We often treat our creative identities like lanes, fearing that branching out looks like simple dilettantism. This week on The Other 22 Hours, we explore the delicate balance of identity and creative output with singer-songwriter Hrishikesh Hirway, the brilliant mind behind hit podcasts The West Wing Weekly and Home Cooking, as well as the globally acclaimed Netflix series and podcast Song Exploder, which features the likes of Paul McCartney, Billie Eilish, R.E.M., and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

LISTEN: APPLE • SPOTIFY • AMAZON • MP3

Despite a decade of monumental success in the podcast and broadcast worlds, Hrishikesh found himself battling a quiet, profound depression born from leaving his primary identity as a singer-songwriter behind. He recently returned to music with his first album in 15 years and joins us for a beautifully tender conversation on breaking through a 10-year writer’s block, navigating the vulnerability of cold-calling collaborators, and learning to sit comfortably within a “queer divine dissatisfaction.”

In This Episode:

– Song Exploder (Podcast / Netflix Series)
– Alison Russell
– Linda Ronstadt
– Talking Heads
– The Band
– The Grateful Dead
– Bob Dylan
– Phil Weinrobe
– Ep 117 – Maia Friedman
– Jeff Tweedy – How to Write One Song (Book)
– Carl Jung / Depth Psychology
– The West Wing Weekly (Podcast)
– Home Cooking (Podcast)
– Samin Nosrat
– Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat (Book)
– Josh Malina
– Allison Janney
– Jenny Owen Youngs
– Yep Roc Records
– John Mark Nelson
– Matt Ross Spang (Memphis TED Talk)
– Agnes de Mille
– Martha Graham

Go Deeper: 

Watch: View this entire conversation above or on YouTube.
Explore: Find similar conversations in these themed playlists.
Connect: Join the conversation on Instagram.

The Other 22 Hours is hosted by Aaron Shafer-Haiss (producer, mixer, musician) and Michaela Anne (songwriter, artist, creative coach). More about Aaron’s work. More about Michaela Anne’s work.

Produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Original music written, performed and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss.

Photo Credit: Elisha Christian