Pixie McCann convinced herself in a toilet that everyone hated her, and filled her Notes app with the evidence: "literally everyone here is rotten." 

Then she woke up, read it back, and decided... this is good content. 

On this episode of The Hardest Part with Kieron Banerji, she opens up "Rotting," the song that came out of that night, and the debut EP it belongs to.

It's a conversation about the pocket between beautiful and horrible things: her first year making music professionally while her personal life fell apart, the pre-chorus that turned into an apology to her best friend ("I'm not that strong, I'm really sorry, take me back home"), working with her producer Joel, part wizard, part therapist, and the easter egg buried in the track: the word "rotting," sung in reverse, embedded into its veins.

Then Pixie performs "Rotting" live in the studio, and tells you exactly how to listen to it: back against the door, outside the party, cigarette lit, calming down.

Guest: Pixie McCann
Host and Executive Producer: Kieron Banerji
Photography and Creative: Callum Baker
Audio Engineers: Max Walker and Liam Jackson
Recorded at Palm Tree Island Studios, London.

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00:00 "Everyone here is rotten"
01:32 Why "Rotting" is the hardest part
02:27 The toilet, the Notes app & the spiral
03:58 The morning after: "this is good content"
04:39 "Take me back home" — an apology to her best friend
05:42 The pocket between beautiful & horrible
06:45 Joel the wizard: producer as therapist
10:03 Drum illiteracy, Logic Loops & Espresso
12:09 The reversed-word easter egg & how to listen
13:24 🎸 Live Session: Rotting

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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 known for standout music documentaries and original voices.

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.

Pixie McCann convinced herself in a toilet that everyone hated her, and filled her Notes app with the evidence: "literally everyone here is rotten."&nbsp;
Then she woke up, read it back, and decided... this is good content.&nbsp;
On this episode of The Hardest Part with Kieron Banerji, she opens up "Rotting," the song that came out of that night, and the debut EP it belongs to.
It's a conversation about the pocket between beautiful and horrible things: her first year making music professionally while her personal life fell apart, the pre-chorus that turned into an apology to her best friend ("I'm not that strong, I'm really sorry, take me back home"), working with her producer Joel, part wizard, part therapist, and the easter egg buried in the track: the word "rotting," sung in reverse, embedded into its veins.
Then Pixie performs "Rotting" live in the studio, and tells you exactly how to listen to it: back against the door, outside the party, cigarette lit, calming down.
Guest: Pixie McCann Host and Executive Producer: Kieron Banerji Photography and Creative: Callum Baker Audio Engineers: Max Walker and Liam Jackson Recorded at Palm Tree Island Studios, London.
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00:00 "Everyone here is rotten" 01:32 Why "Rotting" is the hardest part 02:27 The toilet, the Notes app &amp; the spiral 03:58 The morning after: "this is good content" 04:39 "Take me back home" &mdash; an apology to her best friend 05:42 The pocket between beautiful &amp; horrible 06:45 Joel the wizard: producer as therapist 10:03 Drum illiteracy, Logic Loops &amp; Espresso 12:09 The reversed-word easter egg &amp; how to listen 13:24 🎸 Live Session: Rotting
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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 known for standout music documentaries and original voices.
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.