Daron Malakian first made his name as the enigmatic guitarist and songwriter behind System of a Down. Between 1998 and 2005, the band released five albums—three of which debuted at number one on the Billboard charts. In 2006, System announced an indefinite hiatus.

Eager to keep creating, Daron launched a new project: Scars on Broadway. Their debut album arrived in 2008 to critical acclaim.

Since then, he’s reunited with System for a series of live performances—including a recent South American tour that drew massive crowds. Their final stop in São Paulo, Brazil, attracted an estimated 75,000 fans.

Now, after seven years in the making, Daron is releasing Addicted to the Violence, the third Scars on Broadway album—featuring what he considers some of the best songs he’s ever written.

On today’s episode, Leah Rose sits down with Daron to talk about why he believes he was destined to be a rock star, and how his parents’ journey from Baghdad to Hollywood helped make that dream possible. He also explains what people often misunderstand about his relationship with System frontman Serj Tankian—and reveals the surprising contrast between his outrageous onstage persona and who he really is offstage.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Daron Malakian songs HERE.

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Here’s a preview from a new podcast, Charlie’s Place. How did a Black man in 1940s Jim Crow South open a club where Black and white people danced together? Charlie’s Place was revolutionary, and that meant it was dangerous. Host Rhym Guissé explores the unbelievable true story of Charlie Fitzgerald, a mysterious Black businessman whose nightclub became an unlikely site of integration in 1940s Myrtle Beach. Charlie broke down racial barriers through the power of music and dance, hosting some of the greatest musicians of our time: Little Richard, Count Basie, Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, and many more. But who was Charlie? How did he rise to power? And what price did he pay for achieving the impossible—an integrated club in the Jim Crow South? This is a story of joy and passion that erupted into violence and changed a community forever.

Listen to Charlie’s Place wherever you get your podcasts. Binge the entire season early and ad-free by subscribing to Pushkin+. Sign up on the Charlie's Place show page on Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus.

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Today, we’re joined by one of the most inventive and electrifying vocalists in modern soul music: Bilal.

Since the release of his debut album 1st Born Second in 2001, Bilal has defied categorization by design and by circumstance. With a voice that shifts effortlessly from a whisper to a wail, and from jazz to gospel to outer space, he’s carved a singular path through the world of music. Whether lending hooks to Kendrick Lamar or collaborating with Erykah Badu, Bilal has long been your favorite singer’s favorite singer.

Now, he’s back with a brilliant new project: Adjust Brightness. Bold, cinematic, and emotionally raw, it’s his most cohesive work since his debut—a swirling, psychedelic blend of soul, jazz, hip-hop, and feeling. And as if that weren’t enough, Bilal has also just released Live at Glasshaus, an intimate and explosive set that captures the unpredictable energy of his live shows.

Today, Bilal opens up to Justin Richmond about the making of Adjust Brightness, how he prepares for those electrifying live performances, and why chasing musical and spiritual freedom has always been his true north.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Bilal songs HERE.

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