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Seal is a multi-Grammy-winning singer and songwriter from England. His song “Kiss from a Rose” was first released in 1994, on his second album. It was a huge hit, thanks in part to being featured in the movie Batman Forever. It landed on the top ten charts in multiple countries, and eventually went quadruple platinum in the US. At the 1996 Grammys, it won Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

“Kiss from a Rose” becoming a hit was not a foregone conclusion, though. Seal almost didn’t record it. And when it was first released, it didn’t make much of a splash. But for this episode, Seal and his longtime collaborator, producer Trevor Horn, told me the story of what it took to bring “Kiss from a Rose” to life.

You can buy or stream “Kiss from a Rose” here.

Illustration by Carlos Lerma.

For a transcript of this episode, click here.

footnotes:
“Killer” – song by Adamski featuring vocals from Seal
ZTT Records
Propaganda
Frankie Goes to Hollywood
“Slave to the Rhythm” – Grace Jones song
Sarm Studios
Chris Bruce – guitarist
Jamie Muhoberac – keyboardist
Amp Fiddler – keyboardist
Harvey Mason – drummer
Charley Drayton – bassist
Betsy Cook
Bob Cavallo – Seal’s manager at the time
Joel Schumacher – film director

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Kenny Beats is a hip-hop producer who’s been making beats and producing songs for other artists since 2010. He’s got a long list of collaborations, with rappers like Vince Staples, Freddie Gibbs, and Denzel Curry. In 2022, he did something he wasn’t really ever expecting to do, which was to release an album of his own. The album is called Louie, and it’s a tribute to Kenny’s father.

I talked to Kenny about the song “Still,” the first song he made specifically for this project. It features guest vocals from JPEGMafia and Omar Apollo, and a sample from gospel singer Linda Kemp. Louie includes a lot of tracks where you can hear Kenny’s dad’s voice, and even though “Still” isn’t one of them, as Kenny explains, his relationship with his dad is embedded in the song’s DNA.

You can buy or stream “Still” here.

Illustration by Carlos Lerma.

For a transcript of this episode, click here.

footnotes:
Click here to purchase Louie on LP, CD, or cassette, and to see Kenny’s dad on the cover
Click here for Kenny’s YouTube series, The Cave
IDLES
Ramona Park Broke My Heart

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MUNA is a trio from Los Angeles, made up of Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin, and Naomi McPherson. They’ve been making music together since 2013, when they met in college. Their third album, which is self-titled, came out in 2022, and Rolling Stone, Stereogum, The Guardian, and others, named it one of the best albums of the year. Consequence of Sound called MUNA the 2022 Band of the Year.

I talked to MUNA about the song “What I Want,” which they co-wrote with Leland. Leland is an artist and songwriter whose other credits include Selena Gomez, Charli XCX, and Troye Sivan. In this episode, Katie, Jo, and Naomi, along with Leland, tell the story of how the song came together, from the original demo to the final version, and you’ll find out how a band that doesn’t really party ended up writing a party banger.

You can buy or stream “What I Want” here.

Illustration by Carlos Lerma.

For a transcript of this episode, click here.

footnotes:
Britney Spears’ “Toxic”
Shalom Harlow
Linda Evangelista
Naomi Campbell