It's Giving

What does it actually take to confront the harsh realities of the prison system, and how does that personal reckoning shape an artist's music? This week on It’s Giving, THAO sits down with Ingela to dive into that exact question, touching on a world that hits close to home for Ingela as well. In this deeply thoughtful episode, Thao opens up about her extensive volunteer work with the Californi...

What does it look like when a musician puts their platform, money, and music directly on the line for social justice? In this episode of It’s Giving, Ingela sits down with El Kempner, the songwriter and guitarist behind Palehound, to dive into that exact question. El opens up about their current New York residency at Cassette, where every single dollar raised goes directly to the Immigrant Defense...

What if joy is its own form of activism? In this episode of It’s Giving , Ingela sits down with singer-songwriter Valerie June for a conversation about staying centered, grounded, and connected in a divided world. Valerie reflects on her lifelong journey of speaking up – tracing her activism all the way back to fourth grade when she sang Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land" for h...

This week on It's Giving, Ingela sits down with Lawrence Rothman on the heels of their brand new album Here Lies Love / Sawdust to Stardust.  This episode is rooted in the question ‘what if being your most authentic self is its own form of activism’? Lawrence talks about refusing to hide, on stage or off, and what that refusal has cost them over the course of their career. One of the prime example...

This week on It's Giving, we're doing something a little different. Ingela is talking to to not one but FOUR musicians for a special extended episode about Contra-ICE Vol. 1: ICE OUT. It's a massive multi-genre benefit album dropping October 2, and all proceeds go to grassroots organizations on the front lines of the fight for immigrants' rights. The backstory: after the 2024 elect...

This week on It's Giving, we're doing something a little different. Ingela is talking to to not one but FOUR musicians for a special extended episode about Contra-ICE Vol. 1: ICE OUT. It's a massive multi-genre benefit album dropping October 2, and all proceeds go to grassroots organizations on the front lines of the fight for immigrants' rights. The backstory: after the 2024 elect...

This week on It's Giving, we're doing something a little different. Ingela is talking to to not one but FOUR musicians for a special extended episode about Contra-ICE Vol. 1: ICE OUT. It's a massive multi-genre benefit album dropping October 2, and all proceeds go to grassroots organizations on the front lines of the fight for immigrants' rights. The backstory: after the 2024 elect...

This week on It's Giving, things get a little personal. Ingela's co-director at This Must Be The Place (and, as he graciously continues to identify, her husband) William Perry is back on the mic to break down the Macklemore and Ed Sheeran fiasco that's taken over everyone's feeds. The recap: Macklemore takes the stage in Philly and speaks up for Palestine, the same way he has at ev...

This week on It's Giving, Ingela sits down with Johanna Samuels, an LA-based singer-songwriter who's no stranger to turning her platform toward community organizing and mutual aid. A big part of this episode centers on the digital festival Johanna helped organize during the 2020 Georgia Senate runoffs. Alongside Ben Lee and promoter Sid the Cat, she pulled together artists for a virtual sh...

This week on It’s Giving, Ingela sits down with Adam Lazzara , frontman of Taking Back Sunday . With over two decades of touring under their belts, Adam reflects on how the band uses their platform to give back through personal, community-driven causes.   Adam shares how his religious upbringing and early scene roots instilled a deep responsibility to look out for others – a familiar through line...

Today on It’s Giving, Ingela sits down with musician, advocate, and nonprofit leader Logan Lynn . From launching the Pass the Mic Foundation alongside Portugal. The Man to activating tours with acts like Boygenius and NoFX, Logan brings decades of hands-on experience at the intersection of music, community empowerment, and mental health advocacy.   Logan breaks down his philosophy of "nothing...

Today on It’s Giving, Ingela sits down with four time Grammy-nominated artist Grace Potter. From driving cross-country between California and her family farm in Vermont to connect with strangers across political divides, to taking her music into a Rhode Island women's prison with the Newport Folk Foundation to bear witness to forgotten stories, Grace offers a deeply honest perspective on how t...

Today on It’s Giving, Ingela sits down with Westside Cowboy’s Aoife Anson O'Connell . Aoife shares an honest look at what it means to build a band grounded in practical social justice, navigating the daunting responsibility of having a growing platform while trying to ensure your work aligns with your values.   Aoife breaks down the origins and impact of No Band Is an Island , a Manchester-bas...

Today on It’s Giving , host Ingela Travers-Hayward sits down with Medium Build’s Nick Carpenter. Nick opens up about what happens when you step into a much bigger spotlight – navigating the shift from a decade of independent hustle to sudden visibility, and the effort it takes to stay grounded when the industry pushes you to perform. Nick offers an honest look at how he approaches advocacy without...

Today on It’s Giving, host Ingela Travers-Hayward sits down with Laura Bird Burhenn, the visionary force behind The Mynabirds. Laura opens up about one of the most pressing challenges facing creators today: the real, nuts-and-bolts impact of emerging technology and AI on an artist’s livelihood, ownership, and creative career. Laura gives a candid, highly practical look at how rapid technological s...

Today on It’s Giving , host Ingela Travers-Hayward sits down with Jason Singer , the singer-songwriter behind the indie rock project Michigander . Jason opens up about the evolving landscape of political discourse in music, exploring the real fears independent artists face when speaking out, and why he’s shifting his own approach from outrage to thoughtful, heart-centered dialogue. Jason shares ca...

Today on It’s Giving , host Ingela Travers-Hayward is joined by Matt Quinn , lead singer of the band Mt. Joy . Matt discusses how the band’s swift rise to success sparked a deep-rooted commitment to giving back, laying out why supporting local communities and grassroots organizations sits at the heart of their music.  Matt reflects on the band’s early days navigating the music industry, their tran...

Today on I t’s Giving , host Ingela Travers-Hayward is joined by aja monet , an incredible musician, poet, and commuity organizer whose work beautifully bridges the worlds of art and social justice. aja opens up about what it truly means to be a cultural worker, sharing how real, lasting change is built through years of quiet, everyday community service rather than just reacting to the moment. We...

Today on It’s Giving , host Ingela Travers-Hayward is joined by Anthony Obi, also known by his stage name Fat Tony. He is an artist whose deep Texas roots and history in the DIY music scene completely shape his approach to advocacy and mutual aid. Tony opens up about growing up in Houston, sharing how organizing a benefit concert for Hurricane Katrina victims while still in high school made activi...

Today on It’s Giving , host Ingela Travers-Hayward is joined by Dan Campbell, the frontman of the powerhouse punk band The Wonder Years . Dan has spent decades in the punk and hardcore scenes, and he's always felt this deep, unshakeable need to use his microphone for good, even when it can bring him pushback. He touches on a challenging question that is a common theme explored throughout this...

Today on It’s Giving , host Ingela Travers-Hayward sits down with Azniv Korkejian , who creates beautiful music under the stage name Bedouine . Azniv is a deeply thoughtful artist whose global upbringing and lived experiences completely shape her intuitive, grounded approach to advocacy and human rights. We look at the question: how does growing up across different corners of the map shape the way...

Today on It’s Giving , host Ingela Travers-Hayward talks with the incredible August Ponthier . On top of releasing their fantastic debut album Everywhere Isn't Texas this year, August is a deeply thoughtful non-binary artist using their voice to champion trans advocacy and bodily autonomy. In this episode, August takes us back to their roots in Texas, breaking down how old-school country music...

On this week's episode of It’s Giving , host Ingela Travers-Hayward sits down with Dr. Dog drummer Eric Slick , a musician who has woven social justice into his creative life since his youth. They explore his foundational experiences organizing benefits in high school, his evolution navigating political accountability on tour, and his enduring focus on lifting up neurodivergent communities and...

On this episode of It’s Giving , host Ingela Travers-Hayward is joined by Sadie Dupuis from Speedy Ortiz , a musician whose life as a touring artist and passion for community building have always coexisted. This conversation dives into her history of advocacy, focusing on her work with United Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) and her deep commitment to grassroots harm reduction.   Sadie opens up...

On this episode of  It’s Giving , host Ingela Travers-Hayward is joined by  Alexis Krauss from Sleigh Bells,  a musician whose life as a touring artist and passion for community building have always coexisted. This conversation dives into her history of advocacy, focusing on co-founding two impactful outdoor organizations: Kinship Climbing Collective and Rise Outside. Alexis opens up about the gri...