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PODCAST

Life in Seven Songs

The San Francisco Standard

What songs tell your life story? Host Sophie Bearman asks this question of some of the world’s most fascinating people. Through seven songs, guests reveal the milestones—and the music—that have shaped their lives. New episodes every Tuesday.

society & culture music interviews

All Episodes

31:19

Al Roker shares his life story through seven joyful...

Life in Seven Songs ·

2026/02/03

Al Roker has been the weatherman on “Today” for 30 years, but that describes only a small part of his very full life. He’s also a bestselling author of fatherhood memoirs, cookbooks, and mystery novels and someone who’s remarkably open about his family and health struggles.In this episode of “Life In Seven Songs,” Roker discusses growing up as the oldest of six kids in New York City to become one of the most well-known people on television — and why the songs he loves are fundamentally joyful.

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31:23

Seven songs that shaped Kris Bowers, the composer...

Life in Seven Songs ·

2026/01/27

Even if you don’t know Kris Bowers by name, you’ve almost certainly heard his work. He composed scores for “The Wild Robot,” “King Richard,” and other films, as well as for the TV series “Bridgerton.” (The new season premieres Jan. 29.) But on this episode of “Life in Seven Songs,” the focus is not the soundtrack. It’s the private playlist — the songs that shaped Bowers before anyone put his name in the credits.Bowers’ music education started early, with his parents’ ambition. Neither had more

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32:57

How music shaped Maria Konnikova, from PhD...

Life in Seven Songs ·

2026/01/20

Maria Konnikova is a professional poker player, though she doesn’t even consider herself a gambler at heart. Before her pursuits at the poker table, Konnikova was a PhD psychologist and New York Times bestselling author, writing books about how we think and make decisions. After a string of tragedies hit Konnikova’s life, she took her psychological prowess to the world of poker, where her expertise on game theory and the human psyche eventually led her to become a champion. In this episode of “Life

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36:17

BD Wong on music, identity, and fighting for Asian...

Life in Seven Songs ·

2026/01/13

Actor BD Wong rose to fame with the Tony Award-winning performance of Song Liling in the 1988 Broadway musical “M. Butterfly.” He went on to pick up more roles on stage and on screen, including a 14-year run portraying Dr. George Huang in the TV series “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” Through all his successes and achievements, he’s faced personal obstacles, as well as having to face the challenge of being a gay Asian actor in an industry where most of his peers didn’t have his same

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36:43

How Hinge founder Justin McLeod’s love story shaped a...

Life in Seven Songs ·

2026/01/06

Long before he founded the dating app Hinge, Justin McLeod was a little boy in Louisville, Kentucky, belting out Meat Loaf’s “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” from the backseat of his mom’s car. Looking back, that song feels almost prophetic, after Justin met – and briefly lost – the love of his life, only to win her back with a big, movie-worthy gesture.In this episode, Justin charts the story of building one of the most influential dating apps in the world – a journey intertwined

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29:54

Go-Go’s singer Belinda Carlisle says her life got...

Life in Seven Songs ·

2025/12/30

Belinda Carlisle says she’s been hit by lightning three times in her career: first with the success of the Go-Go’s, then with her solo hit “Mad About You,” and most of all with the global sensation “Heaven is a Place on Earth.” But behind that meteoric success, Belinda struggled for decades with a debilitating addiction to drugs, alcohol, and the chaos that came with them.In this episode, Belinda traces her journey from a turbulent childhood in Southern California to the LA punk scene that gave

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34:16

ENCORE: Why Kara Swisher loves country music and the...

Life in Seven Songs ·

2025/12/23

Today on the show, we're re-running a listener favorite: our interview with longtime journalist and media entrepreneur Kara Swisher, who's been covering Silicon Valley and the Internet since the days of dial-up. She’s taken nearly all of technology's titans to task with a fearless, no-nonsense style. But in this episode, she shows another side of herself: the “San Francisco liberal lesbian who loves country music and wanted to be in the military.” Here are her songs.The Last Great American

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30:39

How actress Mayim Bialik is rethinking her worth...

Life in Seven Songs ·

2025/12/16

Mayim Bialik has seemingly done it all: she became a beloved teen star on Blossom, earned a PhD in neuroscience, then returned to TV to play a neuroscientist on The Big Bang Theory. She’s written books, hosts a popular podcast, and is a mother of two. But after a lifetime of slipping in and out of different roles since the time she was 11, Mayim is taking a step back and asking herself a fundamental question: When you strip away all the identities you’ve performed, who are you really?In this

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35:34

Inside musician John Grant’s pain: Seven songs that...

Life in Seven Songs ·

2025/12/09

John Grant’s music is known for its brutal honesty – songs about desire, rage, and shame. But the story behind that voice is even more extraordinary. Raised in a religious household where being gay meant losing your family and being rejected by society, John grew up believing he deserved the violence and hostility he faced.And yet, what stands out most when John tells his story is not the pain but the persistence – his ability to keep showing up, to find joy in small moments, and to let music

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31:12

31 and done: Why F1 champ Nico Rosberg walked away at...

Life in Seven Songs ·

2025/12/02

From the outside, Nico Rosberg lived every young racer’s dream: born to a Formula One world champion, raised with a go-kart track in his backyard, and the Monaco Grand Prix roaring outside his bedroom window. But behind the glamour was a different story: one of a sensitive young man dealing with crushing pressure and a bitter friendship-turned-rivalry with Lewis Hamilton that pushed him to his limits. In this episode, Nico talks about the secret mental training that helped him survive the

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27:15

Baking star Christina Tosi on the soundtrack behind...

Life in Seven Songs ·

2025/11/25

Milk Bar founder Christina Tosi didn’t set out to become a dessert icon. She just knew that if there was one thing she’d like to do every day for the rest of her life, it was baking cookies. That instinct led her from the world of New York City fine dining to the early days of Momofuku, where David Chang pushed Christina to pursue her passion for baking.Since then, Milk Bar has become synonymous with cereal milk ice cream and compost cookies, and Christina herself has won two James Beard awards,

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36:59

How Taylor Swift got TV writer Michael Schur out of a...

Life in Seven Songs ·

2025/11/18

Michael Schur is the creative force behind some of the most beloved comedies of the past two decades: The Good Place, Parks and Rec, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and most recently, A Man On The Inside, starring Ted Danson.If Mike’s face looks familiar, it might be from his scene-stealing performance as Mose Schrute on The Office, on which Mike was also a writer. Mike’s shows have a distinctive signature: they don’t just make you laugh – they make you think about morality and what it means to be human

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3:21

Introducing 'Pacific Standard Time'

Life in Seven Songs ·

2025/11/17

Pacific Standard Time is smart, surprising weekly podcast about California’s future—and why what happens here matters everywhere and to everyone. Hosted by SF Standard culture editor Emily Dreyfuss and enterprise reporter Jesse Alejandro Cottrell. New episodes Wednesday mornings, beginning Nov. 19.

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33:25

Why Andrew Ahn remade the first gay film he ever saw

Life in Seven Songs ·

2025/11/11

When Andrew Ahn’s family rented “The Wedding Banquet” in the early 1990s, they didn’t realize it was a queer film. They also had no idea that 30 years later, Andrew would write and direct his own version of the film. For many years, Andrew felt his queer and Korean American identities were in conflict. But reconciling those parts of himself has helped Andrew become one of the freshest filmmakers working today – directing the Emmy-nominated “Fire Island” and several episodes of “Bridgerton.” In

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35:43

Trump fired him, but Preet Bharara is still defending...

Life in Seven Songs ·

2025/11/04

Long before he became the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara was a first-generation Indian immigrant, listening to Bollywood music in his childhood home outside of Asbury Park, New Jersey. It’s no surprise that Bruce Springsteen became one of Preet’s heroes – though it was a surprise when ‘The Boss’ gave Preet a personal shoutout at a 2012 concert. In this episode, Preet talks about his work fighting Wall Street corruption and organized crime, how his family’s

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30:14

How actress Pepi Sonuga keeps the faith, even when...

Life in Seven Songs ·

2025/10/28

Pepi Sonuga always knew she would become a performer. Even as a little girl in Lagos, Nigeria, watching “Barney” tapes that her flight attendant mother brought home, Pepi felt certain that someday, she’d be the one onscreen. That childhood conviction helped Pepi survive the culture shock of moving to Los Angeles at age 10, teen bullying, and years of grinding in an industry that tried to tell her, over and over, that she was replaceable. With her star now on the rise – with roles in Tyler Perry’s

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31:43

Drag queen and activist Peppermint finds joy even...

Life in Seven Songs ·

2025/10/21

Miss Peppermint wears a lot of hats (and wigs): drag queen, first openly trans woman on RuPaul’s Drag Race, Broadway actress, Traitors contestant – and through it all, vocal trans rights activist. She’s also hilarious, fabulous, and unapologetically herself. In this episode, Peppermint dishes on her early queer icons (think Prince and Amadeus), the danger and drama of the ’90s NYC nightclub scene – and why she’s always wanted to be anything but “basic and predictable.” Here are her songs.

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37:29

How music taught culture critic Sam Sanders to be...

Life in Seven Songs ·

2025/10/14

As the host and creator of numerous hit culture podcasts, Sam Sanders is known for having a finger on the pulse of pop culture. But growing up strictly Pentecostal in Texas, non-religious music was forbidden – so Sam got resourceful, smuggling CDs into the house in his underwear and watching MTV in secret.At 18 years old, just as he was getting ready to leave for Stanford, Sam’s life was turned upside down. Both of his parents suffered major health crises in the span of a few months, resulting in

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33:34

From the South Bronx to Sesame Street: How Sonia...

Life in Seven Songs ·

2025/10/07

Sonia Manzano knows you think of her as Maria on Sesame Street – and that’s exactly the point. Growing up in the South Bronx in a household “ruled by domestic violence,” TV was Sonia’s refuge as a child – but she never saw anyone who looked like her.Years later, when she landed the role of Maria on Sesame Street, Sonia made a choice. She wouldn’t play a character; she would be herself – on purpose. For 44 years, she served as an authentic and beloved role model for millions of kids. More recently,

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33:57

From Mozart to Drake: The music that moves Misty...

Life in Seven Songs ·

2025/09/30

After 25 years with American Ballet Theatre, Misty Copeland is taking her final bow this October. Just ahead of her last performance, the groundbreaking ballerina – who made history as ABT’s first Black female principal dancer – joins Sophie to reflect on her journey.From a shy girl nicknamed “Mouse” who grew up without a home for much of her childhood in Southern California, to a stunning career on the stages of Lincoln Center and beyond, Misty’s is a story of defying the odds. In this episode,

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