Podcast Summary: This Life of Mine with James Corden – Michael Bublé

Date: December 16, 2025
Host: James Corden | Guest: Michael Bublé

Episode Overview

In this deeply personal and characteristically warm episode, James Corden welcomes crooner and global superstar Michael Bublé. Diving beyond the hit Christmas albums and the glitzy stages, the conversation explores the people, places, memories, possessions, music, and films that shaped Bublé’s extraordinary journey from a commercial fishing boat in British Columbia to international stardom. Bublé reveals the values, influences, and pivotal moments—both poignant and hilarious—that have defined his life, career, and approach to fame, family, and authenticity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. On Performance & the Power of Live Connection

• Vocal Warm-Ups & Stage Rituals
  • [05:12–06:14] James starts by noting Michael’s casual attitude to vocal warm-ups. Michael laughs off the notion, admitting, “I have treated my voice terribly. No vocal exercises or warmups? Never, never. And I know I need to. I should… but no.”
• Unique Concert Moments
  • [06:14–10:03] James recalls Michael’s signature live moment: dropping the mic in a huge arena and singing unamplified.
    • Michael explains how it began as a necessity when the sound system failed during a showcase:

      “Sometimes when we're afraid…Something happens to us where you go out, the light goes on…then things just go into slow motion.” [07:18]

    • He describes the impact: “There's no boundary of technology…It is just me and you” [09:15], highlighting the realness and intimacy of that moment.

2. Place: The Pacific Ocean Off British Columbia

• Family Heritage & Lessons from the Sea
  • [10:22–14:11] Michael describes his childhood spent on fishing boats, the family’s immigrant history, and the formative power of tough, sometimes dangerous working conditions:

    “It was a massive learning curve just as a human being…you come from high school…then all of a sudden you're with adults. And it doesn't work like that with adults. There's common respect in the adult world.” [12:02]

• Perspective on Fame & Gratitude
  • [14:01–15:01] Whenever the entertainment industry felt hard, Michael remembers those early days:

    “This feels very easy compared to jellyfish in the eye or…so many other things.” [14:11]

  • James reframes fame as something that can "flash freeze your growth" but also create a perpetual search for that first rush:

    "The first weekend that you're famous…is the best weekend of your life. ... You spend the rest of your life searching for the feeling of that." [14:49–15:37]

3. Person: Michael’s Father, Louis Bublé

• A Relationship Built on Example & Love
  • [21:11–24:57] Michael details the profound influence of his father, noting how his traits—gentleness, humility, empathy—became aspirational:

    "There could be no greater compliment…than to tell me that I was becoming like my dad. Because my dad is and has always been a gentleman…but a gentle man. Right. Humble. Leads with joy and light and empathy and goodness." [22:27]

  • He adds humor, saying, "I call him Captain Safety," relating how his own instincts reflect his father's cautious nature.
• Family Pride & the Story Behind “Bublé”
  • [25:38–28:37] Michael tells of label pressure to change his name to “Moscone”—a request he ultimately refused out of pride for his family, leading to a whole marketing campaign about how to pronounce Bublé.

    “If you can't do that, you're never going to f***ing ask me again. My name is Michael Bublé.” [27:17]

4. Music: “It Had to Be You”

• Musical Upbringing & Generational Bonds

  • [28:55–32:33] Michael picks the classic “It Had to Be You”—famous via Harry Connick Jr.—tracing his attachment back to his grandfather’s living room.

    “It had such a massive impact on me. ... My grandpa was my best friend, James, for my whole life. ... He’s the one who took me to all the auditions, took me to the cruise ships...he was the sensei teaching me, and it changed my whole life.” [31:07–31:50]

• Full-Circle Moments

  • Michael movingly recalls singing the song as a duet with Barbra Streisand years later:

    “With her sitting this far from me in the studio saying, ‘Honey, tell me how I should do this...’” [32:33]

• Influence of Harry Connick Jr.

  • [34:17–36:37] Michael describes the thrill, and competitive edge, of hearing Connick’s arrangements:

    “This dude is gonna open the door. ... I was listening to this music…and Connick came, and it was like, oh no, no, no. I’m not alone. They get it.” [34:41–35:20]

5. Film: “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”

• Identity & Showmanship
  • [36:41–39:34] Michael identifies with both Ferris and Cameron, describing the film’s lasting impact on his own entertainment philosophy:

    “Watching him be loose...everybody loved him...as an entertainer, I have taken it into every show I’ve ever done, every music video…there’s a moment where I pay tribute to that movie.” [37:24, 38:40]

    • He even hired the film’s choreographer for his "Haven’t Met You Yet" video as an intentional nod.

6. Possession: His Wedding Ring

• Love, Growth, and Commitment

  • [39:36–41:20] Michael reflects on the transformative role of his wife in his life:

    “From the moment I met my wife, I became a better man…she just helped me…moments where I—how the hell would I ever survive? She brought me back to faith...” [39:37–40:54]

  • He openly discusses past struggles with discipline, and the clarity and stability his wife brought:

    “She loved me a lot…but she would say to me...‘I love you, Mike...but I don’t want to be with a drinking man or a drug man or a smoking man...’” [40:18]

• Struggles, Fame, and Authenticity

  • [42:30–44:57] Candid about the tension between his public image and true self:

    “That thing your grandma loves, that isn’t me. It never was me. ... I’m the son of a fisherman who worked on a fishing boat. ... They’re marketing me as…‘your mom will love him’...” [43:28]

7. Memory: Holding Each of His Four Children for the First Time

• Fatherhood & Perspective
  • [45:46–47:55] Michael chooses four moments—when he first held each of his children—attributing to them the deepest sense of purpose and pride:

    “I just remember distinctly each time wondering how I had ever lived life without them...my mission is to make them proud. ... At the end, that’s all anyone’s going to remember.” [46:08–47:55]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Treating His Voice:
  • Michael Bublé: “I have treated my voice terribly. No vocal exercises or warmups? Never, never. And I know I need to. I should… but no.” [06:01]
• On Authenticity in Performance:
  • James Corden: “What you really want [in a show] is you go, ‘Oh, no. And then he ended the show…’ And also how often are people silent really in the room anymore?” [08:48]
• On Parental Pride and Legacy:
  • Michael Bublé: “There could be no greater compliment…than to tell me that I was becoming like my dad.” [22:27]
• On Refusing to Change His Name:
  • Michael Bublé: “If you can't do that, you're never going to f***ing ask me again. My name is Michael Bublé.” [27:17]
• On the Impact of Fatherhood:
  • Michael Bublé: “Each time [I held them], wondering how I had ever lived life without them…my mission is to make them proud.” [46:08]
• On Fame:
  • James Corden: “The first weekend that you're famous…is the best weekend of your life. ... You spend the rest of your life searching for the feeling of that.” [14:49–15:37]
• On His Wife’s Influence:
  • Michael Bublé: “She’s my best friend, and she’s my hero, and she’s my rock, and turns out she’s my boss.” [40:54]
• On Making Art That Lasts:
  • James Corden: “I think you don't get the credit you deserve as a writer for writing songs which I believe became standards overnight.” [41:50]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Stage Rituals & Live Performance: [05:12–10:03]
• The Ocean as Formative Place: [10:22–15:37]
• Michael’s Father & Family Name: [21:11–28:50]
• Music — "It Had to Be You": [28:55–32:33]
• Harry Connick Jr.'s Influence & Song Tribute: [34:17–36:37]
• Film — “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”: [36:41–39:34]
• Possession — Wedding Ring & Relationship: [39:36–44:57]
• Memory — Children: [45:46–47:55]

Conclusion

This episode gives a rare, unfiltered glimpse into the soul of Michael Bublé—equal parts reflective, funny, and heartfelt. From family roots and brushes with danger on the Pacific to pivotal lessons from his father, the transformative love of his wife, and the overwhelming joy of fatherhood, Bublé’s journey is one of humble gratitude and growth. His reflections remind us that behind the glamour is a man shaped by hard work, deep love, and the relentless pursuit of making those he cares about proud.

For those seeking wisdom on fame, artistry, family, or simply a deeply personal story of becoming, this episode is an authentic and inspiring listen.