In this episode, Matt sits down with singer-songwriter Riley Pearce to talk about his journey as an independent artist, his latest album, and the realities of building a music career today.

Riley shares insights into touring across Australia and Europe, explaining how geography and audience culture shape the live music experience. He also dives deep into his songwriting process, from early acoustic influences to writing emotionally driven songs like “Left Side View.”

The conversation also explores:

• The evolution of his music over the past decade
• Collaborating with other artists and writing for different genres
• The meaning behind his cover of “Amsterdam” by Gregory Alan Isakov
• Navigating social media as a modern musician
• Creativity, unfinished songs, and artistic growth

This is a thoughtful and honest look at what it means to create, grow, and stay authentic as an artist.

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Jack and Harry of Seafret join the podcast to talk about their new album Fear of Emotion, the evolution of their sound, and navigating today’s music industry.

From their viral hit “Atlantis” taking off years later to the realities of modern music promotion, Seafret opens up about balancing authenticity with content creation, writing from real-life experiences, and how the industry has changed over the past decade.

They also dive into:

• The meaning behind Fear of Emotion
• Writing emotionally honest music
• The pressure (or lack thereof) after going viral
• Touring, streaming, and what success looks like today
• Their songwriting process and creative evolution

If you’re a fan of indie, acoustic-driven music, or want insight into how artists survive in the streaming era, this episode is for you.

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Jayson of Coyote Theory joins the podcast to break down the band’s unexpected viral resurgence with “This Side of Paradise” and their return after a 10+ year hiatus.

We dive into how a dormant song exploded on TikTok, the reality of navigating label attention as a DIY band, and the pressure that followed. Jayson also shares how the group organically reunited before the viral moment, how their songwriting process has evolved, and what went into their latest EP.

Plus, a deep conversation on modern music releases—singles vs albums, streaming-era expectations, and what release day really means today.

If you’re into indie music, music marketing, or artist journeys, this is a must-listen.

Topics include:

• Viral music moments & TikTok discovery
• Indie band comeback stories
• Songwriting evolution over time
• DIY vs label dynamics
• The future of albums vs singles

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