This episode is a bit of a special one, as I’m joined by Natalie and Meegan of JOSEPH for a conversation that feels just as much of a life update as it does an interview. Their new album, Closer to Happy, digs into that strange space of realizing your life doesn’t quite look how you imagined, and learning to be okay with that. We get into how that mindset shaped the songs, and how the band continues to evolve beyond their indie folk roots into something more dynamic and wide-reaching. One of the things that stands out the most is how the music of JOSEPH moves between softer, more inward moments and bigger, almost cathartic releases. That same energy carries into our conversation, where we talk about growth, perspective, and giving yourself a bit more grace along the way.

Be sure to follow JOSEPH on Instagram @thebandjoseph

One of the most beautiful lessons we can learn in this life is how having clarity on what matters to us can set forth a path for us to walk through. I feel lucky that I’ve met people who’ve echoed that with their actions, and today’s guest does that in spades. Jess DiPierro Obert is an investigative photojournalist, filmmaker, producer, and visual artist whose work has focused on people who’ve had their human rights violated, particularly in the areas of physical violence, sexual assault, and mental health struggles.

It might sound gauche to say it this way, but a major aspect that stands out to me about Jess’s work is the dignity she’s always able to capture. Many of her subjects have been people who’ve gone through difficulties in life, but from Jess’s lens, it’s always clear that a person is more than their worst day (or series of worst days). No, they’re a human being first and foremost, and this bonus episode is about exploring Jess’s ethos towards her work, along with the extensive work she’s done in my family’s home county of Haiti.

For a lot of people, the idea of reaching superstardom and holding on to it is a focal life goal. But what happens when you reach that and realize that actually, there’s much more to life?

That’s where the story starts with Béatrice Martin (aka Cœur de pirate), a celebrated singer-songwriter from Montreal who’s had a career that feels uniquely reflective of her growth. That growth has come about from Béatrice asking the hard questions within her songs, such as “who am I?” “what am I going through?” and “where am I going?” Her latest album, Cavale, is no exception to that, and yet it also feels like a revitalized stage of Béatrice’s career. Musically, it’s as dynamic as its author, and this episode is all about exploring how Beatrice continues to nurture that dynamism.