In this episode of The Hardest Part, Loren Kramar joins host Kieron Banerji to explore the creative journey behind his music. The conversation focuses on the transformation of a personal monologue into the song "Hollywood Blvd" from the 2024 album Glovemaker. Loren shares insights on working with his producer Sean O'Brien, integrating live band elements, and the deeper themes of fame and self-worth woven into his work. Loren also touches on navigating artistic expression through personal experiences. The episode concludes with a live performance of the song.

Artist: Loren Kramar

Song: "Hollywood Blvd"

Host and Producer: Kieron Banerji

Musical Director & Guitar: Sean O'Brien

Keys: Alex Casnoff

Recording Engineer: Max Walker

Creative Team: Callum Baker and Giovanni Almonte

Recording Studio: The Thin White Duke, London.

In this episode of The Hardest Part, Loren Kramar joins host Kieron Banerji to explore the creative journey behind his music. The conversation focuses on the transformation of a personal monologue into the song "Hollywood Blvd" from the 2024 album Glovemaker. Loren shares insights on working with his producer Sean O'Brien, integrating live band elements, and the deeper themes of fame and self-worth woven into his work. Loren also touches on navigating artistic expression through personal experiences. The episode concludes with a live performance of the song.
Artist: Loren Kramar
Song: "Hollywood Blvd"
Host and Producer: Kieron Banerji
Musical Director &amp; Guitar: Sean O'Brien
Keys: Alex Casnoff
Recording Engineer: Max Walker
Creative Team: Callum Baker and Giovanni Almonte
Recording Studio: The Thin White Duke, London.

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.

Loren Kramar: "Hollywood Blvd"

How do you turn fear and anxiety into something creative? In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with UK band Chartreuse to unpack the story behind their song “I’m Losing It” — a deeply personal track written by vocalist Hattie following the news that she’d need major surgery at just 29, forcing her to relearn how to walk. Hattie shares how months of anxiety and fear about becoming a burden turned into a creative outpouring.

The band speaks candidly about the power of songwriting as emotional processing, how they instinctively built the song from a small demo, and how they recorded it with handmade tape loops in an Icelandic studio overlooking the ocean. They also reflect on burnout after their first record, how they reignited their creativity in a remote Yorkshire cottage, and why they now trust the flow of collaboration. This episode ends with an exclusive live acoustic version of “I’m Losing It,” recorded backstage at Bush Hall.

 

Guest: Chartreuse

Host and Executive Producer: Kieron Banerji

Show Mixed and Produced by: Kieron Banerji

Mix Engineer: Max Walker

Creative: Callum Baker Recorded at Bush Hall, London.

How do you turn fear and anxiety into something creative? In this episode of The Hardest Part, Kieron Banerji sits down with UK band Chartreuse to unpack the story behind their song &ldquo;I&rsquo;m Losing It&rdquo; &mdash; a deeply personal track written by vocalist Hattie following the news that she&rsquo;d need major surgery at just 29, forcing her to relearn how to walk. Hattie shares how months of anxiety and fear about becoming a burden turned into a creative outpouring.
The band speaks candidly about the power of songwriting as emotional processing, how they instinctively built the song from a small demo, and how they recorded it with handmade tape loops in an Icelandic studio overlooking the ocean. They also reflect on burnout after their first record, how they reignited their creativity in a remote Yorkshire cottage, and why they now trust the flow of collaboration. This episode ends with an exclusive live acoustic version of &ldquo;I&rsquo;m Losing It,&rdquo; recorded backstage at Bush Hall.
&nbsp;
Guest: Chartreuse
Host and Executive Producer: Kieron Banerji
Show Mixed and Produced by: Kieron Banerji
Mix Engineer: Max Walker
Creative: Callum Baker Recorded at Bush Hall, London.

Chartreuse Break Down a Song Born From Pain and Healing

In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji is joined by Hrishikesh Hirway — musician, composer, and creator of the iconic podcast Song Exploder.

Known for helping artists dissect their songs and uncover the stories behind them, Hrishikesh does something rare in this conversation: he breaks down his own song — a track called “Between There and Here,” written in the wake of his mother’s death. It’s a deeply personal piece, one that reflects the quiet complexities of grief, love, and the gaps left by what’s unsaid.

Hrishikesh talks about the emotional expectations in his household, how his mother shaped his creative instincts, and the way music became his private outlet for feelings he wasn’t always encouraged to express.

We hear about the inspiration and restraint behind “Between There and Here,” his approach to songwriting, and why telling his own story has often been harder than pulling stories out of others.

For once, the man behind the questions becomes the subject — and what unfolds is a conversation about grief, identity, legacy, and the music that holds it all together.

This special episode also features an exclusive acoustic version of the track, recorded just for the show

 

Guest: Hrishikesh Hirway of Song Exploder

Host: Kieron Banerji

Produced by Palm Tree Island

Mix Engineer: Max Walker

In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji is joined by Hrishikesh Hirway &mdash; musician, composer, and creator of the iconic podcast Song Exploder.
Known for helping artists dissect their songs and uncover the stories behind them, Hrishikesh does something rare in this conversation: he breaks down his own song &mdash; a track called &ldquo;Between There and Here,&rdquo; written in the wake of his mother&rsquo;s death. It&rsquo;s a deeply personal piece, one that reflects the quiet complexities of grief, love, and the gaps left by what&rsquo;s unsaid.
Hrishikesh&nbsp;talks about the emotional expectations in his household, how his mother shaped his creative instincts, and the way music became his private outlet for feelings he wasn&rsquo;t always encouraged to express.
We hear about the inspiration and restraint behind &ldquo;Between There and Here,&rdquo; his approach to songwriting, and why telling his own story has often been harder than pulling stories out of others.
For once, the man behind the questions becomes the subject &mdash; and what unfolds is a conversation about grief, identity, legacy, and the music that holds it all together.
This special episode also features an exclusive acoustic version of the track, recorded just for the show
&nbsp;
Guest: Hrishikesh Hirway of Song Exploder
Host: Kieron Banerji
Produced by Palm Tree Island
Mix Engineer: Max Walker

HP #028 | Song Exploder’s Hrishikesh Hirway Breaks Down His Own Song

What do you do when you have five separate demos and no idea how they fit together?

In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji sits down with NYC psych-pop collective Psymon Spine to unpack the twisting, turbulent process behind their song Wizard Acid. Written remotely during the pandemic and born from five conflicting demos, the track became one of their most ambitious—and hardest to finish.

They break down how Wizard Acid evolved piece by piece: from early voice memos and lost choruses to Bowie-inspired edits and haunted house energy. Along the way, they reflect on collaboration, overthinking, and the surprising value of returning to the first idea.

Artist: Psymon Spine
Song: “Wizard Acid”
Album: Head Body Connector

Host and Executive Producer: Kieron Banerji

Recording Engineers: Max Walker
Creative Team: Callum Baker (Photography), Giovanni Almonte (Videography)
Recording Studio: The Thin White Duke, London.

What do you do when you have five separate demos and no idea how they fit together?
In this episode of The Hardest Part, host Kieron Banerji sits down with NYC psych-pop collective Psymon Spine to unpack the twisting, turbulent process behind their song Wizard Acid. Written remotely during the pandemic and born from five conflicting demos, the track became one of their most ambitious&mdash;and hardest to finish.
They break down how Wizard Acid evolved piece by piece: from early voice memos and lost choruses to Bowie-inspired edits and haunted house energy. Along the way, they reflect on collaboration, overthinking, and the surprising value of returning to the first idea.
Artist: Psymon Spine Song: &ldquo;Wizard Acid&rdquo; Album: Head Body Connector
Host and Executive Producer: Kieron Banerji
Recording Engineers: Max Walker Creative Team: Callum Baker (Photography), Giovanni Almonte (Videography) Recording Studio: The Thin White Duke, London.

Loren Kramar: "Hollywood Blvd"

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