Artist Friendly with Joel Madden

On this week’s episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden sits down with Macy Gray.

Born in Canton, Ohio, Gray took her stage name from a family friend who used to shoot pool at the house. She headed west to study at USC, then was dropped by her first label before her debut could come out and moved back home to pursue teaching. In 1999 she released On How Life Is, a multi-platinum debut that produced “I Try,” the song that won her the Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 2001. Since then, she’s sold more than 25 million records across ten studio albums and has been inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in her hometown. Now she’s gearing up for a new album, The Trouble with the Truth, and a tour to match.

In conversation with Joel, Macy digs into what AI and streaming mean for working artists, what “Redemption Song” taught her about freedom on stage, growing up in a Canton steel-town family, and why her parents never saw a music career coming.

(0:00) – When Music Careers Were a New Idea
(1:04) – What 'Redemption Song' Means to Macy
(7:50) – Staying Sensitive in a Busy City
(10:18) – How the Music Industry Has Changed
(12:22) – Making Sense of an AI Future
(31:44) – Canton Roots and Midnight Radio
(40:42) – A Voice Like No Other
(47:01) – Acting, Streaming, and Album Plans

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On this week’s episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden sits down with James McAvoy.

Born in Glasgow and raised by his grandparents in the Drumchapel housing estate, McAvoy landed his first screen role at 16 after actor David Hayman visited his school. He went on to become one of Scotland’s most recognizable exports, earning BAFTA nominations for The Last King of Scotland and Atonement, playing Professor Charles Xavier across the X-Men films, and delivering a famously multi-layered performance in M. Night Shyamalan’s Split. Now, more than three decades into his career, he’s stepped behind the camera for the first time with California Schemin’ – a comedy-drama based on the true story of Silibil N’ Brains, the Dundee rap duo who landed a record deal by pretending to be from California. It premiered at TIFF, opened in the UK in April, and arrived in US theaters earlier this month.

Joining Joel in the Artist Friendly studio, James opens up about the difference between loving something and enjoying it, the sacrifices the entertainment industry demands, why stories from working-class communities deserve room for joy and romance, and the reason he’s more interested in chasing the craft than the awards.

(0:00)  The Paradox of Being Yourself on Stage
(11:26)  A Very Working Class Approach
(15:35)  Representation Beyond Sadness and Despair
(22:12)  Sacrifice Is Built Into the Industry
(33:43)  Directorial Debut: California Schemin'
(57:37)  How David Hayman Launched His Career
(1:10:08)  Career Longevity

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On this week’s episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden sits down with Paul Walter Hauser.
A Michigan native, Hauser spent years waiting tables and working the door at a Burbank comedy club before a two-episode guest spot on the DirecTV series Kingdom turned into a 24-episode run in 2014. From there he became one of Hollywood’s most in-demand character actors, with standout turns in I, Tonya, BlacKkKlansman, and Cruella, plus a breakout performance as the title character in 2019’s Richard Jewell. In 2022 he starred as suspected serial killer Larry Hall in Apple TV’s Black Bird, a role that won him a Golden Globe, a Critics’ Choice Award, and an Emmy. These days he’s playing Mole Man in Fantastic Four: First Steps, appearing in the new Resident Evil, and joining the cast of Netflix’s live-action Scooby-Doo series. He also hosts the satirical web series The Boy Talk Talk Show and has built a second career as a pro wrestler, with more than 30 matches since his 2023 debut and a spot on the Major League Wrestling roster.
Paul gets honest about the fears that have driven so many of his career choices, the long journey of learning to trust his gut and say "no" and why being his realest self matters more to him than chasing the next big role.

(0:00) – Brunch, Blood, and Standing Firm
(8:22) – Faith Without the Label
(10:07) – Fear Behind Every Career Decision
(10:55) – When a Marvel Role Didn't Go as Planned
(23:09) – Wrestling Hurts Less Than Rejection
(32:20) – A Message He Wasn't Expecting
(35:28) – Passing on a Role Paid Off
(38:26) – Chris Farley Biopic in Development
(52:06) – Two Episodes Became 24
(1:05:26) – A Second Chance at His Own Love Story

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On this week's episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden sits down with Dasha.

Born in San Luis Obispo, California, Dasha began performing in coffee shops and wineries at age ten and released her first original song at thirteen. After years of grinding as an independent artist — and dropping out of Belmont University in Nashville during the pandemic to chase music full-time — her 2023 single "Austin (Boots Stop Workin')" became a viral, line-dancing phenomenon. It climbed to No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and landed her a deal with Warner Records within months. Since then, she's made her Grand Ole Opry debut, joined the Spotify Billions Club, and toured alongside artists like Thomas Rhett and Luke Bryan.

With her new single "82 Chevy" out now and a flagship new album on the way — Dasha sits down with Joel to talk about becoming an overnight sensation, why she's grateful her early songs never took off, and the fear that still keeps her up at night even as everything appears to be going right.

(0:00) – Always Believed, Never Doubted
(1:13) – Success Changed Everything Without Warning
(3:01) – Where California Gets Country
(7:38) – Keeping the Fire From Day One
(8:15) – Writing Songs Since Age Eight
(9:18) – Why Failing Early Prepares You
(21:37) – From Zero to 55x Platinum
(22:40) – Fear That Won't Let Go
(27:52) – The Baby Blue Chevy Story
(38:25) – North Star: Taylor Swift
(40:10) – Two Names, Two Versions of Dasha

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On this week's episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden sits down with Warren Zeiders.

Growing up in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Warren spent his teenage years chasing a lacrosse career rather than a musical one, picking up guitar only as a casual hobby along the way. A string of sports-related injuries ended that path in 2019, and COVID hit the following year. At his sister's suggestion, Warren posted a cover of Chris Stapleton's 'Tennessee Whiskey' to TikTok — and woke up to hundreds of thousands of views. That moment launched a rapid rise: his original song "Ride the Lightning" went platinum, and by 2023 his single "Pretty Little Poison" became his first country radio No. 1, going on to double-platinum certification. Since then, he's built a fanbase behind billions of streams, headlined his first world tour, and earned a CMT Award for Breakthrough Male Video of the Year.

Now 27 and fresh off the release of his third studio album, No Brakes, Warren sits down with Joel to talk about the pressure of following up his biggest year yet, learning to separate his self-worth from streaming numbers and radio spins, and why he believes this new chapter of music is the most honest representation of who he really is.

(0:00) – Warren Zeiders: The Origin Story
(4:13) – How Covers Led to a Record Deal
(10:14) – CMT Award: Voted by the Fans
(18:04) – No Breaks: Warren's Most Personal Record
(24:27) – A Deeply Personal Act of Faith
(28:54) – Turning Hate Into Algorithm Fuel
(38:07) – Growing Up on Rock and Country
(43:23) – From Lacrosse Player to League Investor
(45:51) – The '67 Mustang

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On this week's episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden sits down with Tim McIlrath of Rise Against.
Rise Against formed to inspire change for the better, taking the torch from Bad Brains, Minor Threat, and 7 Seconds to create their own political anthems. From the raw sound of 2001’s The Unraveling to the complex themes spread across last year’s Ricochet, it’s apparent that the Chicago punks try to empower everyone around them. Along the way, they’ve championed the new wave of alternative, bringing Koyo, Destroy Boys, and Spiritual Cramp on tour with them. Before hitting the road with Alkaline Trio later this year, the Rise Against frontman stopped by the Artist Friendly studio to discuss what’s next.

(0:00) – Stories as Bridges
(0:54) – Getting to Know Rise Against
(4:14) – The Next Generation Always Shows Up
(4:50) – Politics Without Preaching
(5:45) – Straight Edge, Vegetarian, Unapologetic
(6:49) – Authenticity
(7:27) – Building a Rise Against Community
(9:17) – Meeting Fans Still Hits Different
(10:14) – Fans Who Turned Music Into Impact
(13:52) – Refusing to Be Silenced on Stage
(16:38) – Building a Space Free From Hate
(18:12) – Music's Power to Change Minds
(19:52) – What Fans Hear That Artists Miss
(25:46) – Being Flawed in Public Through Songs
(29:11) – Stories Connect a Divided World
(30:10) – Changing How They Release Music
(34:29) – New Rise Against Music
(35:10) – Chicago: Community Over Competition
(37:18) – Patrick Stump at Rise Against's Debut
(43:59) –Ambition Has No Ceiling
(46:56) – Letting Fans Define the Band
(49:56) – Giving Your Life to Art
(51:21) – Not Everyone Is Your Audience

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On this week's episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden sits down with Carly Pearce.

Born in Taylor Mill, Kentucky, Carly Pearce left high school at 16 to take a performing job at Dollywood, then moved to Nashville at 19 to chase a solo career full-time — working odd jobs and driving her own van between shows before her big break finally came. Her 2017 debut single, "Every Little Thing," launched a run that's since brought her a Grammy, three CMA Awards, and four ACM Awards, including CMA Female Vocalist of the Year in 2021. That same year, Dolly Parton personally invited her to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry, one of the highest honors in country music. Pearce's most acclaimed work, 2021's 29: Written in Stone, turned the pain of her divorce into a Grammy-winning album, and she's continued that streak of raw, unflinching songwriting on 2024's Hummingbird and this year’s Honest Woman.

While talking with Joel, Carly opens up about the years of grinding it out before anyone was paying attention, learning to trust her own instincts instead of everyone else's opinions, and why she's finally made peace with even the hardest chapters of her story.

(0:00) – High Heels in the Warehouse
(1:11) – Dolly Parton Fulfilled a Lifelong Opry Dream
(1:59) – Country Grandparents, Southern Rock Parents
(6:33) – Quitting School at Age Fourteen
(11:25) – Forbes 30 Under 30 & Grand Ole Opry Member
(17:10) – Reclaiming Her Artistic Voice
(21:14) – Writing Through a Public Divorce
(24:53) – Music as a Lifeline
(26:46) – Kentucky Bluegrass Roots on Record
(35:51) – Six Shows a Day at Dollywood
(36:46) – Faith as Her Grounding Center

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On this week's episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden sits down with Daryl Palumbo.

Formed in 1993 by a then-teenage Palumbo and guitarist Justin Beck, Glassjaw became one of post-hardcore's most influential acts, known as much for their unpredictable, genre-defying sound as for the loyal following of musicians who cite them as an inspiration. In 2003, Palumbo launched a second project, Head Automatica, pairing his love of Britpop and hip-hop with producer Dan "The Automator" Nakamura for a sound entirely different from Glassjaw's — their debut, Decadence, charted on the Billboard 200 the following year. More than three decades after he and Beck first bonded over matching Anthrax and Bad Brains T-shirts at summer camp, Palumbo is still fronting both bands, with new Head Automatica material in the works.

In conversation with Joel, Daryl opens up about the freedom he's always chased in his music, how fatherhood became the most grounding and fulfilling thing he's ever experienced, and the years of self-doubt and restlessness that shaped both his art and his sense of self along the way.

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On this week's episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden sits down with 6LACK.
Born in Baltimore and raised in Atlanta, 6LACK grew up around music from the start — his father owned a recording studio, and he was already stepping into the booth by age four. After cutting his teeth as a teenage battle rapper, he broke through in 2016 with his debut album Free 6lack, which spawned the Grammy-nominated single "PRBLMS" and established the introspective, emotionally direct sound he's known for. His follow-up, East Atlanta Love Letter, debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, and his most recent album, Since I Have a Lover, earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Progressive R&B Album. Along the way, he's collaborated with everyone from J. Cole and Lil Baby to Elton John and Gorillaz.
A decade into his career, 6LACK joins Joel in the Artist Friendly studio to open up about how he has spent the last few years simplifying his life — cutting out excess, opportunists, and old habits — confronting the ego he didn't know he had, and learning what it actually means to build a life around what matters most.

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On this week's episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden sits down with Dan + Shay.

Dan + Shay met at a house party in Nashville in December 2012 and started writing songs together not long after — an unlikely pairing, given Dan came from an emo band background and Shay had been a solo artist on T-Pain's label. Since then, the duo has become one of the most decorated acts in country music history: three consecutive Grammy Awards for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for "Tequila," "Speechless," and "10,000 Hours" with Justin Bieber, alongside dozens of ACM, CMA, and Billboard Music Award wins. Their crossover success has made them global streaming juggernauts, and in 2024 they became the first-ever coaching duo in the history of NBC's The Voice.

Sitting down with Joel, Dan + Shay open up about the highs of over a decade together — the awards, the arenas, the recognition — but also the harder work underneath it: learning to communicate honestly, untangling their self-worth from their results, and figuring out what it actually means to build a lasting partnership, both as a band and as best friends.

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