Episode Overview

Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)
Host: Alison Stewart
Episode: Philip Glass's 'Songs from Liquid Days' Turns 40
Date: January 23, 2026

This episode celebrates the 40th anniversary of Philip Glass’s seminal album Songs from Liquid Days. Host Alison Stewart speaks with three vocalists—Melissa Bonetti, Kyla Viviana, and Sasha Gutierrez—who will be performing the album live at Lincoln Center. They discuss the album’s impact, their experiences bringing Glass’s genre-blurring work to life, and the role of New Latin Wave in supporting Latinx artists. Singer-songwriter Terry Roche, featured on the original album, calls in to share memories from the 1986 recording.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Legacy and Impact of Songs from Liquid Days

• Alison Stewart introduces the album as “a voyage of discovery,” noting it was Glass’s first project working in a pop song format, collaborating with lyricists like David Byrne and Suzanne Vega, and singers such as Linda Ronstadt and The Roches. (01:10)
• The album’s enduring resonance is underscored by its continued live performance and cross-cultural reinterpretation.

2. First Encounters and Personal Connections to the Album

• Sasha Gutierrez: Admits she hadn’t heard the album before being approached for the concert. “It’s an earworm. It’s so easy to listen to and I’m very excited to be able to sing this music.” (02:17)
• Melissa Bonetti: Also discovered the album through this project; previously performed in Glass’s Galileo opera. “Anytime I get a chance to sing Glass, I nerd out and I’m very excited.” (02:35)
• Kyla Viviana: Grew up listening to David Byrne and was thrilled to see his lyricism in Liquid Days. “It just represents love as an everyday thing that we experience...Liquid Days can kind of blend into each other as we experience life.” (03:03)

3. Glass’s Fusion of Classical and Popular Music

• Alison asks about the genre-bending nature of the work.
• Sasha: “I hear both things happening at the same time...it’s a beautiful thing to see how genres can come together...this is my little backup singer dream coming true.” (03:53)
• Melissa: Highlights the versatility now expected of classical singers: “The modern day classical singer is a very diverse singer. For us, it’s actually very natural to hop in and out of different vocal techniques.” (04:45)
• Kyla: Agrees, “This is a great opportunity to stretch into all of those genres along with our classical technique.” (05:25)

4. Live In-Studio Performance Excerpts

• The trio sings fragments of “Liquid Days,” capturing the intricate interplay of Glass’s music and Byrne’s lyrics.
  • Notable lines:
    • “We are old friends. I offer love a beer. Love watches television. Love needs a bath. Love could use a shave.” (06:15)
    • “Love rolls out of the chair and wiggles on the floor, jumps up. I’m laughing at love.” (06:38)
    • “Drink me, drive, breath, drive, sleep...” (06:52)

5. Reflections from The Roches’ Terry Roche

• Terry calls in to reminisce about participating in the original album:
  • “It was very challenging for us to sing those parts…coming from being folk singers.” (08:17)
  • Shares a story about the power of Linda Ronstadt’s voice during their live performances:
    • “Every time she looked in my direction, my ears hurt because of the power of her voice.” (09:20)
• Terry praises the new trio’s rendition: “They sound fantastic.” (08:17)

6. Preparation and Vocal Chemistry

• The vocalists reveal this is their first time singing together as a trio, though they’ve worked in various capacities previously.
  • Sasha: “We were nervous...but as soon as we sang the first note, it clicked.” (10:19)
  • Melissa: “We really wanted to honor the original recording and reflect what they were doing before. It feels like we’ve been singing together for a long time.” (11:01)
  • Kyla: “The chemistry that we have...it’s been wonderful to spend this time together and experiment and learn how our voices blend.” (11:40)

7. The Role of New Latin Wave

• Sasha: “New Latin Wave...focuses on bringing on Latin artists...they really are helping Latino artists such as myself to thrive in the music scene, to thrive in different places.” (13:43)
• Melissa: “You don’t really find a lot of Latino artists in [the classical realm of contemporary works]...it’s not just about opportunities, but it’s about community.” (14:17)

8. Concert Details and Ensemble Lineup

• The Lincoln Center anniversary concert features more Latinx classical vocalists, including Magos Herrera and Britt Hewitt. (15:32)
• The conversation highlights connections among ensemble members from past projects, underscoring the tight-knit nature of the New York classical and cross-genre music communities.

9. Final Reflections

• The trio expresses excitement even amid the threat of a winter storm, promising they’ll perform regardless:
  • “We have to be there. We’ll be there regardless of whatever happens.” (16:49)
  • “I think this is gonna be really a spectacular concert you don’t wanna miss.” (16:53)
• Episode closes with an excerpt from “Freezing,” featuring Suzanne Vega’s lyrics and Linda Ronstadt’s vocals.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Sasha Gutierrez (On first hearing the album):
  “It’s an earworm. It’s so easy to listen to and I’m very excited to be able to sing this music.” (02:17)
• Melissa Bonetti (On versatility as a singer):
  “The modern-day classical singer is a very diverse singer...it’s actually very natural for us to hop in and out of different vocal techniques.” (04:45)
• Kyla Viviana (On the meaning of “Liquid Days”):
  “It just represents love as an everyday thing that we experience...Liquid Days can kind of blend into each other as we experience life.” (03:03)
• Terry Roche (On Linda Ronstadt’s voice):
  “Every time she looked in my direction, my ears hurt because of the power of her voice.” (09:20)
• Melissa Bonetti (On musical community):
  “It’s not just about opportunities, but it’s about community. And it makes me very giddy when I’m singing with a group, and I know that there’s a lot of Latino people present.” (14:17)

Key Timestamps

• 01:10: Introduction to Songs from Liquid Days and guests
• 02:17: Vocalists share first experiences with the album
• 03:03: Reflection on David Byrne’s lyrics and the album’s themes
• 03:53: Discussion of musical genre fusion
• 06:15: First live in-studio performance excerpt
• 07:34: Call-in from Terry Roche of The Roches
• 09:20: Terry recalls live performances with Linda Ronstadt
• 10:19: The trio discusses their first rehearsal and chemistry
• 13:43: Introduction to New Latin Wave and its significance
• 15:32: Preview of concert lineup at Lincoln Center
• 16:49: Trio commits to performing “regardless of whatever happens”
• 17:25: Episode closes with excerpt of “Freezing” (Suzanne Vega / Linda Ronstadt)

Episode Takeaways

This vibrant episode not only honors Philip Glass’s Songs from Liquid Days and its role in reshaping contemporary and classical boundaries, but also spotlights a new generation of diverse artists carrying its legacy forward. Through lively conversation, live performance, and intergenerational stories, the episode is a celebration of artistic collaboration, identity, and the ever-evolving tapestry of New York’s music life.