Curious Goldfish Podcast

He's an introvert who built an extrovert to do the job. The album is his argument with himself.

Get the stories behind the episodes → Subscribe to Chords of Curiosity

Axel Flóvent still lives in Husavik, the small fishing town on Iceland's north coast where he grew up writing songs in the quiet. A few weeks after releasing his second album Away From This Dream, he sat down with Jason English to talk about the tension the title names: the more he wants to be an artist, the more he has to be a businessman to fund it. He's candid about being an introvert who built a more outgoing version of himself for the work, about writing dozens of songs to find the ten that made the record, and about how "Forest Fires" took off almost by accident. He traces his whole sound back to growing up with a lot of empty space and learning to get inspired by nothing. What does it cost to keep the thing you love from turning into the thing you dread?

🎵 Axel Flovent's latest: Away From This Dream (2024)

⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00 Introduction
1:39 Studio Versus Stage
3:22 The Introvert Behind the Persona
5:25 "Forest Fires" and Millions of Streams
9:09 "Away From This Dream": Artist Versus Businessman
15:31 From Thirty Demos to Ten Songs
19:05 Why He Never Recycles a Song
20:50 "Wash It Away": Overthinking and Doubt
24:55 "Don't Wait for Summer"
27:22 "Honesty": Choosing Solitude Over Settling
36:00 Iceland and the Sound of Nothing
41:18 60 Seconds of Curiosity
43:00 What's Next: Husavik and Festivals

📊 FREE REPORT: Our research on how artists really make money in the age of AI and streaming → State of Music summary

📬 NEWSLETTER: Stories behind the episodes, in your inbox → Subscribe free

ABOUT CURIOUS GOLDFISH
A music podcast about more than music. Inspired by Ted Lasso. I talk with singer-songwriters and bands in Americana, folk, roots, and country about the lives behind the songs: resilience, faith, marriage, the business of music, and what keeps an artist going. Every episode ends with the same question about curiosity, and no two answers are alike.

New episodes every other week.

🌐 curiousgoldfish.com 🎧 Spotify | Apple Podcasts 📸 @curiousgoldfishpodcast

He left Knoxville for a Mexico City commune, chasing a different kind of faith

Get the stories behind the episodes → curiousgoldfish.com

Tyler Anthony, who records as Cereus Bright, moved from Knoxville to Mexico City and a creative community called Casa de Copas. He talks about losing patience with rigid binaries, his struggle with faith, and the new album "Anything," including songs like "Boys" and "Don't You Fake It Too." He closes unplugged. What do you find when you stop needing the world to be either/or?

🎵 Cereus Bright's latest: Anything (2024)

⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00 An Existential Crisis
1:43 Tyler Anthony's Journey
2:39 Moving to Mexico City
3:27 Casa de Copas
5:57 Challenges and Hopes for Artists
20:25 The New Album, Anything
29:54 Themes in the Album
32:20 Influences and Inspirations
35:59 The Stories Behind the Lyrics
44:13 60 Seconds of Curiosity
59:56 Upcoming Plans

📊 FREE REPORT: What 573 fans and artists told us about streaming, AI, and where the money in music actually goes. → State of Music survey summary

📬 NEWSLETTER: Chords of Curiosity goes deeper on every episode. The moments that didn't make the clips, and one curiosity prompt each issue. → Subscribe

ABOUT CURIOUS GOLDFISH
A music podcast about more than music. Inspired by Ted Lasso. I talk with singer-songwriters and bands in Americana, folk, roots, and country about the lives behind the songs: resilience, faith, marriage, the business of music, and what keeps an artist going. Every episode ends with the same question about curiosity, and no two answers are alike.

New episodes every other week.

🌐 curiousgoldfish.com 🎧 Spotify | Apple Podcasts 📸 @curiousgoldfishpodcast

A label founder and lifelong artist on taking her own album apart and building it again.

Get the stories behind the episodes → Subscribe to Chords of Curiosity

Rachael Sage has built a whole life in music, as an artist and the founder of her own label. She talks about "Another Side," a reimagined version of her 2023 album "The Other Side," what she's learning from co-writing, and the emotional connection she's after on stage. She performs two songs. What do you hear in your own work when you take it apart and build it again?

🎵 Rachael Sage's latest: Another Side (2024)

⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00 Introduction
3:33 Recent Activities and Collaborations
5:15 The Album "The Other Side"
10:58 Connection with the UK Scene
20:07 A Multifaceted Career
27:06 Challenges and Inspirations
36:35 Navigating the Industry
38:07 Track-by-Track Insights
52:50 Upcoming Projects
55:51 Live Performance

📊 FREE REPORT: What 573 fans and artists told us about streaming, AI, and where the money in music actually goes. Get the State of Music survey summary free → State of Music summary

📬 NEWSLETTER: Chords of Curiosity goes deeper on every episode: the moments that didn't make the clips, what I'm learning running this show, and one curiosity prompt every issue → Subscribe free

ABOUT CURIOUS GOLDFISH
A music podcast about more than music. Inspired by Ted Lasso. I talk with singer-songwriters and bands in Americana, folk, roots, and country about the lives behind the songs: resilience, faith, marriage, the business of music, and what keeps an artist going. Every episode ends with the same question about curiosity, and no two answers are alike.

New episodes every other week.

🌐 curiousgoldfish.com · 🎧 Spotify | Apple Podcasts · 📸 @curiousgoldfishpodcast

The Jackopierce frontman on sobriety, a 35-year partnership, and finally calling himself a songwriter

Get the stories behind the episodes → curiousgoldfish.com

Jack O'Neill of Jackopierce talks about getting sober, his military upbringing, and the 35-year friendship with Cary Pierce that started at SMU. He gets into quitting his day job to fully claim being a songwriter, the stories behind new singles like "Airport Bars and Air Guitars" and "Weight of the World," and recording with T Bone Burnett. He closes acoustic. What does it take to finally call yourself the thing you have always been?

⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00 A Life-Changing Decision
1:48 The Story of Jack O'Neill
2:33 Jackopierce, the Duo
3:47 Jack's Solo Journey
8:16 The Music Industry Today
11:09 Creating New Music
15:49 The Impact of Streaming
24:17 The Art of Songwriting
40:47 A Military Family's Influence
51:55 "Weight of the World"
1:03:02 60 Seconds of Curiosity
1:25:31 Live Performance

📊 FREE REPORT: What 573 fans and artists told us about streaming, AI, and where the money in music actually goes. → State of Music survey summary

📬 NEWSLETTER: Chords of Curiosity goes deeper on every episode. The moments that didn't make the clips, and one curiosity prompt each issue. → Subscribe

ABOUT CURIOUS GOLDFISH
A music podcast about more than music. Inspired by Ted Lasso. I talk with singer-songwriters and bands in Americana, folk, roots, and country about the lives behind the songs: resilience, faith, marriage, the business of music, and what keeps an artist going. Every episode ends with the same question about curiosity, and no two answers are alike.

New episodes every other week.

🌐 curiousgoldfish.com 🎧 Spotify | Apple Podcasts 📸 @curiousgoldfishpodcast

An indie songwriter on sobriety, self-forgiveness, and a debut called I Might Be Grown

Get the stories behind the episodes → curiousgoldfish.com

Mae Krell came up in New York's indie scene and writes straight from her own struggles with mental health and sobriety. She talks about her debut album "I Might Be Grown," what the title means, and tracks like "Apollo's Song" and "Grown." She's thoughtful about building real connection with fans in a noisy industry. She closes with two songs. What does it take to forgive the version of yourself you're growing out of?

⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00 Self-Forgiveness
1:45 Discovering Mae Krell
3:00 Her Musical Journey
5:21 Touring and the Album
10:02 The Independent Hustle
22:52 New York vs. Nashville
32:25 The Album: I Might Be Grown
42:58 Sobriety and Reflection
47:13 Music as a Lifeline
52:45 60 Seconds of Curiosity
54:50 Live Performance

📊 FREE REPORT: What 573 fans and artists told us about streaming, AI, and where the money in music actually goes. → State of Music survey summary

📬 NEWSLETTER: Chords of Curiosity goes deeper on every episode. The moments that didn't make the clips, and one curiosity prompt each issue. → Subscribe

ABOUT CURIOUS GOLDFISH
A music podcast about more than music. Inspired by Ted Lasso. I talk with singer-songwriters and bands in Americana, folk, roots, and country about the lives behind the songs: resilience, faith, marriage, the business of music, and what keeps an artist going. Every episode ends with the same question about curiosity, and no two answers are alike.

New episodes every other week.

🌐 curiousgoldfish.com 🎧 Spotify | Apple Podcasts 📸 @curiousgoldfishpodcast

An Orlando songwriter making the case for joy when everyone else writes sad songs

Get the stories behind the episodes → curiousgoldfish.com

Cat Ridgeway, out of Orlando, makes a case for joy when everyone else is writing sad songs. She tells stories from a career full of odd coincidences, including a connection to the Grateful Dead's former publicist, her Colorado adventures, an upcoming record, and the coffee-roasting habit that's become its own thing. It's a long, funny, generous conversation. What happens when an artist decides joy is worth writing about?

⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00 Coincidences
4:17 Meet Cat Ridgeway
6:16 Live Shows and Fans
7:26 Festival Dream Lineup
13:21 Colorado Adventures
19:24 Unexpected Connections
27:16 Coffee Roasting
40:16 The Grateful Dead Connection
45:10 The Music Industry
51:50 The New Record
1:09:11 60 Seconds of Curiosity

📊 FREE REPORT: What 573 fans and artists told us about streaming, AI, and where the money in music actually goes. → State of Music survey summary

📬 NEWSLETTER: Chords of Curiosity goes deeper on every episode. The moments that didn't make the clips, and one curiosity prompt each issue. → Subscribe

ABOUT CURIOUS GOLDFISH
A music podcast about more than music. Inspired by Ted Lasso. I talk with singer-songwriters and bands in Americana, folk, roots, and country about the lives behind the songs: resilience, faith, marriage, the business of music, and what keeps an artist going. Every episode ends with the same question about curiosity, and no two answers are alike.

New episodes every other week.

🌐 curiousgoldfish.com 🎧 Spotify | Apple Podcasts 📸 @curiousgoldfishpodcast

Two teachers who quit to tour full-time, on the road and the songs it makes.

Get the stories behind the episodes → Subscribe to Chords of Curiosity

Cousin Curtiss and Harrison B both left steady jobs to play music full-time, and now they tour the country as a high-energy Americana duo. They talk about building a sound as a pair, writing on the road, the song "Little Change," and what it took to leave the classroom behind. They close with "Little Change" and a cover of "Midnight Rider." What does it cost to trade a steady paycheck for the thing you love?

⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00 From Teaching to Music
1:32 Meet Cousin Curtiss & Harrison B
3:23 Touring Life
5:17 The Art of Being a Duo
7:28 Rockin' Americana
11:34 Writing on the Road
17:17 Two Paths, One Journey
21:42 Home Life and Road Life
31:22 The Story of "Little Change"
33:30 60 Seconds of Curiosity
36:04 Live Performance: "Little Change" + "Midnight Rider"

📊 FREE REPORT: What 573 fans and artists told us about streaming, AI, and where the money in music actually goes. Get the State of Music survey summary free → State of Music summary

📬 NEWSLETTER: Chords of Curiosity goes deeper on every episode: the moments that didn't make the clips, what I'm learning running this show, and one curiosity prompt every issue → Subscribe free

ABOUT CURIOUS GOLDFISH
A music podcast about more than music. Inspired by Ted Lasso. I talk with singer-songwriters and bands in Americana, folk, roots, and country about the lives behind the songs: resilience, faith, marriage, the business of music, and what keeps an artist going. Every episode ends with the same question about curiosity, and no two answers are alike.

New episodes every other week.

🌐 curiousgoldfish.com · 🎧 Spotify | Apple Podcasts · 📸 @curiousgoldfishpodcast

Inside a Muscle Shoals studio for Davin McCoy's first album in a decade

Get the stories behind the episodes → curiousgoldfish.com

This one goes inside the studio at Ivy Manor in Muscle Shoals, where Davin McCoy is cutting his first album in a decade with producer Dan Hannon. Hannon talks about his career, his fight with throat cancer, and how he draws a vision out of an artist. Davin walks through the nerves and the layers of tracking a record. It's a look at how the work actually gets made, geese, ping pong, and all. What does it take to finally finish the record you've put off for ten years?

⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00 Podcast Intro
2:47 Meet Producer Dan Hannon
4:39 Hannon's Journey and the Studio
5:14 Making Davin McCoy's Album
35:06 Song Selection
36:37 Anticipation for the Album
39:54 The Mystique of Muscle Shoals
48:31 Final Thoughts
53:18 Ping Pong and Camaraderie

📊 FREE REPORT: What 573 fans and artists told us about streaming, AI, and where the money in music actually goes. → State of Music survey summary

📬 NEWSLETTER: Chords of Curiosity goes deeper on every episode. The moments that didn't make the clips, and one curiosity prompt each issue. → Subscribe

ABOUT CURIOUS GOLDFISH
A music podcast about more than music. Inspired by Ted Lasso. I talk with singer-songwriters and bands in Americana, folk, roots, and country about the lives behind the songs: resilience, faith, marriage, the business of music, and what keeps an artist going. Every episode ends with the same question about curiosity, and no two answers are alike.

New episodes every other week.

🌐 curiousgoldfish.com 🎧 Spotify | Apple Podcasts 📸 @curiousgoldfishpodcast

He backed Patti Smith and Robert Plant for decades before making a record of his own

Get the stories behind the episodes → curiousgoldfish.com

James Mastro spent a long career playing alongside Robert Plant, Patti Smith, and Ian Hunter, and with "Dawn of a New Error" he finally made a record of his own. He talks about why he waited, what he picked up in all those rooms, and the risk of stepping out front. Religion, COVID, and not taking yourself too seriously all come up. What pulls a lifelong sideman to the center of the stage?

🎵 James Mastro's latest: Dawn of a New Error (2024)

⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00 Embracing Mistakes and New Beginnings
1:45 From Hoboken to Athens
2:28 The Man Behind the Music
3:29 On Tour
10:36 Religion, Optimism, Connection
17:23 Playing with the Greats
26:09 The Journey of a Solo Album
28:06 60 Seconds of Curiosity
34:11 Closing Thoughts

📊 FREE REPORT: What 573 fans and artists told us about streaming, AI, and where the money in music actually goes. → State of Music survey summary

📬 NEWSLETTER: Chords of Curiosity goes deeper on every episode. The moments that didn't make the clips, and one curiosity prompt each issue. → Subscribe

ABOUT CURIOUS GOLDFISH
A music podcast about more than music. Inspired by Ted Lasso. I talk with singer-songwriters and bands in Americana, folk, roots, and country about the lives behind the songs: resilience, faith, marriage, the business of music, and what keeps an artist going. Every episode ends with the same question about curiosity, and no two answers are alike.

New episodes every other week.

🌐 curiousgoldfish.com 🎧 Spotify | Apple Podcasts 📸 @curiousgoldfishpodcast

A young hip-hop artist and a 60-something surgeon, making R&B together.

Get the stories behind the episodes → Subscribe to Chords of Curiosity

EyeAM is a young hip-hop and R&B artist. Joel Hoffman is a surgeon in his sixties who loves to write hooks. Together they make something they call alternative R&B, and the partnership works better than it has any right to. They talk about how they met, the Ari Collective label they're building, and what music does across a 40-year age gap. They close with two songs. What makes an unlikely collaboration click?

🎵 Building: the Ari Collective label

⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00 The Creative Process
1:36 An Unlikely Duo
3:18 Making Music in Alpharetta
4:03 The Origin Story
4:51 Crafting a Sound
6:37 Music Across Generations
12:21 Their Musical Backgrounds
17:29 The Ari Collective
23:51 Music and Mentorship
26:29 Goals and Upcoming Projects
28:31 Live Performance

📊 FREE REPORT: What 573 fans and artists told us about streaming, AI, and where the money in music actually goes. Get the State of Music survey summary free → State of Music summary

📬 NEWSLETTER: Chords of Curiosity goes deeper on every episode: the moments that didn't make the clips, what I'm learning running this show, and one curiosity prompt every issue → Subscribe free

ABOUT CURIOUS GOLDFISH
A music podcast about more than music. Inspired by Ted Lasso. I talk with singer-songwriters and bands in Americana, folk, roots, and country about the lives behind the songs: resilience, faith, marriage, the business of music, and what keeps an artist going. Every episode ends with the same question about curiosity, and no two answers are alike.

New episodes every other week.

🌐 curiousgoldfish.com · 🎧 Spotify | Apple Podcasts · 📸 @curiousgoldfishpodcast