Why Not Both

Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by ⁠musician⁠ and ⁠therapist⁠ Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and ⁠photographer⁠ Laura Studarus.  Over the years we have interviewed so many amazing guests that we are releasing a series of Best of Why Not Both episodes which feature clips from our favorite chats. Join us as we unravel the secrets of these iconic individuals who have fearlessly pursued various artistic avenues and discovered their true passion.

Listen to the full episode with Lauren Mayberry of CHVRCHES

In this interview clip, Lauren Mayberry of the band CHVRCHES breaks down the importance of creative evolution as well as the inspiration behind the band's most recent album.

Listen to the full episode with Zola Jesus

In this interview clip, musician Zola Jesus discusses how moving back tot the woods where she grew up revitalized her creative practice and how our surroundings influence our creative output.

Listen to the full episode with Kae Tempest

In this interview clip, poet Kae Tempest reminds our listeners that everyone is inherently creative and that we all need to see reflections of our emotions and thoughts in the world of art around us.

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by ⁠musician⁠ and ⁠therapist⁠ Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and ⁠photographer⁠ Laura Studarus.  Over the years we have interviewed so many amazing guests that we are releasing a series of Best of Why Not Both episodes which feature clips from our favorite chats. Join us as we unravel the secrets of these iconic individuals who have fearlessly pursued various artistic avenues and discovered their true passion.

Listen to the full episode with Harvey Guillen of What We Do In The Shadows

In this interview clip, the iconic actor Harvey Guillen talks about the importance of queer representation in media and how vital it is to be the kind of adult you needed to see in the world when you were a kid. With humor and grace, Harvey tells the story of how he carved out his path in Hollywood and why he feels honored to show up for the under-represented LGBTQ+ communities of color.

Listen to the full episode with Julien Baker

As 1/3 of BoyGenius, musician Julien Baker is making an impact on mainstream culture by centering queer voices and narratives. In this interview, Julien talks about how it felt to come into her own identity and the importance of having relatable narratives for a broader spectrum of people. She discusses how vital it is to continue learning and expanding your horizons as an artist and a person in the world.

Listen to the full episode with Anjimile

Musician Anjimile spoke to us about how it felt to be a queer artist in the world today and why sometimes you have to cut ties with your past in order to embrace your future. They narrated how their journey of self discovery through music led them to creating and embracing community and becoming a critically acclaimed songwriter.

Gain invaluable insights, learn practical tips, and be inspired to embrace your own multi-passionate nature. Subscribe to the Why Not Both Podcast now and immerse yourself in the transformative power of pursuing multiple creative paths.

Subscribe and listen on ⁠Youtube⁠

Create chaos on ⁠TikTok⁠

Come chill on ⁠Insta⁠

Chat with us ⁠Twitter 

Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by ⁠musician⁠ and ⁠therapist⁠ Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and ⁠photographer⁠ Laura Studarus.  Over the years we have interviewed so many amazing guests that we are releasing a series of Best of Why Not Both episodes which feature clips from our favorite chats. Join us as we unravel the secrets of these iconic individuals who have fearlessly pursued various artistic avenues and discovered their true passion.

In this captivating interview, David Duchovny, renowned actor and musician, shares his journey of exploring both the silver screen and the music industry, showcasing how embracing diverse creative outlets can unlock hidden talents and bring immense satisfaction amidst moments of self doubt.

You can find our full interview here:

⁠David Duchovny

William Shatner, the legendary actor, writer, and director, takes us on an awe-inspiring adventure, revealing how his ventures in acting, writing, and even music have propelled him towards self-discovery and an unparalleled sense of fulfillment as we chat about the very nature of the universe.

You can find our full interview here:

⁠William Shatner

Electronica maestro Jon Hopkins mesmerizes us with his tale of intertwining passions in music production and visual art. Discover how his multidimensional approach to creativity has not only fueled his success but also enriched his personal growth thru psychedelic therapy.

You can find our full interview here:

⁠Jon Hopkins

Gain invaluable insights, learn practical tips, and be inspired to embrace your own multipassionate nature. Subscribe to the Why Not Both Podcast now and immerse yourself in the transformative power of pursuing multiple creative paths.

Subscribe and listen on ⁠Youtube⁠

Create chaos on ⁠TikTok⁠

Come chill on ⁠Insta⁠

Chat with us ⁠Twitter 

Keywords: David Duchovny, William Shatner, Jon Hopkins, creative paths, fulfillment, multiple passions, interviews, self-discovery, Why Not Both Podcast

Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by ⁠musician⁠ and ⁠therapist⁠ Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and ⁠photographer⁠ Laura Studarus.  Over the years we have interviewed so many amazing guests that we are releasing a series of Best of Why Not Both episodes which feature clips from our favorite chats. This episode features Devon Gilfillian and Allison Russell, two brilliant artists and activists in Nashville, Tennessee.

You can find their full interviews here:

Devon Gilfillian

Allison Russell

Join our community on ⁠Patreon⁠

Subscribe and listen on ⁠Youtube⁠

Create chaos on ⁠TikTok⁠

Come chill on ⁠Insta⁠

Chat with us ⁠Twitter 

Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  Over the years we have interviewed so many amazing guests that we are releasing a series of Best of Why Not Both episodes which feature clips from our favorite chats. This episode features the artists Aurora, Sudan Archives and HANA, all brilliant creators with their own takes on how collaboration and unexpected inspiration combine to craft creative alchemy.

You can find the full interviews here:

Aurora

Sudan Archives

HANA

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We got to chat with Jeffrey Leiser about why he decided that he absolutely had to make Freydís and Gudrid, an Icelandic opera film, the magic of sound design, and how he wants to set a positive example of a life well lived for his kids.

Did we catch your interest? You can also keep up with Jeffrey's work at Albino Fawn Productions and on Instagram.

This episode was first available to our community on Patreon

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  We partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Between wild adventures on Russian trains and music fans with machetes, Elias Rønnenfelt of the band Iceage advocates for letting yourself get a little uncomfortable in order to access your creativity. As a touring musician, Elias told us about his wanderlust and how it gave him a new appreciation for some of the basics of domestic life in the rare moments that he is sitting still. Sometimes you have to get cozy in the chaos to find the best moments of inspiration.

Listen to Iceage newest release Shake The Feeling

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  We partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

We chatted with Harper Simon and Julia Holter about medieval love affairs, polyphonic vocal arrangements and the joys of collaboration for this week's episode. The duo worked together on a track for Meditations on Crime, the multimedia project Harper spearheaded that explores the nature of transgression through music, art, and prose. We loved getting to hear them pick each other's brains about the writing process, melodic intentions and expression across artistic media. 

Listen to Meditations on Crime

Read Meditations on Crime

Listen to Julia Holter's album Aviary

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  We partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Tove Lo spent a fair bit of time in her youth fighting with her body, but these days, she uses it as a vehicle for making art and creating space for healing. We loved getting to learn about her collaborators, particularly choreographer Teresa Toogie Barcelo, who worked with her on her latest music video "Grapefruit." Here's to embracing ourselves and our stories at all the phases of our lives so we can create connections and beautiful art.

Listen to Tove Lo's latest album Dirt Femme

Watch the video for "Grapefruit"

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  We partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

In an increasingly divisive landscape, S.G. Goodman makes music that reminds us that we can choose community instead of choosing sides. She spoke with us about her political activism that started with her passion for student government and led to her voice to help elect governor Andy BeShear in her native state of Kentucky. Goodman reminds us that we can respect and foster the common humanity in one another once we delve into the darkness and light that have brought us to our current circumstances.

Listen to S.G. Goodman's latest record Teeth Marks

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  We partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Near death experiences, unusual moments, and novel drum parts are all fair game when it comes to the creations of Marina Tadic, aka Eerie Wanda. We loved getting to chat with her about the creative process behind her new collection of songs and visuals and were inspired by her joy in the vulnerable and the absurd. When in doubt, embrace the darkness, the light, and everything in between.

Listen to Eerie Wanda's newest album Internal Radio

Visit Eerie Wanda on Instagram and Twitter

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  We partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Bryce Drew has moved around to many colorful locations, from her childhood summers spent in Trinidad to growing up in Miami, studying songwriting in Nashville and now living in Los Angeles, Each place has given her a new visual and sonic palette which you can hear on her latest song Still Recovering. We loved chatting with her about the magic that each space and collaboration brings out in her work and how we can tune into the ourselves through the colors and sounds that surround us.

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  We partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

John Darnielle lives purely in the creative moment, whether he is crafting songs for his band The Mountain Goats, writing novels like his newest work Devil House, or simply trying to figure out why his phone has duplicated all of his contacts. He describes his attention span as intense and yet diffuse, a quality that allows him to have sprawling conversations and entertain a broad range of ideas that all coalesce into his multiple artistic endeavors. Throughout our chat, his vibrant dark humor and quick mind served as a remind to stay present to the absurdity and joy right in front of us.  

Get John's latest novel Devil House 

Listen to The Mountain Goats new record Bleed Out 

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  We partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

As a songwriter and artist, MØ is not so secretly everywhere, with tons of amazing collaborations as well as her new solo album Motordrome. We loved getting to chat with her about how she took time off of touring to hop back into her life in Copenhagen and how spending time with her friends and family filled her creative cup. It's a wild idea but she just might be onto something when she suggested that we make some of our best work if we take little breaks every so often...

Listen to MØ's album Motordrome

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  We partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Best selling author/podcast host/journalist Dana Schwartz and writer/actress/educator Korama Danquah have respectively worked on a truly impressive array of creative projects but few things compare to their collective encyclopedic knowledge of pop culture and history. If you ever wanted to hear hot takes on everything from race relations and religion in Twilight to why we use forks as an act of diplomacy, this episode is for you. 

Grab Dana's best-selling book Anatomy: A Love Story

Join the Noble Blood Patreon to hear exclusive episodes of Dana and Korama's podcast Reign On Me

Tune into Dana's podcast Noble Blood on your favorite podcast platform

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  We partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Emilia Richeson is the magical musical mind behind Pony Sweat, the dance aerobics phenomenon you never knew you needed in your life until you get absolutely hooked. As she puts it on her website, "Pony Sweat is a practice in anti-perfectionism and radical self acceptance," a practice in joy and embodiment that focuses on using movement to cultivate care for ourselves. We loved chatting with her about how her love of music led her to embrace dance and ultimately how she fought back against the narrative of being good enough by simply doing her best. 

Take a Pony Sweat class online today

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Sometimes you have to retrace your steps to discover parts of yourself that you may have lost along your journey. Zola Jesus took this literally and moved back to the woods of her childhood where she crafted her new album Arkon and spent time rediscovering who she was outside of the life she had constructed over the years in LA. We have nothing but respect for our feral queen and are truly inspired by her fierce creativity and her outspoken support for artists.

Get Zola Jesus' new album Arkon

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

You know that friend introduces you to brand new ideas and is always showing you something that becomes wildly popular months later? Ellie Pritts is that friend. From her collaborations with AI on her Frogeforms project to her striking images of Joshua Tree, Ellie consistently creates art that makes you see the world a bit differently as we are so lucky to spend time in her visions.

Check out her collection of Frogeforms

Get your own piece from her Reverse Zoology collection

Head over to her website to keep in touch

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

As a sexual content creator, columnist, author and all round brilliant lady of the internet, Stoya has become a rare sort of artist, both venerated and simultaneously accessible. Her followers come to her not just with adoration but with the genuine desire for connection and advise. We chatted about where to draw the line between education and entertainment in the sexual spheres along with the importance of mental health advocacy and support for creators of all kinds all while discussing the finer points of glueing cat hair to your face to amuse your friends during the early days of quarantine. 

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Check out Stoya's column How To Do It

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Katie Thiroux brings a beautiful sense of calm strength to all she pursues, from jazz festivals to teaching at USC. We got to chat about how she cultivated a collection of music students around the world over the last few years during the pandemic and the importance of embracing the different seasons of life we find ourselves in. It's a gift getting to hear from an artist who is so dedicated to embracing the practice of her craft and reminding us that it's ok to say yes to all the adventures that it might bring.

This episode was first available to our community on Patreon

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Nabil Ayers didn't set out to write a book about his family history but after his essay about being biracial went viral, he simply ran with the idea and My Life In The Sunshine was born. Taking a spark and running with it seems to be a common theme in Ayers life as his mutual love of music and business led him to his current role as US president of Beggars Group all while he drums in various bands and runs his own label The Control Group. It's dizzingly inspiring to chat with someone who is so open to new ideas and a welcome reminder to listen to that hint of inspiration as you never know where it might lead.

Get Nabil Ayers memoir My Life In The Sunshine.

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Sometimes you have to hop into someone else's' story to better understand your own. Mal Blum learned this over the past year as they spent the majority of their time providing hospice care for their beloved next door neighbor, an elderly woman with a feisty disposition and fascinating life. Their time away from their usual routine as a touring musician inspired them to jump into new creative territories, co-writing songs with friends and trying out acting, crafting handmade benches and modeling. We are delighted to see what comes next (and not so secretly hope it's a podcast about their amazing neighbor).

Listen to Mal's latest e.p. Ain't It Nice.

Follow Mal on Insta and Twitter.

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

How do you have a private life when the personal is both political and the source of your creative work? We chatted with Polaris Prize winning rapper Cadence Weapon about the intersections between community, activism and art on the eve of the release of his book Bedroom Rapper. It was fascinating to hear his takes on how to balance tending to one's community and tending to one's self as we create a more interdependent world through our art. 

Listen to Cadence Weapon

Read Bedroom Rapper out May 31 2022

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Geography is often a vital collaborator for Simone Merli and Stephan Crasneanscki of Soundwalk Collective, which made their album Lovotic a fascinating experience of how to summon the influence of space in the digital realm. We spoke with Simone of the importance of transcending the self through the experience of different cultures and how valuable it is to lose yourself entirely in your own work. Ultimately some of our best creations come when we stretch ourselves past what we believed to be our limits.

Listen to Soundwalk Collective's latest album Lovotic

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Kae Tempest has an obsession with words, the way they flow on the page, the way they tumble around on the tip of your tongue. Speaking to them just before they launched into a series of tour dates celebrating the release of their brilliant new album The Line Is A Curve, we were struck by just how passionately they loved stitching words together across media from poetry and plays to books and songs. It's beautiful to witness someone delve into the deepest parts of themselves to craft connections with others through their art but as Tempest puts it, they don't know how to lead life any other way.

Listen to Kae's latest album The Line Is A Curve

Read Kae's wonderful book On Connection

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

What if our sensitivity is actually our greatest strength? Chatting with BANKS, we discovered that sometimes the best thing to do is tune out the other voices so that we can actually tune into our own. We loved getting to hear about her outlook on creativity and living life with beautifully attuned emotions.

Thanks again for listening! We appreciate your support and would love to hang out with you on the internet.

Listen to BANKS' new album Serpentina. 

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus. For our fourth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Neurodivergence and music and mental health are all topics near and dear to our hearts so we loved getting to chat with Carmen Elle aka Gay Hollywood about all of the above. From their role as the front person of DIANA, to their own heartfelt musical project they've covered a lot of musical ground. After you hear the episode, be sure to say hi on Instagram and Twitter, or swing by TikTok to enjoy their clips on mental health, music, and laughing at life.

Thanks again for listening! We appreciate your support and would love to hang out with you on the internet.

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

John Vanderslice is really onto something that we should focus on the important things in life, like being in love, petting our cats, and spending time with our friends. We chatted with the duality between creativity and ambition as well as personal versus societal responsibility when it comes to how we navigate our increasingly chaotic world. As he put it, "maybe we need to simplify and wise up as external notches aren't going to do it" when it comes to how we play the game of life. 

Thanks again for listening! We appreciate your support and would love to hang out with you on the internet.

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Yoni Wolf found himself missing the connection to his audience that he usually gets from being on tour and recording his podcast so he decided to do the most vulnerable thing he could think of: document the creation of his songs in real time for his dedicated listeners. Our conversation took many turns, from the importance of cultural and historical context of religious texts to the particular mortification of isolation when swiping through dating app profiles. Wolf poignantly reminds us that it's our flaws and peculiarities that actually bring us together and overcome the fear that we are all drifting apart. 

Listen to Yoni Wolf's music

Check out his podcast The Wandering Wolf

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Our guest Hrishikesh Hirway embodies the ethos of Why Not Both: he just released his debut solo EP "Rooms I Used To Call My Own" after spending the better part of the last decade crafting the brilliant podcasts Song Exploder, The West Wing Weekly and Home Cooking while executive producing The Jump with Shirley Manson. What surprised us most was learning that he started his podcast and writing journey in reaction to his music becoming his main source of professional success. After chatting with countless creatives, Hirway found his way back to songwriting with a nudge from his friend Jenny Owen Youngs and a renewed sense of personal purpose, proving that exploration and expression are the most important ingredients after all.

Enjoy Hirway's new EP 

Check out Song Exploder

Tune into our episode with Hirway's tourmate and cowriter Jenny Owen Youngs

Listen to our episode with Shirley Manson, whose podcast The Jump he executive produces

Have fun listening to The Jump

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Rebecca of Self Esteem chatted with us about what happens when you stop having FOMO and start trusting yourself as an artist. After having to cancel her appearance at SXSW in 2020, she crafted her latest body of work while writing music for theater as well. In the process, she came to the conclusion that it's cool to care about what you are doing and give it the energy it deserves when all the other distractions are taken away. Two years later, she made it back to SXSW with a brand new album and we are more than delighted to be cheering her on. 

Thanks again for listening! We appreciate your support and would love to hang out with you on the internet.

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Jenny Hval wasted no time hopping straight into a conversation about the dream like state we enter when performing and creating, musing that perhaps that dream feels more real than reality. After spending time studying dog barks and behavior to better understand her new furry pandemic companion, Jenny moved on to the work of crafting an album between walks and forest explorations. It's been a fascinating time for collaboration and creation and we are delighted that Jenny crafted a time capsule of her particular experience.

Thanks again for listening! We appreciate your support and would love to hang out with you on the internet.

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Although he never set out to be a musician, avowed film nerd and English Lit scholar Dan Smith, of the band Bastille, has found himself singing his songs for millions of people over the past decade. His love for storytelling has certainly influenced his artistic trajectory, as he likes to smudge the lines between real life narratives and universal emotional experiences. Sometimes we understand ourselves best by hopping into someone else's shoes--so we are all for sparking empathy across all genres.

Thanks again for listening! We appreciate your support and would love to hang out with you on the internet.

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

While chatting with Jensen McRae, we discovered that we were kindred spirits, two native LA artists who went to the same high school a generation apart, both in love with the magic of our city. It takes a special flavor of absurdity and determined ingenuity to channel the momentum of a viral clip into a whole album, yet it somehow makes perfect sense that Jensen's take on fellow Los Angeleno Phoebe Bridgers would spiral into her own brilliant song. Jensen is a brilliant model for giving yourself grace with a dose of introspection and humor so you can embrace all the plot twists that life may throw your way.

Thanks again for listening! We appreciate your support and would love to hang out with you on the internet.

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Music gives us hope and few people know this better than Eno of Ibibio Sound Machine. In our interview, she shared the magic behind her latest album with us from her multicultural influences to accidentally sparking a dance party at her first live gig back in the world after the lockdowns. 

Thanks again for listening! We appreciate your support and would love to hang out with you on the internet.

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Actress and activist Amber Iman made history as the first Black woman to return to the Broadway stage after the pandemic shutdown and we got to chat with her about the chaotic and traumatic journey that theater artists have faced during this tumultuous time. Most importantly, Iman spoke about the need for ways to keep artists safe and compensated for their valuable art, a constant battle even before the pandemic struck. Over the last few years, we certainly have seen the flaws in our previous systems but now we have a chance to revise them for the better, knowing that artists are the first people we turned to for comfort and should be recognized as such.

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Musician Tasha describes the magic that comes when we value learning and growth over productivity and how exploring other people's art led her to her album Tell Me What You Miss The Most. We are often rushed and forced into preconceived notions of what we are capable of and Tasha wisely recommends that we question where those stories come from and where there might be alternative possibilities. She advocates taking a moment to pause, to listen to what comes up inside as we tune into the world within and around us, in order to get in touch with our creative muses. 

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fifth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

When Lauren Mayberry of CHVRCHES sat down to write for the record Screen Violence, she found that her intention for the record was quite different from her previous work. The pandemic had accidentally placed her in a one woman writing camp far away from her bandmates which gave her a moment to step outside the of her own narrative and step into the world of horror movies, only to realize just how much they tied into her personal experience of navigating fear. It goes to show that sometimes when we step just outside our comfort zone, we sometimes discover a wealth of ideas that were waiting there all along for us to notice them. 

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus. For our fourth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Psychologist Dr. Mike thought that he bombed his first band audition when he started screaming, frustrated at what he perceived at his own lack of talent. Little did he know that this would start him down the path of artistry that would in turn inform his psychology practice and later his podcast, Hardcore Humanism. We deeply appreciate his takes on how to live a purpose driven, multi-faceted life.

Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fourth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Sometimes chaos and play are the best ingredients for creation and Cam Maclean embraces both in his work as a musician, therapist in training and teacher. Inspired by the play therapy he did with kids, Cam was able to reframe the objects and sounds that we encounter in our every day life to transform them into novel sonic landscapes all while teaching his students how to embrace their favorite tunes on guitar. We totally share his community oriented approach to doing all the things and loved hearing about how his multiple passions all fuel each other.

Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fourth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

It was such a gift to spend time with Yola, a masterful songwriter and artist, whose album Stand for Myself embodies all that we love here on Why Not Both, namely the courage to find your own identity and story. Yola reminds us that there is so much power in our narratives as she spoke of her own journey to uncover her story through her creative process. It is vital to examine the cultural tales we have been told, particularly those about gender and race and class, as we have the power to challenge their authority and rewrite the story.

Thanks again for listening! We appreciate your support and would love to hang out with you on the internet.

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fourth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Melissa Auf der Maur leads a fairytale life, complete with a mystical man waving his hand over the lush Hudson landscape stating, "this is your oracle" as she stepped gracefully from her role playing bass in Hole to art curator and mother. For the last 10 years, she has put her energy into Basilica Hudson, transforming it from an old factory warehouse to a multi-disciplinary art space for climate action and social justice. We are excited to see what comes next in her journey as she follows her uncannily magic intuition through the world of music, photography, writing and art and take inspiration from her receptivity to all her multiple paths. 

Thanks again for listening! We appreciate your support and would love to hang out with you on the internet.

Join our community on Patreon

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fourth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Jon Hopkins jumped straight into our interview by asking me about my own therapy practice, which should not have come as a surprise given that his new album, Music For Psychedelic Therapy, is about precisely that. After experiencing the twin catalysts of pandemic lockdown and a break up, Hopkins found himself following the proverbial light dancing through an aural forest to craft his most personal and universal work yet. He remarked that he has found greater freedom in creativity and curiosity as he has moved through life and we hope you feel similarly inspired listening to his music.

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fourth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Over the last several decades, They Might Be Giants have done everything from making award winning children's music to iconic Dunkin Donuts commercials to their latest record BOOK (which is also, coincidentally, a book). We got to talk to John Linnell about the importance of exploring new creative paths once you feel comfortable in your own artistic identity as he narrated how TMBG evolved from its origins as a high school collaboration. Ultimately it comes down to just making the stuff that you want to see in the world and knowing that there is very likely someone, or many someones, who are simply thrilled that you did.

Thanks again for listening! We appreciate your support and would love to hang out with you on the internet.

Join our community on Patreon

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fourth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Every musician goes through an identity crisis every so often but thankfully Thao Nguyen's latest was well timed. In the past, she would play fundraiser shows to help out her community, but this past year she found herself making soup to raise money for local racial justice organizations. Instead of relying on other engineers and producers to record her songs, she built out her own home studio where she now has her "office hours" and was able to realize her long standing goal of consistent production. May all of our identity crises be so graceful. 

Thanks again for listening! We appreciate your support and would love to hang out with you on the internet.

Thanks again for listening! We appreciate your support and would love to hang out with you on the internet.

Join our community on Patreon

Come chill on Insta

Chat with us Twitter 

Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fourth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

For our first in person interview since early 2020, we invited Albert Hammond Jr. over only to find out that we grew up a few blocks away from each other and shared a taste for the same Japanese foods as kids. He told us all about how his favorite flavors from childhood inspired his new wine seltzer Jetway and how surreal it was to not only launch a new project but to become a dad while we were all in isolation. It's hard to know how to divide our time between multiple endeavors and people but Albert shows that it can be done with a bit of creativity along with a wealth of dad jokes.

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Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fourth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

It's an impossible task to sum up Tori Amos in a few sentences, as our conversation covered the authenticity of artistic intention, the importance of keeping your feet on the ground to counteract the deleterious effects of fame, and the inspiration you gain when you accept your emotional landscapes. She pointed out that so many of the things we perceive as negative such as failure and anger can in fact be our wisest teachers when they are properly examined and utilized, as she has seen over the course of her brilliant career. We are so very lucky to have Tori here in all her forms as she has forged a path for countless artists to follow.

Thanks again for listening! Make sure to subscribe, leave us a nice review, and hang out with us on Insta and Twitter. You can also support us on Patreon.

This episode was first available to Patreon supporters. If you'd like to hear about more magical creators, please join us.

Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fourth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

Remaining on theme for our bonus episodes, we traveled virtually to Reykjavik to spend time with Red Riot, aka Hildur and Ragna. Though they each have their own amazing solo talents (which include songwriting, audio engineering, production work and rapping), they finally had the time to create the dance music we've all been dreaming about while we were stuck inside. We loved chatting with them about their incredible experiences in every facet of the music industry and hope you enjoy their stories too.

Thanks again for listening! Make sure to subscribe, leave us a nice review, and hang out with us on Insta and Twitter.

Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fourth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

The past year and a half has shown us all that our true vitality comes from our interwoven communities, as musician Allison Russell pointed out in many ways over the course of our chat. She had the chance to demonstrate this very point when her album Outside Child got signed to Fantasy Records and when she curated a stage at the Newport Folk Festival to highlight up and coming artists. Though her talent and presence is undeniable Russell makes sure to emphasize her supportive web of friends and colleagues uplifts her daily and that she in turn uses this to lift others up around her too. 

Thanks again for listening! Make sure to subscribe, leave us a nice review, and hang out with us on Insta and Twitter. You can also support us on Patreon.

Why Not Both is an exploration of how our multiple passions shape our identity, hosted by musician and therapist Pam Shaffer and produced by writer and photographer Laura Studarus.  For our fourth season, we partnered up with Under The Radar to explore the lives of musicians, writers, actors, and creatives.

In a culture that fetishizes both youth and productivity, it was so refreshing to hear Macy Rodman exclaim, "I have always been so excited about getting older!" as she told us all about her new approach to her creative work. The surreal circumstances of the past year gave Rodman a chance to hit the hard restart button and delve into song writing and stage production in ways that she found she loved, from spending hours hand knotting a wig to writing at lightning speed just for kicks only to edit later. We love her attitude of infinite adaptability as we all are inevitably tumbling through this life the best we can.

Thanks again for listening! Make sure to subscribe, leave us a nice review, and hang out with us on Insta and Twitter. You can also support us on Patreon.