One of my favorite singers, Sara Bareilles, is our guest this episode. Sara's released five top 10 albums, written the music and lyrics for the hit Broadway show "Waitress," and starred in a Sondheim musical. She's back with her first new studio album in seven years, "Good Grief," and it's a beauty. 00:00 Intro 01:03 Juggling an album, a tour, a film and a musical 03:24 "Good Grief": an album born from loss 05:20 How "Forever" became a song for Gavin Creel 07:12 Morning pages and The Artist's Way 09:33 How writing Waitress changed her songwriting 12:42 Asking big questions without answers 14:17 "Capsize Me": a letter to God 16:41 "Wind Is The Weather" and feeling out at sea 19:05 Letting go of control in the studio 22:06 Finding herself in the music industry 26:05 Why being "somewhere in the middle" served her 27:41 A word from The FLAG Art Foundation 28:50 Jennifer Nettles and the musical that never was 31:01 Adapting "The Interestings" for the stage 33:58 Saying yes to Girls5eva 36:43 Working through anxiety 37:42 Grief is love 42:48 Putting lost friends into songs 44:13 Staying on the growth edge 46:36 Her first time on a Broadway stage 49:20 The chimney video that went viral New episodes of Alchemy every Wednesday. Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and ⁠YouTube⁠ so you never miss one. ⁠Sign up here⁠ to get Alchemy in your inbox⁠. Stay connected with Anthony Mason on ⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ & ⁠Facebook⁠. For brand partnerships: [email protected] For press inquiries: [email protected] For bookings: [email protected] About our Founding Sponsor, ⁠⁠The FLAG Art Foundation⁠⁠: The FLAG Art Foundation is a nonprofit contemporary art exhibition space in New York's Chelsea Arts District. Since 2008, FLAG has staged more than 100 exhibitions celebrating nearly 1,000 artists, with innovative partnerships including the Parrish Art Museum, the Serpentine Galleries in London, and the Harlem Children's Zone. FLAG is free and open to the public. Follow FLAG on ⁠Instagram⁠⁠. About Anthony Mason: Anthony Mason, the host of Alchemy, is also a Special Correspondent with CBS News. One of the most versatile and experienced television journalists, Anthony co-hosted CBS This Morning: Saturday for seven years (2012-2019), and then the weekday CBS This Morning broadcast for two more. But he may be best known for his interviews with artists like Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, Dolly Parton, Annie Leibovitz, Judi Dench, David Hockney, and André 3000. He has won a dozen Emmy Awards. In 2023, the Songwriters Hall of Fame presented him their Patron of the Arts Award. And for the past three years he has hosted the GRAMMY Hall of Fame Gala.

Brittany Howard has been ranked one of the greatest guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone. Then there's that voice, which the New Yorker called "a mixture of Robert Plant and Marvin Gaye." Brittany's debut album with her band Alabama Shakes was a million-seller. Their follow-up went to No. 1. Now, after Brittany's two great solo albums, the Shakes are back with a record called "I Must Be Dreaming," out August 28. 00:00 — Welcome to Alchemy 01:25 — Reuniting with Alabama Shakes 04:31 — Musical Roots and a Metal Side Project 07:16 — Finding Her Voice 08:32 — Believing in a Music Career 10:04 — Seeing a Woman Play Guitar For the First Time 10:50 — What Made Her Unstoppable 12:23 — Losing Her Sister Jaime 14:36 — Honoring Jaime Through Music 18:07 — Finding the Band and Blowing Up 21:44 — Working Odd Jobs 22:08 — Writing "Hold On" on the Sanitation Job 24:50 — Chasing Inspiration Wherever It Strikes 27:36 — Rest, Risk, and Creative Renewal 30:14 — Getting Lost in the Music 32:56 — Duality, Identity, and Home 38:13 — A Night at Paisley Park with Prince 40:34 — Bill Withers and Treasured Moments 41:45 — Music as a Source of Answers 44:39 — Writing "Tea Time" and Chasing a Great Lyric New episodes of Alchemy every Wednesday. Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and ⁠YouTube⁠ so you never miss one. ⁠Sign up here⁠ to get Alchemy in your inbox⁠. Stay connected with Anthony Mason on ⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ & ⁠Facebook⁠. For brand partnerships: [email protected] For press inquiries: [email protected] For bookings: [email protected] About our Founding Sponsor, ⁠⁠The FLAG Art Foundation⁠⁠: The FLAG Art Foundation is a nonprofit contemporary art exhibition space in New York's Chelsea Arts District. Since 2008, FLAG has staged more than 100 exhibitions celebrating nearly 1,000 artists, with innovative partnerships including the Parrish Art Museum, the Serpentine Galleries in London, and the Harlem Children's Zone. FLAG is free and open to the public. Follow FLAG on ⁠Instagram⁠⁠. About Anthony Mason: Anthony Mason, the host of Alchemy, is also a Special Correspondent with CBS News. One of the most versatile and experienced television journalists, Anthony co-hosted CBS This Morning: Saturday for seven years (2012-2019), and then the weekday CBS This Morning broadcast for two more. But he may be best known for his interviews with artists like Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, Dolly Parton, Annie Leibovitz, Judi Dench, David Hockney, and André 3000. He has won a dozen Emmy Awards. In 2023, the Songwriters Hall of Fame presented him their Patron of the Arts Award. And for the past three years he has hosted the GRAMMY Hall of Fame Gala.

Welcome to the debut episode of Alchemy! For our very first guest, I invited one of my favorite singer-songwriters, Andrew Hozier-Byrne. Between his breakout hit “Take Me to Church” and his more recent smash “Too Sweet,” he’s put out three exceptional albums. Hozier talks with us about falling in love with Simon & Garfunkel as a kid in Ireland, the mystery that always brings him back to music, and taking the stage at Madison Square Garden for the first time – with his dad. 00:00 Introduction & Welcome to Alchemy 01:24 "Too Sweet" Going Viral & the TikTok Leak 04:07 Watching a Song Take On a Life of Its Own 06:09 First Time at Madison Square Garden & His Father's Return to the Stage 10:17 Growing Up in a Creative Household 13:25 Early Singing Experiences & the Band at 15 16:22 Nina Simone, Thin Lizzy & the Records That Shaped Him 18:09 The Mystery of Music & What Pulls Him Back 19:46 Watching Paul Simon Soundcheck at Love Rocks! 25:01 [Sponsor Break] the FLAG Art Foundation 26:33 The Thrill of a Song Coming Together 29:12 Making the TIME 100 & Speaking Out on Matters of Conscience 32:44 Noah Kahan & What Music Gives Him 36:44 Getting Out of Your Own Way When Creating 38:31 New Music: Three Years of Phone Memos 41:09 What's Most Thrilling About the Creative Process 44:48 Hozier the Beekeeper 48:54 Closing Remarks & Credits New episodes of Alchemy every Wednesday. Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube so you never miss one. Sign up here to get Alchemy in your inbox⁠. Stay connected with Anthony Mason on Instagram⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠ & Facebook. For brand partnerships: [email protected] For press inquiries: [email protected] For bookings: [email protected] About our Founding Sponsor, ⁠The FLAG Art Foundation⁠: The FLAG Art Foundation is a nonprofit contemporary art exhibition space in New York's Chelsea Arts District. Since 2008, FLAG has staged more than 100 exhibitions celebrating nearly 1,000 artists, with innovative partnerships including the Parrish Art Museum, the Serpentine Galleries in London, and the Harlem Children's Zone. FLAG is free and open to the public. Follow FLAG on Instagram⁠. About Anthony Mason: Anthony Mason, the host of Alchemy, is also a Special Correspondent with CBS News. One of the most versatile and experienced television journalists, Anthony co-hosted CBS This Morning: Saturday for seven years (2012-2019), and then the weekday CBS This Morning broadcast for two more. But he may be best known for his interviews with artists like Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, Dolly Parton, Annie Leibovitz, Judi Dench, David Hockney, and André 3000. He has won a dozen Emmy Awards. In 2023, the Songwriters Hall of Fame presented him their Patron of the Arts Award. And for the past three years he has hosted the GRAMMY Hall of Fame Gala.

A first look at Alchemy, where award-winning journalist Anthony Mason sits down with the artists who shape our culture. First full episode Wednesday, September 23. New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe now.