What happens when a song you’ve known your whole life suddenly becomes the thing that saves you?

In this episode of One Song One Story, I’m joined by Willie Thornton, also known as Wild Willie. DJ, podcaster, father, and someone who grew up in chaos and found healing through music.

Willie brings “Man in the Mirror” by Michael Jackson, a song that hit him in a completely new way during one of the lowest moments of his life. After his divorce, carrying the weight of a difficult childhood, a toxic marriage, addiction, anger, and self hatred, Willie heard the song in the car and had to pull over. In that moment, he knew something had to change.

This conversation is about survival, self reflection, fatherhood, healing, and the courage it takes to look at yourself honestly and choose a different path. We talk about how music can help us move through grief, anger, and pain, and why some songs become more than songs. They become lifelines.

We explore:
childhood trauma and resilience
divorce, addiction, and rebuilding
music as emotional healing
why “Man in the Mirror” became a turning point
fatherhood and learning to love yourself again
how one song can help you become who you’re meant to be

If you’ve ever had a song meet you in the middle of your darkest moment and somehow point you toward the light, this episode will resonate.

00:00 Intro
00:11 What this episode is about
01:04 Welcome Willie Thornton
01:52 If today were a song
02:34 A song that connects host and guest
04:18 Willie’s podcast: Soul Impact, How Music Saved Us
06:16 Early memories of music and survival
08:25 Using music to move through the five stages of grief
12:15 Song reveal: Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson
12:57 Why this was the obvious choice
13:26 Divorce, childhood wounds, and not liking who he’d become
14:38 The moment the song broke him open
18:27 Early memories of hearing Michael Jackson
21:42 What hit hardest in the song
24:47 Rebuilding life after divorce
28:41 What the song means now
30:28 Survivor mindset vs victim mindset
32:17 Music, fatherhood, and healing
33:24 Accomplishment, reflection, and growth
44:57 Thoughts on covering such an iconic song
46:37 What stands out to Willie now
48:55 Where to find Willie and his work
50:09 Final message and goodbye

What if the song that shaped your life kept revealing new meanings... for more than 35 years?

For the first time in One Song One Story, the host becomes the guest.

After spending two seasons asking remarkable people to share the one song that changed their life, the microphone is turned on me.

Hosted by Jim Farfaglia, this is the story behind the song that quietly shaped my childhood, carried me through addiction, helped me make sense of profound healing, and ultimately inspired this podcast.

🎶 Song choice: "As One" by Sam Brown

I first heard this song as an eleven-year-old boy. At the time, it became a place of safety. Decades later, after addiction, recovery, fatherhood, and life-changing experiences with plant medicine, it revealed entirely new meanings I never knew were there.

What fascinates me most is that the song didn't change.

I did.

In this conversation we explore:

🎵 How one song became a lifelong companion

🧒 The eleven-year-old version of me that never truly disappeared

💔 Addiction, trauma, and the search for safety

🌿 Ayahuasca, healing, and seeing life through a completely different lens

👨‍👧‍👦 Becoming a father and hearing the same lyrics through new ears

🎙️ The unexpected moment that sparked the idea for One Song One Story itself

This is my most personal conversation to date.

It's about memory, music, healing, and the extraordinary way songs continue to grow alongside us if we're willing to keep listening.

If you've ever wondered why this podcast exists... this episode is the closest answer I can give.

00:00 Introduction

01:06 Why the host is becoming the guest

04:32 My earliest memories of music

07:45 Songs that shaped my childhood

15:12 Song reveal: As One – Sam Brown

17:20 Listening to the song together

19:34 Discovering As One at eleven years old

26:18 Feeling like Sam Brown was singing directly to me

32:58 Rediscovering the song in my thirties

34:52 Addiction, trauma, and returning to the song

44:12 Ayahuasca and a life-changing turning point

47:09 Hearing the song after becoming a father

53:37 The lightbulb moment that inspired One Song One Story

1:02:00 Why every guest's song matters

1:10:58 What this conversation taught me

1:12:18 Why this work feels so important

1:14:29 Closing thoughts

🎧 Episode Description

What if the thing standing between you and the life you want isn't a lack of talent... but the belief that you need permission to pursue it?

In this episode of One Song One Story, I'm joined by Sumi X — artist, songwriter, entrepreneur, and creative force — for a conversation about identity, self-belief, and finding the courage to trust your own voice.

Sumi's song choice is "Liability" by Lorde, a track that has accompanied her through moments of doubt, growth, and transformation. What begins as a conversation about a song quickly becomes an exploration of creativity, entrepreneurship, imposter syndrome, and the stories we tell ourselves about who we're allowed to become.

From growing up using music as both an escape and a source of expression, to walking away from a successful consulting career to pursue a creative life on her own terms, Sumi shares the highs, lows, and lessons she's learned along the way.

We explore:

🎵 Why some songs feel like they understand us better than we understand ourselves

🚀 Leaving behind security to pursue a creative calling

🧠 Navigating imposter syndrome and self-doubt

✨ The connection between entrepreneurship and creativity

🎤 Finding the confidence to stop shrinking yourself and start taking up space

❤️ Why opportunity rarely arrives on your doorstep — and what happens when you go looking for it instead

This is a conversation about courage, authenticity, and learning to trust yourself enough to build the life that's calling you.

If you've ever wondered whether you're capable of more than the path you're currently on, this episode will resonate.

00:00 Introduction

01:05 Welcome Sumi X

02:38 If today were a song

04:57 Growing up with music

08:41 Using music as escape and expression

12:24 Discovering creativity and identity

16:03 Building a successful consulting business

20:17 The decision to pursue music full-time

24:45 Song reveal: Liability by Lorde

28:12 Why this song matters

31:46 Imposter syndrome and self-doubt

36:20 Being "too much" and learning to embrace it

40:14 Creativity, entrepreneurship and risk

44:38 Opportunity doesn't come knocking

48:25 Finding your voice

52:47 What the song means today

56:01 Who should cover the song?

58:43 Final reflections

1:01:12 Where to find Sumi X

1:02:08 Closing thoughts

What if the song that changed your life wasn’t one you chose… but one that found you at exactly the right moment?

In this episode of One Song One Story, I’m joined by Vince Markowsky, for a conversation that moves through identity, resilience, and the unexpected ways music can become a mirror for who we are becoming.

Every episode begins with one simple premise: my guest brings one song that holds deep meaning for them, and together we unpack the memories, emotions, and life experiences tied to it.

For Vinnie, Riverside by America became far more than just music. It became a marker of transformation. A reminder of where they’d been, what they’d survived, and the person they were learning to become.

We explore the moments that shape us quietly. The chapters we don’t realise are defining us until much later. And how certain songs can hold entire versions of ourselves inside them.

This conversation moves through:

🎵 identity and self-discovery
🧠 resilience through difficult seasons
✨ the emotional power of music and memory
🔥 personal transformation and perspective shifts
❤️ how songs can become part of your life story

This is a reflective, honest, and deeply human conversation about the songs that stay with us and why they matter.

If you’ve ever had a song that felt like it understood you before you understood yourself, this episode will resonate.

And if there’s a song that carries a story in your life, I’d love to hear it.

00:00 Intro
00:11 What this episode is about
01:03 Welcome Vince Markowsky
02:12 If today were a song
03:45 A song that connects host and guest
05:30 Early memories of music
08:10 Growing up and discovering identity through music
11:42 Music as emotional escape and expression
15:18 Song reveal: Riverside by America
17:05 Why this song was the obvious choice
20:14 The first time the song truly landed
24:30 What life looked like during that season
28:12 How the song became a turning point
31:45 Identity, growth, and learning to trust yourself
35:08 How the meaning of the song has evolved
38:21 Music, healing, and perspective shifts
41:10 What this song represents now
44:02 Who Vinnie would want to cover it
46:18 Final reflections
48:07 Where to find Vinnie
49:20 Closing

Some songs do not need lyrics to say everything.In this episode of One Song One Story, I sit down with Jason Olivea, a holistic coach and creator of Inner Compass, to explore a track that became the soundtrack to one of the biggest transitions of his life. We met at an ayahuasca retreat in Costa Rica, one of those places that changes how you see yourself, the world, and what you thought was possible. Not long after leaving, Jason discovered a song he can’t explain how he found, but it felt like it found him.🎶 Song Choice: “Vida” by MoseThis song became a container for:Transformation. Integration. Flow. Identity. Love.We talk about:Plant medicine and the unlearning of who you think you areMusic as a tool for shifting state and healingWhy some songs hit the body before the mind understandsSerendipity, timing, and life’s unseen choreographyHow one song can stay steady while life keeps changingIf you’ve ever had a song that instantly takes you back to a feeling, a place, or a version of yourself, you’ll feel this episode deeply.👇 Comment below with a song that found you at the exact right time.00:00 Intro and what this episode is about01:00 Welcome Jason and the brunch story02:13 If today was a song, what would it be03:38 The song that connects us: Just Dropped In06:00 Meeting through ayahuasca and knowing little but feeling close07:18 Jason’s first retreats and why they matter09:39 Jason’s work: psychology, coaching, and Inner Compass11:26 Plant medicine and shifting identity13:28 Mistaken identity and breaking out of the mental cage16:28 Earliest music memories and growing up in New York18:11 Old school hip hop, eclectic taste, and phases21:34 Using music to match mood and shift state25:12 Auditory sensitivity, vibration, and sound as medicine28:50 Song reveal: Vibe by Auf Wieder30:10 Finding the song after Soltara30:28 Meeting Zaina and the beginning of a love story33:56 The song as the embodiment of transition and transformation35:23 No lyrics, only flow and meaning37:41 Shubeeh’s first time hearing the track39:17 The song as emotional integration in the body41:10 Sharing the song with his daughter44:10 Listening to the song in the gym and in life46:43 How the meaning has evolved over time49:35 Stability and turbulence: the song as companion51:45 Songs and relationships that arrive unexpectedly55:05 How little control we really have56:48 If the song was a film scene58:53 Final reflections and takeaway1:00:20 Where to find Jason: innercompass9.com1:00:46 Closing

What happens when a song doesn’t just comfort you… but changes the direction of your life?

In this episode of One Song One Story, I’m joined by Tara Wiskow, an intuitive healer whose relationship with music is deeply embodied, emotional, and transformative.

Tara brings “No Hard Feelings” by The Avett Brothers, a song that found them in the days after losing their baby sister. At first, it made them angry. Then it cracked them open. And over time, it became something much more than a song. It became medicine. It became a guide. It became part of the path that led them toward healing, purpose, and the life they now live.

We talk about grief, identity, spirituality, music as a healing tool, and the way songs can evolve with us over time. Tara shares how this one song helped them process loss, reconnect with their sister in a new way, and step more fully into authenticity and service.

This is a conversation about:
music and grief
healing after loss
spiritual transformation
authenticity and self acceptance
the deeper meaning of “no hard feelings”
and how one song can become part of your soul’s journey

If you’ve ever had a song meet you in the middle of heartbreak and somehow lead you somewhere new, this episode will resonate.

00:00 Intro
00:11 What this episode is about
01:05 Welcome Tara Wiskow
02:24 If today were a song
03:26 A song that connects host and guest
05:18 Tara’s early relationship with music
08:47 Music as energy, movement, and emotion
12:09 Using music as a healing tool
15:18 Song reveal: No Hard Feelings by The Avett Brothers
16:00 Why this was an easy song choice
18:00 The first time the song truly landed
21:30 Losing Tara’s baby sister
24:00 Why the song first made them angry
27:00 How the song became medicine
29:43 Tara’s sister and the spiritual connection to the song
31:42 “Be the change you need” and stepping into purpose
34:53 Mortality, music, and songwriting
36:32 Why this song keeps evolving
38:19 Who Tara would want to cover it
39:08 What this conversation brought up
40:20 Where to find Tara
41:41 Closing

Some songs don’t just remind you of a moment.
They help you survive it.

In this episode of One Song One Story, I sit down with Dr Jonathan Locust to explore how Through the Wire by Kanye West became a soundtrack for resilience, healing, and personal transformation.

Jonathan shares how this song stayed with him through a serious health crisis, major life transitions, and a profound period of inner work. What makes this story so powerful is not just the song itself, but the way Jonathan reframed his experience.

Rather than asking “why is this happening to me?” he began asking, “what is this here to teach me?”

We talk about:

• Kanye West recording Through the Wire after a near fatal accident

• Using music as a grounding and regulation tool

• Health challenges hidden behind professional success

• Water fasting, meditation, and conscious healing

• Trauma, forgiveness, and the unconscious mind

• Why understanding the lesson accelerates healing

• Seeing life’s challenges as wires you move through, not walls you hit

This is a deep, honest, and expansive conversation about consciousness, courage, and choosing to keep going.

👇 If a song has helped you through something difficult, share it in the comments.

00:00 Intro: going through the wire
01:05 Welcome Dr Jonathan Locust
02:40 If today were a song
03:55 Music as regulation and calming the nervous system
06:10 Setting the premise of One Song One Story
07:20 Song selection process and why this one stood out
08:40 Song reveal: Through the Wire by Kanye West
09:55 First hearing the song in college
12:20 Dorm rooms, Chicago radio, and early memories
14:45 Innovation, sampling, and why Kanye felt different
17:10 Relatability, identity, and hip hop culture
18:30 Using music as a healing tool later in life
20:05 Health crisis and professional success colliding
22:10 Reframing hardship as “going through the wire”
24:30 Turning adversity into a research question
27:10 Meditation, fasting, and intentional healing
30:15 A 24 day water fast and physical endurance
33:40 Trauma, forgiveness, and unconscious healing
37:00 Connection to nature and heightened awareness
40:20 Patterns, synchronicity, and meaning
43:30 Cultural conditioning and eating habits
47:10 Indigenous wisdom and fasting practices
50:30 Listening to the song now
53:10 Past wires, present wires, and motivation
55:40 Who should cover the song
58:10 Lessons, acceleration, and closing reflections
1:00:20 Where to find Dr Jonathan Locust
1:01:40 Final goodbye

Some songs don’t just move you.They remind you who you are.In this episode of One Song One Story, I reconnect with Weronka Sacha, a breathwork facilitator, musician, and guide whose work is rooted in presence, ceremony, and deep listening.We talk about breathwork, music, and the strange magic of meeting someone in an intense container, forming a lifelong connection, and knowing very little about each other’s everyday lives beyond that moment.Weronka brings a song that has walked with her for over a decade.🎶 Spirit Bird by Xavier RuddFrom its first notes, the song opens up conversations about indigenous cultures, humility, responsibility, and our relationship with time, nature, and spirit. We explore why this track feels like a journey, how it calls us back into connection, and why it continues to reveal new layers years later.This is not a conversation about music theory.It’s about music as remembrance.👇 Comment below with a song that reconnects you to something deeper.----------------------------------------⏱️ CHAPTERS / TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro and reconnecting with Weronka01:13 If today were a song02:01 A song that connects host and guest02:37 Meeting in Peru and first experience of breathwork04:08 The power of breath alone05:03 Music, guitar, and singing after ceremony06:44 Remembering shared songs and moments08:58 Four singing at once and ceremonial sound10:04 Deep connections formed on retreat11:18 Weronka’s path and current work13:09 Intensity of ceremony and integration14:48 Online breathwork and reconnecting15:50 Early memories of music16:59 Growing up with rock and rhythm18:09 Curating music for breathwork sessions19:59 Music as DJing inside ceremony20:37 Using friends’ music in breathwork21:30 What this podcast is really about22:05 Song reveal: Spirit Bird by Xavier Rudd23:30 First time hearing the song25:51 What hit first in the music27:34 Indigenous themes and deep listening28:51 Time, ancestry, and perspective29:48 Living with a song for ten years31:14 How the song evolves over time33:16 Humility, responsibility, and unity35:09 The meaning of the Spirit Bird37:09 “Are we doing the work?”38:35 Playing and singing the song40:02 Creativity, writing, and detachment42:43 Writing as release and guidance from the body46:13 Final reflections on the song47:13 Gratitude and closing48:14 Where to find Weronka

What happens when a song gives you permission to live truthfully?

In this episode of One Song One Story, I’m joined by Gazit Chaya Nkosi, a healer and nervous system practitioner whose life journey has taken them through religion, identity, heartbreak, and profound spiritual transformation.

Every episode begins with a simple premise. My guest brings one song that holds deep meaning for them. Together we unpack the memories, emotions and life experiences tied to it.

Gazit Chaya brings “No Day But Today” from the musical Rent.

For Gazit Chaya, this song became a compass during some of the most challenging and transformative moments of their life. A reminder that life is fragile, time is precious, and that ultimately there is only one place we can live.

Right here.
Right now.

Our conversation moves through themes of identity, grief, courage, spirituality and the deeply human desire to live authentically. Gazit shares how music helped them navigate difficult chapters of their life and how certain songs arrive exactly when we need them most.

We explore how art can give language to experiences we don’t yet know how to articulate, and why some songs stay with us for decades, quietly shaping who we become.

This is a reflective, moving conversation about truth, transformation, and the power of music to illuminate the path forward.

If you’ve ever had a song that felt like it understood you before you understood yourself, this episode will resonate.

00:00 Introduction to the episode
00:11 What One Song One Story is all about
01:08 Welcoming Gazit Chaya Nkosi
02:06 Discovering an unexpected ancestral connection to Newcastle
04:30 If today were a song
07:10 Early memories of music growing up
11:05 Gazit’s relationship with creativity and spirituality
15:30 The role music plays during difficult life transitions
19:05 Song reveal: “One Song Glory” from Rent
22:40 Why this song became a personal compass
27:20 Themes of love, loss and living truthfully
32:50 Religion, identity and self discovery
38:30 How songs evolve as we evolve
43:45 The power of art to help us process grief
48:10 Gazit’s reflections on living authentically
52:30 Final thoughts on the song and its meaning today
55:10 Closing reflections

This episode is about love, identity, and how music can pull you into a story much bigger than your own.In this episode of One Song One Story, I sit down with Josh Nutting, whose life changed when he fell in love with a Ukrainian woman and, through her, discovered a song that has become a symbol of resilience for an entire nation.🎶 Song choice: “Oy U Luzi Chervona Kalyna”A Ukrainian folk song sung for over a century. Once banned. Passed down through generations. Revived in moments of resistance. And now heard around the world in the context of war.Josh shares what it was like hearing this song for the first time without understanding the words, how its meaning deepened as he learned the language and history, and how standing among Ukrainians singing it together changed his perspective forever.We talk about:* Falling in love across cultures* Music as a carrier of history and identity* Ukrainian resilience and national pride* Why some songs hit before you understand them* How perspective shifts when war becomes personalIf you’ve ever felt a song connect you to something far bigger than yourself, this episode will stay with you.👇 Share in the comments a song that made you feel part of something larger.----------------------------------------⏱️ CHAPTERS / TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro and setting the theme01:06 Welcome Josh and where he is today02:03 Yorkshire roots and family history02:55 If today were a song03:27 A song that connects host and guest05:48 How life changes without warning07:41 Creativity, storytelling, and identity09:35 Josh’s relationship with music growing up11:01 Feeling intimidated by music knowledge12:04 Developing an eclectic taste13:38 Music in video games and discovery15:10 Rediscovering songs and obsession cycles18:11 Modern music vs growing up with classics20:03 Music as a personal ritual22:05 Introducing today’s song23:14 Song reveal: Chervona Kalyna24:13 History of the song and why it was banned25:26 Why this song means something deeper26:42 Josh and Yuliia’s love story27:46 Hearing the song for the first time online28:56 Learning the language and lyrics29:42 Visiting Ukraine during the war31:12 Emotional impact of hearing the song sung together33:19 National identity and pride through music34:56 Cultural differences around nationalism36:17 Oral tradition and modern recordings38:21 Social media and the song going global39:55 Remembering Ukraine when the news moves on41:17 Pride, guilt, and emotional complexity43:38 Perspective, privilege, and gratitude45:38 Why Josh wants everyone to visit Ukraine46:07 Feeling welcomed and thanked as a Brit46:46 Who should cover the song48:01 Releasing a version for charity49:28 What stands out most after the conversation51:11 Where to find Josh and Yuliia online51:56 Closing reflections and goodbye