Podcast
A Song Called Life
Hosted by Osi Atikpoh · EN
The artists shaping today’s music, in conversation.
A Song Called Life features in-depth interviews about new releases, creative process, and the experiences behind the work. Hosted by musician Osi Atikpoh, these candid conversations offer an inside look at how music is made and the lives behind it, with artists speaking openly about their work and their journey.
Earlier episodes featured broader conversations across culture.
26episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Episode #285: PJ
1w ago00:58:49Tap to summarizeIn Episode #285, singer-songwriter PJ sits down with Osi to discuss her latest EP, Why Do Feelings Matter Anyway. They discuss the challenges of navigating the music industry while remaining true to her artistic vision, and how experiences with both major labels and independence have strengthened her confidence as a creator. Their conversation also touches on resilience, self-trust, and the mindset required to build a lasting career, as well as the importance of emotional discipline, Black creativity, and creating music that feels authentic above all else. PJ reflects on turning setbacks into opportunities for growth and why focusing on the work itself continues to guide her forward.
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Episode #284: Nickelus F
May 2600:45:42Tap to summarizeIn Episode #284, rapper Nickelus F sits down with Osi to discuss his latest album The Undisputed. They discuss the shift from pursuing recognition to embracing creative freedom, and how years of experience have shaped a quieter but more grounded confidence in Nickelus' work. Their conversation also touches on Richmond’s cultural imprint, the lasting influence of the blog era, and the balance between artistic independence, legacy, and the simple act of continuing to create.
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Episode #283: Yaya Bey
May 600:46:51Tap to summarizeIn Episode #283, Yaya Bey sits down with Osi to discuss her latest album, Fidelity. Their conversation focuses on the emotional cost of chasing success, the importance of protecting your peace in an industry built on constant motion, and how vulnerability has become central to both Yaya’s life and music. They also discuss the making of Fidelity, from its blend of jazz, hip hop, soul, and dance music to the deeper questions of devotion, burnout, gratitude, and what it means to keep creating without losing yourself in the process.
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Episode #282: Tiwayo
Apr 3000:52:23Tap to summarizeIn Episode #282, Tiwayo sits down with Osi to discuss their latest album, Outsider.Their conversation focuses on Tiwayo’s path from the Paris suburbs to a sound shaped by blues, gospel, and Memphis soul, as they discuss how loss, family history, and lived experience show up in his music. They also discuss his return to live instrumentation, the role of performance in soul, and what it means to make work that stays rooted in tradition while still feeling personal and current.
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Episode #281: Amy Gadiaga
Apr 2801:24:50Tap to summarizeIn Episode #281, Amy Gadiaga sits down with Osi to discuss her latest EP, BabyGoated. The conversation moves through her path from France to London, the shift from fitting into jazz tradition to defining her own lane, and her decision to center authenticity over expectation, as they discuss how her Afro-French background, teenage uncertainty, and experiences in male dominated spaces pushed her toward a more self defined, genre crossing sound.
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Episode #280: Hannah Lew
Apr 2400:55:16Tap to summarizeIn Episode #280, artist Hannah Lew joins Osi to discuss her latest album, Hannah Lew.They discuss her shift from years of collaboration into a solo identity, what it meant to finally release music under her own name, and how her background across music and visual art shapes the way she tells stories. They also discuss how success should be defined as an artist, choosing honesty and connection over metrics, and what it takes to stay true to yourself in an industry that often rewards the opposite.
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Episode #279: Edwin Raphael
Apr 2100:53:17Tap to summarizeIn Episode 279, Edwin Raphael sits down with Osi to discuss his latest album, I Know A Garden. They touch on ideas of home and identity, unpacking how Edwin’s sense of belonging has shaped both his life and his music. Their conversation moves through instinct, environment, and creative growth, framing the album as a living space built from experience and continually evolving.
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Episode #278: Sophia Yau-Weeks
Apr 1500:53:30Tap to summarizeIn Episode #278, Oakland based artist Sophia Yau-Weeks sits down with Osi to discuss her latest album Misty Mountain.They talk through her roots in Oakland, her time living in London, and the stretch of isolation and illness that influenced her music. The album unfolds as a series of personal stories about love, grief, and figuring herself out, with a songwriting process that moves between instinct and careful revision, and a growing sense of connection to others who have felt the same kind of distance.
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Episode #277: Joel Cherry Tree
Apr 1300:58:57Tap to summarizeIn Episode 277, Berkley-based musician Joel Cherry Tree sits down with Osi to discuss his latest album, Jesus. Joel reflects on building a sound that feels close and unguarded, where songwriting becomes a way of exploring memory, love, and disconnection in real time. The conversation focuses on Joel's creative process, his DIY roots, and the environment that shaped the record, framing Jesus as an attempt to make something that feels less like a performance and more like a shared inner voice.
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Episode #276: Claire Dickson
Apr 600:54:37Tap to summarizeIn Episode 276, Berlin-based music artist Claire Dickson sits down with Osi to discuss her latest album Balance. They focus on the intention behind the record and the choices that shaped its sound, with Claire reflecting on how her academic path and career decisions led her deeper into music. She also speaks to the influence of the cities she has lived in, and how her process leans on instinct, improvisation, and collaboration to bring each track to life.
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