Kyle Meredith With...

Ben Folds recently sat down with Kyle Meredith to talk about the complicated year that saw him record a stunning live album with the National Symphony Orchestra just before stepping down as Artistic Advisor for the Kennedy Center. Folds opens up about the importance of the Kennedy Center’s mission, how it connects communities beyond the stage, and why that made his exit during the Trump administration’s takeover so necessary. Listen now.

Reflecting on the album, Folds calls it “an absolute honor” to record with the NSO, praising the room’s natural magic and the delicate work of mixer David Boucher. The album arrives like an act of resistance, beginning with “But Wait, There’s More,” which Folds says was born out of the absurdity of the Four Seasons Total Landscaping press conference. “It felt so cynical at first, but I do still believe there’s more good than not,” he says.

The conversation also dives deep into the vital role of public funding and arts institutions, and how Folds’ Kennedy Center series aimed to break down barriers and build trust between artists and audiences. “When you bring in people with something to say, the orchestra becomes part of telling that story,” he explains. “That mission — that trust — that’s what makes it special. When the mission’s broken, it all falls apart.” Folds remains hopeful that the simple act of gathering to experience art together is itself a form of resistance. “Maybe this wakes us up,” he says. “We’re all capable of anything — don’t do the bad stuff.”

Listen to Ben Folds chat about all this and more or watch it on Youtube. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.

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On this encore episode of The Story Behind the Song, Blondie are, without question, one of the most successful, iconic, and influential bands in rock and roll history. Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 15 years ago, the Debbie Harry-fronted group has sold over 40 million albums worldwide and continues to release new music. But the “rock and roll” label doesn’t do justice to the group’s genre-bending music. What started as a punk band in the mid-1970’s in New York City after Harry and guitarist Chris Stein broke off from their earlier band, The Stillettoes, Blondie (first called Angel and the Snake) always innovated, infusing pop, disco, new wave, reggae, and rap elements into their music.

Which brings us to one of Blondie’s signature songs, the cleverly titled “Rapture." In 1981, the Autoamerican single became the first song featuring rapped vocals to top the US charts, and its accompanying video the first "rap" clip to appear on MTV. Stein and Harry penned the song after experiencing their first rap performance hosted by Fab 5 Freddy, who is prominently mentioned in the song's first rap line and appears in the video.

Listen to Blondie talk about “Rapture” and more. Then, make sure to follow The Story Behind the Song, and rate and review on Apple Podcasts. Fans can also check out the new TSBTS merch -- including a killer poster and jigsaw puzzle -- available now at the Consequence Shop or via the buy now buttons below!

You can keep an eye on the Consequence Podcast Network for updates on all our series, and follow host Peter Csathy on Threads at @pcsathy and at Deep Cuts Media.

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For the fourth time around, Milo Manheim, Meg Donnelly, Malachi Barton, and Freya Skye sat down with Kyle Meredith to sink their teeth into Zombies 4, the latest chapter of Disney’s monster-mash musical saga. This time, Zed and Addison find themselves caught in the middle of a new supernatural rivalry — Daywalkers vs. Vampires — as they play camp counselors to Seabrook’s most fang-tastic new recruits. Listen to the episode now.

Both Manheim and Donnelly have leveled up as executive producers on the film, and they’re more hands-on than ever. Meanwhile, newcomers Malachi Barton and Freya Skye came prepared for the monster mayhem, with Barton embracing a different kind of bloodsucker. “The whole writing team did such an amazing job of turning vampires into this fun-loving, friendly type of monster,” he said. Meanwhile, Skye studied up on the franchise’s style: “My way of studying was just watching the movies over and over… Zombies has such a distinctive feel to it.” Off-set, the cast bonded over music, game nights, and even boba-filled “blood fruits.”

Listen to Milo Manheim, Meg Donnelly, Malachi Barton, and Freya Sky chat about all this and more or watch it on Youtube. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.

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Rhian Teasdale of Wet Leg catches up with Kyle Meredith to talk about the band’s wildly anticipated sophomore album, moisturizer. After riding the wave of their self-titled debut — and the indie smash “Chaise Longue” — the CoSigned band doubled down on what made them so joyously chaotic in the first place. Now a five-piece, they holed up in the countryside, turned off their phones, and let their oddball impulses thrive. Listen now.

“A lot of it just came out of GarageBand bedroom demos the first time,” Teasdale says, reflecting on the shift from a duo to a collaborative project. “So it was the most natural thing to write the second record together. We just wanted to shut the world out and jam — the romantic version of a band you read about in music mags.” Those late-night jam sessions were fueled by repeat viewings of Aliens, Braveheart (“six times, but never the full movie!”) and cult fave Jennifer’s Body — which even inspired a song of its own.

Teasdale gets real about the lyrical layers too, exploring love from a queer perspective for the first time. “Music is a self-indulgent beast, so I needed to write about being this deeply in love,” she explains. But that openness doesn’t mean she’s dropped the punk punchlines. “We still wanted songs that feel good to play live — that’s always the point.”

Listen to Rhian Teasdale of Wet Leg chat about all this and more or watch it on Youtube. Then, snag yourself tickets to Wet Leg's upcoming tour dates by heading here.

Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.

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Renée Elise Goldsberry sat down with Kyle Meredith to dive deep into her vibrant debut album, Who I Really Am. The Tony-winning powerhouse, best known for her role as Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton, is proving she’s just as compelling behind a mic as she is on stage. Blending pop with the theatrical soul of Broadway, she's crafted a record that defies genre while still feeling timeless. Listen now.

Of course, Hamilton remains a cherished chapter. She revisited “Satisfied” for the album and recently reunited with the original cast for the Tony Awards. “We’re ridiculously silly when we’re together,” she admits. “It’s love all over the room.” Meanwhile, her other family, the Girls5eva crew, might still have more stories to tell. “I dream we’ll be back in 10 years, dressing alike, singing harmony, taking over malls that probably won’t exist,” she jokes.

Listen to Renée Elise Goldsberry chat about all this and more or watch it on Youtube. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.

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Lucy Dacus sits down with Kyle Meredith to discuss her latests solo record, Forever Is a Feeling. The singer-songwriter unpacks the new album’s lush poetry, the angelic iconography behind its cover, and the raw intimacy of performing in churches and museums. Listen now.

Touring behind the new record (get tickets here!), Dacus found herself gravitating towards sanctuaries both literal and spiritual. “Places like that always feel super reverent whether or not you’re religious,” she says of the cathedrals and churches she’s played in. “They inspire a quietness and an introspection that I really like.” That same thoughtful hush permeates Forever is a Feeling, an album that glides between dreamlike atmospheres and confessional clarity.

Of course, she didn’t go it alone. The record brings together a who’s who of kindred spirits, from Hozier to Madison Cunningham to Bartees Strange, along with her boygenius bandmates Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker (also her romantic partner), appearances that feel like a tight-knit mixtape of indie rock’s most emotionally articulate voices.

Listen to Lucy Dacus chat about all this and more or watch on YouTube. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.

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Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips sat down with Kyle Meredith for three conversations across a handful of years to talk about solo albums, Luna reunions, and songwriting. Sometimes, these chats even double as emotional excavation. Listen to the archived interviews now.

Wareham, known for his iconic turns in Galaxie 500 and Luna, talked in 2014 about finally releasing his first solo album and what it meant to step out from the comfort of collaboration. He also chats about working with My Morning Jacket’s Jim James as producer, as well as the funny backlash from his memoir, navigating identity beyond legacy bands, and why a lyric like “what have I done with my life?” doesn’t always need a worried reading.

In her own chat in 2016, Phillips walked Kyle through Luck Or Magic, a stunning debut that toggles between torch songs and simmering synth-pop, and how tracks like “Do It Last” playfully (and darkly) flip gendered expectations of obsession in love songs. She also opened up about the nerves of writing about Dean… and then playing those songs for him.

Then, a 2017 conversation sees Luna officially back with A Sentimental Education, a covers-heavy return that mined overlooked corners of Dylan, the Stones, and even Velvet Underground’s Doug Yule era. Dean explained why a reformation only made sense without pressure, and why sometimes the easiest way forward is an instrumental EP with cheeky titles like “March of the Trolls.”

Three interviews. Two solo albums. One band that still knows how to play the long game—with style.

Listen to Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips chat about all this and more. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.

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Alan Walker dropped in to talk with Kyle Meredith about the evolution of Walker World — a decade-long transformation that’s turned a teenage bedroom producer into a globe-touring architect of immersive EDM. With the WalkerWorld 2.0 album, the brand-new single “Me, Myself & the Night,” and a multimedia blitz that includes a mobile app and cinematic film experience, the 27-year-old artist is engineering something more expansive than just chart hits. Listen now.

Written during a writing camp in the Bahamas, “Me, Myself & the Night” became a template for a new era: “It gives the core Alan Walker sound and vibe... happy, jumpy, melancholic.” As for why he’s revisiting that era: “That’s the golden era of Alan Walker... we’ve been chasing trends, but now I want to make music that sounds like me again.”

The world-building doesn’t stop at the music. With WalkerWorld: The Last Ride on the horizon and a fan-centric app that bypasses traditional streaming algorithms, Walker is pioneering a kind of EDM Extended Universe. “We’re not just doing music videos anymore—we’re building a cinematic story,” he explained. “And for the fans who can’t see me live, the app becomes a digital hub where everything connects.” Not bad for a kid who once hid his songs from friends and family out of fear of being judged. Ten years later, he’s still chasing connection — just now with thousands of screaming fans and a global team.

Listen to Alan Walker chat about all this and more or watch it on YouTube. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.

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Kyle Meredith sits down with two legends, Randy Bachman and the late Gary Brooker to talk about legacy and how you live with — and sometimes rewrite — the ghosts of greatness. Listen to these archive interviews now.

Hear Brooker of Procol Harum speak just before his passing about the band’s 50-year retrospective Still There’ll Be More, the timeless power of “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” and why Procol never quite fit in anyone’s box (except maybe their own).

Then, it’s Randy Bachman (The Guess Who, Bachman Turner Overdrive) discussing By George, his inventive reimagining of George Harrison classics that's filled with rearranged melodies, sly tributes, and a surreal phone call from Winnipeg to Friar Park. From Lennon birthday parties in Liverpool to dodged opportunities with Clapton, it’s a masterclass in reverence and reinvention from two legends.

Listen to Randy Bachman and Gary Brooker chat about all this and more. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.

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Zara Larsson caught up with Kyle Meredith to talk about her new album Midnight Sun, her second LP in just over a year. Powered by creative momentum and a self-described “dream team” of collaborators, Larsson is embracing a more spontaneous workflow that channels her current energy into a confident, cohesive record. Listen now.

The record's namesake track, “Midnight Sun,” is a tribute to summer nights in her native Sweden, where the sun never fully sets and life feels mythically endless. “I wanted to be this little nymph that goes to the city,” she says, explaining the vibe that shaped both the sound and spirit of the album. The song itself is a swirl of joy and presence and the kind of spiritual clarity that only appears in duskless Scandinavian landscapes. It also helped unlock the album’s carefree tone: “I don’t give a fuck, but I do care a lot, and I hope and I pray and I manifest,” she says, summing up the paradox at the heart of Midnight Sun.

Larsson will bring that energy to her upcoming tour with Tate McRae, a pairing she’s calling the “perfect combination of two girls who love to put on a show.” Larsson hints at debuting unreleased material on the road, something she’s done before, but with mixed results. “It’s almost like a curse,” she laughs. “All the songs I used to try out live never ended up getting released — but this album is done and sealed.” Expect choreography, singalongs, and a little pop mischief: “I can’t wait to steal her stage for a few minutes.”

Listen to Zara Larsson chat about all this and more or watch it on YouTube. Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to KMW wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.

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