The Hardest Part

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  HP #47: Julia Cumming on the Song That Scared Her to Write 26.06.2026 21dk

  In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with Julia Cumming to discuss “Please Let Me Remember This,” one of the most personal songs from her debut solo album Julia.  What began as an attempt to write about the smallest possible moment gradually became something much bigger. Julia describes songwriting as visiting her subconscious, placing a cup into a flowing river, and seeing what comes back. But while writing this song, she found herself confronting thoughts she wasn’t ready to face.  As the writing process intensified, so did the pressure. Weeks of obsessive thinking, creative paralysis, and mounting anxiety eventually culminated in a moment that changed everything. The experience led Julia to seek help, receive an OCD diagnosis, and better understand what had been happening beneath the surface for years.  Rather than abandoning the song, she returned to it months later with a new perspective. The result became not only one of the defining songs on the record, but a reminder that sometimes the hardest songs reveal something we weren’t ready to know about ourselves.  Guest: Julia Cumming Host: Kieron Banerji Creative Team: Callum Baker With thanks to Emily Connick at Toast Press and Crista SimirigliaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  HP #46: Ava Joe on Songwriting and Nostalgia. 12.06.2026 23dk

  In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with Ava Joe to break down the making of “Am I a Dreamer”, a song inspired by one of the most complicated emotions she experiences: nostalgia.   Unlike most of her songwriting, which begins with a specific experience and the feelings that follow, this song started with an emotion. Ava set out to write about nostalgia itself, drawing together memories, places, films, relationships, and moments that all carried the same emotional weight.   This episode explores why nostalgia can feel more painful than comforting, the strange experience of feeling nostalgic while living through a moment, and the fear of time passing too quickly. From watching the sea in Greece to reflecting on her teenage years, Ava explains how “Am I a Dreamer? became a meditation on memory, growing up, and the moments we know we’ll miss before they’ve even ended.   Kieron and Ava also talk about songwriting, collaboration, creative blocks, and why some of the best artistic breakthroughs happen when you stop forcing them. Guest: Ava JoeHost: Kieron Banerji Mix Engineer: Max WalkerRecording Engineer: Giovani AlimonteCreative: Callum Baker - 00:00 Intro00:55 Why nostalgia is so difficult to write about02:00 Starting with a feeling, not a memory02:45 Why nostalgia feels painful03:40 Feeling nostalgic in the present moment05:25 The memories behind the song07:10 Why time is her biggest fear08:40 Building a song from emotion10:15 Writing with producer Eddie George11:00 Finding the right collaborators12:30 The writers who ask the right questions14:00 Why she chose the nylon-string guitar15:00 Creative blocks and losing her voice16:20 Learning to stop forcing creativity18:20 How listeners hear the song differently19:50 Full sessionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  HP #45: Metric on the Song That Defined the Album 05.06.2026 18dk

  In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with Metric to break down the making of “Victim of Luck”, the opening track from their latest album and the song that took longer to finish than any other. The challenge wasn’t writing it. The challenge was knowing when it was right. Emily and Jimmy Shaw tell Kieron how the song was intended to introduce the entire record, setting the tone for everything that followed. But as the album evolved, so did the song. Lyrics changed, arrangements changed, production choices came and went, and even the title itself didn’t arrive until the rest of the album was complete. At the center of the track is a deeply personal realization. What began as a fictional story about a band’s rise gradually became something much more direct: a reflection on success, anxiety, self-criticism, and the strange feeling of becoming a “victim of luck.”  This episode also features an exclusive stripped back acoustic version of the track recorded for the show.  Guests: Metric Song: Victim of Luck Host: Kieron Banerji Creative: Callum Baker and Giovanni Alimonte Produced by: Palm Tree IslandSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  #HP 44: Will White of The Maccabees on Writing Through Discomfort 31.05.2026 25dk

  In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with Will White to break down the making of “6:30 AM”, a song that became the catalyst for everything that followed. Unlike most of his work, the song stayed with him for years. That alone was unusual. Will describes a songwriting process where songs either arrive fully formed or disappear entirely. He rarely revisits unfinished ideas, yet somehow “6:30 AM” refused to go away.  Kieron and Will explore discomfort as a creative tool, the mystery of songwriting, and why some songs seem to know more about your future than you do. Will also talks about how the meaning of “6:30 AM” has evolved over time, from imagining someone still awake after a long night to experiencing the same hour as a parent waking up to a completely different life.  Guests: Will White Song: 6:30 AM Host: Kieron Banerji Creative: Callum Baker and Giovanni Alimonte Produced by: Palm Tree IslandSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  #HP 43: Witch Fever on Christianity, misogyny, religious trauma, and making of “The Garden” 22.05.2026 23dk

  In this episode of The Hardest Part, Witch Fever break down the songwriting process and music production process behind “The Garden,” a song shaped by religious trauma, feminist rebellion, and the emotional tension of leaving the church behind. We talk about how the band nearly abandoned the song after feeling the chorus sounded “too Jesus-y,” triggering memories of Christian worship music and charismatic church environments. The band explains how growing up in a strict religious setting influenced the lyrics, which reinterpret the story of Eve as something empowering rather than shameful. We also chat about collaborative songwriting, instinctive vocal melody writing, and how producer Chris Ryan helped the band hear the full potential of the track during the recording process. LIsten to the full episode and hear the song at the end. Guests: Witch Fever Song: The Garden Host: Kieron Banerji Creative: Callum Baker and Dylan Roberts Produced by: Palm Tree IslandSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  HP #42: Lily Moore Breaks Down Grown Up Girl Regrets. 13.05.2026 20dk

  In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with Lily Moore to break down the making of “Grown Up Girl Regrets” and why it became one of the most important songs she has ever written. Written during her first studio session after lockdown, the song emerged from a period of uncertainty, isolation, and emotional exhaustion. Walking back into a writing room for the first time in months, Lily found herself confronting feelings she had spent years avoiding in her songwriting. Kieron and Lily explore the difference between songs that slowly evolve over years and songs that appear almost fully formed, arriving exactly when they are needed most. For Lily, “Grown Up Girl Regrets” was the latter: chaotic, immediate, and deeply personal.   Artist: Lily Moore Guitar: Frankie South Song: Grown Up Girl Regrets Host & Executive Producer: Kieron Banerji Mix Engineer: Max Walker Creative: Callum Baker Recording Engineer: Giovani Almonte Lily Moore Team: Natalie NicholsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  HP #41: Young the Giant on Returning to the Spirit of Their Early Days 06.05.2026 23dk

  In this episode of The Hardest Part, Young the Giant break down the songwriting process and music production process behind “Different Kind of Love,” exploring how the band tried to return to the spirit of their first record. After years of touring, remote writing, adult responsibilities, and fragmented workflows, Young the Giant wanted to reconnect creatively by getting back into a room together and writing instinctively as a band again. Through writing retreats in Joshua Tree and Idyllwild, they rebuilt their process around collaboration, momentum, and live energy. We talk about songwriting process, music production, creative flow, and how producer Brendan O’Brien helped the band stop overthinking and trust the energy of being together in the studio. They also discuss how “Different Kind of Love” evolved structurally over time, and why this album became an attempt to reconnect with the openness and joy that defined their earliest work. Artist: Young the Giant Host: Kieron Banerji Song: Different Kind of Love Album: Victory Garden (2026) Creative: Callum Baker Engineers: Max Walker and Giovanni Almote Young The Giant Team: Lloyd Williams and Natalie NicholsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  HP #40: Westerman on isolation, injury, and writing “Mosquito.” 01.05.2026 19dk

  What happens when you can’t move, can’t escape, and a song is the only thing you can build. In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with Westerman to break down the making of “Mosquito” from his 2025 album A Jackal’s Wedding.  The song was written during a period of physical and emotional isolation, after Westerman tore his meniscus while travelling in northern Greece. Unable to move for months in extreme heat, with little contact with anyone else, the song emerged slowly in fragments, built from a looping guitar idea and moments of clarity in an otherwise disorienting time. He explains how the track became a kind of soundtrack to that period, shaped as much by limitation as by intention. From the physical difficulty of writing while injured to the emotional weight that led him there in the first place, the process was both technically and psychologically demanding. We explore how environment influences sound, from the hazy, heat-soaked textures of the demo to the decision to treat the physical surroundings as an active part of the record. He also reflects on abstraction in songwriting, why not everything needs a fixed meaning, and how stepping away from the work can be the only way through creative blocks. Guest: Westerman Host: Kieron Banerji Song: Mosquito Album: A Jackal's Wedding (2025) Creative: Callum Baker Recorded backstage at The Village Underground, London.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  HP #39: Winter on the importance of finding the right tempo and key. 24.04.2026 23dk

  Sometimes the hardest part is not writing the song, it is making it feel right. In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with Winter to break down the making of “Misery” and how the song transformed completely in the studio.  What started as a faster demo in a different key with only one verse became the longest and most complex process on the record. Through experimentation with tempo, pitch, and arrangement, the track slowly evolved into something entirely new. She explains how working closely with her producer led to key decisions like pitching the vocals down, slowing the tempo, and reshaping the song’s emotional tone. These production choices did not just change the sound, they changed the meaning. Guest: Winter Host and Executive Producer : Kieron Banerji Creative: Callum Baker Engineer: Max Walker Studio: The Thin White Duke, London.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  HP #38: The Overjoyed on Writing About Mental Health, Isolation, and Bittersweet Songs. 17.04.2026 17dk

  In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with Athens-based band The Overjoyed to go behind the scenes of their track “Party Eyes,” exploring the songwriting process, music production, and the emotional realities that shaped it.  The song begins with a deeply personal place: sleepless nights, hangovers, and the emotional comedown that can follow moments of excess or difficult periods in life. What starts as a reflection on insomnia evolves into something more vulnerable, touching on mental health, isolation, and the quiet, often unspoken moments where everything feels overwhelming. We break down how the track came together, from the initial riff to building the structure around a feeling rather than a concept. We also discuss how songwriting can act as a form of release, and why revisiting difficult moments through music can feel cleansing over time. The band also perform an exclusive version of the song for The Hardest Part at the end of the interview.   Guest: The Overjoyed Host: Kieron Banerji Creative: Giovanni Alimonte and Callum Baker Mixing Engineer: Max Walker Studio: The Thin White Duke, London.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  HP #37: Tigercub on Balancing Instinct and Editing in Songwriting 10.04.2026 41dk

  In this episode of The Hardest Part podcast, Tigercub break down the songwriting and creative process behind their track, "Fall In Fall Out". The track sits at the centre of their new album’s core tension, exploring contradiction, cycles, and the difficulty of articulating feelings that don’t fully make sense yet. Jamie explains how the song began with melody on acoustic guitar, before any clear meaning was attached. From there, the process became one of discovery, using stream of consciousness writing, dream journals, and notebooks filled with fragments to uncover what the song was actually about. Kieron and Jamie explore the balance between instinct and editing, the challenge of writing without overthinking, and how meaning often reveals itself only after the song already exists. They also discuss the influence of dreams, literature, and film, and why leaving space for interpretation can make a song more powerful. Guest: Tigercub Song: Fall In Fall Out Host and Executive Producer: Kieron Banerji Creative: Callum Baker and Dylan Roberts Recording Engineer: Giovanni Alimonte  Mix Engineer: Max WalkerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  HP #36: Madi Diaz on the songwriting process behind “Heavy Metal” 01.04.2026 22dk

  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 there but could not yet put into words.  Madi reflects on the challenge of writing when you feel emotionally heavy, and the patience required to keep peeling back layers until the meaning reveals itself. The conversation explores how melody can arrive before clarity, how repetition can carry emotional weight, and how songwriting can become a way of understanding yourself in real time. Guest: Madi Diaz Song: Heavy Metal Host: Kieron Banerji Produced and Distributed by Palm Tree Island Creative: Callum Baker and Dylan Roberts Engineers: Giovanni Alimonte and Max Walker Recorded at The Thin White Duke Studios, LondonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  HP #35: Sunflower Bean on writing “I Knew Love” in the studio. 25.03.2026 45dk

  Julia Cumming and Nick Kivlen of Sunflower Bean breakdown the songwriting and production process of their song, I Knew Love.
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  HP #34: Foy Vance Unpacks How Ego Affects Songwriters. 18.03.2026 24dk

  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 preconceived idea. They discuss the balance between confidence and humility in songwriting, and why some of the best work happens when you stop trying to prove something and start listening more closely to what the song actually needs.  This is a thoughtful discussion about creativity, process, and what it really takes to write something honest and meaningful.   Guest: Foy Vance Host and Executive Producer: Kieron Banerji Creative: Callum Baker Recording Engineers: Giovanni Alimonte Mix Engineer: Max WalkerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  HP #33: The Moment Sam Fischer Realized He Had to Keep This Song 12.03.2026 21dk

  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 personal songs. From the first lyrical idea to the final acoustic performance, Sam breaks down how the song came together and why the theme of contradictions became the core of the track.   Guest: Sam Fischer Guitar: Marton Bisits Host: Kieron Banerji Produced by: Palm Tree Island Creative: Callum Baker Engineers: Giovanni Almonte and Max Walker Recorded at The Thin White Duke Studios, London.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  HP #32: Mariachi El Bronx on The Moment That Unlocked the Entire Album 05.03.2026 30dk

  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 bandmate Vincent Hidalgo shared a fast, melodic guitar idea that immediately sparked something new. Matt explains how, after ten years between records, the pressure to write had created what he describes as a “traffic jam” in his head. There was no shortage of ideas, but too many thoughts competing at once made it difficult to translate them into lyrics. That one new musical idea broke the block. Within 24 hours Matt had written the song through a quick home recording on his phone before bringing it back into the studio to finish with the band. The episode explores writer’s block, creative pressure, and how sometimes a single spark can unlock the entire songwriting process. Guest: Mariachi El Bronx Track: “Songbird” Album: Mariachi El Bronx (IV) Host: Kieron Banerji Produced and Distributed by: Palm Tree IslandSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  HP #31: Dream Nails on Using Free Writing to Finish Their Hardest Song. 25.02.2026 21dk

  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” became the one constant, anchoring the song even as everything else changed. They talk about using stream of consciousness writing to explore the idea of wanting to experience everything at once, and how working together in real time helped them push through doubt and finish the track with renewed energy and humor. The episode ends with an exclusive acoustic performance of the song recorded specially for the show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  HP #30 : Ulrika Spacek on Combining Two Songs Into One 23.02.2026 26dk

  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 meant shifting tempos, adjusting pitch, and committing to the contrast rather than smoothing it out. The band talk through their collaborative writing process, building ideas from a shared sample bank and starting with drum sketches recorded remotely. They unpack the technical challenges of blending digital and analog sounds, recreating MIDI parts, and pushing themselves beyond what felt comfortable. They also reflect on creative block and how time and collective thinking helped the song eventually find its shape. Despite being difficult to finish, it has become one of the tracks that means the most to them. Guest: Ulrika Spacek Track: “Weights and Measures” Album: EXPO (2026) Host: Kieron Banerji Produced and Distributed by: Palm Tree IslandSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  HP #29: Chartreuse Break Down a Song Born From Pain and Healing 11.02.2026 14dk

  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 candidly about the power of songwriting as emotional processing, how they instinctively built the song from a small demo, and how they recorded it with handmade tape loops in an Icelandic studio overlooking the ocean. They also reflect on burnout after their first record, how they reignited their creativity in a remote Yorkshire cottage, and why they now trust the flow of collaboration. This episode ends with an exclusive live acoustic version of “I’m Losing It,” recorded backstage at Bush Hall.   Guest: Chartreuse Host and Executive Producer: Kieron Banerji Show Mixed and Produced by: Kieron Banerji Mix Engineer: Max Walker Creative: Callum Baker Recorded at Bush Hall, London.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  HP #028 | Song Exploder’s Hrishikesh Hirway Breaks Down His Own Song 04.02.2026 43dk

  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 complexities of grief, love, and the gaps left by what’s unsaid. Hrishikesh talks about the emotional expectations in his household, how his mother shaped his creative instincts, and the way music became his private outlet for feelings he wasn’t always encouraged to express. We hear about the inspiration and restraint behind “Between There and Here,” his approach to songwriting, and why telling his own story has often been harder than pulling stories out of others. For once, the man behind the questions becomes the subject — and what unfolds is a conversation about grief, identity, legacy, and the music that holds it all together. This special episode also features an exclusive acoustic version of the track, recorded just for the show   Guest: Hrishikesh Hirway of Song Exploder Host: Kieron Banerji Produced by Palm Tree Island Mix Engineer: Max WalkerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.