It is a privilege to welcome singer-songwriter Michael Lazar to The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast.  

Michael is a Miami-based singer-songwriter whose music blends pop, theater, and poetry into something deeply personal. His critically acclaimed debut album, 51/49, chronicled an 18-year journey through grief, reinvention, and healing – an autobiographical song cycle born from Michael’s move to New York City to study musical theatre at NYU, his countless Broadway auditions, and even a devastating apartment fire.   His latest extended play, Daydreaming, is scheduled for release on July 25, 2025. The title track combines wistful piano melodies with atmospheric synths while capturing the emotional pull of imagined love.

The full EP expands on the themes introduced in the single, offering a cohesive six-song journey through longing, hope, and personal transformation. From the golden-hour shimmer of “Magic Hour” to the pulsing ache of “Want Me Back,” Lazar crafts a pastel-toned sonic world grounded in vulnerability. The EP also features a reimagined version of “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” a tender reflection in “By My Side,” and concludes with “Life of the Butterfly,” a poetic meditation on growth and letting go.

All six tracks were written, performed, and produced by Lazar. The EP was mastered by Michael Banks of UEFO, whose previous work on Lazar’s 2021 debut album, 51/49, helped establish the warmth and emotional clarity that have become hallmarks of his sound.  

On this episode of The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast, Michael Lazar spoke about Daydreaming’s recording process, performing alongside future Avengers actor Chris Evans and Scott Evans, during his childhood. He also explained why he declares Britney Spears, Jewel, and Tori Amos make up his trifecta of inspiration.

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! America’s Got Talent (AGT) is back for its 20th anniversary season! Veteran judge Mel B returned to the main show for the first time in seven years, joining Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, and Sofia Vergara at the Judges’ Desk.

In the fifth episode of Jake’s AGT Take, I revealed my six standouts of the week – Duo Stardust (Sofia Vergara’s first Golden Buzzer act of Season 20), The Bodyguards, Bill Taylor & The Appalachian Heathens, Tom Sandoval and the Most Extras, Chuck Adams, and the Benn Family Band.  

Additionally, I give kudos to Andrea, who broke a notable world record.

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It is a pleasure to welcome content creator Mark Christie to The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast.  

Mark is known in the social media world as Mark Chrispy. He has built a following that includes 1 million YouTube subscribers and 1.3 million TikTok followers thanks to his quick-witted commentary on viral videos. Fans devour his takes on topics that range from outrageous food creations, such as cheesecake fries and homemade salted chocolate chip toffee cookies, to extreme do-it-yourself craft projects. He is also a father, gym rat, and Reality TV superfan.  

In our latest episode of The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast, Mark spoke about his most viral YouTube Shorts, his passion for fitness, and his goal of appearing on reality TV. We also talked about our love for The Challenge, and I revealed which two controversial Reality TV alums – a three-time Survivor castaway and one-time Challenge champion – could have a Tom Sandoval redemption season on Peacock’s The Traitors.

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! America’s Got Talent (AGT) is back for its 20th anniversary season!
Veteran judge Mel B returned to the main show for the first time in seven years, joining Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, and Sofia Vergara at the Judges’ Desk.

In the fourth episode of Jake’s AGT Take, I revealed my seven standout acts of the week – Duo Soma, Mastermind, Jonglissimo, Loco Papa Familia, Steve Ray Ladson, Mama Duke, and Terry Crews's first Golden Buzzer act, dance quartet The Funkateer Dancers.

Meanwhile, Mel B has high expectations, and she said "No" to several acts. She also had an unhappy reunion with show icon Wes-P, who delivered a risque and vulgar audition.

Plus, a Bravo superstar and a Traitors fan favorite is going to audition for NBC's long-running talent competition next week!  

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It is a privilege to welcome Reality TV veteran and writer, producer, and director James Sunshine to The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast.  

After graduating as valedictorian from his film school, James moved to Los Angeles in 2012 with no job, no car, nowhere to live, and an overdrawn bank account. Over a decade later, he has become a creative powerhouse in film and TV, breaking into the industry as a producer on some of the biggest Reality TV Shows of all time, including Big Brother 18, Hell’s Kitchen, Project Runway, Supermarket Superstar, and Total Divas.  

In 2020, he wrote, directed, and edited his debut indie film Coronavirus Conspiracy during the height of the 2020 lockdowns. Distributed by Lionsgate, the satire became the first union-approved independent film shot in Los Angeles after the lockdown.    

Recently, James released his latest film, Killing Mary Sue. The film focuses on a corrupt senator (Dermot Mulroney) who arranges for the murder of his most significant liability, his erratic burnout stepdaughter (Sierra McCormick), only for her to unwittingly discover her natural talents as an untouchable killer.  The film also stars French Stewart, Jason Mewes, Kym Whitley, and Martin Kove. Killing Mary Sue won the Best Picture Award at the Independent Filmmakers Showcase at the Los Angeles Film Fest.  
 
On this episode of The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast, James Sunshine spoke about his experiences on Big Brother and Hell’s Kitchen, the behind-the-scenes process of Coronavirus Conspiracy, and previewing Killing Mary Sue.

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! America’s Got Talent (AGT) is back for its 20th anniversary season!

Veteran judge Mel B returned to the main show for the first time in seven years, joining Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, and Sofia Vergara at the Judges’ Desk.

In the third episode of Jake’s AGT Take, I revealed my four standout acts of the week – Julia and Dmitryo Turkeev, Urban Theory, Boston Dynamics, and Mel B’s second Golden Buzzer – singer Charity Lockhart.  I believe that both Charity Lockhart and Urban Theory echo ghosts of America’s Got Talent past as they channeled three Golden Buzzer icons. 

Plus, I reveal which celebrities and social media influencers should join the Osaka Philharmonic onstage for their next performance.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jake-s-take-with-jacob-elyachar--4112003/support.

It is a pleasure to welcome Maya Kuriel as a guest to The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast.  

Born and raised in Seattle and now based in Los Angeles, Maya is a first-generation Korean American artist redefining the landscape of pop music. She’s a sonic architect crafting a world where eerie synths, raw emotion, and grungy production collide. Maya embraces the underrepresented, carving out a space for Asian voices in a genre that’s long overdue for a shake-up. Her music drips with moody textures and cinematic tension, luring listeners into a hypnotic haze of haunting melodies and pulsating beats.  

Since her debut in 2020, Maya has amassed over 2.5 million streams across all platforms, captivating audiences worldwide with her powerful vocal melodies and introspective lyrics. With a voice that floats between ethereal beauty and unfiltered grit, she’s the storm brewing on the edge of pop’s horizon—one that refuses to be ignored.  Her diverse discography has attracted the attention of Stardust, Ones to Watch, and Medium.

In March 2023, she earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Songwriting and Music Production from the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. With her degree in hand, Maya is poised to take her career to the next level.  

 On this episode of The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast, Maya Kuriel spoke about the stories behind some of her songs, including “Dead Weight,” “Bittersweet,” and her latest single, “Alibi,” and her dream collaborators.

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I am delighted to welcome my longtime friend, fitness entrepreneur Scott Herman, to The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast.  

Scott is a content creation pioneer and has built a fitness empire with 3 million subscribers and 700 million views across the Scott Herman Fitness and Oh the Hermanity YouTube channels. He was also the first YouTube fitness influencer to sign with BSN in 2010 after he starred on MTV’s The Real World: Brooklyn.  

Now, as the Vice President of Partnerships at WAGMI Games, Scott leverages his gaming passion and web3 networking skills to forge partnerships and grow communities, expanding NiFe Wars’ global reach with his knack for engagement – he even responds to his direct messages on Twitter.  

On this episode of Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast, Scott Herman spoke about how he joined WAGMI Games, walking from the Javits Center to Times Square wearing an 88-pound suit for promotion, and who he believes is standing out in the YouTube fitness community.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jake-s-take-with-jacob-elyachar--4112003/support.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! America’s Got Talent (AGT) is back for its 20th anniversary season!

Veteran judge Mel B returned to the main show for the first time in seven years, joining Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, and Sofia Vergara at the Judges’ Desk.

In the second episode of Jake’s AGT Take, I revealed my thoughts about the Messoudi Brothers receiving their first Golden Buzzer from the long-running NBC talent competition, why I would have buzzed Phobias off the stage, and my three favorite standout acts of episode two - Girish and the Chronicles, CitiLimitz, and TT Boyz.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jake-s-take-with-jacob-elyachar--4112003/support.

It is a privilege to welcome The Empty Pockets to the Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast.  

Guitarist and vocalist Josh Solomon, keyboardist and vocalist Erika Brett, bassist and vocalist Nate Bellon, and drummer Adam Balasco make up the Chicago-based band line-up. They ignite a bright flame of their own by harnessing a joyful friction between Americana, folk, and rock ‘n’ roll spiked with roots soul. 

They’ve honed their signature style across albums such as The Ten Cent Tour [2015], Voices [2017], Snow Day [2018], Tanglewoods [2019], and Live In Seattle [2019]. After bowing in the Top 10 of the Heatseekers Albums Chart and Americana/Folk Chart, they delivered their first number one when Outside Spectrum toppled the Billboard Blues Albums Chart in 2022 and their second number one with Gotta Find The Moon in 2024. Along the way, the Empty Pockets not only backed the likes of Al Stewart, Gary Wright, and Simon Kirke (with whom they have made records with to boot), but they also appeared on PBS Soundstage with Kenny Loggins.

During 2022, Pollstar touted them among its Top International Live streamers. Touching down on multiple continents, they have  supported comedy legend George Lopez, alternative phenomenon Portugal. The Man, and many more. 

On this episode of The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast, the Empty Pockets spoke about releasing their latest album, Live in Buffalo, the stories behind their most-streamed songs on Spotify, and supporting Al Stewart on his final worldwide tour.  

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jake-s-take-with-jacob-elyachar--4112003/support.