FUV Live Sessions

Latin Grammy award-winner Silvana Estrada sat down with WFUV host Sam Sumpter to talk about her Sophomore album, Vendrán Suaves Lluvias, how she mulled over that title for a decade after reading a Sarah Teasdale poem, the spiritual experience a listener can expect at one of her live shows and the intersection of activism, art and her Mexican heritage. Songs: Dime, Flores and Como Un Pájaro

Whitney joined WFUV host Alisa Ali in Studio-A to play three live songs from their new album, Small Talk, and to discuss why it was essential to try something entirely different for this project, the impressive work ethic of Chicago musicians, and the not-so-small-talk themes that come up on this record. Songs: Back to the Wind, Dandelions and Won’t You Speak Your Mind

To celebrate the 100th episode of FUV Live Sessions, WFUV’s Music Director Russ Borris sat down with Iron & Wine ahead of an exclusive show at City Winery in New York City to talk about Sam’s latest album, Hen’s Teeth, what it was like to simultaneously work on two albums post-pandemic, why we’re all so obsessed with songs about relationships and the practice of sequencing songs for the fans who still listen to an entire album from start to finish. Songs: Naked as We Came, Grace Notes and Singing Saw

In a special episode of FUV Live Sessions in front of a studio audience, The New Pornographers joined WFUV host Alisa Ali at The Bitter End in New York City to play songs from their new album, The Former Site Of, and to talk about how that title came to be, what it was like to focus on writing narrative songs for this record and how important it is to kill your darlings when a song simply isn’t working. To watch the video version of this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-Vhz-nIYPE Songs: Votive, Pure Sticker Shock, Spooky Action, Ballad of the Last Payphone and The Former Site Of

Lindsey Jordan, also known as Snail Mail, joined WFUV host Alisa Ali to talk about her third full-length album, Ricochet, how a Charlie Kaufman movie inspired this mortality-themed project, how she came back a stronger singer after surgery to remove polyps on her vocal chords and how she achieved her goals to level up both her singing and guitar playing on this latest record. Songs: Dead End, Tractor Beam and My Maker

Irish singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy joined WFUV’s Director of Audio, Meghan Suma, in Studio-A to talk about his third album, The Weight of the Woods, how his native country influenced this project, how valuable time away from creating can be for both an artist and their fans, and how meaningful it is to write lyrics from the perspectives of other people in his life. Songs: Lost, Blue Eyes and Funeral

Up-and-coming singer-songwriter Gatlin joined WFUV host Benham Jones in Studio-A to talk about her debut full length album, The Eldest Daughter, how other singer-songwriters from the early aughts impacted her musical palette, how childhood experiences with worship music influence her sound still to this day and how music can serve as a tool for protest in the queer community. Songs: Florida Man, If She Was a Boy and Man of the House

Singer-songwriter and musician Billie Marten joined WFUV Host Kara Manning at The Bitter End in New York City ahead of an exclusive show for the radio station to talk about her latest album, Dog Eared, how important it was to do something different for this project, what it was like to work with producer Phil Weinrobe in Bed Stuy and how invaluable the collaborations were for this album. Songs: Feeling, Crown and Planets

Afie Jurvanen, AKA Bahamas, sat down with WFUV host Benham Jones in Studio-A to talk about his latest album, My Second Last Album, how playing music is the closest he gets to the flow state, the importance of feeling a sense of contentment in your career and the singer-songwriter renaissance he thinks is in motion across the industry. Songs: The Bridge, Shadows and Ready for a New Thing

Charley Crockett joined FUV host Alisa Ali in Studio-A to play some live tunes from his album, Dollar A Day, and to talk about why he was inspired to construct a trilogy project that includes this album, the struggles with the music industry early on in his career and how he persevered even though many things remain the same, and why the cowboy narrative is still evergreen in American culture. Songs: Tennessee Quick Cash, Ain’t That Right and El Paso to Denver

Jenn Wasner, known musically as Flock of Dimes, joined WFUV host Alisa Ali in Studio-A to talk about her latest solo project, The Life You Save, how she adds fictional elements to her songwriting to create universal messages, what it was like to self-produce this project and what’s next for her solo work and the many bands, projects and collaborations she works on regularly. Songs: Keep Me in the Dark, Long After Midnight and Not Yet Free

Multifaceted artist, painter, writer, singer, songwriter and musician Josh Ritter joined WFUV host Alisa Ali in the studio to talk about his latest album, ‘I Believe in You, My Honeydew,’ how he channeled and honored his muse by creating this project, why it was so important to record this album in a dark place surrounded by starry skies and how he still believes in the human spirit even during this time when it’s a bit dicey. Songs: Wild Ways, Truth is a Dimension (Both Invisible and Blinding) and Thunderbird

Singer, songwriter, musician and long-time friend of WFUV, Kathleen Edwards, joins FUV host Alisa Ali in Studio-A to talk about her latest album, Billionaire, what some of her early experiences in the music industry were like, the young woman who inspired this latest project and the production and collaborations that brought this album to life. Songs: Save Your Soul, When The Truth Comes Out and Little Red Ranger

Politically charged artist and social media sensation Jesse Welles joined WFUV host Kara Manning backstage at The Bitter End before an exclusive show to talk about the eight albums he has put out since 2024, what it’s like to make music that reflects the national zeitgeist and the icons he draws inspiration from like Joan Baez and George Carlin. Songs: Horses, Join Ice and Don’t Think Twice

In a special episode of FUV Live Sessions in front of a studio audience, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy joined WFUV host Alisa Ali at The Bitter End in New York City to play songs from his latest solo album, Twilight Override, and to talk about why he made a triple album, how creativity eats darkness, and the importance of sitting with your imagination every single day. For the full video version of this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIVMj-X8SnU Songs: Enough, Amar Bharati, Feel Free, Stray Cats in Spain, Throwaway Lines and Lou Reed Was My Babysitter

Neko Case joined WFUV host Alisa Ali backstage at The Sheen Center in New York City ahead of an exclusive performance for WFUV Marquee Members to talk about her latest solo album, Neon Grey Midnight Green, how human-made music will always surpass AI, the importance of writing love songs that don’t revolve around a heteronormative couple and an upcoming project that will bring Neko Case songs to a different kind of stage. Songs: Louise, Rusty Mountain and Wreck

Brooklyn-based singer, songwriter and producer Hannah Jadagu joined FUV Live Sessions’ Executive Producer, Meghan Suma, in Studio-A to talk about her Sophomore album, Describe, how much she loves finding the childlike state of play in the studio while she makes music, the layers of ethereal synths and vocal reverb signature to her sound and how difficult it is to get to the truth of the human experience in songwriting. Songs: Gimme Time, Doing Now and My Love

The English band Dry Cleaning joined UKNY host Kara Manning in WFUV’s Studio-A to talk about their 2026 album, Secret Love, the process of recording an album in multiple different cities at a number of different recording studios across the globe, how the emotional quality of the music can impact the songwriting and the role of songwriting and music in political activism. Songs: Hit My Head All Day, Evil Evil Idiot and Joy

The band Elbow joined UKNY host Kara Manning in WFUV’s Studio-A for the first time in 14 years to celebrate their 2025 EP, Audio Vertigo Echo: Elbow EP5, which was a follow-up to their 2024 album, Audio Vertigo, and the band talked about why they love playing New York City, the decision to make an album rooted in joyful distraction during a difficult time, and the importance of veteran artists taking up-and-coming musicians under their wings and lifting them up. Songs: Her to the Earth, The Seldom Seen Kid and Magnificent (She Says)

Jazz duo Rachael & Vilray sat down with WFUV’s Cavalcade host Paul Cavalconte to talk about their latest album, West of Broadway, how the two college friends came to collaborate years later, their mutual affection for showtunes and Great American Songbook standards and the beauty in blending contemporary humor and wit with classic sounds. Songs: Off Broadway, Is It Jim? and My Key to Gramercy Park

Matt Quinn of Mt. Joy joined WFUV host Alisa Ali backstage at City Winery ahead of a special event for the radio station to talk about the band’s most recent album, Hope We Have Fun, the self awareness that has evolved as the band’s success has grown, the unique collaborations that made this album a reality and the process of taking a real-life story and turning it into a song. Songs: Highway Queen, Pink Lady and Lucy

Brooklyn-based band, Nation of Language, commuted to the Bronx to play a live set in Studio-A and talk to WFUV host Alisa Ali about their latest album, Dance Called Memory, the difference between making music and showing it to other people, the importance of following your instincts without worrying about what listeners might like or not like, and the opportunity to work with Subpop Records. Songs: Inept Apollo, Under The Water and Silhouette

Indigo De Souza joined WFUV host Alisa Ali in Studio-A to talk about her fourth studio album, Precipice, how important it is to be truthful and authentic during the songwriting process, the familial relationship between her touring team and the value in talking openly about mental health struggles. Songs: Not Afraid, Be Like The Water and Crying Over Nothing

In this episode of FUV Live Sessions, WFUV host Sam Sumpter weaved her way through the backstage of Forest Hills Stadium in Queens to get a chance to talk to Brittany Howard of the beloved band, Alabama Shakes – the two caught up about the band getting back together again, the new music they’ve put out in 2025 and how they’re better than ever because they took some time away to grow. The songs in this session were recorded live at Red Rocks in Colorado and Forest Hills Stadium in New York City. The music was recorded, mixed and mastered by Shane Haase. Photo by Brantley Gutierrez. Songs: Gimme All Your Love, Another Life and This Feeling

Nigerian singer-songwriter, Obongjayar, joined WFUV host Kara Manning in Studio-A to talk about his Sophomore album, Paradise Now (which was also released as a deluxe album titled Paradise Now & Forever the week before this session dropped), his first United States tour and playing Newport Folk Festival, how important it is to be authentic and to let the people you collaborate with be themselves, and where the cadence of his native language appears in his songwriting. Songs: Prayer, Sweet Danger and Jellyfish

Britpop band, Pulp, released their first album in 24 years, More, and Jarvis Cocker of the group chatted to UKNY host Kara Manning about the project, how he approached the band with the idea to do another album, how his lyrical writing process has changed over the course of his career and why radio is so essential to culture, music and artists across the board. Songs: Tina, Grown Ups and Slow Jam

English indie-rock band, Wolf Alice, caught up with WFUV host Kara Manning at The Power Station in New York City to talk about their latest album, The Clearing, how it feels to be the only band in the history of the Mercury Prize to be nominated for all their albums, what’s different about making music in their thirties versus making music in their twenties and the importance of making music both independently and then being able to come back together and turn it into an album. Songs: The Sofa and Leaning Against The Wall

John Oates joined Cavalcade host Paul Cavalconte at WFUV to talk about his latest self-titled solo album, Oates, how his recording process has both changed and stayed the same, his collaborations with up-and-coming artists like Devon Gilfillian and what it was like to be in the room and on the stage for historic musical moments like, “We Are the World” and Live Aid. Songs: Real Thing Going On, A Ways Away and She’s Gone

Karly Hartzman of the band Wednesday joined WFUV host Sam Sumpter in Studio-A to talk about the band’s latest album, Bleeds, how this project is a blend of music and audio archive for her small North Carolina town, what makes this record the spiritual counterpart to their previous album Rat Saw God and what exactly the genre “creek rock” is. Songs: Wound Up Here (By Holdin On), Pick Up That Knife and Elderberry Wine

Singer, songwriter, musician and muscle car enthusiast Natalie Bergman sat down with FUV’s Alisa Ali to talk about her latest solo album, My Home Is Not In This World, how this latest project is a departure from her first solo album, the role that faith plays in her music and what it’s been like to balance her roles as both a new mother and an artist. Songs: Lonely Road, Gunslinger and My Home Is Not In This World

New Orleans Bounce icon, Big Freedia, sat down with WFUV host Kara Manning in Studio-A to talk about her latest album, Pressing Onward, how her childhood baptist church of the same name inspired her musical journey, the connection between Gospel music and Bounce and the beauty in bringing people together no matter where they come from or who they are. Songs: Church and Take My Hand

Boston born Bebe Stockwell joined WFUV host Alisa Ali to talk about her debut full-length album, Driving Backwards, how her time at both Berklee as a teenager and NYU as an undergraduate student influenced her music, the gift of a wide range as a vocalist and coming to the realization that making music can be a fruitful career. Songs: Minor Inconveniences, Want Me and Blue Moon

The New York City born and bred trio, ZOPA, joined WFUV host Paul Cavalconte in Studio-A to talk about their 2025 album, Diamond Vehicle, how the three of them crossed paths over decades to eventually come together to form a group with Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos) at the helm, their shoegaze musical influences and how the history of New York City influences the art they make together. Songs: Still Life, Love and Other Forms of Violence and Ocean / Heroin

Triple threat Tony Award winner Renée Elise Goldsberry, well known for originating the role of Angelica Schuyler in the Broadway musical “Hamilton,” sat down with WFUV’s Meghan Suma to talk about her debut album, Who I Really Am, how important it is to write music that celebrates both the accomplishments and the obstacles in life, the sounds from her childhood that influenced the musical palette heard on this record and what she loves about being an artist. Songs: Who I Really Am, Staring and Smiling

Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Molly Tuttle, joined FUV host Alisa Ali in Studio-A to talk about her latest album, So Long Little Miss Sunshine, how this record reflects all of Molly’s different musical sides, how she learned the clawhammer style on both banjo and guitar when she was young and whether or not she has more wigs or guitars at home. Songs: The Highway Knows, That’s Gonna Leave a Mark and San Joaquin

Michelle Zauner, who makes music as Japanese Breakfast, joined WFUV host Alisa Ali to talk about her new record, For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women), the differences in production between this project and past albums, the personal inspirations that can be found in the lyrics and the dichotomy between life as a touring musician and trying to maintain relationships back home. Songs: Orlando in Love, Leda and Magic Mountain

Mike Hadreas, who makes music as Perfume Genius, joined FUV host Benham Jones in Studio-A to talk about his new album, Glory, how collaborations with producer Blake Mills and guitarist Meg Duffy influenced the sound of this album, the potential power of AI to both hurt and help and his realization that making uncensored, authentic music is inherently political. Songs: In a Row, No Front Teeth and It’s a Mirror

Sunflower Bean sat down with WFUV host Eric Holland to talk about their new album, Mortal Primetime, the secret misheard Iggy Pop lyrics that led to the name of the record, how the pandemic pushed the band to learn how to self-produce and how taking some space from the band helped them come back stronger than ever for this project. Songs: Champagne Taste, Nothing Romantic and Look What You’ve Done To Me

Chris Davids and Liam Ivory, who make up the UK-based duo Maribou State, sat down with WFUV host, Kara Manning, to talk about their latest album, Hallucinating Love, how they became closer friends than ever before during this project, the fact that this record was born from a difficult medical diagnosis and what sonic elements make up a Maribou State song. The songs in this session were recorded by Jay Heigl at the Ogden Theater in Denver on April 24, 2025. Songs: Blackoak, Otherside, All I Need and Dance on the World

Brian Fennell, who makes music as SYML, sat down with FUV host Alisa Ali to talk about his third album, Nobody Lives Here, his classical music roots and how he both used and tabled those skills while making this record, the simplicity of the recording and how easily these songs transfer to live performance and how special it is to work on a project with your lifelong best friend. Songs: Heavy Hearts, Fear of the Water and Carry No Thing

Jessica Dobson of the band Deep Sea Diver joined WFUV host Alisa Ali in the studio to talk about the group’s fourth album, Billboard Heart, the importance of making music without worrying about how it will be received, what it was like to tour with Pearl Jam and what the band learned from debuting brand new songs in arenas filled with thousands of people. Songs: What Do I Know, Shovel and Emergency

Marley Munroe, who makes music as Lady Blackbird, sat down with FUV host Kara Manning to talk about her latest album, Slang Spirituals, what changed in her life when she tabled religion and embraced her queer identity, the genre fluid influences on this record and how important it is to stay the course and commit to your art if it’s what you’re meant to do. Songs: Like a Woman, I Am What I Am and Man on a Boat

Kieran Shudall and Joe Falconer of the English indie rock band, Circa Waves, sat down with WFUV host Eric Holland to talk about their latest album, Death & Love Pt. 1, the pivotal life moment these lyrics were written during, how each record from the band gets more authentic and their classic indie rock influences like The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys. Songs: T-Shirt Weather, Like You Did Before and Let’s Leave Together

Mon Rovîa, whose stage name comes from the capital city in Liberia where he was born, sat down with WFUV host Kara Manning to talk about his fourth EP, Atonement, why he chose to create a four-act EP series about the hero’s journey, how his writing often includes the undercurrent of the past and why people can continue to feel hopeful as long as they choose to pour love into one another. Songs: crooked the road., Winter Wash 24, Heavy Foot and Rust.

WFUV’s Kara Manning caught up with Rhian Teasdale of the English indie-rock band Wet Leg to talk about their second album, Moisturizer, the transition of the band from a duo to a five-piece, how important it is to take your time and try to have fun while making a record and the mindset shift from the first album to the second. The music in this episode was recorded at The Village Studios in Los Angeles. Photo by Iris Luz. Moisturizer is available now wherever you get your music! Songs: CPR, catch these fists and mangetout

Justin Vernon – who makes music as Bon Iver – caught up with WFUV host Benham Jones to talk about SABLE, fABLE, how each album is designed to help people get through hard things, the collaborations that brought this record to the next level and the thread of death, rebirth, renewal and extinction that exists across the narrative arc of all Bon Iver projects. This bonus episode is interview only, but you can get Bon Iver’s new album SABLE, fABLE now wherever you listen to music. Photo by Graham Tolbert.

English singer-songwriter Paris Paloma sat down to have an intimate chat with FUV host Alisa Ali about her debut album, Cacophony, how she applied her creative writing skills to songwriting, the importance of making music with a message and just how empowering it is to listen to a crowd full of female fans sing these songs as a group. Songs: Labour, As Good A Reason and Hunter

Music icon Kim Deal of The Breeders, The Pixies and The Amps chatted to WFUV host Eric Holland about her debut solo record, Nobody Loves You More, how she heard the instrumentation for the album in her head before recording it to tape, the fact that she never anticipated making a solo project and the personal stories behind some of the more intimate songs on the album. Songs: Nobody Loves You More, Wish I Was and Are You Mine

Lucy Dacus (of the band Boygenius) chatted to WFUV host Alisa Ali about her latest solo project, Forever Is A Feeling, how forever feels, the difference between songwriting and poetry, and the lush instrumentation listeners will hear on this album. The songs in this episode were recorded live at St. Ann & The Holy Trinity Church in Brooklyn. Thanks to Ali Carlisle-Steinberg for recording and mixing the music. The photo for this episode is courtesy of Chuff Media. Songs: Ankles, Bullseye and Best Guess

Jack Van Cleaf sat down with WFUV host Alisa Ali to talk about his self-titled Sophomore album, JVC, how viral fame in 2023 catapulted his career, the challenges of growing up and getting to know yourself and what it has been like to learn from music industry icons like Zach Bryan and Noah Kahan. Songs: Rattlesnake, Couch Potato and Green