Leah Ashton joins the podcast to talk about her newest release, “sad girl silver bells.” It’s an EP of merrily melancholy holiday tunes with an original called “Christmas Isn’t Christmas Without You.”

It’s out everywhere now, so go save it to your playlists, get a mug of hot cocoa and enjoy the episode! 

Listen to Christmas Without You & Add to Playlists

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More About Leah:
Leah Ashton is a Los Angeles-based artist with Midwestern roots whose style and sound is grounded in the combined traditions of soul, jazz, and the 60s/70s era singer-songwriter. Leah’s releases include sad girls silver bells, a new holiday EP that consists of a heartbreakingly beautiful collection of melancholy Christmas songs (released Nov. 29, 2024), her debut full-length album, Late Bloomer (Sept. 2022), and two EPs Things Better Left Unsaid (2010) and Leah Ashton (2007). Influenced by the likes of Sara Bareilles, Lake Street Dive, Jamie Cullum, and Carole King, Leah’s music draws listeners in with her powerfully soulful vocals that tell stories of self-discovery, empowerment, and chasing after one’s dreams.

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In this episode of the Song Saloon, Sadie Gustafson-Zook, a Boston-nurtured, Indiana-based jazzy folk musician, talks about her journey and inspirations behind her song 'Autumn's Fragrance.' We talk about her collaboration with other musicians, her views on the music communities in different cities, and her new EP, 'What I Pushed Below.' 

Sadie has a live show in LA at the Harmony Room on October 19th for you LA folks!

Follow Sadie Gustafson-Zook for more music, and sign up for an online voice/songwriting/guitar lesson!!

"Autumn's Fragrance" is streaming now, turn off the episode and save the song and come back!

00:00 Welcome to the Song Saloon

00:28 Introducing Sadie Gustafsson Zuk

01:55 Sadie's Live Performance

05:09 The Story Behind 'Autumn's Fragrance'

06:46 Exploring Songwriting Themes

11:50 Recording and Collaborations

13:43 Songwriting Communities: New York vs. LA

20:08 Life in Goshen, Indiana

21:24 Discussing the EP "What I Pushed Below"

21:48 Themes and Inspirations Behind the EP

22:18 Reimagining Songs and Album Titles

23:40 Seasons in Songwriting

28:14 Songwriting Process and Inspirations

32:34 Balancing Teaching and Music Career

35:04 Fiddle + Viola

36:06 Final Thoughts and Upcoming Release

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Jake's lying to Anna. He's an interesting dude!

Jake is a songwriter, educator, dueling pianist, podcaster, improv comedian, academic, and musical theater composer.

I think you'll really enjoy this episode about Jake and his life leading up to his album "Idling High." This song is out now, make sure to follow Jake for updates on the album!

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Zack Fischmann, an LA based artist, makes the bold claim that music marketing "doesn't have to suck." He does make some pretty convincing arguments, and has plenty of success to show for it, jumping from 200 followers on Instagram to 33k+ in just a few months!

Magic Nothing is an evolving project with a focus on helping independent musicians develop practical skills, share resources and exchange services.

Check out Magic Nothing

Listen to Zack's music project, Marmalade Mountain! His song "Drawing Circles on the Ground" is featured at the beginning of this episode.

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Lotti is the musical moniker of Filipina singer-songwriter Vealy. Lotti's aim is to create modern yet timeless music, drawing from pop, R&B, and soul influences. Her artistic mission is to heal and transform, narrating a personal journey of self-discovery and growth.

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Listen to "Butterflies in My Garden"

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Brad Miles is a singer/songwriter based in Texas. He’s written, played, and performed music for nearly three decades. He writes honest, heartfelt, accesible, and emotionally vulnerable Americana/Country. 

I do want to add a trigger warning for this episode, we do get into some heavy topics both in the song and the interview, as the song is about domestic abuse. 

Brad Miles’s goal as a songwriter and performer is simply to connect with others and share a moment of compassion, empathy, and understanding. 

Enjoy the episode!

Follow Brad Miles:
https://linktr.ee/bradmilesmusic

Listen to Stonewall: 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/stonewall/1719726413?i=1719726417

https://open.spotify.com/track/7l2mgy8WGDl4LazGP12gan?si=169d975f6239484c

https://youtu.be/5uKCN8UxBjY?feature=shared

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Meet Cogito!

I met Cogito when she played as the featured artist for Lazy River Presents in LA. This song struck me as something special, and I think you'll agree!

This episode we talk about the importance of recording the world around us as a songwriter, and how to connect our conscious and subconscious mind to make deep rooted art.

Listen to "There's Nothing Left to Me":
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Apple Music

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Today's episode features Kat Sophia! Kat Sophia is an Orange County / LA based artist. We talk about her journey in overcoming her "people pleaser" mentality and cultural blocks to pursuing a career as an artist. 

00:00 Introduction to the Song Saloon
00:34 Kat Sophia's Musical Journey
01:49 The Story Behind 'Fade Away'
10:10 Songwriting Process and Inspiration
16:12 Overcoming Personal and Cultural Barriers in Music
20:09 Community and Affirmation
28:10 Exploring Self-Indulgence and Connection Through Art
33:44 Kat Sophia's Production Experience and Future Plans
42:47 Closing Thoughts and Goodbyes

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This episode of the Song Saloon features Mike McClellan, a Burbank-based songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. McClellan shares insights into his approach to songwriting as a music producer, and why he writes while working so heavily in production. He discusses the impact of working on his song 'The Afterlife,' a piece inspired by the pandemic, highlighting the new life it took on post pandemic with its abstract and universal themes. Mike and Jordan exchange thoughts on the lyricism, melody, and the process of song creation, including working with unusual time signatures. We also chat about the shortcomings of streaming platforms, detailing Mike's experience with his music being removed from Spotify due to bot-generated streams and the lack of support from distribution and streaming companies. They conclude with a discussion on the importance of building genuine connections with an audience beyond streaming numbers. This episode offers a look into the complexities of modern songwriting, production, and navigating the digital music landscape.

00:00 Welcome to the Song Saloon: Introducing Mike McClellan

00:27 Getting to Know Mike: the Masterful Multifaceted Musician

01:18 Balancing Songwriting and Production

04:28 Exploring the Abstract in Songwriting

05:51 Lyrics in 'The Afterlife'

07:44 Live Performance

11:04 Song Structure

19:40 Exploring Musical Influences and Time Signatures

20:35 "Comfortable" Writing Music

21:42 The Maya Principle: Balancing Novelty and Comfort

32:12 Building Your Fanbase

37:58 Final Thoughts and Future Projects

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Listen to "The Afterlife" on Spotify

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