And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan

Today’s guest isn’t just a living legend.
He’s one of the architects of modern music.

As a songwriter and producer, he’s discovered artists, shaped careers, and defined entire eras.

This one is required listening.
A once-in-a-generation legendary hybrid of songwriting and production,
And The Writer Is... David Foster!

In this episode, David breaks down what actually makes music last, the cost of greatness, and what it really takes to survive and stay relevant in the music business over decades, not moments.

Not to mention his best advice for people in the business right now...

We talk songwriting vs. production, discovering artists like Céline Dion and Michael Bublé, working with legends like Whitney Houston and Paul McCartney, the mistakes artists make chasing hits, and why longevity matters more than hype.

Oh, and the only artist who could pull him out of retirement...

A special thank you to our sponsors…
Our lead Sponsor, NMPA— the National Music Publishing Association.
Your support means the world to us.
And @splice — the best sample library on the market. Period.

Chapters:

00:00 Mount Rushmore of Producers
02:00 Canadians
03:42 David Foster’s Parents
05:23 Discovering Perfect Pitch
07:03 Musical Roots and Learning Jazz
07:40 Jazz Voicings Explained
10:24 “Leave Songwriters Alone” – Publishing Talk
11:20 Writing His First Songs
12:21 Advice He’d Give His Younger Self
17:00 David Foster’s Trick for Reading People
17:58 Surviving a Plane Crash
20:22 The Start of His Early Career
22:00 Is “Africa” by Toto a Perfect Song?
27:20 The Greatest Songwriters Ever
30:25 Kanye West’s “Through the Wire” Sample Story
32:27 Songwriting vs Sampling (Blurred Lines Case)
34:21 His Documentary, Workflow, and Band Relationships
38:53 How David Foster Writes Songs
42:42 How Seven People Write One Song
43:39 Presented by NMPA & Splice
48:19 The Critical Mistake in “Uptown Funk”
49:49 “Unforgettable” with Nat King Cole
51:08 Paul McCartney
55:17 Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”
57:10 Top Five Singers He’s Worked With
59:06 Discovering Céline Dion
59:56 How David Foster Sees His Life
1:05:13 What Makes a Song Great?
1:09:40 The “Nashville No”
1:11:51 The Arc: A Holistic Approach to Songwriting
1:12:42 Discovering Michael Bublé
1:15:29 Star vs Superstar
1:16:39 Andrea Bocelli & Josh Groban
1:19:04 The Cost of Greatness
1:19:46 How to Make It in the Music Business
1:24:11 Family Life (Katharine McPhee & Kids)
1:25:50 “I Told Céline the Titanic Song Would Ruin Her Career”
1:31:01 Songs He Wishes He Wrote
1:31:39 Artists He Passed On

Hosted by Ross Golan
Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad
Post production by Pratik Karki
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

And The Writer Is... Diplo!
This episode isn’t about hits. It’s about how culture actually gets made.
Taste, burnout, and building culture without permission.
From growing up in Florida crate-digging scenes no one cared about, to turning underground instincts into global movements, Diplo breaks down the uncomfortable truth behind longevity in music: following your taste when everyone else wants safety.

We get into:
The real physical and mental toll of nonstop touring in a world that never shuts off
The power of branding and how he did it (and why you have to, to)
Breaking scenes before they’re acceptable
Burning out, disappearing, and rebuilding without chasing relevance
Why instinct beats public approval every single time
And the reality of turning risk into influence and underground energy into global impact This episode is for anyone building anything.
Thank you for listening
A special thank you to our sponsors…
Our lead Sponsor, NMPA— the National Music Publishing Association.
Your support means the world to us.
And @splice — the best sample library on the market. Period.

Chapters
00:00 – Diplo Is Here
01:02 – Episode Intro
01:45 – AI, Sora, and the Future
03:18 – How Diplo Uses AI in Music
06:15 – Using Prompts to Produce
07:44 – How Diplo Got Into Music
10:32 – How Ross and Diplo Met
14:05 – Life as a World-Touring DJ
16:04 – Dr. Luke Signed Me to Steal My Drums
16:36 – Diplo’s Origin Story
17:13 – Riff Raff, Culture, and Being Hated
18:43 – Making “Where Are Ü Now”
20:04 – Creating Jack Ü with Skrillex
21:37 – Orlando DJ Gigs to Philadelphia
24:33 – First Session with Vybz Kartel
27:23 – Branding, the Internet, and Selling Mixtapes
35:01 – The Story of “Paper Planes” (M.I.A.)
36:44 – How to Find Success in Music
37:57 – NMPA + Splice (Sponsors)
39:25 – “Climax” and Finding His Strengths
43:54 – Why He Started Mad Decent
46:41 – Learning Music and the Birth of Major Lazer
49:30 – The Story of “Lean On”
53:04 – Diplo’s Cheat Code for Creating Fearlessly
54:06 – Country Music
55:28 – “Heartless” and Morgan Wallen
56:19 – Collaborator Rapid Fire
1:00:28 – Diplo’s Branding Advice
1:03:32 – Charli XCX
1:05:00 – How He Doesn’t Lose Himself on Tour
1:06:59 – Nothing Is Perfect. Everything Gets Better.
1:07:19 – Diplo’s Run Club
1:08:00 – Diplo’s Final Advice
Hosted by Ross Golan
Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad
Post Production by Pratik Karki
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

And The Writer Is… Alex Warren.
Alex joins the podcast to talk openly about resilience, finding his voice, and what it actually takes to turn pain into songs that connect.
In this episode, he breaks down:
Overcoming homelessness and instability while chasing music
Earning credibility in an industry that didn’t immediately take him seriously
How vulnerability became his songwriting superpower
What his writing process looks like when the emotions are real — not manufactured
The difference between being seen and being heard

And the single most powerful way to get your music heard against all odds..

This ones about humble beginnings, trusting your voice when no one will listen, and learning how to write your way out of survival mode.

A special thank you to our sponsors…
Our lead sponsor, NMPA — the National Music Publishers’ Association.
Your support means the world to us.
And @splice — the best sample library on the market. Period.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest didn’t just enter the music industry — he grew up inside it. He isn’t just a Grammy-winning producer or a respected solo artist. He’s one of the rare creatives who’s built a career rooted in loyalty, advocacy, and taste — while learning in public and evolving in real time.

And The Writer Is… FINNEAS!

In this episode, he breaks down:
Growing up in the industry without losing your footing
The quiet flaw baked into today’s music industry — and the one trait he’s seen in every truly exceptional artist
Loyalty over leverage — and why relationships still matter
Advocating for artists when you already have a seat at the table
Learning as you go without pretending you have it all figured out
This one is grounded and essential for anyone trying to build something that actually lasts.

A special thank you to our sponsors... Our lead sponsor, NMPA aka the National Music Publisher's Association. Your support means the world to us!
And @splice the best sample library on the market, period.

Chapters
0:00:00 Teaser
0:02:37 What FINNEAS Would Change About the Music Industr
0:07:40 “What Do You Do?” Identity & Being Multihyphenate
0:08:54 Why taste beats momentum
0:10:51 FINNEAS & Ashe
0:12:51 From Workaholism to Efficiency
0:14:17 Tools, Shortcuts & Speed in the Studio
0:16:13 Him and Billie and Their Creative Differences
0:20:11 Stage Fright, SNL & Performing Under Pressure
0:24:23 Writing Songs for Film vs Albums
0:27:49 Writing “What Was I Made For?
0:30:46 Writing Honest Lyrics in LA:
0:32:48 Parenting, Legacy & Keeping Ego Out of the House
0:36:42 Creativity and Parenting
0:38:47 Homeschooling, Childhood & Creative Freedom
0:41:46 Make your kids work with adults
0:44:42 When You're Inspired... Collaborate With Your Influences
0:46:30 Artists FINNEAS Would Love to Work With
0:48:46 How Not to Chase Trends: Why reference points should be old, weird, and far away
0:50:02 NMPA Ad
0:50:42 Splice Ad
0:51:30 Favorite Albums to Listen to Deeply
0:53:06 Writing with Billie, Honesty, Family & Creative Trust
0:55:55 Claudia, Love, Partnership & Sustaining Ambition
1:00:37 The 20% Rule
1:02:00 The 'Lowest Point of His Career' and His Personal Victory From It
1:04:57 Separating Your Work From Your Worth
1:06:00 The Barometer of Success For A Solo Artist
1:06:40 Doing The Apple TV Sound
1:08:14 Not Comparing His Success With Billie, New Album, Knowing When to Pivot
1:11:04 Repeating Success... Birds of a Feather, Taste as a Long-Term Advantage
1:15:00 Signing Writers
1:17:55 Why Some Artists Plateau
1:21:11 Publishing Deals, Reversion, and Leverage.. Bad Deals with Good People and Good Deals with Bad People
1:24:33 Avoiding burnout in a high-output career
1:28:01 Writing 'Lonely' for Justin Bieber with Benny Blanco
1:31:14 Aging in the Industry... Collaborating with Ashe
1:39:08 Big Songs On Deluxe Albums
1:42:50 Writing for Prompts and Film
1:45:01 What Still Excites Him About Music
1:43:41 Are You Happy?
1:52:37 Separating The Art From The Artist
1:51:58 Building something that lasts without losing yourself

Hosted by Ross Golan
Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad
Edit by Jad Saad
Post Production by Pratik Karki
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest has carved out one of the most improbable creative legacies of his generation — commanding animation, comedy, film, and orchestral music with the same relentless discipline and near-obsessive craft. What began as a kid sketching characters in his bedroom grew into a fight to build Family Guy on his own terms… and eventually into Grammy-nominated big-band records that honor the very foundations of American music.

And The Writer Is... Seth MacFarlane!

On this episode, Seth breaks down the discipline, taste, and obsessive craft that shaped his creative life… and the standards he refuses to compromise, no matter the project.
Dive deep into his roots, heroes, influences, and biggest challenges building his creative legacy.

A special thank you to our sponsors...
Our lead sponsor, NMPA, aka the National Music Publisher’s Association.
Your support means the world to us!

And @splice — the best sample library on the market, period.

Chapter list:

0:00:00 – Teaser
0:01:06 – Welcome & Episode Intro
0:03:12 – Seth’s Early Creative Roots: Drawing, Music & Comedy
0:08:40 – Developing Discipline as a Young Artist
0:12:55 – The First Breakthroughs in Animation
0:16:33 – Fighting for Family Guy and Holding the Vision
0:18:15 – The Influence of 80s TV Scores and John Williams
0:21:48 – How Taste Shapes Every Creative Decision
0:25:30 – The Craft Behind Writing Comedy That Lasts
0:30:02 – Why Orchestration Matters So Deeply to Him
0:34:44 – Recording His Sinatra Albums & The Pursuit of Precision
0:38:55 – Balancing Film, TV & Music at a High Level
0:43:22 – Obsession, Work Ethic & Sustaining a Long Creative Career
0:45:45 – Diving into the Rat Pack Era and Vocal Legends
0:47:14 – Collaboration, Standards & Protecting the Work
0:52:33 – What He’s Learned About Longevity in Entertainment
0:56:26 – The Role of Curiosity in Every Chapter of His Career
1:00:08 – The Mindset Behind Creative Risk
1:03:03 – His Advice for Multi-Hyphenate Creators
1:05:23 – Seth’s Final Message to Artists
1:07:19 – Closing Thoughts
1:09:30 – Navigating Fame, Fan Encounters, and Meeting Icons Like John Williams & William Shatner
1:15:45 – Final Appreciation for Preserving Classic Music

Hosted by Ross Golan
Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad
Watercolor by Michael White
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.