Episode 38

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Published on:

6th Dec 2024

A Chat with Maya De Vitry: Americana Star is Solo But Not Alone

Maya de Vitri: Embracing Creative Freedom

In this episode of Curious Goldfish, host Jason English interviews Maya de Vitri, formerly of The Stray Birds, about her deeply collaborative solo career. Maya shares insights into her creative journey, the evolution of her music, and the challenges she's faced transitioning from a band member to a solo artist. She also discusses balancing a career in music with practical life demands, her experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, and her current projects. The episode concludes with Maya performing two heartfelt songs, "Ribbon" and "Working Man."

00:00 The Collaborative Solo Journey

01:11 Introduction to Curious Goldfish Podcast

01:43 Maya de Vitri's Musical Evolution

02:01 Balancing Creative Career and Practical Life

02:06 Insights into Songwriting and Performances

02:39 Interview Begins: Meeting Maya in Nashville

02:55 A Week in Maya's Life

04:13 The Starbucks Experience

05:21 The Reality of Being a Musician

06:14 Producing Records and Service Jobs

07:49 Musical Family and Career Decisions

13:41 The Stray Birds and Americana Music

17:59 COVID's Impact on Creativity

20:36 Recording 'The Only Moment'

25:02 Exploring Song Interpretations

26:24 The Evolution of a Song

27:23 Touring Challenges and Strategies

31:05 Balancing Roles as an Independent Artist

37:20 Transitioning from Band to Solo Artist

44:36 Curiosity About Rest and Community

49:23 Musical Performance and Reflections

Transcript
Speaker:

Maya De Vitry: know, the solo

thing is such a misnomer, I

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think, because it's been the most

collaborative era of my creative life.

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Yeah, because at every

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turn, I can pivot and collaborate

with these people here, it's given me

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agency to say, Okay, I need to stop

the tour right here so that I can

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produce this record for this person.

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Or now I'm gonna co

write with these people.

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Or I'm gonna have this

special guest on my record.

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I'm gonna take these people

on the, on the road with me.

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I wanna do this one solo.

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it's it's all fluid.

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It's so With the band, the Straybirds,

where it was three people every time.

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The same three people getting on stage

and it was like a, more specific sound.

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And I think for me, it was scary to, lean

into something that was not specific,

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Jason English (Host): Welcome to

curious goldfish, a podcast community

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where music and curiosity come together

through interesting conversations

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with the music makers of our world.

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I'm your host, Jason English.

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You can find curious goldfish and all the

major podcast and social media platforms.

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And of course we have all of our content

on our website, curious goldfish.

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com.

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MacBook Pro Microphone: Once a key member

of the claim band, the stray birds.

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Maya de Vietri has now ventured into

a deeply collaborative solo career.

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That is truly coming to its own.

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And this episode, we dive deep into

Maya's journey, from her early days

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of music to her current solo projects.

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And the beautiful chaos of

balancing a creative career

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with life's practical demands.

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MacBook Pro Microphone-1: She shares

insights into her songwriting process, her

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performances, and the unique challenges.

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She's overcome along the way.

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Few artists are as talented as Maya.

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And I'm honored that she not only sat down

with me in Nashville in late summer of

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2024, but she also performed two songs.

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One is called "ribbon," from her

latest album, and the other is my

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personal favorite, called "working man.

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An ode to life and Appalachia

and an indictment on the 1%.

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From Nashville, Tennessee.

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Here's my Let's dive in.

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Jason English (Host): Maya,

it's a pleasure to meet

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you.

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meet you.

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Thanks for coming in.

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We're here in Nashville.

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And I'm at a songwriters retreat.

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And, uh, you're, you live here.

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And I.

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Big fan.

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And I'm like, Hey, do you

have time for an interview?

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And you were kind enough to do this.

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So I really appreciate

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it.

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Maya De Vitry: Sure,

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Jason English (Host): Well,

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tell me something good about your week.

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Maya De Vitry: let's

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see.

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We just got a new hot water heater.

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Jason English (Host): That's big.

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Maya De Vitry: Yeah,

it was, it is very big.

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And, uh, my boyfriend and

I put it in ourselves.

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Jason English (Host): Okay,

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Maya De Vitry: So it was kind of fun

cause we had to figure out how to like

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get, I mean, it's like really big.

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I had to figure out how to

like get it up to the 16 inches

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or whatever off the ground.

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And, like, he was like,

people built the pyramids, we

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can figure this out.

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We were like,

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you know, putting one piece of wood

underneath it, and then tilting it

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this way, and then another piece of

wood this way, and tilting it this way.

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It was actually really fun.

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Jason English (Host): All right.

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Is that, that's Ethan.

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That's All right.

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All right.

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Cool.

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All right.

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So he's, is he pretty handy

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Maya De Vitry: He's extremely handy.

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He did most, he did most of

the, um, the actual handy stuff.

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I just did the kind of

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like, you know,

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motivation, and a little bit

of like, Problem solving when

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he was starting to get tired

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Jason English (Host): right.

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All right.

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Well, that's big.

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Yeah.

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Hot water heaters aren't, aren't,

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uh, aren't easy.

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So,

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Maya De Vitry: um, like freshly

aware of like a hot shower and like

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how nice that is So I would just say

it's like a really good of my week

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Jason English (Host): Okay, perfect.

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Uh, that's, that sounds,

that sounds great.

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Um, so obviously we have

a lot to talk about.

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I just have a one sort of

like icebreaker question.

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If you don't,

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if you

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don't mind, what's the most annoying drink

that you've ever had to make at Starbucks?

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Maya De Vitry: Um, I really never

liked making the shaken espressos

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Jason English (Host): Okay.

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why is that?

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Maya De Vitry: I don't know it's

just like a lot of steps To, I think,

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I'm like, I think people just want

this because it has a long name, it

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sounds nice, but it's kind of like,

like, most things are like the same

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ingredients just in a different order,

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and

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Okay.

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and I think, like, when I would get

like, you know, like You know, in a,

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in a dark place about it, every once in

a while there, I'd be like, gosh, like

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they're just having the same thing.

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It's just taking me like 10

minutes longer to make it or not 10

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minutes, but you

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Jason English (Host): Yeah.

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yeah

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Maya De Vitry: um, but I really, my

favorite thing to make was the ones where

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you put the little like sprinkly thing

on top, like a little bit of cinnamon

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Jason English (Host): can

decorate it a little bit.

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Maya De Vitry: but then

you just put the lid on it.

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And you hand it out anyway and nobody sees

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Jason English (Host): Perfect.

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Okay.

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Um, well, thanks.

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Thanks for that.

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I guess, you know, a common misconception.

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So I'm not a musician at all.

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I don't, I don't play, I don't sing.

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Um, I'm just a fan and you know, a lot

of us are like, oh, you know, Maya,

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toured the world, you know, done all

these things and you've got a job.

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Sometimes it's, you

know, Starbucks, right?

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So like, is that,

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is that

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always been the case with, do you

think that'll always be the case

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or, you know, I, I'm just curious.

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You got to pay the bills, you know

Um, yeah, What does that look like

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Maya De Vitry: I'm not

there anymore, but I was.

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I worked at two different

Starbucks in Nashville.

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And, uh, it's very much the

case for so many musicians here.

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Like, you know, working um, at

cafes and bars and restaurants

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for years and years and years.

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And, uh, I think it's always kind

of been the case for artists.

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It's To do other things to

figure it out right now.

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I have

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it kind

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of feels like a new Job still

I'm producing records for people.

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So it's like I'm actually getting

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paid

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Jason English (Host): that's

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Maya De Vitry: instead of paying To do

things so I've been doing that and that's

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been going on for the last, like, year

and a half, two years now, and they just

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kind of keep, the projects keep coming in.

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So every time I have a gap of time

from touring, where I would be like,

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okay, where's the dog sitting and

babysitting and barista jobs, or,

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or what, what am I going to do now?

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I have those projects on my plate.

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And so that's become, It's

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it's also a service job.

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You know, like I'm serving an artist

and helping them make their thing.

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And so, um, in a lot of ways, it's.

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not that different.

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But what I do like about actually

a miss I miss working at Starbucks

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sometimes because of the monotony of

like, you can be like doing something

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like putting, you know, egg bites in

the oven and taking them out and just

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doing that for like two hours and you

can actually like think about a lot of

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stuff.

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And but when I'm listening to like an

artist song and trying to figure out like

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what kind of bass tone

I want to add to it.

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It's like a very different,

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like, I can't really be like thinking

about something else at the same time.

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So it's, it's just way more of a focused

kind of job and now that I'm doing now.

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And as far as when I'm

not doing my own music.

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So in some ways I really, I really

like those jobs where you're just

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doing something physical and monotonous

because you can kind of like meditate

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Jason English (Host): So growing

up, obviously a very musical

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family, was it always assumed?

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Either by yourself or your, or your

parents or your siblings that you'd

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be

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doing music as a career.

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Did you ever have a point where

you had to kind of like make that

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decision or was it just sort of

like, it was always going to be

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Maya De Vitry: think it was like

very much the opposite, like

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I, um, I don't know if it's,

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pretty recently I feel like

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I've

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it's kind of become accepted

that I'm doing this as a career.

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Not by my parents really, my

parents were never really, they

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didn't seem that worried about it.

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Like, I feel like I kind of,

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escaped

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into and escaped into stumbling into

doing music as a career because they

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were still kind of distracted With my

younger siblings they were like going

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to my brother's basketball games in

high school and stuff and like not too

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worried that I had just quit college

and like Was just traveling around in a

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band and they didn't seem too concerned

about it also, my dad didn't go to

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college until he was Like he went to

architecture school and he was like 25

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or 26 And so he kind of always had this

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Value

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that like, it's cool.

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Like you go to school when you

know what you want to learn.

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Like you don't have to go when

you're 18 and You know, not

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know what you want to study.

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Like he, when he went to college,

he knew that he wanted to be an

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architect and he chose to go.

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So I always kind of thought,

well, maybe I'll go back

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at some

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point and be like, now I'm

going to be a physical therapist

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or

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Jason English (Host): I thought it was HR.

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actually.

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Maya De Vitry: that's the other one.

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Those are the two.

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Those are the two.

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Jason English (Host): funny.

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But you

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didn't, you just get a

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Maya De Vitry: really into like

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benefits and taking care

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Jason English (Host): of

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Maya De Vitry: employees.

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Jason English (Host): I guess.

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Didn't you just get a degree

in Spanish or something

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Maya De Vitry: I am two classes

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Jason English (Host):

You're two classes away.

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Okay.

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So you're

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close.

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Maya De Vitry: almost

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a college graduate.

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I'm 34.

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Jason English (Host): It's all

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good.

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Yeah, It's all good.

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Um, well, so back to the HR and

the physical therapy thing, this

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is just me, you know, as a fan,

um, the world needs your art.

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Right.

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And so like, you know, for me,

I'm in, I'm in corporate world.

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No, no disrespect to the people that

I know that work in human resources.

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There, you

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have a higher value to the world

than, you know, working out insurance

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claims and, you know, performance

management systems, you know?

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Maya De Vitry: I think it's,

it's probably like the thing, the

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question with like, did I grow up

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With

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the expectation that I was

going to be a musician or like,

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like it was, I don't know that.

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I don't

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know.

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I didn't know anybody that did this

when I was a kid or a teenager.

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Like I didn't see this as of a path.

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I didn't, I wasn't like writing

songs for long enough to even know

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that that was a thing that you could

like, it was all kind of discovered.

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As I was starting to become an adult

and, um, like my sister, my youngest

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sister, she plays for Noah Kahan

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Jason English (Host): Yeah.

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yeah, That's awesome.

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Maya De Vitry: just got this job playing

in his band within the last year.

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And I feel like, I finally feel

like this wave of relief that

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like, some of the people who maybe

have always kind of questioned our

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family, like, but what, like, really,

like, what are your kids doing?

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Like, to my parents, I kind of feel

this wave of relief from my parents

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that, like, because no one, you

know, I know you appreciate my music

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and there's plenty of, you know,

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Jason English (Host): pockets,

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Maya De Vitry: pockets of people who

appreciate it, but it's not, it's not

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something that's ever going to look good.

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Like, mainstream, like, oh, I get,

I understand what they're doing,

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but because I think, you know, my

sister now is playing in Madison

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Square Garden sometimes, you know, or

like Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

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So I feel like my parents kind of,

I don't know if they feel this, I

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haven't asked them about it, you know,

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specifically,

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but I think there are like, like

some of those questions kind of.

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I've felt, for me, have

like kind of fallen away.

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Like people are like, okay, maybe,

maybe they are figuring out how

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to make a living in music somehow.

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Um, and it's, it's just interesting

because it's this perception.

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Like where I'm from, it's just not, that's

just not like, you know, you go into

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healthcare or you go into

like teaching, you know,

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Jason English (Host): sure.

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Maya De Vitry: it's, it's just not, um,

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Jason English (Host): The music

industry in Lancaster isn't a,

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Maya De Vitry: It's, it's, it's, um,

it's, uh, there's some more venues now,

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like a lot more stuff going on now than

when I was growing up there, but it music

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was always something I did for, um, like

for enrichment, like for my own joy.

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And, and I loved the challenge

of like, I was playing

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classical violin in high school

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and.

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I loved being a part of an ensemble

and like, just that you could get

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on a stage with a hundred other

people and make this performance.

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Like I was like, it's like

we're in Jurassic Park.

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We're making the sound of Jurassic Park.

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You know, you get to like play

the soundtrack or something.

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And it was just an

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unbelievable feeling.

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But I wasn't thinking about like,

how do I translate this to a career?

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Cause I didn't really want

to do classical music.

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I didn't really want to

play in an orchestra.

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So it's taken me some time to

figure out, you know, how to,

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I don't

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know what to do with my, with,

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Jason English (Host):

Well, you you make songs.

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that's what

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Maya De Vitry: Yeah,

That's what I do now, but,

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Jason English (Host): it's important.

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It's

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Maya De Vitry: but it's still

taken me like 10 years to catch up

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and accept that that's what I do.

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Jason English (Host):

sister with with Noah,

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uh, and with Noah,

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Maya De Vitry: Yeah.

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Jason English (Host):

you know, the big venues.

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I mean, you've had the opportunity

to play World Cafe, right?

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Mountain Stage a few times.

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Totally.

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I mean, those are,

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those aren't

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just small little things, you know?

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So yeah, what was that like and

like, did you, did you understand

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the significance of that?

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Uh, at the time, were you nervous?

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Maya De Vitry: I think that there's, you

know, when I was, um, When I was in the

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Stray Birds, which was the first band I

was in, we toured for like seven years and

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there were some moments of, of reaching

these bigger stages that, that were just

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even

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like very surreal.

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Like, wow, there's like a couple

of thousand people out there or

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something, you know, or even playing for

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a hundred people, but not in

your hometown was like, Oh my,

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like,

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where did these people come from?

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And I remember we played, um, in

Denmark at the Tundra Festival.

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And it's an incredible festival.

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And

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they,

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I just like that, that there were

some really surreal, beautiful moments

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of just feeling like out of body.

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Like, how did I get here?

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Cambridge Folk Festival in England.

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It was, it was totally surreal.

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And like people knowing the songs and.

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It was amazing.

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And then, I got to see Sturgill Simpson

at the festival in Denmark, and then

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like, two years later, I got to serve

him in the drive thru at Starbucks.

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And I was like, you're

Sturgill, aren't you?

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Ah, I like your music.

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Here's your, here's your

green tea latte, or whatever.

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He didn't order

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Jason English (Host): He

didn't order the, one,

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Maya De Vitry: he?

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didn't.

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He didn't get a shakened Okay.

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Alright.

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Jason English (Host): you

mentioned the stray birds.

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I'm I'm not going to ask a lot about

that other than the fact that a comment,

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you know, when you think about Americana

music that they will that band will

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have a an important place in the history

of Americana like you understand that,

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right?

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Maya De Vitry: I mean.

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when I'm, it's, I think it's hard to have

perspective when you're in it, you know,

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and like, for me, I didn't even know what

We didn't know what the word Americana

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was when we started that band in 2010 or

:

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but I do know that, um, there's like a,

I'm already meeting like a generation of

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folks younger than me and they're like,

Oh yeah, we play Dreamin Blue at our jams.

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that's really cool.

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So

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Jason English (Host):

what's, what's been more,

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uh, fulfilling.

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You

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mentioned the, sort of the desire

to play in an ensemble and the joy

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that you that, or the solo journey

that you've started a few years ago

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Maya De Vitry: know, the solo

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thing is such a misnomer, I

think, because it's been the most

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collaborative era of my creative life.

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Jason English (Host): That's awesome.

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Maya De Vitry: Yeah, because

at every, like, at every

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turn, I can pivot and collaborate

with these people here, or I can

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Um, it's, it's given me agency to

say, Okay, I need to stop the tour

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right here so that I can produce

this record for this person.

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Or now I'm gonna co

write with these people.

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Or I'm gonna have this

special guest on my record.

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I'm gonna take these people

on the, on the road with me.

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I wanna do this one solo.

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I'm just gonna go out by myself.

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Now I'm gonna play with

these instrumentalists.

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it's it's all fluid.

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It's so With the band, the Straybirds,

where it was three people every time.

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The same three people getting on stage and

it was like a, um, a more specific sound.

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And I think for me, it was scary to,

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like lean into something that was

not specific, like sound wise.

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Cause it's, it's,

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I think genres are like

kind of comforting.

394

:

If, you know, to at least be like, okay.

395

:

It's within this, but as, as I've kind

of leaned more and more into like the

396

:

idea of just, I'm a singer songwriter

and that can, that can live in the

397

:

Americana world, that can live in the folk

world, that can live in the rock world.

398

:

That's whenever I'm in

Europe, I'm country music.

399

:

There's, that's,

400

:

Jason English (Host): that's

401

:

Maya De Vitry: all I am.

402

:

So it just depends.

403

:

Jason English (Host): Um,

404

:

so we'll get to the, the new album,

The Only Moment I do have a question

405

:

about Violet Light so I think that was a

pretty long process during COVID, right?

406

:

I was thinking about that as awful as

COVID was for so many different reasons.

407

:

Imagine the art that was sort of created

during that time that we probably would

408

:

have never heard or seen, you know, it's,

it's pretty wild what that unleashed

409

:

from a creative perspective, right?

410

:

Totally.

411

:

Maya De Vitry: Totally.

412

:

I mean.

413

:

I was, I was going, I had just started

taking classes going back to school and

414

:

that was that point where I wanted to be a

415

:

physical therapist.

416

:

I was so burned out from music.

417

:

So like, had COVID not happened, I would

probably be like finishing physical

418

:

therapy school right now or something.

419

:

Jason English (Host): classes away.

420

:

Maya De Vitry: Yeah, I'd be

two classes away from that.

421

:

Um, but now I feel like it gave me,

it gave me a path to, uh, Almost

422

:

like a, it's like, like a chair

that it was like, I only had one

423

:

leg or something or two legs before.

424

:

And I have like more legs to stand

on because I feel more balanced

425

:

in what I can give and receive.

426

:

And in music, like I feel so

much more confident in studios.

427

:

And when I'm like, I was

able to play my own music.

428

:

before,

429

:

but then writing with other people,

that was kind of a growing thing.

430

:

And then producing for other people

has become a thing now because of what

431

:

I learned in COVID, like being able to

slow the process down for a year and a

432

:

half and think about bass tone and drum

tone and the parts that I could imagine.

433

:

And, um,

434

:

that really just changed.

435

:

everything in like how I

436

:

could

437

:

balance my life.

438

:

So.

439

:

It's I guess it's just a human thing

where we kind of look back on things

440

:

that were really hard and they

get glazed Over anyway, and we're

441

:

like, oh, wow, it was really good.

442

:

So in this moment, I'm like,

yeah, that was a really It was

443

:

like a it was a really really

444

:

Fruitful time even though it was Have a

lot of sadness about the distance I was

445

:

from Um, from my family, just physically,

like living here and my family, um,

446

:

some family members, um, in Pennsylvania

at the time who've now passed and, um,

447

:

so there's, I have a lot of sadness

about other parts of it, but that part,

448

:

the creative part was really good.

449

:

Jason English (Host): amazing how

our brains black everything out.

450

:

Or not everything, but a lot of

the stuff as time passes, you know?

451

:

Yeah.

452

:

Yeah.

453

:

Um, alright, so the violet light and

then now the only moment, I guess,

454

:

what's What's the big distinction

in your mind in terms of the process

455

:

or the outcome of the of the music

456

:

between those two albums

457

:

Maya De Vitry: So, Violet Light

was a collection of songs that was,

458

:

it all started with me playing guitar,

or in some cases, I guess, banjo,

459

:

totally alone, solo, just me playing

and singing in our basement studio.

460

:

Ethan, my partner, um, engineering,

and he had sort of built this

461

:

studio slowly, and it got nicer

and nicer throughout the process.

462

:

And so I would kind of lay down that

463

:

bit of the first track and

then we would add things.

464

:

And so we were able to send parts to

people all around the world, really like

465

:

friends who were even like living in

different countries or from different

466

:

places and living in across the United

States and just Some people would stop

467

:

by our house and would add a harmony

vocal or something, but it was very

468

:

pieced together like that, like layer

upon layer upon layer over time.

469

:

And that's part of what allowed me to kind

of learn the process and really slow it

470

:

Jason English (Host): Yeah

471

:

of that, I

472

:

Maya De Vitry: And then

coming out of that, I felt

473

:

really excited about recording.

474

:

And I thought I can, I

want to try to produce

475

:

my

476

:

own record.

477

:

I wanted And I wanted to play

478

:

live with a

479

:

band and I wanted to go into a studio

and just kind of just play the songs

480

:

and have it go down way more quickly.

481

:

And so

482

:

like a couple days after we finished

Violet Light, we went into a studio

483

:

and started making The Only Moment.

484

:

So we started The Only Moment in 2021.

485

:

Jason English (Host): a

Sunday at the studio that

486

:

my friend Alex Wilder

487

:

Maya De Vitry: we started

it in June of:

488

:

Two days, um, a Saturday and a

Sunday at this studio that my friend

489

:

Alex Wilder works at, and he has

access to it on the weekends, so.

490

:

Booked the weekend and went in there,

and then we did one more day in, I

491

:

think in July or August of that summer.

492

:

And,

493

:

and then it kind of simmered, and so most

of what you hear on, on The Only Moment

494

:

was

495

:

played live by a band.

496

:

In the summer of 2021, and then there's

these subtle layers of like, I played

497

:

a lot of synth on it, just these

like layers that kind of, I think,

498

:

to my ear just were little, little

layers and things to sweeten up things

499

:

pull things together, um, sonically,

and then I added a string part.

500

:

We added my friend Phoebe Hunt as a

harmony vocalist, so that happened later.

501

:

She wasn't there in the original tracking

502

:

sessions, but she'd come in over

time and be like, Okay, now let's

503

:

have you sing harmonies on this song.

504

:

Okay, moving on.

505

:

Now let's have you sing

harmonies on this song.

506

:

And we did that.

507

:

That took two years of just kind of coming

in a day here, a day there, finding time

508

:

when, when, you know, when we were both in

509

:

town.

510

:

And

511

:

so it was, It was kind of a combination

of, you know, all playing in one

512

:

room together, and then a few

layers here and there of overdubs.

513

:

But it was patient in the same

way, that Violet Light was very

514

:

patient.

515

:

And The Only Moment was very

516

:

patient

517

:

Um, and then in the midst of The Only

Moment, I recorded the Infinite EP,

518

:

which was like, we did it in one day.

519

:

The whole entire

520

:

thing.

521

:

Like, it was a marathon session.

522

:

We were there until late,

late, late in the night.

523

:

But that was it.

524

:

It was like, okay.

525

:

And now we're gonna release it.

526

:

And so that happened.

527

:

I think I was, I was like,

feeling myself so far to one side

528

:

of kind of simmering projects.

529

:

And I was just like, okay.

530

:

Let me just kick something out the door.

531

:

And so, none of it makes sense.

532

:

When you see the releases all

lined up, chronologically,

533

:

it's

534

:

like, the idea of

535

:

chronologically is very

loose, you know, because

536

:

Jason English (Host): linear.

537

:

Yeah.

538

:

Maya De Vitry: it's not linear.

539

:

yeah.

540

:

Jason English (Host): okay

541

:

good.

542

:

Uh,

543

:

so can I ask you about a song on the new

544

:

album?

545

:

Sure

546

:

lot of great songs.

547

:

The one that, uh, I don't know if track

order ever matters, you know, uh, when you

548

:

put that together, but Ribbon is the last

549

:

one on the album

550

:

That to me, that's the one

that I, I, I keep playing.

551

:

And I don't

552

:

know.

553

:

Not that I need to know what,

what the context is, but I'm

554

:

going to ask you, uh, but

555

:

like every time I listen to it,

I feel like there's a different

556

:

meaning that you could apply.

557

:

I guess.

558

:

Could you explain the background of that?

559

:

And

560

:

in your mind,

561

:

what, you know, what was the context?

562

:

Maya De Vitry: 2018

563

:

I don't

564

:

know.

565

:

I, I myself have been through so

many new, new interpretations of it.

566

:

Like, I don't know.

567

:

Some songs I have a very, very clear

memory and I know I was thinking

568

:

about this situation or this person.

569

:

Um,

570

:

I don't know.

571

:

And I don't think it

matters to me anymore.

572

:

You

573

:

know, like, but it's so

574

:

It's it is crazy.

575

:

Like, they're, I truly.

576

:

I truly feel that

577

:

Every song

578

:

I've written I could never write it again.

579

:

Jason English (Host): Okay.

580

:

Maya De Vitry: Like I'm, because it's like

it was only like the collision of the way

581

:

I was feeling and what I was observing

at that moment in time and then it comes

582

:

out and

583

:

um,

584

:

Jason English (Host): well, some,

585

:

Maya De Vitry: I don't know.

586

:

Jason English (Host): yeah,

587

:

no, that's, that's fine.

588

:

I mean, that's, it's

just, it's, it's haunting.

589

:

It's sweet.

590

:

It's melancholy.

591

:

It's hopeful.

592

:

I don't know.

593

:

Yeah.

594

:

Maya De Vitry: I do think that

one has, um, the, the groove, like

595

:

the, the way the drums feel on it.

596

:

That's all Don Billett.

597

:

That was his kind of design and

like his suggestion in the studio.

598

:

I definitely remember that.

599

:

And that what, that's

what really made it feel.

600

:

I think that, I don't know that,

that I ever would have, that,

601

:

that the song itself would have

like had that feeling all those.

602

:

ways that you could feel about it

without the exact kind of gentle

603

:

rock band treatment that it has.

604

:

Because it started out, I do know

it started out much more like a kind

605

:

of, almost that you, you, if you

heard it in like a song circle or

606

:

something, you'd assume it would be

kind of more of an acoustic band maybe

607

:

playing it or something like that.

608

:

Definitely not like an electric

guitar and a Wurlitzer and

609

:

drums

610

:

Jason English (Host): kind

611

:

Maya De Vitry: bass.

612

:

So, so I do think that's kind

of been a cool transformation.

613

:

Jason English (Host): Okay.

614

:

So you're about to go on tour for, I

don't know how many dates specifically,

615

:

but it's dozens, it feels like.

616

:

What's, uh, what's a good outcome

for you for, out of that tour?

617

:

Maya De Vitry: To not want

to quit touring at the end.

618

:

Jason English (Host): Okay.

619

:

Maya De Vitry: Yeah, no, a good outcome.

620

:

Um, it actually is for me to

just feel, to set myself up

621

:

to

622

:

feel present for every show.

623

:

Jason English (Host): How

624

:

hard is that?

625

:

By the way?

626

:

Maya De Vitry: it's really hard.

627

:

Um, because there's so much out of

my control, there's so much that's

628

:

unknown, like, that could happen, that

could come up, you know, along the way.

629

:

But,

630

:

I think, I've, I've

memorized the calendar.

631

:

Like I've, I sit and I, like I

do all of the tour logistics and

632

:

the tour management and stuff.

633

:

So I, like I have a booking agent.

634

:

So

635

:

someone who's

636

:

you know, I'm talking with to put

the dates together and book contract

637

:

it with all the venues and stuff.

638

:

But I actually just like sit with the

calendar and I, I'm thinking like,

639

:

okay, like what's it going to, okay.

640

:

Now picture myself in Chicago on this day.

641

:

Do I want to be in an Airbnb?

642

:

Do I want to have a, is it, will it be

important to have a kitchen that day?

643

:

Would it be better if we were in

hotels and we kind of, the band got a

644

:

chance to feel a little more anonymous?

645

:

Do we want to not have a

common space living room?

646

:

Do, like, I, I am extremely, like,

647

:

a little bit of a freak.

648

:

Um.

649

:

And, just trying to like, in that way,

trying to kind of predict, but I have been

650

:

on tour so many times that I kind of can

feel like where things are going to, where

651

:

people are going to start to feel a little

bristly and need a little more personal

652

:

space, um, and, and where I might need to

like, sort of step away and be like, guys,

653

:

I just kind of need to be in my own zone

654

:

for a Couple

655

:

hours and take a walk by

myself or rent a little, rent

656

:

a bike and kind of ride around.

657

:

Jason English (Host): Does it help to

uh, when you put the set list together,

658

:

does it help to shake it up a little

bit to make make sure that each show is

659

:

a little, feels a little bit different

660

:

Maya De Vitry: Yeah, I started,

um, last fall I started just using

661

:

a song bank instead of a set list.

662

:

And so it's totally different every

663

:

night.

664

:

Just kind of have the 20 songs

written down that we might

665

:

play and then That's one of the things in

my goal of staying present for every show

666

:

is to be able to like read the room

and see what's happening and take

667

:

in like the energy of people and

then we can Pivot right there in

668

:

that moment and and be like, okay,

actually, let's do this thing now.

669

:

Oh now let's

670

:

Let's have just Joel and I play a song.

671

:

let's bring things like really really

672

:

Jason English (Host): a

light show or something.

673

:

Like it doesn't,

674

:

Maya De Vitry: yeah, yeah, yeah, and it's

but it's more fun for me because it's you

675

:

know It's a small scale what I'm doing.

676

:

We don't have somebody like

Coordinating like a light show or

677

:

something like it doesn't it can be You

678

:

That, that is the, the light show, kind

of, is the, playing with the space on

679

:

the stage and playing with the energy

and the volume and, okay, now we're

680

:

going to really rock out, okay, now

we're going to be really small, kind of

681

:

just those kinds of

682

:

Jason English (Host): Okay.

683

:

So your fear is, fear is into the,

uh, the solo stuff, which again, is a

684

:

misnomer, uh, as you described, which

is, which is a great way to put it

685

:

Where are you at as an artist today and

where do you, where do you want to be?

686

:

Maya De Vitry: Where I'm at today is

687

:

that

688

:

I,

689

:

I am, I get tired

690

:

of

691

:

all the hats that I wear.

692

:

Yeah.

693

:

And I, because I'm really carefully adding

people to my team and I'm so, I really,

694

:

really love to be an independent artist.

695

:

I'm really happy to not be on a label,

um, like that I'm my own label and,

696

:

but I, I do get tired of the momentum

of switching the hats sometimes.

697

:

And I get, like, the transition

periods make me nervous.

698

:

Of, like

699

:

going from, like, thinking through

the tour and being the tour manager

700

:

in my head and, you know, booking

all the logistics and the flights.

701

:

And, I mean, if you open up, like, the

app on my phone for Southwest, it's

702

:

just, like, an entire page of flights.

703

:

And it, and, and it's, like, And

then having to switch over and

704

:

like, think

705

:

about the creative stuff and

what I really want to do.

706

:

I get nervous about, like, sort

of becoming a musician again,

707

:

like going out there and being

able to sink into the music.

708

:

But when I do get to be on stage and

be playing, I'm like, This is it.

709

:

this is the thing.

710

:

Like, I'm not, I don't want to just

have a desk job in music admin,

711

:

which is most of my job right now.

712

:

You know, this summer is mostly admin.

713

:

Like that's why I was able to

get right back to you and be

714

:

like, let's do this podcast.

715

:

Cause I'm just at home right

716

:

Jason English (Host): give it right back

to you and you're like, what's next?

717

:

Totally.

718

:

very important

719

:

Maya De Vitry: Totally.

720

:

Totally.

721

:

So I think that that is really challenging

for me is that I don't have all the help

722

:

that I would like, but I don't know.

723

:

I don't, it's difficult to find the right,

um, kind of the right compatibility and

724

:

the right, like the right timing of,

um, bringing, bringing people in and,

725

:

or, or how to, Cause it's like a, it's

like I'm running like a tiny taco truck.

726

:

you know?

727

:

It's a

728

:

business.

729

:

But it's like, okay, do I need somebody?

730

:

like a separate person to like do

this whole thing as their whole job

731

:

or like as part, do I need to hire the

person who does that for their company?

732

:

And you know, does just someone to do the

tour accounting or like things like that.

733

:

So I think those things are really hard.

734

:

And

735

:

I think for a long time, musicians

have been kind of told like, like

736

:

hand

737

:

all that to other people and like,

738

:

You

739

:

don't want to,

740

:

Be burdened with those things, but

for me, I'm like, but do we say

741

:

that to everyone who like runs a

742

:

business like You want to open up a taco

shop and they're like hand everything

743

:

to a management company hand everything

to like It's just a different thing

744

:

so I love learning the ropes of all

these different things and I love

745

:

Feel like when I like I have so

much compassion and respect for my

746

:

booking agent because I have done

747

:

a worse job at her job.

748

:

Like, she's doing a great job, you know?

749

:

Jason English (Host):

you've been in her shoes.

750

:

Maya De Vitry: I've been in her

shoes, and she's so much better than

751

:

I am and so much more organized and

I have so much respect for her, and

752

:

so I really love It's very interesting

to me, to like, be able to see all

753

:

the gears turning, and see what

it takes, and know what it takes,

754

:

and appreciate what it takes.

755

:

Jason English (Host): to get

756

:

Maya De Vitry: And then, but that is

why that is the biggest challenge for

757

:

me then, to get on stage and be like,

okay, now, I get to be fully present.

758

:

I've, I've earned

759

:

being

760

:

an artist, and you know, and it's,

I think another challenge is, for

761

:

where I'm at right now, is when.

762

:

it's,

763

:

challenging to me when I get feedback from

people or like questions like, um, wow, it

764

:

looks like you have a really nice summer.

765

:

Like, you have so many weeks off.

766

:

And I think it's really challenging to

hear that because I took, I took about

767

:

four days off over the Fourth of July.

768

:

And that's, but other than that, like,

769

:

I'm like any other person and

I'm going, like I'm working

770

:

every day in some way, you know?

771

:

And it's, so I think it's challenging to,

that as if the tour is the hardest part.

772

:

But it's like the tour, when I

get to the tour, I'm like, YES!

773

:

Oh my gosh, I get to, this is really

hard, but like, I get to play music now.

774

:

I have worked so hard for

all these pieces to align.

775

:

We have been strategizing for how to

get me from here to here for months

776

:

and we figured it out and now we're

going to do this and the t shirts

777

:

have been ordered and the things have

been shipped to the right places and

778

:

Jason English (Host): places

and Importing, exporting,

779

:

Maya De Vitry: yeah, like all

these behind the scenes things.

780

:

So I think that's challenging.

781

:

Like where I'd like to be.

782

:

Is that some of that stuff is a little

more automated or smoother or I have

783

:

Like some really key people and some

really key roles helping me with some

784

:

things

785

:

Jason English (Host): that makes sense.

786

:

Um, so you mentioned being on the

stage is sort of your happy place.

787

:

I I heard an interview where you,

you were talking about, Uh, Like the

788

:

physicality of things, the mental state

emotions, and like, you know, tensing

789

:

up a little bit and learning how, maybe

how to hold the guitar differently And

790

:

which is.

791

:

Again,

792

:

you've grown up playing music, lots of

different instruments, musical family,

793

:

mountain stage, world cafe, stray

birds, like all these things, like

794

:

it's, for me as a fan, it's shocking

to hear that that would be a challenge

795

:

for you at some point, I guess.

796

:

Tell me, tell me, did, what

did it take to realize that?

797

:

And how have you kind of navigated that?

798

:

Maya De Vitry: think it was, it was

part of the transition of being in

799

:

a band to this idea of being solo.

800

:

And, um, I really struggled with,

um, like for a while I really

801

:

struggled with thinking that people

were, like I think I had inflated.

802

:

the importance, like you're saying,

like the Stray Birds are going to

803

:

be important in Americana music.

804

:

and,

805

:

and that's like its own, I

wasn't thinking in that way.

806

:

It was more like the, I had inflated

the importance or of that band

807

:

in

808

:

my own life.

809

:

And that, and I had

inflated this idea that

810

:

some of those fans were angry.

811

:

That we didn't exist

anymore or angry at me,

812

:

Jason English (Host): Oh, got it,

813

:

yeah.

814

:

Maya De Vitry: um, for, because I was

the only one who kind of continued on.

815

:

Like I had so many songs inside of me and

I just kept going and I started releasing

816

:

solo records and I kind of didn't look

back, but I did look back in the same way.

817

:

I was like, I would be playing

my new songs, but feeling like,

818

:

because like, because The Stray

Birds was such a controlled.

819

:

environment.

820

:

It was so,

821

:

Jason English (Host):

comfortable probably,

822

:

Maya De Vitry: it was, It

823

:

was, um, it was comfortable in some ways

824

:

and it was also extremely

825

:

uncomfortable in other ways.

826

:

And I think that that

827

:

really, there was this really disturbing

828

:

balance.

829

:

Jason English (Host): you

830

:

Maya De Vitry: for me and like

being on stage in that band and

831

:

being in the day to day and the

interpersonal dynamic of that band,

832

:

it was disturbing how comfortable I

was with the kind of, the specific kind

833

:

of discomfort that it required of me

834

:

in

835

:

myself and in what I was giving

and, and that I kind of couldn't

836

:

be creative outside of that.

837

:

It was like a very, um, It

was a very controlled space

838

:

and a very, like, real wall,

839

:

kind of

840

:

like, you can't play outside of

this band, like, that kind of, uh,

841

:

an atmosphere, um, an attitude.

842

:

And

843

:

so I think shaking that off, you

know, was like, I still was in that.

844

:

Like, I would get on stage and it

would just be like, You can't do this.

845

:

Like, you can't

846

:

be like, You, you, you ruined something.

847

:

You,

848

:

you've, it

849

:

doesn't matter.

850

:

Like, like, it was a new, In some

ways, I was more comfortable than ever.

851

:

It's like I'd swapped places.

852

:

Like, my

853

:

spirit, my spirit was like,

So, so comfortable in my new

854

:

songs

855

:

Where my spirit had just been like,

856

:

Jason English (Host): it.

857

:

Yeah.

858

:

Maya De Vitry: you know, in the old thing.

859

:

But now I'm on stage and I'm like,

860

:

physically

861

:

I'm leading.

862

:

I never saw myself as the front person.

863

:

I've seen reviews.

864

:

I've seen, um, like articles and

stuff that have described me as the

865

:

lead singer of the Stray Birds and I

866

:

never, ever saw myself that way.

867

:

So, um,

868

:

when I suddenly for the first

time in my perception was the lead

869

:

singer or was like leading the band.

870

:

It's like, I could feel this void

871

:

on

872

:

like either side of my body.

873

:

Like,

874

:

but who's got my back up here.

875

:

Even if there were other people on

stage, it was like, people were coming

876

:

to see me and my name was on the thing.

877

:

And it

878

:

like,

879

:

I had gotten so comfortable being on stage

in the context of a band, and then this,

880

:

it was just, it just felt so different.

881

:

And like, from the outside, like, when

I'm thinking about it, I'm like, that's

882

:

Jason English (Host): your

883

:

Maya De Vitry: it doesn't, it's all

in your head, you know, like, but,

884

:

but that, there had been like a really

big switch in that comfort, discomfort

885

:

Jason English (Host): I was on

the bass in the Stray Birds.

886

:

It was

887

:

in last tour that

888

:

Maya De Vitry: Yeah.

889

:

Yeah.

890

:

And now I am so, I feel like,

so we, I played Union Transfer

891

:

in Philadelphia.

892

:

Great

893

:

venue.

894

:

I was opening for the Wood

Brothers in October,:

895

:

Duo, um, just one other person on

stage with me, Joel Timmons, who tours

896

:

with me a lot as my guitar player.

897

:

And my former bandmate, Charlie,

who played bass in the Stray Birds,

898

:

was in the audience in October 2023.

899

:

And in, like, February 2018, or January

:

900

:

Birds ever did, we played at Union

Transfer, opening for the Wood Brothers.

901

:

So I was like on the same tour.

902

:

physical stage, the same room, everything.

903

:

And Joel and I just, it was like

this flowing, fluid, joyful show.

904

:

And it was so amazing.

905

:

It's like that Charlie was there and,

906

:

and he's been so, so supportive all these

years and like after the show and he

907

:

was his, his feedback of just like, wow.

908

:

Like you guys are, it's like, that

is, it was just so amazing to see.

909

:

the difference and like, because

he was like, I remember, I

910

:

know what we felt like this.

911

:

I know what we felt like on this

stage six years ago or whatever.

912

:

And like, you are, I'm really happy for

913

:

Jason English (Host): Oh my gosh.

914

:

How good.

915

:

did

916

:

Maya De Vitry: so every, so good.

917

:

Like every once in a while, there's

918

:

those moments where it's kind

of like the two things like

919

:

intersect the two layers of time.

920

:

And, and then I'm like,

I've come a long way.

921

:

Like, This is an and I'm on the

right path for myself now, like,

922

:

I don't want to go back to that.

923

:

I do know that that felt

comfortable and uncomfortable.

924

:

And it was the bad kind of combination.

925

:

And this was worth all the discomfort

of, of like all the questions of like,

926

:

why I had to leave or what was going you

know, or why I play with electric guitars

927

:

and drums now or why I I don't you know,

928

:

Jason English (Host): No.

929

:

totally.

930

:

Well,

931

:

hopefully in

932

:

Maya De Vitry: it was worth it.

933

:

Jason English (Host): well, hopefully

in those moments where you're, you're

934

:

thinking about physical therapy and HR,

you go back to that, which is like, okay,

935

:

it's, this is, this is where I need to be.

936

:

Maya De Vitry: Totally.

937

:

Totally.

938

:

And really, I'm like, really, I

just, I just kind of want to do

939

:

HR better for my own, for my own

940

:

music.

941

:

I

942

:

just wish I could give healthcare

to the people in my band.

943

:

I just wish I could, and I, you know,

I just need to figure out, like, the

944

:

right stretch after a long drive.

945

:

I need to, like, work

on my hamstrings and,

946

:

Jason English (Host): more self care.

947

:

Maya De Vitry: yeah.

948

:

I think I'm like, my interests

are like telling me things.

949

:

Maybe I could just apply

those things to this.

950

:

Jason English (Host): guess, um, at

this stage, you know, you're I guess.

951

:

Um, At this stage, you know, you're

952

:

34 been through a lot.

953

:

You're on

954

:

a, a great trajectory right now.

955

:

What, what are you most

curious about today?

956

:

Maya De Vitry: Hmm.

957

:

Most curious about, you know,

I'm, I've been really, really

958

:

curious about the idea of rest and

959

:

I have been, I found my way to

this random I really love finding

960

:

random audiobooks on Spotify.

961

:

Um, it's something called like

Sabbath as Resistance and this idea

962

:

of, um,

963

:

taking time to be, like, taking time

to really, really, like, stop the

964

:

work and stop The, the um, living in

965

:

economic water that we're all swimming

in and just being in a space of

966

:

Presence

967

:

and community with people in some way.

968

:

And I've like, we've been

starting to have these weekly

969

:

music get togethers at our house

here and just like having people come

970

:

and Sometimes it lasts three hours.

971

:

One time someone stayed for 11

972

:

hours,

973

:

Jason English (Host): for a long time.

974

:

And so,

975

:

Maya De Vitry: our friend Lily that

we hadn't seen for a long time.

976

:

And so just, just playing like going

around the circle and sharing songs

977

:

and, and talking about like why we love

this song and where we learned it from.

978

:

And, and like, we kind of have this

loose rule, like put the phones away, you

979

:

know, don't read lyrics off the phone.

980

:

Like just try, I don't know.

981

:

I'm really curious kind of about

982

:

like reaching.

983

:

It feels like reaching back, in a

way, like reaching back to a, um,

984

:

A, yeah, like,

985

:

Kind of like, like, let's, let's

make sure we're setting time apart

986

:

for, like, not forward motion,

not re not, like, striving.

987

:

And not, um, gaining anything.

988

:

In a material way.

989

:

Or in a, Like,

990

:

like, or not, um,

991

:

Jason English (Host): Yeah.

992

:

It's

993

:

Maya De Vitry: And just like letting that

all fall away and just like being with

994

:

other humans and like, it doesn't matter

who is on tour right now or who just put

995

:

a record out or who, like, like there was

one of our friends, like she had a baby

996

:

like two years ago and she hasn't gotten a

chance to like play lots of shows lately.

997

:

And, um, and it was like her two

year old was there like playing

998

:

harmonica, like as part of this jam.

999

:

And I was like, this is crazy.

:

00:47:18,707 --> 00:47:21,947

And, and I, you know, no one's

like taking videos or anything

:

00:47:21,957 --> 00:47:23,537

like it's not for social media.

:

00:47:23,557 --> 00:47:29,457

It's like, this is like our space of

rest and rejuvenation and like being

:

00:47:29,457 --> 00:47:31,027

a part of the musical community.

:

00:47:31,027 --> 00:47:34,697

I do have here in Nashville, but

like making the space for that.

:

00:47:34,867 --> 00:47:36,817

So I'm really curious to see like how

:

00:47:36,827 --> 00:47:39,047

that grows in the next.

:

00:47:39,977 --> 00:47:42,487

Like year and basically like if

we can keep it up, we've done it

:

00:47:42,537 --> 00:47:44,087

three weeks in a row

:

00:47:44,087 --> 00:47:48,097

now Um, we'll be out of town this

weekend So we're doing it again the

:

00:47:48,097 --> 00:47:52,137

following weekend and then there's it's

I might be able to do it like once a

:

00:47:52,137 --> 00:47:55,947

month Through the fall even like, you

know Because i'm even with touring

:

00:47:55,947 --> 00:47:57,557

like i'm i'm home for these pockets

:

00:47:57,557 --> 00:47:57,957

of time

:

00:47:57,957 --> 00:48:00,607

and it's like maybe we could do

it once a month And then in the

:

00:48:00,607 --> 00:48:04,467

winter, hopefully, you know every

sunday, but just things like that.

:

00:48:04,467 --> 00:48:05,727

I'm really curious about

:

00:48:06,837 --> 00:48:07,387

um

:

00:48:08,007 --> 00:48:08,817

Making more

:

00:48:10,057 --> 00:48:15,437

Uh, of a commitment to just, just

making the space and, you know, build

:

00:48:15,437 --> 00:48:17,457

it and they will come kind of thing.

:

00:48:17,677 --> 00:48:20,447

But it's not for, it's

not for anything external.

:

00:48:20,737 --> 00:48:21,047

It's not

:

00:48:21,054 --> 00:48:21,757

Jason English (Host): Just fulfillment.

:

00:48:21,827 --> 00:48:24,617

Maya De Vitry: just, it's just

for the community and nourishment.

:

00:48:24,927 --> 00:48:26,747

And I don't feel like

I have enough of that.

:

00:48:26,747 --> 00:48:29,657

I'm inspired to do that because my,

we've been calling it gospel hour

:

00:48:29,667 --> 00:48:32,737

because my dad does this with his

friend, Lefty, and they'll just get

:

00:48:32,737 --> 00:48:34,127

together for like an hour and they'll

:

00:48:34,657 --> 00:48:34,847

On

:

00:48:34,847 --> 00:48:36,487

Sundays and play songs.

:

00:48:36,527 --> 00:48:39,377

And then they'll be like, Alright, my

dad's like, I gotta go work on this thing.

:

00:48:39,377 --> 00:48:42,197

And Lefty's like, I gotta

get home to this thing.

:

00:48:42,197 --> 00:48:46,777

But they've spent an hour playing

songs together and singing.

:

00:48:47,127 --> 00:48:51,427

And I'm like, Gosh, the amount

of weeks that go by where I don't

:

00:48:51,437 --> 00:48:56,307

spend an hour, even an hour in a

month, just playing songs for fun

:

00:48:56,337 --> 00:48:58,257

with my friends is embarrassing.

:

00:48:58,387 --> 00:48:59,427

And I want to change that.

:

00:48:59,707 --> 00:49:01,207

And so I'm working

:

00:49:01,307 --> 00:49:03,157

Jason English (Host): well ok great answer

:

00:49:03,352 --> 00:49:03,602

Maya De Vitry: yeah

:

00:49:03,951 --> 00:49:06,122

Jason English (Host): appreciate

your time It was an honor.

:

00:49:06,122 --> 00:49:07,767

What you do is important.

:

00:49:08,077 --> 00:49:08,967

is an honor.

:

00:49:09,057 --> 00:49:10,037

What you do is important.

:

00:49:10,362 --> 00:49:10,872

Maya De Vitry: thank you

:

00:49:10,957 --> 00:49:11,747

Jason English (Host):

know that, all right?

:

00:49:11,827 --> 00:49:11,877

Thanks.

:

00:49:12,177 --> 00:49:15,550

So, um, don't go into

HR, Physical Therapy.

:

00:49:15,550 --> 00:49:16,102

Come on.

:

00:49:16,212 --> 00:49:20,182

Maya De Vitry: Now I just got to fine

tune some things in my De Vitry company

:

00:49:20,187 --> 00:49:21,997

Jason English (Host):

do vitriol That's right.

:

00:49:22,387 --> 00:49:23,777

Uh, anyway, I appreciate it.

:

00:49:23,797 --> 00:49:25,177

I would love it if you

could play a song or two.

:

00:49:25,242 --> 00:49:25,262

Yeah.

:

00:49:25,592 --> 00:49:26,092

Maya De Vitry: Okay, Yeah.

:

00:49:26,282 --> 00:49:27,332

yeah, yeah, I'll get

:

00:49:27,342 --> 00:49:27,892

the guitar out

:

00:49:27,942 --> 00:49:28,112

Jason English (Host): All right.

:

00:49:28,112 --> 00:49:28,582

Thanks, Maya.

:

00:49:28,982 --> 00:49:29,162

All right.

:

00:49:29,372 --> 00:49:33,381

Maya De Vitry: I wrap my arms around you?

:

00:50:13,059 --> 00:50:20,381

go, back you come back there to meet me?

:

00:50:21,237 --> 00:50:25,011

I wrap you?

:

00:50:25,011 --> 00:50:27,341

will the tears rise

:

00:50:31,930 --> 00:50:41,366

I stay Will the tears

rise up if I stay a home?

:

00:51:04,356 --> 00:51:09,631

ends with a ribbon around

it, I know, I know.

:

00:51:10,756 --> 00:51:13,921

Nothing ends with a ribbon around

:

00:51:18,449 --> 00:51:21,426

ribbon around it, yes I

:

00:51:36,346 --> 00:51:36,436

know.

:

00:51:39,566 --> 00:51:46,811

I try to grow the wings

I need If I try, if

:

00:51:48,873 --> 00:51:54,660

leave behind just a little bit of If I

:

00:51:54,660 --> 00:52:06,131

grow the wings I need If I try

to ribbon round Yes, Yes, I know.

:

00:52:49,731 --> 00:52:50,738

Jason English (Host): welcome.

:

00:52:50,806 --> 00:52:54,174

Maya De Vitry: the footsteps.

:

00:52:54,174 --> 00:52:57,542

Fucking chaos.

:

00:52:57,542 --> 00:53:00,910

I know.

:

00:53:00,910 --> 00:53:04,278

It's crazy.

:

00:53:04,443 --> 00:53:08,878

a river made of gold silver in the hills.

:

00:53:09,593 --> 00:53:14,083

There's a ladder if we find

it, but we likely never will.

:

00:53:14,973 --> 00:53:19,508

There's water at the bottom,

it trickles down the rungs.

:

00:53:19,718 --> 00:53:24,963

to to the tune of Just

enough to pay the bills.

:

00:53:25,859 --> 00:53:30,156

Money fills canyons in

the pockets of a fear.

:

00:53:30,156 --> 00:53:31,275

That's the

:

00:53:31,513 --> 00:53:32,473

the way it flows

:

00:53:33,103 --> 00:53:35,413

in the red, white, and blue.

:

00:53:36,253 --> 00:53:38,643

every mile of railroad

:

00:53:39,107 --> 00:53:43,258

the the land, He's a long life of labor.

:

00:53:43,678 --> 00:53:44,558

for a working

:

00:53:56,268 --> 00:54:04,058

It would surely be a wonder a man to

build alone all the rails and steel

:

00:54:04,058 --> 00:54:13,063

and dig the oil that he But the riches

of the world are carried On the back

:

00:54:13,063 --> 00:54:16,943

of every man who works to the bone.

:

00:54:17,395 --> 00:54:21,793

it fills canyons canyons in the the few.

:

00:54:21,793 --> 00:54:27,413

That's the way the way it flows

in the red, white, and blue.

:

00:54:27,658 --> 00:54:30,543

lead my mile a railroad

:

00:54:31,078 --> 00:54:32,033

It's the land.

:

00:54:32,544 --> 00:54:33,033

road.

:

00:54:33,288 --> 00:54:37,088

a long life of labor man.

:

00:54:58,396 --> 00:55:03,298

As we try to make the mortgage,

the bank gets the news

:

00:55:03,958 --> 00:55:08,128

check from the capital,

it all theirs to use.

:

00:55:08,454 --> 00:55:09,457

least it's

:

00:55:09,528 --> 00:55:17,283

Yes, it's always you and me Sam

They just They just don't call them

:

00:55:17,283 --> 00:55:19,989

handouts when they're wearing suits.

:

00:55:19,989 --> 00:55:27,718

And he fills candies in the pockets

of a It's the way it flows in the

:

00:55:27,998 --> 00:55:33,814

red, blue every mile red, white,

:

00:55:34,168 --> 00:55:50,365

the land a long life of you're running all

across the land Is a long life of labor

:

00:55:50,365 --> 00:55:54,503

Jason English (Host): for a working man

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About the Podcast

Curious Goldfish
A Community Where Inquisitiveness and Music Come Together. Inspired by the Mindset of Ted Lasso.
Launching in 2024, the Curious Goldfish Brand is inspired by two episodes from the First Season of the Apple TV+ Series Ted Lasso.

The “Goldfish” reference is about the importance of not dwelling on mistakes in life. In an early episode, Ted Lasso, the series’ namesake asks one of his players – after they were badly beaten in a play during training – what the happiest animal on earth is. The answer: A Goldfish, because it has a 10-second memory. Lasso encourages the player to forget the mistake and to not let it hinder his mindset. In other words, to “Be a Goldfish.” The “Curious” reference is born from another Season 1 episode where Ted finds himself in a dart match at a local Pub with a ruthless Football Club Owner. Lasso references a quote from Walt Whitman to “Be Curious, Not Judgmental.”

So “Being a Goldfish” is a great start, but curiosity is an undervalued trait in today’s world. We don’t ask enough questions; we don’t inquire enough about each other and about life. So I want people to be “Curious Goldfish.”

The initial premise of the podcast will center around my curiosity about music. I can’t sing. I don’t play a musical instrument, but I am inspired by artists who are vulnerable enough to put their thoughts down and then share them with the entire world. I’m curious about the songwriting process; I’m curious about a musician’s journey; I’m curious about the business of music; I’m curious about who or what inspires a sad song, a love song - and everything in between.

Though the initial premise is music, we will likely spend time discussing and highlighting all-things Ted Lasso. In its three seasons, it inspired the host in so many ways (work, personal, relationships etc).

The musical focus of the Curious Goldfish Podcast will center around up-and-coming artists primarily in rock, roots, folk, Country and Americana genres. Not every aspiring musician will earn $100 million from Spotify streaming like Taylor Swift. Our goal is to shine a light on those artists who have as few as 100 monthly listeners to those with more than 100,000. Their stories deserve to be heard because your music can inspire, and it’s time you had a chance to share them.
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About your host

Profile picture for Jason English

Jason English

Tech Exec by Day, Music Lover Day and Night. Former Journalist who is trying to be a middle-aged William Miller from the Movie Almost Famous. Also, Ted Lasso changed his life...so there's that.