Fuegostine's Music Club

Olivia Rodrigo's third album is her most cohesive yet — and it has more in common with folk music than you'd expect.

Olivia Rodrigo dropped her third studio album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, and something genuinely interesting happened — she finally sounds like herself.

On this episode of The Ether, we put the album in context. No scores. Just where it sits in her arc as an artist, what musical conversatio...

In this episode, Matt sits down with Elizabeth of Elizabeth & the Catapult to talk about her sixth studio album, "Responsible Friend." Elizabeth shares the story behind the band's name, the emotional weight she carried while writing the record (including loss, illness, and the heaviness of the news cycle), and how a grant called the DAG Prize allowed her to fully produce the album with a band of longtime collaborators rather th...

This week we sit down with Arroba Nat, a Mexican indie singer-songwriter from Zacatecas, just days after the release of their third studio album, Mirar Adentro. It's their most vulnerable work yet — an album born out of therapy, self-examination, and the hard work of learning to believe they deserve love and care.

In this conversation, Arroba Nat shares the eclectic musical household they grew up in — Bolero lege...

This week I sit down with Hana Eid, Nashville-based indie rock artist and songwriter behind the acclaimed debut album Trains Running Backwards. At just 23, Hana has already carved out a distinctive voice in the indie alternative space — blending confessional songwriting with a full-band, shoegaze-influenced sound.

In this episode, Hana talks about growing up listening to everything from Fish and Rush to Ed Sheeran, how...

Austin-based Latin psychedelic cumbia band The Animeros join the show to share one of the wildest origin stories in recent music. Nick Tozzo and Mauro Maldonado break down how their band formed out of Austin's vibrant Latin music scene, blending psychedelic rock with traditional cumbia rooted in Colombian folklore. We dig into how they grew up along the Texas-Mexico border, discovered Latin music later in life, and developed a soun...

I'm joined by the band Pretty Jane at Waterloo Records in Austin, TX as a part of SXSW. We dive into to the backstory behind their EP "Public Intimacy", their new sound, and the effects of AI on the music scene. Special thanks to Waterloo Records for letting us use their space and to SXSW for giving us the ability to have these conversations in Austin!

SXSW
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sxsw/
TikTok: https://www...

Katelyn Tarver joins the podcast to discuss her latest album Tell Me How You Really Feel, a deeply personal project centered around love, loss, and self-discovery. She opens up about writing through divorce, embracing vulnerability in songwriting, and the emotional weight of releasing such an honest record. Katelyn also shares stories from touring with Big Time Rush, her evolving sound, and what’s next in both music and actin...

In this episode of Songs That Built Me, Matt Firestine sits down with Jason Singer—better known as Michigander—to break down three songs that shaped his life and sound.

From learning his first guitar riff with The White Stripes, to discovering Coldplay in a video rental store, to finding artistic identity through The National, Jason walks through the moments that defined his musical journey.

This conversation dives into n...

In this episode, Matt sits down with singer-songwriter Riley Pearce to talk about his journey as an independent artist, his latest album, and the realities of building a music career today.

Riley shares insights into touring across Australia and Europe, explaining how geography and audience culture shape the live music experience. He also dives deep into his songwriting process, from early acoustic influences to writing emotionally ...

Jack and Harry of Seafret join the podcast to talk about their new album Fear of Emotion, the evolution of their sound, and navigating today’s music industry.

From their viral hit “Atlantis” taking off years later to the realities of modern music promotion, Seafret opens up about balancing authenticity with content creation, writing from real-life experiences, and how the industry has changed over the past decade.

T...

Jayson of Coyote Theory joins the podcast to break down the band’s unexpected viral resurgence with “This Side of Paradise” and their return after a 10+ year hiatus.

We dive into how a dormant song exploded on TikTok, the reality of navigating label attention as a DIY band, and the pressure that followed. Jayson also shares how the group organically reunited before the viral moment, how their songwriting process ha...

In this episode, Matt sits down with New Constellations (Harlee Case and Josh) to discuss their breakout track “Hot Blooded,” their debut album It Comes in Waves, and their evolution as an indie pop duo.

The band shares how their first-ever release turned into a long-term viral success, generating hundreds of millions of user-created videos, and why it never felt like an overnight moment.

They also dive into their collabo...

What songs actually shape an artist? The Songs That Built Me is inspired by some lyrics of a Miranda Lambert song called "The House That Built Me". Songs throughout our lives stick with us for various reasons and these are the stories associated with those. 

In the debut episode of Songs That Built Me, Nico of Proxima Parada joins host Matt Firestine to reflect on the songs that shaped his life, sound, and musical journey.

From ...

Wrabel joins Fuegostine’s Music Club to talk about his latest album, the deeply personal journey behind it, and how his approach to songwriting has evolved over the years.

From writing more independently and co-producing his own work to exploring existential themes like impermanence and love, Wrabel shares what makes this project his favorite to date.

He also reflects on the impact of his song “The Village,” why it ...

Athens, Georgia indie pop band Hotel Fiction stop by to discuss the deluxe edition of Staring at the Sun, the evolution from Soft Focus to now, and what it means to grow up through music.

We talk about writing songs that won’t leave the vault, revisiting old versions of yourself through records, seasonal depression and songwriting, and how AI is reshaping the music industry. The band also shares their thoughts on social media ...

Sam Gellerstein of Philadelphia band Snacktime joins the podcast to talk about the band’s journey from busking in Philly parks during COVID to touring nationally with Portugal. The Man and Electric Guest.

In this episode, Sam shares:

• How Snacktime started as a food-and-music community event
• Building a loyal Philadelphia fanbase from street performances
• Evolving from a brass band into a genre-blending funk, rock, and pop power...

In this episode of Fuegostine’s Music Club, Matt Firestine sits down with all members of Krooked Kings to discuss the band’s upcoming album In Another Life and the creative evolution that shaped it.

The band shares how working with a new producer helped them move from a bedroom-style recording approach toward a fuller, live-band sound, and how increased collaboration changed their songwriting process. The conversation ex...

In this episode of Fuegostine’s Music Club, Matt Firestine sits down with Sam Bentley of The Paper Kites to discuss the band’s latest album and the themes of home, belonging, and creative balance that shaped its creation.

Sam shares stories about growing up around gospel music before discovering punk, how indie folk has evolved over the last decade, and why songwriting is often more work than therapy. The conversation ex...

Scarlett McKahey of Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers joins the podcast to talk about the band’s journey from forming at 14 years old to releasing their confident, anthemic second album Glory.

Scarlett shares how the band finally felt in control of their creative vision, the accidental themes of confidence and self-belief that shaped the record, and the story behind standout tracks like “Turn Around.” We also talk ab...