One Song

Get ready to share the spice of life and glide like a 747 to a classic cookout jam from one of the best selling bands of all time! On this episode of One Song, Grammy Award-winning pop star, rapper, and actress Estelle joins Diallo and LUXXURY to talk about Earth, Wind & Fire’s 1981 hit “Let’s Groove.” They break down band leader Maurice White and his bandmates’ recipe for creating certified gold songs and albums that blend funk, soul, disco, jazz, and beyond; and how their music spreads messages of Afrocentricity, universal love, harmony, and spiritualism.

If there’s anything you want done, baby, just turn to a legendary artist who knows how to do it naturally. On this episode of One Song, award-winning journalist, author, and podcaster Danyel Smith (Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop) joins Diallo and LUXXURY to break down Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman,” the 1978 disco crossover hit that launched her incredibly successful solo career. They discuss Chaka’s powerful, dynamic vocal range (just wait until you hear the isolated stems!), how the song became an anthem for female empowerment (among many other things), and Chaka’s professional and personal connections with Whitney Houston, who famously covered the song 15 years later for The Bodyguard soundtrack.

All you ever wanted and all you ever needed from Diallo and LUXXURY is here in this episode. Okay, well, not *everything,” but in Part Two of our Depeche Mode special, the guys break down band’s biggest hit, “Enjoy The Silence.” Get ready to learn Depeche Mode’s techniques for crafting moodier, darker, and more atmospheric sounds, why this song took them to global superstar status, and how they paved the way for countless bands to create synth-driven, danceable music.

Question – how much do Diallo and LUXXURY love Depeche Mode? Answer – so much that they couldn’t pack it all into one episode. So get ready for a thorough two-part deep dive on these pioneers who defined the sound of electronic music! In Part One, the guys discuss Depeche Mode’s early years and their dynamic approach to using synthesizers and drum machines to make their music. Plus, they break down how “People Are People” was made – the song that took them from the underground scene to breaking into the U.S. market.

This week on One Song, we’re sharing another podcast that LUXXURY and Diallo both love: Petty Crimes. It's a weekly comedy podcast where co-hosts and long-time friends Ceara Jane O’Sullivan and Griff Stark-Ennis add a playful twist to the world of true crime. In each episode, the hosts passionately investigate minor interpersonal disputes and deliver a hilarious yet analytical verdict. 

Live from Las Vegas, Diallo and LUXXURY are joined by Grammy-nominated R&B singer, songwriter, producer, and actor Tank to discuss one of the top party jams of the 1990s: “Poison” by Bell Biv DeVoe. On this special episode, they discuss how three former members of New Edition took R&B to a new level by blending rapping and singing, pull back the curtain on how the song was made (remember that iconic drum intro and those smooth harmonies?!), and state the case for why you should never trust a big butt and a smile. 

One Song Nation – you don’t have to worry no more. Diallo & LUXXURY know you can go without learning how The Weeknd’s massive 2015 hit, “Can’t Feel My Face,” made him into a global megastar. On this episode, they break down how The Weeknd collaborated with Swedish powerhouse songwriter Max Martin and his team to make a diamond-certified, chart-topping, dark R&B song, and peel back the layers on those Michael Jackson-inspired vocals.

You're gonna burn, burn, burn to the wick if you don't recognize this song as one of the greatest rock anthems of all time! On this episode, Diallo and LUXXURY break down "Barracuda," a rally cry for empowerment and defiance that broke barriers for women in rock in the 1970s. They dive into Ann and Nancy Wilson's masterful vocal and guitar work respectfully, discuss how the song was fueled by anger and frustration over sexist activity they faced, and talk about how Heart became one of the first successful women-led rock bands.

Whether times are good or bad, happy or sad, Diallo & LUXXURY are here to comfort you by breaking down one of the most memorable R&B songs of all time. On this episode, the guys discuss how Al Green wrote the “Let’s Stay Together” so quickly, why producer WIllie Mitchell’s influenced Green’s singing style, and share Green’s sweet, isolated falsetto vocals.

On One Song, we do our best to give flowers to artists we admire, especially those who left us far too soon. On this episode, Diallo and LUXXURY break down Juice WRLD’s monster hit from 2018, “Lucid Dreams.” They dive into what influenced Juice to channel his emotions into his music, how his signature song brought emo rap to the mainstream, and why the song’s lyrics about heartbreak and mental health inspired a younger generation to comprehend their emotions.

If there’s not a soul out there, or someone to hear your prayer, just turn to one of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time – ABBA. On this episode of One Song, actor and comedian John Early (Now More Than Ever; The Afterparty) joins Diallo & LUXXURY to break down the Swedish disco supergroup’s hit “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)." They discuss how the members of ABBA managed to craft the song in the middle of a divorce, how their meticulous production process makes their songs so catchy, and why the Swedes are so incredible at songwriting.

One, two, three, and to the fo' -- Diallo & LUXXURY is at yo' do'...ready for another One Song episode! And on this episode, they break down Dr. Dre's hit that introduced the world to g-funk, tell the story of how Dre recruited Snoop to be a featured artist, and discuss why "'G' Thang" has become one of the most influential hip-hop tracks of all time.

Hipsters Unite? This week on One Song, Diallo Riddle and Luxxury are tackling a confrontational track from one of the most successful alt rock bands of the 90’s — “Cherub Rock” by The Smashing Pumpkins. The guys go deep on the early 90’s indie rock scene, band frontman Billy Corgan’s quest for musical family, and the Pumpkins’ complicated relationship with the indie rock community.

As the hosts of One Song, Diallo Riddle and Luxxury know a thing or two about being a duo. This week, One Song’s most dependable pairing uses their knowledge to analyze “I Can’t Go For That” from the hitmaking duo of Daryl Hall and John Oates. Join the guys as they break down the tenuous balance of creative partnerships, the effects of the blue-eyed soul phenomenon, and uncover the secret third person who co-wrote many of Hall & Oates’ biggest hits.

This week on One Song, we’re sharing another music podcast that LUXXURY and Diallo both love. It’s called Switched On Pop, and it’s about the making and meaning of popular music, hosted by musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding.The episode we’re sharing focuses on the fact that the first half of 2024 has been for the “pop girlie.” It seems like every major artist who’s dominated the discourse this year has been a woman, ostensibly making music about what it means to be a woman. There’s Camila Cabello's "Chanel no.5,” Lorde and Charli XCX working out the labyrinth of emotions that come with female friendship on the “Girl, so confusing” remix, and Sabrina Carpenter’s ode to the female ego, “Please Please Please." On this episode, Charlie, Nate, and Reanna – with some insight from journalist Ilana Kaplan – unpack these tracks at length, exploring what these artists are saying about femininity, and by extension, themselves.

Is creeping ever okay? If you ask Rachel Lindsay (co-host of the "Higher Learning" podcast)…it is when TLC does it. This time on One Song, Diallo is joined by Rachel (who fills in as guest host) to break down why “Creep” is sneakily an empowerment anthem, the impact of the song's unforgettable music video, and how TLC’s look and sound evolved on their second album, "CrazySexyCool."

On this special re-run, Diallo and LUXXURY are joined this week by comedian and friend of the pod, Punkie Johnson. Together, they go on a quest to flip it and reverse it and unpack the many layers of samples and interpolations that went into Missy Elliott’s 2002 banger, Work It. Come for the badonkadonk, stay for the obscure Paul Simon sample.The song Work it is the first single from Missy Elliot's 2002 album Under Construction. Stems, interpolations and sampled songs from Peter Pipe by Run-D.M.C, The Request Line by Rock Master Scott and more. Music genres: Hip hop, R&B, progressive rap, Female Rappers.

What good is a format if you can’t break it every now and then? On this special episode of One Song, Diallo & LUXXURY break out the listener mailbag, answer some DMs, and bring an entirely new angle to the "Buffalo Soldier"/"The Banana Splits" theme song connection. Finally, they react to the early contenders for the Song of the Summer from Tommy Richman, Sabrina Carpenter, and more.

This week on One Song, Diallo and LUXXURY frolic through "Flowers" -- Miley Cyrus' smash hit from 2023. Along the way, they discuss the track's importance as an self-love and empowerment anthem, its connection to Bruno Mars' "When I Was Your Man," and pose a very important question: Can Diallo say “I can love me better than you can” without sounding narcissistic?

On this special rerun, Diallo Riddle and LUXXURY get Toxic! Join for LUXXURY’s thesis on why the song is a pop masterpiece that weds high art and obscure sonic references with Britney Spears’ bubblegum vocals. There’s also all of the usual deep dives, rabbit holes, and interpolations — Including a James Bond connection.