Blue Couch Collective

Side B | Track 7 - Maddie & Bekah, two passionate music therapists based in Columbus, Ohio, join us for a couch chat to break down the transformative power of their profession + their creative processes outside of work. Through the act of making and sharing music, discover how these music therapists help children’s hospital patients: ​Normalize long hospital stays ​Boost emotional resilience ​Proc...

Side A | Track 15 - Carter drops wisdom on the evolution, ethical boundaries, and highlights of sampling in music Unlocking the Fascinating History of Sampling : From early Musique Concrète experiments in France to the revolutionary approach of Kanye West that redefined modern hip hop production, discover how each evolution in sampling created cultural ripples that still resonate today. The Tech B...

Side B | Track 6 - NYC —> Columbus rocker Mark Dylan brings an infectious & genuine energy to this episode’s couch chat Mark dives into: Authenticity > Imitation — the value of being unapologetically you in a saturated industry The fulfillment of inspiring young minds as an elementary music teacher + aiming to instill lifelong appreciation for art Honing into an aesthetic + being intenti...

Side A | Track 14 - Giving you the five-step playbook to own your creativity in 2026 📝 Goal Setting: Set resolutions that actually matter and stick. We break down a bulletproof five-part approach to getting the most out of goals as an artist + the mindset shift that will help you create habits to actually hit those goals. 💸 Finances: Let's get a little taboo, shall we? We let you in on how w...

Side B | Track 5 - A couch chat with Jack Kinney (owner of THE blue couch — yes, the piece of furniture we’re named after really exists) yields entertaining insights on a smorgasbord of topics. There’s not a dull moment in this one, folks! We catch up with our old roommate to hear about: 🛋️ The Blue Couch Collective origin story — turning a shared living space into a hub of creativity 🛋️ Observati...

Side A | Track 13 - 🎶 It’s the most wonderful time of the year! 🎶 Not Christmas — well, that too — but also Spotify Wrapped season! So we did exactly what you don’t care to hear and talked all about our results! We kicked it around the couch to share what stood out from our lists, our thoughts on the quality of this year’s Wrapped product, and plenty more in this top-notch yap session. Plus, to...

Side B | Track 4 - Special guest Landry Geiger lets us in on the recipe for reaching the musical flow state. Originally from small-town Nebraska, Landry now resides in Austin, TX, the “live musical capital of the world.” He got his start like all the greats: playing the Guitar Hero video game. Fast-forward to today, and he’s got the guitar chops to give you the stank face, along with a natural gif...

SIDE A | TRACK 12 - A tale as old as time: The struggling musician playing on the sidewalk — the busker. But what if turning street corners into stages has a plethora of unexpected benefits for aspiring musicians?   AROUND THE COUCH: As always, Ryan & Will start by checking in on each others’ BCCs (Brand, Creation, Consumption) to hold each other accountable in their artist journeys. They firs...

Side B | Track 3 - We kick off Season 2 by welcoming special guest Andre Vander Velde to the Blue Couch to break down his tagline “Be an artist in community, for community” and much more. Andre is a “Swiss Army Knife” of the arts, including: 🔹 Singer/songwriter, releasing and performing both as a solo act and as the lead singer of soul rock band Jaguar James, a multi-time Outstanding Soul nominee...

Side A | Track 11 - The boys cap off Season 1 of the podcast with some friendly competition, putting a musical spin on The Newlywed Game.   AROUND THE COUCH: Ryan's inching closer to his next song release & got approached by a couple asking him to sing at their wedding ceremony. Will has BCC open mics rolling & artists connecting in Columbus. Carter opens discussion on what type of mus...

Side B | Track 2 - Special guest James Harker sits down on the blue couch to talk about his recording studio Moonlight Audio, built “by indie artists, for indie artists.” Our conversation with James is captivating for any artists or music lovers. And if one of these describes you… 🔹 Singer/songwriter looking to bring your song visions to life 🔹 Producer building up a clientele 🔹 Audio industry...

Side A | Track 10 - This week’s big question? Yours! If you’re one of the people who commonly wonder these things about musicians, here’s your chance to get our in-depth takes. And, if you’re a fellow artist, this episode is a perfect reason to reflect and refine your answers, allowing you to better understand and communicate your artist identity. AROUND THE COUCH: Will gives an update on the BCC...

Side A | Track 9 - A candid conversation on the five biggest myths tripping up independent musicians looking to grow their career through social media This episode features debate, discussion, and discovery of social media misconceptions surrounding the following topics: 1. Going Viral 2. Gaining Followers 3. Leveling the Playing Field 4. Posting High-Quality, Professional Videos 5. Promoting Your...

Side B | Track 1 - We couldn’t have asked for a better person to join the show for our very first interview. Gus Kathol is a multimedia professional with a knack for portraying the energy and emotions of live events through his photo, video, and audio work. And, it just so happens he was also the bass player for the Blue Couch Collective band! Gus joins us to share: 💡 The unique perspective being...

Side A | Track 8 - We are so back! (Literally!) AROUND THE COUCH: The whole crew is finally back in studio together to recap our recent reunion trip, share our latest creative wins, and celebrate the exciting BCC brand news… the first official Blue Couch Collective Open Mic is a go! BEHIND THE GRIND: Inspiration Beyond Sound - How does visual art stir musical ideas, and vice versa? We dig into the...

Side A | Track 7 - Does environment actually shape your creativity—or are we all just blaming our writer’s block on the lack of a musical blue couch? We start by kicking it AROUND THE COUCH with major updates: Carter’s apartment flooded? Ryan’s song hit the Discover Weekly algorithm jackpot? Will is living out our podcast’s advice and starting an open mic in his town? Hear these updates and more f...

Side A | Track 6 - Will & Ryan dive into a sacred—and sometimes unpredictable—rite of passage for independent artists: open mics.   AROUND THE COUCH: Ryan gets transparent about his recent songwriting drought and has a realization that the state of Georgia is the hub of all his favorite artists at the moment. Will takes a look back at his first show since embarking on a solo career under the "...

Side A | Track 5 - Artists feel pressure to either stick with what works or take creative risks that may open doors but alienate some fans. Is genre loyalty a smart strategy? Is it even possible in this age of music? AROUND THE COUCH: Ryan, Will, and Carter kick it around the couch to start, sharing about Ryan’s recent 6-hour dive bar gig, Will’s debut show as “tagLine,” Carter’s new summer playli...

Side A | Track 4 — AROUND THE COUCH: The BCC locked in their first interview, but Ryan got locked out of the studio and prevented it from ever happening… Plus, more on how the boys have been building their brands, creating, and consuming music over the crazy past couple of weeks. YOU’LL BE MARRIED IN A YEAR IN THE SUBURBS: The opinions no one has been waiting for: the BCC cast weighs in on Brendan...

Interlude - Hop inside the mind of our resident music consumption connoisseur for this special edition intermission episode. In just 14 minutes, you'll get everything from Simon & Garfunkel to summer smash iSpy by Kyle and Lil Yachty... yes, seriously.

Side A | Track 3 – Answering the million-dollar question for aspiring artists… AROUND THE COUCH: How are we seeing, hearing, and living out the three pillars of the BCC (Brand, Creation, Consumption) in our daily lives? Will is on a house music kick, Ryan is going through it with Chelsea Cutler’s new EP & Jayson Tatum’s injury, and Carter has been getting down to computer talk?! Plus, a reflec...

Side A | Track 2 – The cast kicks it around the couch to hear about Ryan and Carter’s experience at The Backseat Lovers’ show in Omaha. Why did Carter love the band’s performance but hate the concert overall? Then, we dive into this week’s big question, getting to the bottom of music stores in 2025. Are they still filled with wonder, or just stress, sticker shock, and stereotypes come true? In thi...

Side A | Track 1 – The crew goes around the couch, sharing the recent soundtracks of their lives + exciting updates on Will & Ryan’s single releases. Then, a look back at the best of concerts the cast has experienced recently, including flipturn, Palace, and more. Plus, in a game of “Banger or Buzzkill?,” we discuss the dopest, strangest, and most annoying fan behaviors we encountered at the s...

Intro – Join Ryan, Will, and Carter as they introduce themselves and reminisce on their late nights on the Blue Couch