All Of It with Alison Stewart

Episode: Raphael Saadiq on His Oscar Nominated Song From 'Sinners'
Date: February 19, 2026
Host: Alison Stewart
Guest: Raphael Saadiq

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Alison Stewart sits down with Grammy-winning musician and producer Raphael Saadiq to dive into his creative process behind "I Lied to You"—the Oscar-nominated original song from the film Sinners. The discussion covers the whirlwind collaboration with composer Ludwig Göransson and director Ryan Coogler, the song’s soulful roots, and the powerful influence of church, blues, and Saadiq’s musical upbringing. They also reflect on pivotal moments in Saadiq’s career, his approach to collaboration, and his storied history playing alongside Prince.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Birth of "I Lied to You"

[02:25–05:55]

• Stewart notes that "I Lied to You" plays during a pivotal, near-supernatural scene in Sinners, becoming a centerpiece for both the narrative and character development.
• How the Collaboration Began:
  • Saadiq met Ludwig Göransson through mutual friends and had connected with director Ryan Coogler previously, both sharing Oakland roots.
  • The Sinners team approached Saadiq suddenly:
    • "They called me over to the studio, sort of put like an outline of the script in front of me ... It's a small independent film and we need a song for it and we need it today if you can write it right now before you leave." – Saadiq [04:08]
  • Saadiq and Göransson immediately started riffing with unique, rubber-mounted acoustic guitars—no-name instruments with a "damn good" sound.

2. Writing Under Pressure & Working Process

[04:08–06:10]

• Saadiq only had a short window to write the song, as the team was heading to New Orleans in three days.
• The creative energy flowed:
  • "Right there me and Ludwig just grabbed some rubber mounted blues guitars, acoustic guitars, and started riffing..." – Saadiq [04:32]
• The use of quirky, restored guitars from a Silver Lake, LA shop played a role in the song's raw, authentic sound.

3. Artistic Lessons from Director Ryan Coogler

[06:10–07:10]

• Stewart explores what Saadiq learned from Coogler’s filmmaking style:
  • "You have to have great creative people around you to pay attention to detail ... you gotta love everything about film. You gotta respect other films that came before you ..." – Saadiq [06:29]
• Emphasis on collaboration, detail, and respect for the broader craft informs Saadiq’s own approach.

4. How "Sinners" Differed From Other Projects

[07:10–09:27]

• Saadiq compares his work on Sinners with previous films (notably collaborations with the late John Singleton).
• Difference: For Sinners, writing a song ("I Lied to You") for a character to sing live onscreen, rather than as background music.
• Personal Resonance:
  • "Growing up in Oakland, California, I grew up with a lot of preachers, kids ... your parents would tell you you shouldn't play secular music ... So it was easy for me to visualize this character." – Saadiq [08:27]
• The song’s spiritual authenticity echoes both Saadiq’s roots and the film’s themes.

5. The Songwriting Process: Music or Lyrics First?

[09:27–11:39]

• Lyrics ("I Lied to You") came first, springing from a conversation:
  • "They say the truth hurts, so I lied to you ... I think the ancestors just came down and grabbed me because I don't know why, I just start screaming, 'Somebody take me in your arms tonight.'" – Saadiq [09:56]
• Saadiq didn’t see the finished movie until after writing the song—watching it later gave new depth to his lyrics.

6. Miles Caton’s Unique Vocal Performance

[13:01–14:12]

• The song is performed in the film by Miles Caton.
  • "He could have been in those times singing a song. His voice uniquely fits ... Every shot of it. His acting voice blends right into ... a singing voice." – Saadiq [13:11]
• Caton’s youthful, authentic blues sound enhances the film’s period atmosphere.

7. The Church, Secular Music & Musical Roots

[14:12–17:10]

• Saadiq reflects on the cultural tension between church and secular music for African American musicians.
  • "My father was also a blues guitarist ... He told me, 'Look, son, I don't want you to be scared to go play in the world because the same key in ... E flat is the same in church as it is in the blues.' That really helped me out." – Saadiq [15:49]
• Despite not coming from a strict household himself, he deeply understood Sammy’s journey from gospel to blues.

8. Connecting to Prince and Sheila E

[17:10–20:52]

• At 19, Saadiq played in Sheila E's band, touring with Prince on his Parade tour at the height of Purple Rain fame.
• Memorable anecdotes:
  • "Prince walks up to me ... he takes me to a speaker and said, 'I want you to hear this record.' ... They put on a record called Housequake. And it was before the record came out." – Saadiq [19:45]
  • "When Prince walked away, maybe like 10 girls started talking to me for the rest of the night ... then Jerome Benton said, okay, now you can hang with us. Prince was your wingman?" – Stewart [20:48]
• Prince’s mentorship and love for band culture left a deep imprint.

9. Approaching Collaboration

[22:28–24:09]

• Saadiq's philosophy:
  • "The one thing that draws me to other musicians is that they have a vision beyond calling somebody ... I work better with musicians who know exactly what they want to do and then I can sort of live in that world." – Saadiq [22:39]
  • "I've never won a Grammy or anything from my own music, only when I collaborate with people. So I think that says a lot why I love to collaborate..." [23:55]
• Emphasis on band energy and shared vision over solo achievement.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On songwriting under pressure:
  "They said, 'We leave in three days to start shooting in New Orleans and we would like it if you could do it now.' So that happened." – Saadiq [04:32]
• On authenticity in the blues:
  "I love the blues, you know, so I don't know. Then I said, so out the blue, I think the ancestors just came down and grabbed me..." – Saadiq [09:56]
• On the pressure to avoid secular music:
  "Most of my friends went home, they couldn't listen to any blues. ... And, you know, it was very strict in my house. ... But as far as music, yeah, it was. I had everything." – Saadiq [15:56]
• On Prince’s influence and band culture:
  "I think I'm the best collaborator in the world ... I've never won a Grammy or anything from my own music, only when I collaborate with people." – Saadiq [23:55]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro / "I Lied to You" context – [01:59–03:17]
• Collaboration Origin Story – [03:18–05:55]
• Coogler's Creative Process – [06:10–07:10]
• How Sinners Differs from Past Films – [07:10–09:27]
• Songwriting Process – [09:27–11:39]
• Performance by Miles Caton – [13:01–14:12]
• Musical Roots & Church Influence – [14:12–17:10]
• Playing with Prince & Sheila E – [17:10–20:52]
• Thoughts on Collaboration – [22:28–24:09]

Episode Tone

The conversation is warm, candid, and filled with admiration for the collaborative spirit of music and filmmaking. Saadiq’s humility, humor, and reverence for musical lineage shine throughout—making this a must-listen for fans of music history, film, and creative storytelling.