Music Person

Esther Rose from Santa Fe, New Mexico.  Esther and Dylan discuss her early hip-hop and techno influences, her divorce jumpstarting her musical career, being too weird for roots music and not weird enough for indie rock, quitting drinking, and Dylan drinking so much coffee she starts spilling tea. + Esther answers a listener advice question.  Artists we referenced: J Dilla, The Deslondes, Dean Johnson, Adrienne Lenker, Wednesday, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Video Age, Jack White, Bella White, Cameron Winter, The Lostines, Chris Acker, Duff Thompson, Twain, Mashed Potato Records, Bonnie Raitt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Mendez from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Greg and Dylan discuss preferring recording to performing, ripping up moldy drywall, his partner V, feeling attuned to your city, the verbose and depressive songwriter-addict canon, and the isolation and connection that comes from making music. + Greg gives a letter of recommendation. Artists we referenced: Shannon Moser, Amelia Cry Til I Die, Sadurn, Soup Dreams, Townes Van Zandt, David Berman, Elliott Smith, Maria Saint Maria. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dylan goes to the Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina in September 2025. Dylan discusses North Carolina, aquatic animal-based band names, the scene at the Sheraton Hotel, alcoholic Gatorade, Southern man chaos in stereo, shrimp, boring angels, BeerTeq, and “feeling inevitable.” Artists we referenced: Frog, YHWH Nailgun, Weirs, Pat Keen Band, Thomas Dollbaum, Greg Mendez, Geese, Cameron Winter, Villagerrr, Merce Lemon, Florry, This Is Lorelei, Hemlock, Little Mazarn, Superchunk, Sluice, Libby Rodenbough, Mipso. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aaron Dowdy of Fust from Durham, North Carolina. Fust’s latest album, Big Ugly, is out now on Dear Life Records. Aaron and Dylan discuss the map of North Carolina indie rock, getting his PhD at Duke, where to find the best Guinness in the Triangle, and finding your people through music. + Aaron gets something off his chest. Artists we referenced: Drive By Truckers, Thomas Dollbaum, Merce Lemon, Friendship, Tomberlin, Weirs, Sluice, Wednesday, the Mountain Goats, Hiss Golden Messenger, Florry, Dead Gowns Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dean Johnson from Seattle, WA.  His new album, I Hope We Can Still Be Friends, is out now. Dean and Dylan discuss launching his solo career breakthrough in middle age, Seattle neighborhood micro-scenes, the New Orleans Americana scene, and tales from the frontlines of Dylanfest.  + Dean gives a letter of recommendation. Artists referenced:  Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses, Iron & Wine, the Moondoggies, Sera Cahoone, Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band, Chris Aker, Esther Rose, The Deslondes, Steph Green, Duff Thompson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Georgia Maq from Melbourne, Australia and now Los Angeles. Her new EP, God’s Favourite, is out September 4, 2025. Georgia and Dylan discuss Georgia being a nurse in the pandemic, discovering her post-Camp Cope solo sound, spirituality, Erewhon, fathers, altruism, cosmetic surgery, personality transplants, Steely Dan, cursive singing, and Waffle House. + Georgia gets something off her chest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Rutkin of Night Club 101 and Baby’s All Right in New York City. Greg and Dylan discuss the current cultural moment in NYC, the legacy of Billy Jones, SUNY Purchase as a music scene petri dish, real talk about career prospects in the indie music industry, the literary versus music undergrounds, and looking like a human flute. + Greg answers a listener advice question. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Francie Medosch of Florry from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Francie and Dylan discuss Zyn, silliness, being a Last Waltz truther, discovering the underground through Bandcamp, and being tired of sad indie rock music. + Francie gets something off her chest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zack Borzone of YHWH Nailgun and Sha La La from New York City. Zack and Dylan discuss speaking in tongues, imagination, poetry, the relationship between faith and noise, and finding agency as a kid in DIY scenes. + Zack gives a letter of recommendation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Indigo De Souza from Marshall, North Carolina, and now Los Angeles.  Her new album, Precipice, is out July 25, 2025.  Indigo and Dylan discuss losing her home in Hurricane Helene, the magic of Los Angeles, and her inner child. + Indigo answers a listener advice question. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rachel Brown of Water From Your Eyes from New York City. Rachel and Dylan discuss the Water From Your Eyes/This Is Lorelei/Fantasy of a Broken Heart extended universe, being Paul Bank’s wedding band, passions for both corn and Korn, and NYC DIY.  + Rachel gets something off their chest.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Merce Lemon from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her album Watch Me Drive Them Dogs Wild is out now. Merce and Dylan discuss growing up amongst adult artists, city nature, swimming, youth, grief, and wooden spoons. + Merce gets something off her chest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Molly Burch on leaving music to start PICNIC Studio, a progressive art space for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, in Pasadena, California.  Follow PICNIC Studio and Molly Burch on Instagram.  Molly and Dylan discuss joy and self-doubt, real talk about the indie music business, learning when and how to pivot your whole career, and the delights of working with developmentally disabled artists.  + Molly gives us a letter of recommendation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Karly Hartzman of Wednesday from Asheville, North Carolina. Wednesday’s new album, BLEEDS, is out September 19, 2025. Karly and Dylan discuss being an introverted observer writer girl type, the merits of staying in your local scene, complicated feelings about Los Angeles, and Karly’s breakup with partner and bandmate MJ Lenderman. + Karly answers a listener advice question. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dylan Tupper Rupert is a music writer, podcast host, and producer in Los Angeles. You might know her as the host of KCRW's Lost Notes: Groupies, or as the producer fka Producer Dylan of Bandsplain. This spring, her new show Music Person is coming to the Talkhouse Podcast Network—where she'll have in-depth conversations with musicians and brilliant people in the greater music ecosystem, and will sometimes maybe even go on an adventure. So here's a sneak peek—Dylan's diary of her week in Austin for South By Southwest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coming June 18: a new podcast from writer and producer Dylan Tupper Rupert about music people and the lives they lead. Featuring interviews with Karly Hartzman of Wednesday, Indigo De Souza, Molly Burch, and more to come. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices