I am so proud to welcome composer, violinist, activist, and educator Daniel Bernard Roumain to the podcast this week. When I read last week that the Tulsa Opera made the decision to remove his aria “They Still Want to Kill Us” from the program for their upcoming concert to commemorate the centennial of the Tulsa race massacre, I reached out immediately for an interview. This important conversation about this and his other experiences of racism within the classical music world also gave way to a gorgeous connection the the unmistakable change making power of art. I’m so grateful to share this conversation with you this week!

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Anna LaMadrid‘s solo performance The Oxy Complex opens online this week at IAMA Theater Company and she joined me this week to talk about her process with creating the show, how it was inspired by life in quarantine, and what it’s like to exist in the dual roles of writer and actor. Ms. LaMadrid also filled me in on her wildly popular coaching hub for actors, Put Me On Self Tape.

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I was treated to a preview of “Unraveling,” the forthcoming new video from dark electronic synth-pop duo PIERA a couple weeks ago, and I knew I had to introduce them to you, fair MikeyPod listeners. The music is a blend of influences I have always loved yet it still maintains a unique and vibrant voice of its own. Our conversation here reveals the beautiful humans behind the music, and their desire to share the potential they see for all of us.

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I’ve been a casual fan of Myq Kaplan‘s for a few years now, but it wasn’t until I started prepping for this conversation that I got a full picture of his work. He’s, of course, a brilliant comedian, but through listening to his podcasts and his music, I developed a whole new appreciation for his vast catalogue. We covered a bunch of ground here, but I was especially intrigued by the way his growth as a performer informed his growth as a human being. Enjoy this great conversation and a little taste of his music as well!

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