Le Ren almost threw this song away. On this episode of The Hardest Part with Kieron Banerji, she opens up "Die Inside" from her album Don't Be Funny Without Me, a song that was easy to write but hard to sing, about a crush that was never going to be reciprocated, and the strange courage it takes to perform the plain, un-metaphored truth.

It's a conversation about honesty in songwriting: why singing it live once made her "feel like a loser," how Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" gave her permission to be vulnerable, why she tests every song live before recording.

Guest: Le Ren
Host: Kieron Banerji
Song: Die Inside
Creative: Callum Baker
Audio: Max Walker

-
00:00 "Easy to write, hard to sing"
01:51 Writing the truth, not the revenge song
03:21 Bonnie Raitt & choosing to be vulnerable
04:55 The hard part: making it public
05:42 Why she tests every song live first
08:09 "Long hair's better": brutal honesty
10:05 How she actually writes
12:51 Her heroes: Prine and Dolly
18:20 Inside "Die Inside": the story arc
20:03 Live Session: Die Inside
-

The Hardest Part dives deep into the most emotionally complex songs ever written. Every two weeks, host Kieron Banerji sits down with artists to unpack the creative process behind their hardest songs—exploring songwriting breakdowns, emotional storytelling, cultural influences, and moments of personal growth. Each episode ends with an intimate, stripped-back performance—raw, real, and sometimes heard this way for the first time.

Produced by Palm Tree Island, a London-based creative studio.

Kieron Banerji is a seasoned producer and engineer based in London with extensive experience in music, media, and entertainment. He’s worked with Grammy and Academy Award winners, and has recorded sessions with Portugal. The Man, Jason Isbell, Katie Melua, Rae Morris, Jason Mraz, BROODS, Baio (Vampire Weekend), and more.

Le Ren almost threw this song away. On this episode of The Hardest Part with Kieron Banerji, she opens up "Die Inside" from her album Don't Be Funny Without Me, a song that was easy to write but hard to sing, about a crush that was never going to be reciprocated, and the strange courage it takes to perform the plain, un-metaphored truth.
It's a conversation about honesty in songwriting: why singing it live once made her "feel like a loser," how Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" gave her permission to be vulnerable, why she tests every song live before recording.
Guest: Le Ren Host: Kieron Banerji Song: Die Inside Creative: Callum Baker Audio: Max Walker
- 00:00 "Easy to write, hard to sing" 01:51 Writing the truth, not the revenge song 03:21 Bonnie Raitt &amp; choosing to be vulnerable 04:55 The hard part: making it public 05:42 Why she tests every song live first 08:09 "Long hair's better": brutal honesty 10:05 How she actually writes 12:51 Her heroes: Prine and Dolly 18:20 Inside "Die Inside": the story arc 20:03 Live Session: Die Inside -
The Hardest Part dives deep into the most emotionally complex songs ever written. Every two weeks, host Kieron Banerji sits down with artists to unpack the creative process behind their hardest songs&mdash;exploring songwriting breakdowns, emotional storytelling, cultural influences, and moments of personal growth. Each episode ends with an intimate, stripped-back performance&mdash;raw, real, and sometimes heard this way for the first time.
Produced by Palm Tree Island, a London-based creative studio.
Kieron Banerji is a seasoned producer and engineer based in London with extensive experience in music, media, and entertainment. He&rsquo;s worked with Grammy and Academy Award winners, and has recorded sessions with Portugal. The Man, Jason Isbell, Katie Melua, Rae Morris, Jason Mraz, BROODS, Baio (Vampire Weekend), and more.

Hosted by Kieron Banerji, The Hardest Part dives deep into the most challenging songs ever written. Every two weeks, an artist joins Kieron in the studio to break down the struggles, breakthroughs, and raw emotions behind their toughest songwriting experiences. From overcoming creative blocks to tapping into painful memories, these conversations reveal the delicate balance between self-expression and self-protection.

Each episode wraps with an exclusive live performance of the song—raw, real, and sometimes heard this way for the first time.

Follow the Hardest Part wherever you get your podcasts, and watch footage from the show on our YouTube and socials.

Hosted by Kieron Banerji,&nbsp;The Hardest Part dives deep into the most challenging songs ever written. Every two weeks, an artist joins Kieron in the studio to break down the struggles, breakthroughs, and raw emotions behind their toughest songwriting experiences. From overcoming creative blocks to tapping into painful memories, these conversations reveal the delicate balance between self-expression and self-protection.
Each episode wraps with an exclusive live performance of the song&mdash;raw, real, and sometimes heard this way for the first time.
Follow the Hardest Part wherever you get your podcasts, and watch footage from the show on our YouTube and socials.

The Hardest Part

Hosted by Kieron Banerji, The Hardest Part dives deep into the most challenging songs ever written. Every week, an artist joins Kieron in the studio to break down the struggles, breakthroughs, and raw emotions behind their toughest songwriting experiences. From overcoming creative blocks to tapping into painful memories, these conversations reveal the delicate balance between self-expression and self-protection.

Each episode wraps with an exclusive live performance of the song—raw, real, and sometimes heard this way for the first time.

Follow the Hardest Part wherever you get your podcasts, and watch footage from the show on our YouTube and socials.

Hosted by Kieron Banerji, The Hardest Part dives deep into the most challenging songs ever written. Every week, an artist joins Kieron in the studio to break down the struggles, breakthroughs, and raw emotions behind their toughest songwriting experiences. From overcoming creative blocks to tapping into painful memories, these conversations reveal the delicate balance between self-expression and self-protection.
Each episode wraps with an exclusive live performance of the song—raw, real, and sometimes heard this way for the first time.
Follow the Hardest Part wherever you get your podcasts, and watch footage from the show on our YouTube and socials.