Live on KEXP

A message from the folks who bring you this podcast every week. Episodes with produced intros will be returning to this feed Tuesday, January 11th. Until then, enjoy "Performance and Interview Only" versions of a new live session every Tuesday. As always, you can choose from an ever-expanding selection of live performance videos on KEXP's YouTube channel . Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/do...

DJ John Richards drops by to tell you about KEXP's Song of the Day podcast, where you get a DJ-curated song delivered straight to your feed each weekday. You also get to learn some context around the song, right there in the episode description. To enjoy this convenient mode of music discovery, subscribe to KEXP's Song of the Day wherever you get your podcasts. Support the show: https://www.kexp.o...

Taking the massive title of First Band to Play Live at KEXP Since the Start of the Pandemic, Nation of Language are more than deserving. While they only just released their first record in 2020, the Brooklyn-based band are making a giant splash with their modern take on new wave. The band chats with John Richards about adapting to post-Covid live shows before jumping into a stellar performance of...

Taking the massive title of First Band to Play Live at KEXP Since the Start of the Pandemic, Nation of Language are more than deserving. While they only just released their first record in 2020, the Brooklyn-based band are making a giant splash with their modern take on new wave. The band chats with John Richards about adapting to post-Covid live shows before jumping into a stellar performance of...

With her recent Grammy nomination, Arooj Aftab has made headlines as the very first Pakistani woman to be nominated for the gilded gramophone. While the Best New Artist nomination may be a geographical success, Aftab spoke to Cheryl Waters about how “art can transcend geographical location” and how access to art and the ability to cultivate relationships with other artists is why she&r...

With her recent Grammy nomination, Arooj Aftab has made headlines as the very first Pakistani woman to be nominated for the gilded gramophone. While the Best New Artist nomination may be a geographical success, Aftab spoke to Cheryl Waters about how “art can transcend geographical location” and how access to art and the ability to cultivate relationships with other artists is why she&r...

For Live on KEXP, Troy Nelson details Mackenzie Scott’s unique trajectory from Southern Baptist band kid to the subversive indie rocker best known as TORRES. While the path to her latest album, 2021’s Thirstier , has been long and occasionally bumpy, the common theme of her successes seems to be her connections with creative women. In conversation with Cheryl Waters, Scott recounts how...

For Live on KEXP, Troy Nelson details Mackenzie Scott’s unique trajectory from Southern Baptist band kid to the subversive indie rocker best known as TORRES. While the path to her latest album, 2021’s Thirstier , has been long and occasionally bumpy, the common theme of her successes seems to be her connections with creative women. In conversation with Cheryl Waters, Scott recounts how...

Finally touring behind her latest Waxahatchee record,  Saint Cloud, a year and a half after its release, Katie Crutchfield stops by KEXP to play songs off the album and speaks to Cheryl Waters about the factors that led her to change up her sound and why she wants to “keep it difficult to describe.”  Emily Fox also chats with Crutchfield for Sound & Vision about addiction...

Finally touring behind her latest Waxahatchee record,  Saint Cloud, a year and a half after its release, Katie Crutchfield stops by KEXP to play songs off the album and speaks to Cheryl Waters about the factors that led her to change up her sound and why she wants to “keep it difficult to describe.”  Emily Fox also chats with Crutchfield for Sound & Vision about addiction...

For musicians Melina Duterte and Ellen Kemper, the collaborative project Bachelor is not just one of musical expression but also friendship. The week they took away from their solo projects - Jay Som and Palehound, respectively - to make the EP Doomin’ Sun was full of not just music-making but also cooking, hot tubbing, TV watching, and just general bonding. Speaking with Cheryl Waters, the...

For musicians Melina Duterte and Ellen Kemper, the collaborative project Bachelor is not just one of musical expression but also friendship. The week they took away from their solo projects - Jay Som and Palehound, respectively - to make the EP Doomin’ Sun was full of not just music-making but also cooking, hot tubbing, TV watching, and just general bonding. Speaking with Cheryl Waters, the...

While the easiest way to categorize Little Simz is as an emcee, her resume goes far beyond just her impeccable flow. For Live on KEXP, Troy Nelson traces Little Simz’ history back to age 9 and dissects the various titles the UK artist has held including dancer, actor, and collaborator. Simz then chats with Gabriel Teodros about her faithful relationship with producer InFlo and working with t...

While the easiest way to categorize Little Simz is as an emcee, her resume goes far beyond just her impeccable flow. For Live on KEXP, Troy Nelson traces Little Simz’ history back to age 9 and dissects the various titles the UK artist has held including dancer, actor, and collaborator. Simz then chats with Gabriel Teodros about her faithful relationship with producer InFlo and working with t...

At only 17-years-old Canadian singer/songwriter Kylie V has been writing and performing their personal brand of dreamy, pensive, lo-fi folk since they were 14. Chatting with KEXP’s DJ Abbie, they chart their humble beginnings in the Vancouver music scene, giving credit to surf rockers Peach Pit as a realization about the accessibility of making music and inspiration for diving into the local...

At only 17-years-old Canadian singer/songwriter Kylie V has been writing and performing their personal brand of dreamy, pensive, lo-fi folk since they were 14. Chatting with KEXP’s DJ Abbie, they chart their humble beginnings in the Vancouver music scene, giving credit to surf rockers Peach Pit as a realization about the accessibility of making music and inspiration for diving into the local...

For over 18 years, José González has been a master at constructing soft, contemplative guitar tunes. While, sonically, his latest album ‘Local Valley’ sounds much like his prior work, KEXP’s Larry Mizell Jr. chats with the Swedish/Argentinian musician about how his two children influenced him to inject more playfulness and creativity into his tunes, as well as write...

For over 18 years, José González has been a master at constructing soft, contemplative guitar tunes. While, sonically, his latest album ‘Local Valley’ sounds much like his prior work, KEXP’s Larry Mizell Jr. chats with the Swedish/Argentinian musician about how his two children influenced him to inject more playfulness and creativity into his tunes, as well as write...

Chrystia Cabral conjures a mystical, magnificent dominion in the music she makes as SPELLLING. For Live on KEXP, Troy Nelson uses multiple entendres to tell the story of her fascinating experimental journey from creating songs for crayons to gathering more than 30 musicians to join her for her latest and most fantastical record The Turning Wheel .  Recorded 06/17/2021. Little Deer Always Awak...

Chrystia Cabral conjures a mystical, magnificent dominion in the music she makes as SPELLLING. For Live on KEXP, Troy Nelson uses multiple entendres to tell the story of her fascinating experimental journey from creating songs for crayons to gathering more than 30 musicians to join her for her latest and most fantastical record The Turning Wheel .  Recorded 06/17/2021. Little Deer Always Awak...

Mndsgn, the pseudonym of Ringgo Ancheta, is no fresh face on the music scene. Since 2009, he’s been collaborating with incredible artists across the board, from Suzi Analogue and Knxwledge to Prophet and Chai. For his latest Stones Throw record, Rare Pleasure , Ancheta created his most vulnerable album yet, which he opens up to KEXP’s Larry Mizell Jr. about in this week’s episode...

Mndsgn, the pseudonym of Ringgo Ancheta, is no fresh face on the music scene. Since 2009, he’s been collaborating with incredible artists across the board, from Suzi Analogue and Knxwledge to Prophet and Chai. For his latest Stones Throw record, Rare Pleasure , Ancheta created his most vulnerable album yet, which he opens up to KEXP’s Larry Mizell Jr. about in this week’s episode...

When your family name is synonymous with afrobeat activism, what do you do? For Femi and Made Kuti, the only option is to continue the Legacy , of course. On this episode of Live on KEXP, the father/son duo carry on what Fela Kuti started in the ‘70s - the dissemination of not just sharp political criticism but also immense joy through music. Recorded 05/11/2021. Pà Pá P&agrave...

When your family name is synonymous with afrobeat activism, what do you do? For Femi and Made Kuti, the only option is to continue the Legacy , of course. On this episode of Live on KEXP, the father/son duo carry on what Fela Kuti started in the ‘70s - the dissemination of not just sharp political criticism but also immense joy through music. Recorded 05/11/2021. Pà Pá P&agrave...

Chinese-born, Vancouver-based musician Yu Su makes propulsive and evocative electronic that intends to bridge the gap between her motherland and her new Pacific Northwest home. On this episode of Live on KEXP, the composer, DJ, and sound artist speaks to Mike Ramos about the significance of the title of her latest album  Yellow River Blue , her tough journey towards feeling comfortable in her...