Poptarts

Diamanda Galás is the living definition of what it means to be avant-garde. An extraordinary and genre-bending vocalist, composer, pianist, performance artist, and activist, she has been creating uncompromising work that cries out against injustice for over 40 years. Her 12 studio albums include the classic 1986 collection “The Divine Punishment”—a masterwork created in response to the AIDS crisis—that was just remastered and re-released in June. And her brand new album “Broken Gargoyles,” inspired by the isolation of maimed WWI veterans, is coming out August 26. In this episode of BUST’s “Poptarts” podcast, she reveals details about her reclusive life, teaches us how to shame our enemies into submission, and surprises us with her deep love of borscht belt comedians. (We didn’t see that one coming!)

Netta Barzilai, better known by her one-word rockstar moniker Netta, is an Israeli pop singer, songwriter, and looping artist who rocketed to international fame in 2018 when she won the Eurovision Song Contest with her song "Toy." Since then, she has released two albums, “Goody Bag” and “The Best of Netta’s Office Volume One.” And her new single “I Love My Nails” has been racking up hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube since the official video debuted May 12. She has a very busy Summer coming up here in the U.S. and in this episode of “Poptarts,” she reveals the secrets behind her incredible plus-size style, how her entire life changed after Eurovision, and how music helped her “love me for me.”

Peaches, is a feminist rock star, producer, director, visual artist, and performance artist who rose to fame in the electroclash era of the early 2000s. Her solo albums include the terrifically transgressive “Fancypants Hoodlum,” “The Teaches of Peaches,” “Fatherfucker,” “Impeach My Bush,” “I Feel Cream,” and “Rub.” And she’s about to embark on her first International tour since 2017 in celebration of the 20th Anniversary of “The Teaches of Peaches.” Her work has meant so much to so many for so long and in this episode of “Poptarts,” she reveals how she kicked her conservative Jewish upbringing to the curb, found her completely original voice, and became a foremother of feminist filth!

Patricia Williams, better known as Ms. Pat, is a hilarious stand-up comedian, actor, author, and podcast host who has been making audiences flip with her totally original storytelling style for over 20 years. Her one-hour standup special "Y'All Wanna Hear Something Crazy?"—directed by Robert Townsend and Produced by Wanda Sykes—premiered on Netflix in February to critical acclaim, her 2017 memoir "Rabbit" was named one of Amazon’s best biographies of the year, and now she’s gearing up for season two of her BET+ sitcom "The Ms. Pat Show!" In this episode of Poptarts, she reveals how she found success turning observations on poverty into comedy, she shares the secrets to her incredible resiliency, and we read Lane Bryant’s menagerie of plus-size, animal-print monstrosities to filth!

Nina Bunjevac is an incredible comic book artist, author, illustrator, and educator. She spent her formative years in the former Yugoslavia, where she began studying art. But when war broke out in the 1990s, she returned to Canada where she studied graphic design, drawing, and painting and eventually branched out into making sculptural installations and writing and illustrating absolutely incredible books of comic art, including Heartless, Fatherland, Bezimena, and, An Alchemical Journey Through the Major Arcana of the Tarot. In this episode of Poptarts, she reveals how esoteric philosophy helped shape her practice, and we take a deep dive into Bunjevac’s deeply symbolic visual universe.

Leah McSweeney is a legendary New York designer, an entrepreneur, a cast member on one of the biggest reality shows on the planet, and now, she’s an author as well. She founded the women's streetwear line Married to the Mob in 2004, and she has been starring on Bravo’s hit series "The Real Housewives of New York City" since 2020 where she she’s been introducing a much-needed dose of relatability into a show that has been criticized for becoming increasingly out of touch with the city it claims to represent. On April 5, Leah will be releasing her new memoir, "Chaos Theory: Finding Meaning in the Madness, One Bad Decision at a Time" and on BUST’s latest “Poptarts” podcast, she talks teenage fearlessness, finding Judaism, and freaking out on Bravo.

Debbie Gibson is a singing-dancing-songwriting-producing-composing musical prodigy who has been serenading the world for 35 years, ever since her self-penned hit “Only In My Dreams” arrived on the Billboard charts when she was just 16 in the summer of 1987. Since then, she has sold more than 16 million albums, released 10 studio albums, toured all over the world, and starred in 17 musicals. Her first album of new songs in 20 years, The Body Remembers, came out this past summer on her own label, Stargirl Records, and it’s as surprising as it is satisfying for long-time fans. On BUST’s latest “Poptarts” podcast, she talks about shedding her squeaky-clean image, she honors her late mother—the original “momager,” and she pushes back against an industry that routinely discounts artists who appeal to teenage girls.

One of the most influential designers working today, Debbie Millman is an artist, an educator, a curator, and the host of Design Matters—one of the world’s longest running podcasts. Millman also co-owns Print, the oldest design magazine in America, and she co-founded the Masters in Branding program at the School of Visual Arts. She’s the author of seven books, including How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer and Brand Thinking and Other Noble Pursuits which have both been published in over 10 languages. And her latest book, the new anthology Why Design Matters: Conversations With the World’s Most Creative People, is coming out in February. She also happens to be one half of one of today’s greatest intellectual power couples alongside her amazingly talented wife Roxane Gay. On BUST’s latest “Poptarts” podcast, Millman explains why there’s really no such thing as a “personal brand,” looks back on her favorite interviews, and reveals the details of her whirlwind elopement at the height of COVID lockdown.

Julia Cameron is known around the world for helping her readers tap into their creativity. She is the best-selling author of more than 40 books, most notably The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity (which has sold over five million copies since 1992) and her newest title, Seeking Wisdom: A Spiritual Path to Creative Connection, which came out January 5. In Seeking Wisdom, Cameron explains how cultivating a personal prayer practice can sustain creative growth in artists of all beliefs and backgrounds. And on BUST’s latest “Poptarts” podcast, Cameron talks sobriety, seeking inspiration, and saying yes to our creative dreams.

Tori Amos is a virtuoso musician whose searingly honest, wildly creative, piano-forward pop music changed the entire recording industry forever. She had her breakthrough moment in 1992 with the release of her iconic solo debut, Little Earthquakes—a record named by Rolling Stone as one of the greatest albums of all time. And she’s spent the almost 30 years since then perpetually experimenting, innovating, and expanding the boundaries of what popular music can be. Now, she’s back with her 16th studio album, Ocean to Ocean, an emotional meditation on loss and renewal that’s perfect for this COVID-ravaged time. She’s been so important and influential to so many music fans over the years, but especially to women. On BUST’s latest “Poptarts” podcast, Amos talks fairies, feminism, and female empowerment.