Kimi was born in Kosovo during the war, while his family hid in the mountains for safety. When they returned home they slept in barns and abandoned trucks, and rebuilt their house by hand. To soothe her children, his mother sang to them with her beautiful voice.

Now, more than twenty years later, Kimi is stepping onto the stage of Albania’s national FiK 64 festival, on his quest to qualify for Eurovision, with a song that reaches back to those roots. 

Prap Dielli Del (“The Sun Will Rise Again”) is a message of hope drawn from a childhood shaped by uncertainty and a young adulthood marked by resilience.

We talk about his move to New York seven years ago, the dark moments he fought through, and the choice he keeps making to lean into whatever hope he can find, even when it’s only one percent.

We also revisit his American Idol moment when Katy Perry had him call his mother in Kosovo and sing to her before handing him a golden ticket to Hollywood, and that fateful day I met him in a studio in New York City and became his vocal coach.

And, for the first time publicly, we share that I’ll be traveling with him to Albania to coach him during the festival!

To listen to Prap Dielli Del, visit the RTSH YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt5Ajfg1EJA

To follow Kimi's journey and connect with him directly, visit him on IG or TikTok @urboykimi

To connect with me, please visit http://mastermindroad.com

We've got stories and tea with Alexa Renee, Crew Lead for Sofar in NYC! Alexa joins me in my studio to trace the journey of SoFar from a modest idea in a London apartment to a global movement that’s redefining how we gather around music. She shares what makes these secret shows so magnetic, and why they're a first date trend in many cities.

Then, we get into how artists should (TRULY) submit for Sofar performances, and why thoughtfully curated, in-person shows still matter in a world obsessed with algorithms (sorry, AI enthusiasts)!

Alexa opens up about her lifelong bond with music, her creative projects on the horizon, and what it’s like to step into the spotlight for the first time, both on Good Morning America and now, here on Chartless.

This one feels like a late-night conversation between fellow travelers who believe deeply in the power of live music to connect us.

MORE ABOUT SOFAR FOR ARTISTS: https://www.sofarsounds.com/about/artists

CONNECT WITH MELISSA MULLIGAN: https://www.mastermindroad.com/melissa-mulligan

Listeners sent in the BEST questions for this episode, including: How to quit your day job to go pro in music, whether we have to suffer to write meaningful songs, my method for coaching all different kinds of artists, and soooo much more!

Wim Tapley is turning strangers into fans night after night, and I still remember when he was sketching out the first pieces of his dream. Now based in Athens, GA, he’s playing packed clubs across the country. I got to dance (and cry a little) watching his band electrify a New York City crowd last year!

Here, we talk about life on the road, the creative community that raised him, and the friendships that fuel his band. As always, our conversation drifts into big, unfiltered questions about AI, digital tools, and the unstoppable human drive to make art.

Enjoy this honest, soulful conversation with my beloved former student, exploring what it really means to make music in a noisy world.

Multi-Grammy-winning producer Mike Mangini (The Jonas Brothers, AJR, Joss Stone, The Shrek Soundtrack, Andy Grammer, Run-DMC, Dionne Warwick, Tom Jones, The Beastie Boys, Jackie Evancho, and many, many more) joins me to revisit the coffee meeting that launched my career as a music industry vocal coach! We reveal some untold tales about that first ten-hour day, what winning Grammys really feels like, and the future Mike predicts for today's emerging artists.

American Idol set Ajii on a ride-or-die path with his best friend Tanvir Haider, whose leap from finance to music is reshaping what a music career can look like in 2025. In this episode, I sit down with both of them to explore how their friendship became the foundation for a bold new approach to navigating the music industry today. We'll also dive into what I have witnessed as Ajii’s vocal coach: the trust, self-belief, and reinvention that make their partnership unlike anything I have seen before.

JUNO the Artist is has toured the world on stages with artists like Camila Cabello, Fifth Harmony, Bruno Mars, Lizzo, Hailey Knox (how we met!) Keith Urban and so many more... But make no mistake about it. JUNO is a powerful songwriter, recording artist, film maker and entrepreneurial pioneer. She speaks her truth and inspires musicians and artists all over the world to do the same. She is one of my favorite people to call when I need a burst of positive energy, and she's also an inspirational reminder for me to walk the walk. Get ready to be motivated to work on your craft after hearing this episode!

A few months ago I sat down with my vocal client and friend Jake LeMond of Michigander to record this heartfelt and honest interview about his influences, his solo project, and yes, his time with the illustrious indie band Michigander. He shares some stories about touring, songwriting, and finding your own voice in the current music industry, and we geek out about meeting at a Crowded House concert at Pier 17 in New York City, (where Michigander opened with a duo set)!

This is Part 2 of two of the most beautiful, honest, hilarious conversations I’ve had on chartless. Each one features several parents (and in some cases, the artists themselves) talking about what it really feels like to nurture a music maker. Not the press-release version. The real one.

Students (and their families) seeking careers in music production, performance, songwriting, music business, and composition/scoring. Share your goals and questions with me here!

This is Part 1 of two of the most beautiful, honest, hilarious conversations I’ve had on chartless. Each one features several parents (and in some cases, the artists themselves) talking about what it really feels like to nurture a music maker. Not the press-release version. The real one.

Students (and their families) seeking careers in music production, performance, songwriting, music business, and composition/scoring. Share your goals and questions with me here!