The New Exchange with Ken Grand-Pierre

One thing that happens as we age is the deterioration of our sense of whimsy and openness. One can look around at the political landscape of…well, anywhere in the world, and that alone would seem like a sound reason as to why this happens. But maybe there’s something deeper, something innate within us that dims our light? Luckily for us, they’re people out there who go the opposite way and remind...

I don’t think I’m breaking new ground by stating how we can all be biased when it comes to our friends right? Thankfully, I can say that’s not the case with today’s guest, my buddy Max Kerman, frontman of the Canadian rock band Arkells. You see, Max has written and released his first book, Try Hard: Creative Work in Progress (out now through Penguin Random House), and it’s actually insane just how...

In all honesty, I didn’t expect the first episode of Creative Maintenance to feature… well, me! But considering I talked Laura into doing this, it only felt fair haha. In case you missed the trailer we dropped, Creative Maintenance is a new series I’ve produced with my friend Laura Harvey, a photographer based in Vancouver who wants to have an honest dialogue about how we work. Across anonymous su...

When it came to the season finale for season 9, I admittedly overthought things. But as our world delved deeper into darkness, I kept finding myself thinking of how I wanted to leave you with a sense of hope. That led me to having Valerie June on, an American singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist who lives an extraordinary life. Valerie is an artist who’s very driven by people; learning from peo...

Before we wrap season 9, I’m happy to announce Creative Maintenance with Laura Harvey, a new mini-series I’ve produced. Laura is a ridiculously talented British-Chinese photographer based in Vancouver who deeply cares about community. Creative Maintenance is a series about just that: highlighting how, as working creatives, we vitally need a sense of community. The format of the show is we take ano...

The dancefloor is a sacred place, and no one knows this better than Pierre Kwenders. The Congolese-Canadian artist has made a name for himself by being a daring creative who isn’t afraid to dig deep to make you move. A few years back, he was awarded the prestigious Polaris Music Prize for his project, José Louis and the Paradox of Love, a wildly ambitious album where Pierre sings in multiple langu...

It feels safe to say that there isn’t another music genre more in consistent flux than R&B. It’s a genre whose fans demand authenticity, a respect towards its forefathers, and evolution all at the same time. Where practitioners of other genres might get away with exercising old tricks here and there, R&B fans simply don’t allow for that. Burundian-Australian artist Beckah Amani has a perfe...

Truth be told, there’s not really an artist that does what Tamara Lindeman does. With her project, The Weather Station, she’s figured out how to weave personal stories with universal themes that touch….well, all of us, really. What intrigues Tamara above all else is humanity, the ways we’re connected through this planet we live on, and the highest of highs and deepest of lows that come with being...

Stop me if you heard this one before: a group of four friends form a band, create music that initially people don’t understand but ultimately they win the hearts of a nation, inadvertently becoming THE biggest band of their country. And then suddenly the beloved lead singer decides to quit and start life anew. Ok, you’re right, I also haven’t heard of such a story, but that’s the unique story of D...

(Thanks for the help on this one, Todd Owyoung!) It’s kind of wild how intoxicating the idea of “quitting your day job to chase your dreams is.” As I’ve gotten older, I’ve noticed that the glow of that idea becomes brighter rather than dimmer for many of us. But what about the realities of doing such a thing? Well, that’s something that photographer Deanie Chen knows all too well. Deanie is a phot...

You know those moments where you feel a sense of gratitude towards the people who’ve been in your life for a long time? That’s how I feel about today’s guest, Yukimi Nagano of Little Dragon. I’ve been very lucky to have crossed paths with her throughout the years, but beyond that, I’m also a massive fan of the music that she makes. There’s a sincerity, confidence, and resolve that comes across her...

It’s not lost on me that the title for today’s episode might seem heavy-handed, but when you stop to think about it; what a perfect time to be reminded of the vitality of comedy. People generally agree that we’re living through unprecedented times in every corner of the world. The best comedy doesn’t shy away from that, rather it jumps headfirst into poking fun at the madness of life, which is som...

(Thanks for the help on this one, Bartees Strange!). Personally, I haven’t found that old saying of “never meet your heroes” to be true. This latest episode is a beautiful example of that and it doesn’t take long for me to share my appreciation to this guest while we’re talking. Today’s pod is with the one and only Tunde Adebimpe, leader of the legendary indie rock band, TV on the Radio. Beyond th...

Something that comes up quite a bit on this podcast is how particular the job of a musician is. It’s easy to focus on the sold-out shows and the admiration of fans across the world, but let’s take a sec here to really pinpoint what happens: musicians are people who go into rooms to write down how they feel, and the longer their careers go the more depth they have to utilize to achieve this task. I...

The reasons for this are numerous, but in 2025, being in a rock band feels like an absurdly radical idea. In a time where people are becoming more divided, where the music industry is in shambles, one could be forgiven for thinking “Why a band?” But the beauty of that framework of a band, of four people coming together to work on a shared vision….it feels beautifully vital and poignant during a ti...

Joining me for the first bonus episode of the season is an artist who knows a thing or two about growth. Wafia Al-Rikabi is an artist I’ve been a fan of for several years now. At the core of her songwriting is her ability to sing these stunning songs full of contrasts. No one infuses flecks of pop and R&B the way Wafia does, and similarly: no writes about life experience the way she does. This...

Simply put: there are not many things that could be said about Ólafur Arnalds that haven’t already been said. However, in a lot of ways, that’s where the simplicity ends, with Ólafur being the kind of creator that’s impossible to fit into a box. He’s a multi-instrumentalist from Iceland who’s also an accomplished composer, a producer, an arranger, a french fry aficionado; the guy can do it all. On...

(Thanks for the help on this one, Dodie!). It’s become a tradition to remark on how wild it is that we’re starting a new season, but the truth of that has not waned one bit. Having a space and a platform to showcase a wide spectrum of ideas, perspectives, and walks of life feels more vital than ever and after all these years I still get an immense level of joy at getting to share these stories wit...

Before we kick off season 9, I felt like it’d be cool to have a bridge between what’s just ended and what’s about to begin. Speaking of, season 9 of the podcast will be starting next week on March 18th, and I cannot wait for you to hear it. My guest today is someone who’s deeply important to me, my friend and mentor, Danny North. Danny’s a photographer from the UK, who got his start in photographi...

Time is a ridiculously funny thing, isn’t it? When Elyse and I started recording these talks, I don’t think that either of us could’ve imagined how relevant they’d be so many months later. This last talk in particular feels appropriate in opposition to this time of division, apathy and anguish that we’re currently living through. In 2025, the word ‘hope’ almost feels childish to reflect on, but th...

Something that Elyse and I strongly share is this thought that love isn’t discussed enough in our lives. That might sound paradoxical to some, but just think about it for a second; outside of the context of romance and immediate family…..how often do you hear love openly discussed? Which is a bewildering thought to hold when you consider the beautiful ways in which friendships and community shape...

When this series was conceived, the word ‘misconceptions’ was one of the first words that came to mind. As an American who’s lived abroad and has traveled (some of) the world, I think it’s beyond clear that the misconceptions of the Arab world are numerous beyond measure. As stated before, one of the hopes of this series is to celebrate the humanity and dignity of the Arabic people, especially the...

Though a ceasefire has recently been reached between Israel and Hamas, we must never lose sight of the insurmountable loss that’s being felt by the Palestinian people, as well as the perpetual dehumanization that continues to transpire. This series was made with the hopes of highlighting the humanity of the Palestinian people and the dignity they (as well as people across various corners of the Mi...

A few days ago, we announced this mini-season with my friend Elyse Blennerhassett. The title of ‘From My Eyes’ will very much be about the lives and passage of time that Elyse has witnessed while working in Amman, Jordan. That work has been documenting the impact that genocide has gravely affected both Jordan and Palestine and the realities of the people who have been displaced over 80+ years. Thi...

Welcome to From My Eyes, a new mini-season of the podcast featuring Elyse Blennerhassett. Elyse is a documentarian and writer (she has worked with NPR, TED, BBC, etc.). From My Eyes is a series of talks I’ve had with Elyse about her time in Amman, Jordan, where she documented the impact of genocide that’s transpired in Palestine for 80+ years and the realities of people who have been displaced by...