Australia’s Gordi talks to KEXP about her queer identity, COVID-19, and how the Bandcamp proceeds from her song, “Unready," are going to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency.
KEXP talks to New York Times writer Reggie Ugwu about Jackie Shane, a Black transgender soul singer who gained prominence in the 1960s with her captivating stage presence and voice.
Guest Steven Severin is the co-owner of Neumos in Seattle, and is part of the Washington Nightlife Music Association (WANMA) and the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA).
Martha Reeves of Motown’s Martha Reeves and the Vandellas talks about her time as a Detroit City Councilwoman as well as Motown’s sound and how it united people when racial tensions were high in America.
Seattle hip hop artist Draze released a single called "Building Black Wealth." The message was simple — build Black wealth by buying from Black-owned businesses. Draze discusses the single and its message.
KEXP’s Music Director Don Yates explains why he put Taylor Swift into rotation for the very first time. KEXP’s DJ Abbie also weighs in on the record and the themes it explores, including gender inequities in the music industry and beyond.
Anacortes, WA native, Phil Elverum talks about how he tried to break nostalgia by creating a one-track, 45-minute album under his old stage name, The Microphones.
We hear from indie labels Asian Man Records, Help Yourself Records, and the band, Deep Sea Diver about their reliance on the USPS and what changes to the service could mean for them.
Portland-raised rapper Aminé talks about how the racial tensions he felt in his hometown are reflected in his latest album, Limbo.
Author Mark Ribowsky talks about the legacy of Little Richard, from the surprising story of his first hit single, "Tutti Frutti," to the many comebacks he had later in his career.
KEXP talks with Josiah Johnson, who just released his first solo album, titled Every Feeling On A Loop on September 4th.
Blimes and Gab, the rap duo consisting of Seattle MC Gabrielle “Gifted Gab” Kadushin and San Francisco’s Samantha “Blimes Brixton” McDonald, recently released their debut album, Talk About It.
Amelia Meath of Sylvan Esso breaks down some of the stories behind the music, explains how dancing is a major theme on the record, and shares her love of radio DJs, as demonstrated in the song “Frequency.”
Fleet Foxes frontman Robin Pecknold discusses the significance of the equinox on the record, tells stories behind some of the songs, and shares how he found a renewed appreciation for music during the pandemic.
Bob Mould discusses some prominent themes from the new album, Blue Hearts, as well as parallels he sees in politics of the '80s and today, and the importance of music as protest.
Seattle’s Deep Sea Diver is out with their third album, Impossible Weight. The album was written after frontwoman Jessica Dobson's experience with depression.
Steven Severin of the Seattle venue, Neumos, talks about the efforts to rally for federal and state aid as well as the recent #KeepMusicLiveWA fundraising campaign to save independent music venues.
Kevin Morby feels a sense of melancholy when the sun goes down. That feeling inspired his latest album, Sundowner.
Laura Veirs calls her latest album, My Echo, her “my songs knew I was getting divorced before I did" album.
SassyBlack is an independent musician and educator, and a staple in the Seattle arts scene. She’s out with a new EP, STUCK, which addresses mental health, working for free in the music industry, and the “Karen”s of the world.