x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

The Hardest Part

Palm Tree Island

Hosted by Kieron Banerji,The Hardest Part dives deep into the most challenging songs ever written. Every two weeks, an artist joins Kieron in the studio to break down the struggles, breakthroughs, and raw emotions behind their toughest songwriting experiences. From overcoming creative blocks to tapping into painful memories, these conversations reveal the delicate balance between self-expression and self-protection. Each episode wraps with an exclusive live performance of the song—raw, real,

music music commentary

All Episodes

30:48

Mariachi El Bronx on The Moment That Unlocked the...

The Hardest Part ·

2026/03/05

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 the rest of the album, “Songbird” did not exist as a demo. It emerged in the studio after

en-US

21:22

HP #31: Dream Nails on Using Free Writing to Finish...

The Hardest Part ·

2026/02/25

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-punk sound with new hooks in place. The line “I’m gonna download all the information”

en-US

26:33

HP #30 : Ulrika Spacek on Combining Two Songs Into One

The Hardest Part ·

2026/02/23

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 electronic textures. For a long time, they simply would not work together. Bringing them into one track

en-US

14:43

Chartreuse Break Down a Song Born From Pain and Healing

The Hardest Part ·

2026/02/11

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 months of anxiety and fear about becoming a burden turned into a creative outpouring. The band speaks

en-US

43:03

HP #028 | Song Exploder’s Hrishikesh Hirway Breaks...

The Hardest Part ·

2026/02/04

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 in the wake of his mother’s death. It’s a deeply personal piece, one that reflects the quiet

en-US

23:48

Psymon Spine: “Wizard Acid” — Turning Five Demos into...

The Hardest Part ·

2025/12/11

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 hardest to finish. They break down how Wizard Acid evolved piece by piece: from early voice memos and lost

en-US

19:26

Elles Bailey: “Ballad of a Broken Dream” — When a...

The Hardest Part ·

2025/11/26

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 rewrote it again and again—changing verses, adjusting melodies, pulling back—trying to make it

en-US

30:38

Adult Jazz: “Earth of Worms” — When Perfection Gets...

The Hardest Part ·

2025/11/12

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 chasing technical polish nearly stripped the track of its emotional weight, and how they had to unlearn their

en-US

18:19

Deep Sea Diver: “Shovel” — How to Rebuild a Song...

The Hardest Part ·

2025/10/29

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, and nearly three scrapped attempts. They talk about trying to hold together wildly different

en-US

23:47

Sophie Jamieson: “How Do You Want to Be Loved?” —...

The Hardest Part ·

2025/10/15

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, frustration, and grief. It wasn’t just a songwriting challenge. It was a personal risk: how do you tell the

en-US

17:47

Anna B Savage: “Donegal” — Writing Through Creative...

The Hardest Part ·

2025/10/01

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. “Donegal” took over two years to finish, shaped by periods of creative block, ongoing emotional

en-US

17:43

Famous: “Leaving Tottenham” — The Technical Challenge...

The Hardest Part ·

2025/09/17

In this episode ofThe 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 the frustration of trying to make private feelings mean something beyond the self. “Leaving Tottenham”

en-US

22:23

Masma Dream World: “Please Come to Me” — Sound as...

The Hardest Part ·

2025/09/03

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 daily meditation, field recordings, and unplanned studio improvisation. She describes the act not as

en-US

18:38

Folk Bitch Trio: How to Bring a Song Back from the...

The Hardest Part ·

2025/08/20

In this episode ofThe 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 albumNow Would Be a Good Time. What began as a heartbreak-fueled acoustic track quickly became the most difficult song to finish—emotionally, technically, and collaboratively. Written in isolation, reworked through voice memos, and road-tested live, “Sarah” was put to

en-US

15:07

Bria Salmena: “Closer to You” — Creative Blocks,...

The Hardest Part ·

2025/08/06

In this episode ofThe 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 albumBig 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-forth. What started as an acoustic skeleton became a hybrid of organic and electronic textures, reshaped again and again as

en-US

27:27

Jack Garratt: “Mara” — Making Peace with the Voice in...

The Hardest Part ·

2025/07/23

In this episode ofThe 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 albumLove, 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 that helped unlock not just the record, but a new understanding of himself. Written during a time of quiet struggle and

en-US

18:16

Efterklang: "Getting Reminders" — How a Mother’s...

The Hardest Part ·

2025/07/09

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 on Casper’s mother’s old guitar in his Lisbon studio, then as a living, breathing piece shaped

en-US

20:14

Ashaine White: "Hotel" — Seeing Her Mother Clearly...

The Hardest Part ·

2025/06/25

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 for independence. But as she matured and moved into her own space, the phrase took on new meaning,

en-US

19:55

The Amazons: "Black Magic" & "Joe Bought a Gun" —...

The Hardest Part ·

2025/06/11

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 years of experimenting, the song laid the foundation for the band’s layered and instinct-driven

en-US

24:14

Ora Cogan: "Crickets"

The Hardest Part ·

2025/03/06

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 conversation delves into the challenge of translating her connection to the natural world into music, as well as the

en-US

33 results

Similar Podcasts

Pasquale Maassen Soundcloud

Pasquale Maassen

Marian Klose

Marian Klose

sevenism

sevenism

Dean Delray"s LET THERE BE TALK

Cactus Radio Network

Word In Your Ear

Mark Ellen, David Hepworth and Alex Gold