Saltwater stings a wound... and heals it. On this episode of The Hardest Part with Kieron Banerji, Troy Javelona opens up "SALTWATER" from his two-sided EP No Healing Without Heartbreak: one side written inside a relationship that treated him badly, the other written on the way out, and this song, from the healing side, about the new love that stings with the past even as it mends it.

00:00 "The saltwater that heals me"
01:00 Introducing "SALTWATER" & the two-sided EP
01:57 The saltwater metaphor
02:51 Journaling a breakup into songs
04:30 First collaborations & learning to say no
08:12 Trust: the thing every artist names
09:45 Ocean towns, London & how place shapes sound
13:50 Writing straight to the person
16:45 The intro: a song for the beach
17:44 Full Track

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.

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#TroyJavelona #Saltwater #musicpodcast

Saltwater stings a wound... and heals it. On this episode of The Hardest Part with Kieron Banerji, Troy Javelona opens up "SALTWATER" from his two-sided EP No Healing Without Heartbreak: one side written inside a relationship that treated him badly, the other written on the way out, and this song, from the healing side, about the new love that stings with the past even as it mends it.
00:00 "The saltwater that heals me" 01:00 Introducing "SALTWATER" &amp; the two-sided EP 01:57 The saltwater metaphor 02:51 Journaling a breakup into songs 04:30 First collaborations &amp; learning to say no 08:12 Trust: the thing every artist names 09:45 Ocean towns, London &amp; how place shapes sound 13:50 Writing straight to the person 16:45 The intro: a song for the beach 17:44 Full Track
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.
- #TroyJavelona #Saltwater #musicpodcast

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.

Troy Javelona on Writing "SALTWATER"

Dan Croll spent seven years on "Hail Mary," a song about last chances, time running out, and coming to terms with a career that didn't keep the shape it started with. On this episode of The Hardest Part with Kieron Banerji, he opens it up with rare honesty: the early success he feels he squandered, the full-time job he works outside music now, and why everything, ideas, songs, deals, and touring, feels like one more throw of the ball. And why he's still here, still giving it a go.

They talk about craft as persistence: the archivist's method of reopening a session every few months for years; a full notebook per song and "murder-map" lyric walls; the voice-notes ritual that makes sure no good idea slips the net; collaborating for the first time in his career; and the influences behind the album Winning Streak — a rekindled Burt Bacharach obsession ("Budget Bacharach": real vibraphone, coffin-sized studio), Frank Sinatra endings, Glen Campbell, and country's unapologetic honesty. Then the nuance that changes the song: the bridge line that surprised him as he wrote it — "and I'm praying you won't forget me." His biggest fear, out loud.

Then Dan performs "Hail Mary" live in the studio.

00:00 "Everything's a bit of a Hail Mary"
01:04 Seven years, one song
02:22 Last chance saloon
03:51 Chords first, chorus first
07:46 Voice notes & keeping ideas alive
11:00 Collaborating for the first time
12:38 Budget Bacharach & Sinatra endings
17:12 Country, Cohen & honest simplicity
20:36 "Praying you won't forget me"
22:54 🎸 Live: Hail Mary

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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.

🎧 Follow the Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thehardestpart

-
#DanCroll #HailMary #MusicPodcast #TheHardestPart #Songwriting #LiveSession

Dan Croll spent seven years on "Hail Mary," a song about last chances, time running out, and coming to terms with a career that didn't keep the shape it started with. On this episode of The Hardest Part with Kieron Banerji, he opens it up with rare honesty: the early success he feels he squandered, the full-time job he works outside music now, and why everything, ideas, songs, deals, and touring, feels like one more throw of the ball. And why he's still here, still giving it a go.
They talk about craft as persistence: the archivist's method of reopening a session every few months for years; a full notebook per song and "murder-map" lyric walls; the voice-notes ritual that makes sure no good idea slips the net; collaborating for the first time in his career; and the influences behind the album Winning Streak &mdash; a rekindled Burt Bacharach obsession ("Budget Bacharach": real vibraphone, coffin-sized studio), Frank Sinatra endings, Glen Campbell, and country's unapologetic honesty. Then the nuance that changes the song: the bridge line that surprised him as he wrote it &mdash; "and I'm praying you won't forget me." His biggest fear, out loud.
Then Dan performs "Hail Mary" live in the studio.
00:00 "Everything's a bit of a Hail Mary" 01:04 Seven years, one song 02:22 Last chance saloon 03:51 Chords first, chorus first 07:46 Voice notes &amp; keeping ideas alive 11:00 Collaborating for the first time 12:38 Budget Bacharach &amp; Sinatra endings 17:12 Country, Cohen &amp; honest simplicity 20:36 "Praying you won't forget me" 22:54 🎸 Live: Hail Mary
-
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.
🎧 Follow the Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thehardestpart
- #DanCroll #HailMary #MusicPodcast #TheHardestPart #Songwriting #LiveSession

Dan Croll Breaks Down the Process of Writing ‘Hail Mary.’

Luke Hart wrote "Biding" about seeing someone, an infatuation that felt amazing and awful at once. Then he posted it online, people found it, and strangers started messaging him that the song holds their grief, their old cities, their goodbyes. 

On this episode of The Hardest Part with Kieron Banerji, he opens up the song that's done more than he ever intended.

Kieron and Luke talk about the song written on the couch of his old Manchester flat under a salt lamp, the diminished chords he learned from listening to his friends, the inspiration of Adrianne Lenker, and why songwriting is the only way he knows to process anything.

Luke also performs an exclusive stripped back version of the track for us live in our studio.

00:00 "It's done so much more than I intended"
01:20 Introducing "Biding"
01:48 An infatuation, in the cold
03:42 The salt lamp & the Manchester flat
05:06 Diminished chords & learning from friends
07:43 Songwriting as the only way to process
11:33 Pinegrove, Laura Marling & peers who push you
14:09 Open D, Chris Smither & Adrianne Lenker
14:42 The song that outgrew him
16:24 Live Session: Biding

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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.

-
#LukeHart #Biding #MusicPodcast #TheHardestPart #NewMusic #Songwriting #LiveSession

Luke Hart wrote "Biding" about seeing someone, an infatuation that felt amazing and awful at once. Then he posted it online, people found it, and strangers started messaging him that the song holds their grief, their old cities, their goodbyes.&nbsp;
On this episode of The Hardest Part with Kieron Banerji, he opens up the song that's done more than he ever intended.
Kieron and Luke talk about the song written on the couch of his old Manchester flat under a salt lamp, the diminished chords he learned from listening to his friends, the inspiration of Adrianne Lenker, and why songwriting is the only way he knows to process anything.
Luke also performs an exclusive stripped back version of the track for us live in our studio.
00:00 "It's done so much more than I intended" 01:20 Introducing "Biding" 01:48 An infatuation, in the cold 03:42 The salt lamp &amp; the Manchester flat 05:06 Diminished chords &amp; learning from friends 07:43 Songwriting as the only way to process 11:33 Pinegrove, Laura Marling &amp; peers who push you 14:09 Open D, Chris Smither &amp; Adrianne Lenker 14:42 The song that outgrew him 16:24 Live Session: Biding
-
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.
- #LukeHart #Biding #MusicPodcast #TheHardestPart #NewMusic #Songwriting #LiveSession

Luke Hart on the Songwriting and Production Process of "Biding"

Maddie Zahm was watching Meryl Streep deliver "that is all" in The Devil Wears Prada when she had a realisation: "that's gay." 

On this episode of The Hardest Part with Kieron Banerji, she opens up "Meryl," a flirty, joyful, proudly queer song about loving older women.

It's a conversation about honesty as a superpower: how she came out through a song she accidentally sent to her mom, why she writes hyper-specifically, as though no one will ever hear it, and why the songs that scare her most always resonate most.

At the end of the interview, Maddie performs an exclusive stripped back version of the track. 

00:00 "That's gay": the Meryl Streep moment
01:14 Introducing "Meryl"
01:57 Coming out through a song (by accident)
02:55 Writing literally — & the eyelash story
05:00 Writing like throwing up
05:45 Editing on gut instinct
07:39 Griffin, Summer & turning the car around
10:21 Does Meryl know?
11:40 "I've never done a thing that I'm told"
12:20 Live Session: Meryl

-

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.

🎧 Follow the Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thehardestpart

-
#MaddieZahm #Meryl #MusicPodcast #TheHardestPart #Pride #QueerMusic #Songwriting #LiveSession

Maddie Zahm was watching Meryl Streep deliver "that is all" in The Devil Wears Prada when she had a realisation: "that's gay."&nbsp;
On this episode of The Hardest Part with Kieron Banerji, she opens up "Meryl," a flirty, joyful, proudly queer song about loving older women.
It's a conversation about honesty as a superpower: how she came out through a song she accidentally sent to her mom, why she writes hyper-specifically, as though no one will ever hear it, and why the songs that scare her most always resonate most.
At the end of the interview, Maddie performs an exclusive stripped back version of the track.&nbsp;
00:00 "That's gay": the Meryl Streep moment 01:14 Introducing "Meryl" 01:57 Coming out through a song (by accident) 02:55 Writing literally &mdash; &amp; the eyelash story 05:00 Writing like throwing up 05:45 Editing on gut instinct 07:39 Griffin, Summer &amp; turning the car around 10:21 Does Meryl know? 11:40 "I've never done a thing that I'm told" 12:20 Live Session: Meryl
-
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.
🎧 Follow the Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thehardestpart
- #MaddieZahm #Meryl #MusicPodcast #TheHardestPart #Pride #QueerMusic #Songwriting #LiveSession

Troy Javelona on Writing "SALTWATER"

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