists, songs and collaborators: why personal taste isn't the job, what the first five seconds of a record need to accomplish, why a recognizable identity matters more than chasing trends, why she prefers small core teams and why timing can matter as much as the record itself. Through stories about signing The Roots, building DNCE with Joe Jonas, Ariana Grande's decisiveness during the thank u, next era and decades spent studying the records that came before her, Wendy explains what great A&R actually looks like when the goal is not simply making one hit, but building a career that lasts. The conversation also gets personal as Wendy reflects on going through cancer during the biggest year of her career, why making records became a source of joy during treatment, why executives sometimes have to protect the creative relationship from the business, and what she does when a record she believed was a hit simply doesn't work. Wendy Goldstein is Chairwoman and Chief Creative Officer of Republic Records. Her A&R career has included work with artists including Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, Nicki Minaj, the Jonas Brothers and The Roots. Unfamous with Justin Tranter goes behind the decisions, false starts, breakthroughs and collaborations that shape the work we love. Chapters 0:00 Inside Wendy Goldstein's A&R Playbook 2:15 How a Teenage Club DJ Found Her Way Into A&R 7:23 What an A&R Actually Does 10:38 When Data Helps and When Instinct Has to Take Over 14:06 Why Personal Taste Isn't the Job 17:12 Signing The Roots and Finding the Hit They Needed 21:18 The “Superpower” Wendy Saw in Joe Jonas 24:48 Why Knowing Old Records Helps You Make New Ones 31:24 What Artists Do That Actually Hurts Their Chances of Getting Signed 33:42 When to Wait, Pivot or Move Fast on an Artist 34:36 How Ariana Grande Turned Around “thank u, next” Overnight 39:04 Why Chasing Too Many Sounds Can Hurt an Artist's Career 40:39 Why Two Producers Can Be Better Than Ten 46:09 The Collaborator Red Flags Wendy Notices Immediately 48:09 Why You Never Force the Art to Meet a Deadline 52:59 Why Creative and Executive Roles Can Collide 56:29 Would David Bowie Break in the Social Media Era? 59:47 Cancer, Creativity and the Biggest Year of Wendy's Career 1:04:17 The Relationship Skill Every Great A&R Needs 1:07:36 What Wendy Does When a “Hit” Doesn't Hit Credits Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Luke Nichols, Joe Carozza and Beau Benton. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Claire Rosinkranz and Ragnar Rosinkranz join Justin Tranter for a funny, intimate, and deeply honest conversation about making music as father and daughter. They look back on the musical home that shaped Claire, the unexpected rise of “Backyard Boy,” and what it felt like to have a viral breakout at 16 before fully understanding the scale of it. But this episode is not just about one song. Claire also opens up about the pressure that followed, performing for audiences that are not always hers, returning to music after a serious health crisis, and chasing the raw honesty behind her latest songs. For artists, collaborators, and anyone building something creative, this conversation offers a rare look at trust in the studio and why the safest collaborations can bring out the most honest art. Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Bobbie Gale and Nina Savio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Singer-songwriter Emei joins Grammy-winning producer, songwriter and Nice Life founder Ricky Reed for a conversation about the creative partnership behind her latest project, Night at the Opera, and what it really takes to build a lasting career. Together with Justin Tranter, they unpack how Ricky discovered Emei, why one radically honest conversation became the foundation of their collaboration, and how trust, vulnerability, and creative honesty shaped both the music and the artist behind it. They discuss songwriting, artist development, overcoming creative blocks, balancing artistry with content creation, building a devoted fan community, writing through grief, surviving rejection, and why patience often matters more than speed. Whether you're an artist, songwriter, creative, entrepreneur, or simply curious how great work actually gets made, this episode is an honest look at collaboration, resilience, and the long game of building something meaningful. Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Amanda Montgomery and Steven Sparrow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nick Jonas recorded “Chains.” Two days later, he wrote “Jealous.” It was the breakthrough week that helped redefine his career. With longtime collaborator Justin Tranter, Nick reveals what came before it: being underestimated as a Jonas Brother and Disney star, the fear of rejection that kept the band from reaching outside their circle, and the collaborators who helped him find a new creative identity. They also unpack the untold story connecting “Close” to Julia Michaels becoming an artist, why Nick initially underestimated “Cake by the Ocean,” the “math” behind his songwriting process, returning to Disney as an adult, and what growing up in public taught him about creativity and collaboration. Time Chapter 00:00 Preview 00:58 How “Close” Helped Redefine Nick Jonas’ Sound 04:11 The “Close” Story That Helped Push Julia Michaels to Become an Artist 05:59 What Makes Nick Want to Work With a Collaborator Again 09:18 Trying to Prove He Was More Than a Disney Star 16:02 “Chains” and “Jealous” Changed Everything in One Week 20:58 Why Even Hitmakers Can’t Predict a Hit 26:31 What Keeps Nick Jonas Creating 28:40 Why the Jonas Brothers Went Back to Disney 34:16 How Disney Gave Them More Creative Freedom Than Expected 36:46 What Happens When You Accidentally Write Someone Else’s Melody 44:01 Nick Jonas’ Obsession With the “Math” of Songwriting 50:06 Family, Priyanka + Life Outside the Work 53:53 What It’s Like Watching Yourself Grow Up on Camera 57:17 Gag or Drag 1:05:47 What People Get Wrong About Growing Up Famous 1:07:44 Nick Jonas’ Best Advice on Collaboration Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Christopher Young, Holly Farr, Alexis Spangler, Greg Garbowsky and Jeff Raymond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rose Gray and Justin Tranter spent hours writing a completely different version of "Club to Your Arms." Here's how they found the song it needed to be. Before "Club to Your Arms" became a dance-pop anthem, it was a song called "The Great Storm of England." Rose Gray and Grammy-nominated songwriter Justin Tranter reveal the chaotic writing session, the lyrics they scrapped, and the relationship story that inspired the song. A BRIT Critics' Choice nominee, Rose has spent years developing her distinctive sound, blending euphoric dance music with deeply personal storytelling. Having written around 40 songs together, Rose and Justin look back at how their creative partnership began, why she nearly followed a completely different musical path, and what helped her finally embrace her voice. They also explore how Rose grew her audience without a viral breakthrough, why the dance-floor anthem "Party People" is actually heartbreaking, how to give creative feedback without losing your own vision, and the songwriting decisions that make a great pop song work. CHAPTERS 0:00 The song that started as "The Great Storm of England" 2:48 How Rose Gray and Justin Tranter started working together 6:52 When to abandon a songwriting idea 10:40 How performing live changed Rose's songwriting 12:27 Why Rose Gray's dance music feels so emotional 16:31 Finding the confidence to show her full voice 19:02 The chaotic origin of "Club to Your Arms" 23:43 Why they had to keep rewriting the chorus 26:33 Building a fanbase without a viral moment 31:53 Giving creative notes to major producers 35:03 Why the simplest pop songs can be the hardest to write 39:36 When creative people need support, not criticism 43:40 Trusting your instincts when collaborators disagree 45:00 Massive Attack, Adele, Madonna and finding her sound 49:00 Gag or Drag with Rose Gray 51:04 The heartbreaking story behind "Party People" 55:17 What "Club to Your Arms" is really about 58:41 Why attention should never be the goal 1:02:32 When your music doesn't get the recognition you expected CREDITS Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Carimei Smith, Matt Luxon, Bryan Kehn and Veronica Sanjines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Katy Perry, Christian Breslauer and Justin Tranter make bold, emotionally driven work. But more importantly, they know what it means to feel something fully and still let it be seen. In this episode of Unfamous, Katy sits down with Justin to talk about their songwriting collaboration on “Band-Aids” and “Watch It Burn” (out 6/25), and how those songs came from a place of vulnerability, intention, and emotional truth. She talks about fear. About anger she had to let herself touch. About the line between what stays with her and what becomes a song. Then Christian joins to follow that feeling into the visuals. How something heard becomes something you can see. How trust shapes what survives. It’s about songwriting, visual storytelling, and staying open long enough to make something honest. And if you’re building anything creative, it offers a real look at how to trust your instincts, work through resistance, and collaborate without losing your voice. If you love pop culture, music, and the real process behind how things get made, this one’s for you. Follow, subscribe, like and comment wherever you watch and listen. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Ngoc Hoang-DelVecchio, Bradford Cobb, Cynthia Parkhurst, Rick Henry, and Chloe Forbes. Shout out to Chloe Pappas and Leslie on Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Skylar Grey and Elliott Taylor collaborate on making music. But more importantly, they’ve built a creative life together. In this episode of Unfamous, Skylar opens up about writing Love The Way You Lie for Eminem and Rihanna alone in a cabin in the woods with no internet, how emotional burnout shaped her new album Wasted Potential, and why some of the darkest creative moments often lead to breakthrough art. If you love songwriting, creative process, and honest conversations about burnout, ambition, collaboration, and emotional honesty, this episode is for you. Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Maria Eilert & Jenisse Sanches. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bongo ByTheWay and Ant Clemons break down the creative chemistry that turned their first session into 11 songs in a single day and eventually led to collaborations with artists like Justin Timberlake, Kanye West, Beyoncé, and more. The conversation dives into songwriting “math,” artist development, ego-free collaboration, surviving the music industry, and why emotional intelligence matters just as much as talent. They also talk about sleeping on floors before breakthrough moments, navigating publishing and samples, learning when to say no, and how trust and repetition sharpen great collaborators over time. Watch on Spotify. Subscribe to Spotify for no ads. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, & Cory Jasin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Linda Perry, the songwriter and producer behind songs like Christina Aguilera's “Beautiful” and Four Non Blondes’ “What’s Up?” joins Unfamous alongside documentary filmmaker Don Hardy to talk about the deeply personal documentary about Linda’s life and creative evolution. The episode explores Linda’s journey through music, collaboration, grief, cancer, vulnerability, and emotional honesty while unpacking what happens when an artist allows themselves to be documented in the middle of real life instead of after the story is neatly finished. It’s a raw conversation about creativity, trust, survival, and the power of letting people see the parts of yourself you usually try to hide. Follow, subscribe, like and comment wherever you watch and listen. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, and Lauren Mele. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Valencia Grace’s label dropped them, their lawyers negotiated enough money for Valencia to move to New York and fund the next project independently—turning what felt like the end into the beginning of a much more specific artistic world. Valencia and manager Kyle Stuart unpack what it actually takes to rebuild an artist from the ground up: how they tested their partnership before making it official, why emerging artists can be “20,000 times harder” to manage than legacy acts like Duran Duran, how musical theater and Shrek helped shape Valencia’s pop-opera identity, when to tease unfinished songs online, and how following Melanie Martinez’s PORTALS rollout led Valencia toward a key collaborator. They also get into building a creative team out of people who truly understand the work, adapting a live world for Lollapalooza, and the rule that may matter most in artist management: virality is not a business plan. If the people around the artist aren’t genuinely invested in the art, the partnership won’t survive the hype. Unfamous with Justin Tranter is about the decisions, false starts, breakthroughs and collaborations behind the work—and the lessons you can actually use. Chapters 0:16 The Artist + Manager Who Found Each Other at the Right Time 2:38 How Their Partnership Actually Started 5:07 Why They “Dated” Before Making It Official 9:19 What Makes an Idea Authentically Valencia? 12:22 A Vocal Limitation Became the Pop-Opera Sound 15:56 Why the Right Creative Team Changes Everything 21:16 Valencia at the Piano 23:23 Why Emerging Artists Are “20,000× Harder” to Manage 29:13 The Label Drop That Funded the Rebuild 32:29 How Freedom Changed the Art 34:52 Should You Tease a Song Before It’s Finished? 39:02 How the PORTALS Rollout Led to a Key Collaborator 42:25 The Mistakes You Have to Make 45:08 The O.C. Soundtrack That Changed Kyle’s Life 47:13 Why Shrek the Musical Hit So Hard 51:23 Building a Pop Opera for Lollapalooza 57:44 Gag or Drag: Rebrands, Gatekeepers + Identity 1:05:35 How Artists and Managers Should Choose Each Other 1:11:03 Why Virality Is Not a Business Plan Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Wendy Laister & Magus Entertainment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Valencia Grace performs a live rendition of “Picture Frames” on this special episode of Unfamous. Stripped down to just voice and piano, the performance highlights the theatrical emotion, intimacy, and storytelling at the core of Valencia’s artistry. Follow, subscribe, like and comment if you love to watch and listen. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Wendy Laister & Magus Entertainment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Valencia Grace performs a live rendition of “Picture Frames” on this special episode of Unfamous. Stripped down to just voice and piano, the performance highlights the theatrical emotion, intimacy, and storytelling at the core of Valencia’s artistry. Follow, subscribe, like and comment if you love to watch and listen. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Wendy Laister & Magus Entertainment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yadim Carranza and Darian Darling shape beauty culture from behind the scenes. But more importantly, they’ve spent years helping each other survive and evolve through nightlife, fashion, addiction, transphobia, and the chaos of creative ambition. In this episode, the longtime friends and collaborators join Justin Tranter to talk about going from MAC counters and tiny New York apartments to influencing global beauty trends. They unpack the hidden artistry behind face charts, Fashion Week, celebrity makeup, and queer nightlife, while reflecting on the realities of building careers in industries that often celebrate queer creatives publicly while sidelining them behind the scenes. The conversation moves from hilarious downtown stories and Madonna obsession to deeper conversations about confidence, identity, sobriety, and learning not to tie your self-worth entirely to your work. Follow, subscribe, like and comment wherever you watch and listen. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Sherrae Rucker Special thanks to Mark Beavan and Jimmy Knehans. Shout out to Chloe Pappas and Leslie on Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Unfamous, Justin Tranter sits down with pop icon Debbie Gibson for a candid conversation about songwriting, producing, and building a career before adulthood. Debbie breaks down how she taught herself production, became the youngest artist ever to write, produce, and perform a Billboard Hot 100 #1, and learned to protect her creative vision in an industry that constantly underestimated her. The two also dive into collaboration, family dynamics in business, artistic reinvention, and what it takes to survive and evolve in pop music for decades. Funny, emotional, and full of behind the scenes music stories, this episode is a masterclass in ambition, resilience, and creative trust. Follow, subscribe, like and comment on Spotify. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, and Heather Moore. Shout out to Chloe Pappas and Leslie on Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grace VanderWaal and Eren Cannata make work that feels raw but intentional. More importantly, they know how to keep the energy in the room alive long enough for the right idea to land. In this episode of Unfamous, they talk about building Childstar and the creative rhythm Grace and Eren found together. Grace reflects on starting sessions as young as 12 and how writing gave her a way to say things in her own personal way, and how that evolved into a more instinctive, collaborative process with Eren now. They get into protecting the vibe, letting ideas evolve, and trusting the moments that arrive on their own. It is about collaboration, instinct, and making something honest without forcing it. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Sherrae Rucker Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Brad Cohen, Jamie Sward, Lauryn Caldwell, Alana Aquino, Alexandra Baker and Uriah Tejada. Shout out to Chloe Pappas and Leslie on Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MUNA makes emotionally sharp, collaborative work that holds because they know how to stay in it long enough to figure out what a song actually needs. In this episode of Unfamous, host Justin Tranter sits down with MUNA to talk about building a band as a long-term collaboration and what it’s taken to evolve together while working on their upcoming album, which Justin also co-wrote on. They get into creative tension, letting go of ideas, trusting each other’s instincts, and how honesty in the room shapes the final work. It’s about collaboration, communication, and making something real without forcing it. If you love music, creativity, and understanding how collaboration actually works behind the scenes, this one’s for you. Follow, subscribe, like and comment wherever you watch and listen. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Heather Kolker, Megan Manowitz, Jordan Shepley, and Anna Ross. Shout out to Chloe Pappas and Leslie on Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Pursuit of Happiness” was written as a warning about reckless youth—then a remix helped turn it into the kind of party anthem Kid Cudi thought he was warning people about. In this episode of Unfamous, Cudi and Justin Tranter get inside what happens after you make something and the world decides what it means: why Cudi fought for “Pursuit of Happiness” when his label wanted another song, why an 18-year-old track can suddenly beat the algorithm, and why he cares more about reaching his real fans than chasing numbers. They also unpack the making of Free: opening up to co-writers after years of writing alone, pushing Cudi into a new place vocally, protecting an artist’s identity inside deep collaboration, and making music while recovering from a serious injury. Cudi opens up about the childhood fear of becoming “a loser” that still fuels his drive, finishing two albums while starting two more, why he needs childlike wonder from collaborators, and the work ethic he believes separates a great idea from a finished body of work. Unfamous is about the decisions, false starts, breakthroughs and creative processes behind work people already know—and this is a conversation about trusting your instincts long enough to discover what the work can become. Chapters 0:00 The Art of Collaboration 1:41 When Kid Cudi Knew the Free Collaboration Was Working 3:40 Why Cudi Finally Opened Up to Co-Writers 5:44 The Studio Cudi Refused to Work In 7:33 How an Injury Changed the Making of Free 9:46 Cudi’s Goal: Really Learn to Sing 12:38 Pushing Past “I Don’t Know If I Can Sing That” 15:28 How They Collaborated Without Losing Cudi’s Voice 17:47 The Songwriter Skill That Makes Artists Sound Like Themselves 20:14 After Four Years Off Tour: Will Fans Still Show Up? 23:28 The Superfan Cudi Calls With Unreleased Music 26:16 Why “Saltwater” Made Cudi Think About His Dad 28:46 Finding Real Friends After Becoming Famous 31:44 Why Cudi Stopped Measuring Success by the Numbers 35:19 Cudi Has Four Albums in Motion at Once 38:34 Why He’s Finally Letting Fans Watch Him Create 41:02 The Side of Kid Cudi Most People Haven’t Seen 42:12 The #1 Thing Cudi Needs From a Collaborator 42:52 Building a Career by Doing Whatever You Want 45:26 Why Kid Cudi Can’t Stop Creating 50:14 “I Always Had This Fear That I Would Be a Loser” 51:43 Why Sales Don’t Decide Whether the Work Was Worth It 53:19 Cudi’s Response to Bad Reviews: “You Have to Write About Me” 55:44 Gag or Drag: Touring, Hits & Concert Phones 58:08 What “Pursuit of Happiness” Was Actually About 1:02:00 The Label Didn’t Want “Pursuit of Happiness” Next 1:03:21 Why Cudi Refuses to Make Songs Shorter for Streaming 1:04:35 The Creative Rule Cudi Says Always Wins Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Kasey Sobey and Sydnee Nanas. Shout out to Chloe Pappas and Leslie on Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

King Princess makes bold, chaotic, deeply self-aware pop. But more importantly? She knows how to build art through collaboration, trust, and a healthy amount of beautifully unhinged creativity. In this episode of Unfamous, Justin Tranter sits down with longtime collaborator and pop provocateur King Princess to talk about songwriting, acting, queer storytelling, and what it actually takes to survive the music industry while staying true to yourself. From writing together when she was still a teenager to watching her step into acting alongside icons like Nicole Kidman and Christine Baranski in Nine Perfect Strangers, the conversation moves through creative evolution, artistic freedom, and the lessons that come from building a career on your own terms. They unpack everything from navigating labels and contracts to the power of trusting your collaborators, plus the creative chaos behind her new album and the mythological world of “Girl Violence.” It’s hilarious. It’s brutally honest. And it’s a real look at how artists grow when they stop pretending they have to do everything alone. If you love pop culture, music, and the messy, magical truth behind how things get made, this one’s for you. Follow, subscribe, like and comment wherever you watch and listen. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Sharrae Rucker Special thanks to Mark Beavan and Jimmy Knehans Shout out to Chloe Pappas and Leslie on Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you build an album as strange and specific as Hades without sanding off the weirdness?Melanie Martinez and producer/songwriter CJ Baran take Justin Tranter inside the making of Hades — from 14–15-hour studio days and songs built without a tempo map to medieval instruments run through distortion, machine-gun rhythms, hyper-specific Foley, 50+ vocal takes and the session where Melanie discovered an entirely new voice.They also break down the creative relationship behind the music: why they abandon ideas when the feeling isn’t there, how Melanie turns massive concepts into songs, why intuition matters more than something being technically “right,” and how they built a working relationship with enough trust to take ideas somewhere completely unexpected.Plus: the song about the climate crisis that didn’t make the album, writing the dystopian and utopian records simultaneously, the real-world ideas behind Hades, Gag or Drag, TikTok’s effect on songwriting, Melanie’s relationship with label notes and the creative advice they wish more collaborators understood.Unfamous with Justin Tranter is about the decisions, false starts and breakthroughs behind great creative work, told by the people who were actually there.CHAPTERS00:00 “I Don’t Know What Label Notes Are”01:38 Why Melanie and CJ Choose Each Other03:29 From “Pity Party” to Portals06:54 Why Melanie Builds Worlds, Not Just Songs10:26 How a Melanie Martinez Song Starts13:23 The Songwriting Formula Behind the Stories17:28 The Week They Wrote 5–6 Hades Songs20:15 Why Long-Term Collaboration Changes the Room23:42 How They Know When to Scrap an Idea25:55 Medieval Instruments, Distortion + “Gushy Guts”28:11 Trusting Intuition Over the Technically “Right” Song31:31 The Hades Song They Threw Away33:47 Why “Cringe” Is Part of Making Art38:54 Melanie Discovers a Brand-New Voice42:24 Spring Awakening, Edward Scissorhands + Cat in the Hat45:10 Writing the Dystopian + Utopian Albums Together48:21 Why Hades Is About the World Right Now53:58 Gag or Drag: Lore, TikTok + Label Notes1:01:53 The Advice Melanie + CJ Want Creators to Hear1:03:04 The Secret to Becoming a Better Collaborator Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Bobbie Gale, Nina Savio and Kyle Stuart. Shout out to Chloe Pappas and Leslie on Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trixie Mattel and Fena Barbitall know drag is never just the person in front of the camera. It takes trust, instinct, taste, stamina, and someone behind the scenes who knows how to keep the whole illusion alive. In this episode of Unfamous, Justin Tranter sits down with the longtime collaborators to talk about drag as a craft, creative assistance, building looks under pressure, touring, ego, instinct, boundaries, and what it takes to support an artist while helping shape the final vision. It’s funny. It’s candid. It’s deeply specific. And it’s a real look at the kind of behind-the-scenes collaboration that makes performance feel effortless, even when it absolutely isn’t. If you love pop culture, drag, and the messy, magical truth behind how things get made, this one’s for you. Follow, subscribe, like and comment wherever you watch and listen. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistants: Kyle Stuart & Justin Stuart Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, and Brandon Lim. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amy Allen is one of the biggest songwriters in pop. Gabz Landman is one of the sharpest managers in music. But more importantly? They know how to build a career together. In this episode of Unfamous, Justin Tranter sits down with the longtime collaborators to talk about instinct, trust, advocacy, career-building, and what it really takes to make a songwriter-manager relationship work over the long haul. It’s warm, honest, and full of insight about the kind of collaboration that doesn’t always get centered, but shapes everything. If you love music, creative partnerships, and the messy truth behind how careers actually get built, this one’s for you. Follow, subscribe, like and comment wherever you watch and listen. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Sherrae Rucker Special thanks to Jimmy Knehans and Mark Beavan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

INK has written with some of the biggest artists in music, from Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar to Justin Bieber and Lil Nas X. But her process starts with one rule: don’t force it. INK joins Justin Tranter to break down how Beyoncé’s “16 Carriages” began during the one session she accidentally showed up early for, what Kendrick Lamar taught her about slowing down and letting go of good ideas, and how she found the missing melody for Lil Nas X’s “STAR WALKIN’” after the song had been worked on for months. She also shares why she writes every song as if it’s for herself, how freestyling helps her find melodies, and the collaboration lesson she wishes more creatives understood: stop trying to do everyone else’s job and leave room for people to bring their own superpower. CHAPTERS 0:00 Why collaboration matters 1:16 INK on writing for Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar + Justin Bieber 2:29 Why INK writes every song like it’s for herself 4:56 Success, failure + how her process keeps evolving 6:30 What Kendrick Lamar taught INK about songwriting 9:41 The “INK style”: how she freestyles melodies 13:20 INK’s legendary lateness 15:54 The accidental beginning of Beyoncé’s “16 Carriages” 16:52 Telling Beyoncé, “I’m going to write your next album” 21:04 The melody she’s most proud of 22:37 Finding the missing melody for Lil Nas X’s “STAR WALKIN’” 24:16 Why great collaboration should surprise you 27:22 Becoming an artist after years of writing for others 30:42 Building her live show + preparing for Stagecoach 33:40 Gag or Drag 37:51 INK’s best advice for collaborators Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistants: Justin Stuart + Kyle Stuart Special thanks to Jimmy Knehans, Mark Beaven, Adellyn Polomski, Luke Burland and Bailey Katler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Caleb Hearon and Caitie Delaney are hilarious. But more importantly? They know how to collaborate. In this episode of Unfamous, Justin Tranter sits down with two of comedy’s sharpest minds to talk about writing rooms, pitching to sell, ego deaths, executive notes, financial insecurity, and the very specific horror of saying “sure” to Caleb Hearon. It’s chaotic, smart, honest and it’s a real take on how collaboration actually works. If you love pop culture, comedy, and the messy truth behind how things get made, this one’s for you. Follow, subscribe, like and comment wherever you watch and listen. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Jimmy Knehans, Mark Beaven and Michelle Kariuki Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of what you love in pop culture didn't happen the way you think it did. Unfamous pairs a celebrity with the collaborator who helped build their biggest moments and lets you hear how it actually went down. It’s funny, honest, occasionally chaotic, and full of real insight about collaboration, ego, ambition, and making something that lasts. You know the moments. You don't know the stories. Tune in to Unfamous, launching March 4th. Follow, subscribe, like and comment wherever you watch and listen. Instagram: @unfamousthepodcast Tiktok: @unfamousthepodcast Join our Patreon for exclusive access to private AMA's with Justin, song breakdowns, "Unfamous Advice" from Justin and more: https://patreon.com/Unfamousthepodcast _________ Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistants: Kolbi Samantha + Sherrae Rucker Special thanks to Jimmy Knehans and Mark Beaven. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices