The Hardest Part

Sometimes the hardest part of songwriting is figuring out what you are actually feeling. In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with Madi Diaz to break down the making of her track “Heavy Metal” and the songwriting process behind it. The song began as a feeling she could not fully access while finishing her record, something unresolved that she knew was ther...

What happens when you enter the studio with a song that is not finished and no time to figure it out? In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with Julia Cumming and Nick Kivlen of Sunflower Bean to break down the making of their track “I Knew Love” from the album Mortal Primetime. The song was one of the only tracks that was still being developed once the band ent...

In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with Foy Vance to explore the realities of songwriting and the role ego plays in the creative process. The conversation focuses on how ego can shape, and sometimes block, the way songs are written. Foy reflects on the importance of stepping back, letting go of control, and allowing the song to take the lead rather than forcing it into a...

In this episode of The Hardest Part , Kieron Banerji sits down with Sam Fischer for a behind the scenes look at the songwriting and music production behind his track “Sweet Contradiction.” The conversation dives deep into the songwriting process , the emotional reality of creating music, and how a studio writing session meant for another artist turned into one of Sam’s most perso...

In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with Matt from Mariachi El Bronx for a behind the scenes look at the songwriting and music production process behind their track “Songbird.”  The conversation dives into studio life during the making of the band’s fourth Mariachi El Bronx record and how the song came together in a completely unexpected way. Unlike...

In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with Dream Nails to unpack the making of their track “The Information,” a song that went through multiple versions and nearly did not make the album. The band explain how the track began as free writing for a completely different idea before evolving through co-writing, shifting styles, and eventually returning to their post...

What happens when two ideas don't fit — until they finally do? What does that process actually look like? In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji is joined by Ulrika Spacek to break down the making of their track “Weights and Measures.” The song began as two completely separate pieces. One was built around a heavy fuzz section. The other drew on early 2010s London ele...

How do you turn fear and anxiety into something creative? In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with UK band Chartreuse to unpack the story behind their song “I’m Losing It” — a deeply personal track written by vocalist Hattie following the news that she’d need major surgery at just 29, forcing her to relearn how to walk. Hattie shares how mont...

In this episode of The Hardest Part , host Kieron Banerji is joined by Hrishikesh Hirway — musician, composer, and creator of the iconic podcast Song Exploder . Known for helping artists dissect their songs and uncover the stories behind them, Hrishikesh does something rare in this conversation: he breaks down his own song — a track called “Between There and Here,” written...

What do you do when you have five separate demos and no idea how they fit together? In this episode of The Hardest Part , host Kieron Banerji sits down with NYC psych-pop collective Psymon Spine to unpack the twisting, turbulent process behind their song Wizard Acid . Written remotely during the pandemic and born from five conflicting demos, the track became one of their most ambitious—and h...

In this episode of The Hardest Part , host Kieron Banerji sits down with Elles Bailey to unpack the long, personal, and painful process behind “Ballad of a Broken Dream,” a track that sat in her voice notes for over five years before she could face recording it. Originally written after an emotional phone call, the song felt too raw, too unresolved, to finish. Elles shares how she rewr...

In this episode of The Hardest Part , host Kieron Banerji is joined by Adult Jazz to unpack the long and winding process behind “Earth of Worms,” one of the most technically complex and emotionally unruly songs on their album So Sorry So Slow . The song had been in progress for nearly seven years, and at one point, it was too clean—too correct. The band talks openly about how cha...

In this episode of The Hardest Part , host Kieron Banerji sits down with Deep Sea Diver at Third Man Records in Soho to unpack the complicated road behind their track “Shovel.” It started out as the easiest song they’d ever written—and nearly became the one that didn’t make the record at all. The band explains how the song went through multiple versions, two cities, a...

In this episode of The Hardest Part , host Kieron Banerji sits down with Sophie Jamieson to explore the writing of “How Do You Want to Be Loved?”, a delicate and emotionally loaded song from her album I Still Want To Share . Unlike many of her songs, this one had a clear emotional target from the start — written for someone close to her, while navigating a mix of love, frustratio...

In this episode of The Hardest Part , host Kieron Banerji is joined by Anna B Savage to unpack the long and winding process behind “Donegal,” a standout from her album You and i are Earth . Anna reflects on her changing relationship to songwriting—from the painstaking process behind her early work to a more forgiving, open approach that still carries its own challenges. “Do...

In this episode of  The Hardest Part , host Kieron Banerji is joined by London band Famous to unpack the writing of “Leaving Tottenham,” a climactic and emotionally charged track from their debut album Party Album . The band’s frontman opens up about the long and often painful process behind the song—one that wrestled with personal embarrassment, grand ambition, and th...

In this episode of The Hardest Part , host Kieron Banerji sits down with Devi Mambouka , the artist and music producer who performs as Masma Dream World, to explore the deeply spiritual and emotionally raw process behind the making of her art. Unlike traditional songwriting, Devi's process is entirely intuitive—a sonic ritual guided by the goddess Kali, whose presence she channels through da...

In this episode of  The Hardest Part , host Kieron Banerji is joined by Australian group Folk Bitch Trio to reflect on the long, messy road to finishing “Sarah,” a song that was nearly cut from their debut album  Now Would Be a Good Time . What began as a heartbreak-fueled acoustic track quickly became the most difficult song to finish—emotionally, technically, and coll...

In this episode of  The Hardest Part , host Kieron Banerji is joined by Bria Salmena to unpack the winding creative journey behind “Closer to You,” a standout track from her debut solo album  Big Dog . Written across two cities—Bria in Los Angeles, Duncan Hay Jennings in Toronto—the song came to life through long-distance collaboration and relentless back-and-fort...

In this episode of  The Hardest Part , host Kieron Banerji is joined by singer, songwriter, and producer Jack Garratt for a deeply introspective conversation about his track “Mara” from the album  Love, Death & Dancing . Jack opens up about the emotional and psychological weight that followed his debut album, and how “Mara” became a turning point—a song...

In this episode of The Hardest Part , host Kieron Banerji sits down backstage at The Barbican with Casper Clausen of Danish band Efterklang to dive into the quiet evolution of their track “Getting Reminders,” from the album Things We Have In Common . Unlike their typical in-the-box production style, “Getting Reminders” grew slowly and organically — first as a sketch o...

In this episode of The Hardest Part , host Kieron Banerji is joined by Ashaine White to explore the emotional and creative depths of her song “Hotel.” Ashaine opens up about how the track was sparked by a phrase she often heard growing up: “You treat this house like a hotel.” At the time, it felt like a criticism — one that stirred up rebellion, anxiety, and a desire...

In this episode of The Hardest Part , host Kieron Banerji is joined in the studio by Matt Thomson of The Amazons to unpack the creative journey behind two defining songs: “Black Magic” and “Joe Bought a Gun.” Matt reflects on the early days of writing “Black Magic,” a track that first came together when the band were teenagers. Born from heartbreak and shaped by...

In this episode of The Hardest Part , host Kieron Banerji is joined in the studio by musician Ora Cogan to explore the intricate journey behind her song "Crickets." Ora shares how the song took shape over an extended period, written across multiple landscapes—including New Mexico, the Pacific Northwest, and Italy—all of which left a deep imprint on its sound and themes. The conversatio...

In this episode of The Hardest Part , host Kieron Banerji is joined in the studio by Amahla to explore the creation of her song "Apathy." The conversation delves into the deeply personal journey behind the track, touching on themes of emotional overwhelm, detachment, and the vices people turn to when life becomes too difficult. Influenced by folk and gospel music, Amahla shares her process of find...