Ep.028: If there’s one thing Emily Drinker knows how to do, it’s show up: on stage, in the studio, and for the Philly music scene at large. In this episode, we finally sit down to talk about her latest project, To Feel Alive, and how she’s balancing artistry, caretaking, and community leadership all at once. From her roots in vocal looping and cruise ship gigs to a standout slot at XPN Fest and opening for legends like Pat Benatar, Emily shares what it really means to grow into yourself as an artist. This conversation goes deep on grief, ambition, burnout, and the beauty of just getting a little weirder on stage.

We Chat About:

• How To Feel Alive became her most personal, heart-centered record to date
• The evolution from break-up songs to full-on self-exploration and healing
• Why looping vocals live still feels like a magic trick
• Hosting monthly meetups for women in music and backyard festivals with her band
• What it was like getting added to WXPN’s rotation while she was performing on a cruise ship in Europe
• Her thoughts on being political without being preachy
• Navigating life as a full-time artist while supporting aging parents
• The power of music as a processing tool—both personal and collective

About Emily Drinker:

Emily Drinker is an independent, award-winning singer-songwriter from Philadelphia. Her soulful brand of folk, pop, and rock goes down smooth, whether she’s performing with her powerhouse band, the Funky T, or in a more intimate format, incorporating live looping. Emily is an artist who has found a way to do what she does using every weapon in her considerable arsenal. Emily has been featured by NPR Music, Philadelphia’s WXPN, and played at many regional festivals including Firefly, Musikfest, and the Philadelphia Folk Festival. In the last few years, Emily has opened for Pat Benatar, Rufus Wainwright, JD Souther (Linda Ronstadt, Eagles, James Taylor), Switchfoot, Joey Dosik (Vulfpeck) and Bakithi Kumalo (Paul Simon’s Graceland). In addition to a busy performance schedule in Philly and its surrounding areas, Emily enjoys working as a session vocalist doing sync work for national TV shows, performing in half a dozen local bands, and hosting a festival in her backyard with her band/housemates.

Connect with Emily:

Website: emilydrinker.com

Instagram: @emilydrinker

YouTube: Emily Drinker

Facebook: Emily Drinker Music

Twitter: @emilydrinker

Spotify: Emily Drinker on Spotify

Other Resources:

Follow the OFFICIAL “loves music” playlist on Apple Music: ​​https://music.apple.com/library/playlist/p.4Y0J406i03DQrX

“loves music” playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0qE3kq89oyg3tFNbmRfHEO?si=vopaKQnNS8OHn0r2fFTVBg

Check out the “loves music” podcast website:

Ep.027: What happens when the music gets personal… like really personal? In this episode, I sit down again with returning guest Jorge Vallentine, the force behind Milwaukee-based indie rock project VLNTYN, to talk about art that comes from the rawest places. From recording stripped-down heartbreak songs in a church to building a consistent online presence after divorce, Jorge opens up about navigating grief, personal growth, and the liberating power of creating from pain. We get into his new era of music, what it means to write from discipline instead of survival, and why connection, human to human, is the goal. If you’ve ever wondered how to keep making art when life hits hard, or how to share your truth without letting it consume you, this one’s for you.

We Chat About:

• The story behind The Devil You Know and why VLNTYN leans into darker themes
• How divorce and rock bottom transformed his songwriting process
• Recording “Your Talking Dog” in one take, and why it still hits years later
• Writing from discipline vs. inspiration
• Creating a cohesive artist persona that still feels human
• What he’s learned posting content 3-6 times a day for 8 months straight
• Why collaboration is his next big frontier, and how it ties into the male loneliness epidemic
• Balancing emotional openness with artistic consistency
• His best show of the year, and why unplugging made it unforgettable
• The number one way to support indie musicians today

About VLNTYN:

VLNTYN is the moniker and indie rock project of Milwaukee’s Jorge Vallentine. Taking inspiration from the emotional lyricism of Bright Eyes, Elliott Smith, and the Mountain Goats and combining it with the raw energy of 2000s garage rock, VLNTYN builds a world of contrasts – light and dark, hope and despair, quiet and chaos, love and loss.

Connect with VLNTYN:

Website: http://www.vlntyn.com/streaming

Instagram: @vlntyntheband

TikTok: @vlntyntheband

YouTube: @vlntyntheband

Threads: @vlntyntheband

Facebook: VLNTYN

Other Resources:

Follow the OFFICIAL “loves music” playlist on Apple Music: ​​https://music.apple.com/library/playlist/p.4Y0J406i03DQrX

“loves music” playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0qE3kq89oyg3tFNbmRfHEO?si=vopaKQnNS8OHn0r2fFTVBg

Check out the “loves music” podcast website: https://www.podpage.com/loves-music/

Julian on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julian.jones.9484

Julian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julianjones417/

Julian on Threads:

Ep.026: Marc Ramos didn’t wait for permission; he built Morning Wars from the ground up, chasing the kind of indie rock that hits like a memory and sticks like a bruise. In this conversation, I sit down with the mind behind Marc Ramos of Morning Wars, the NYC-based indie rock project making waves with its cinematic production and emotionally rich songwriting. Marc opens up about the five-year journey behind his new album Prospect Gallery, what it means to be a perfectionist in the studio, and the joy of letting go on stage. We talk about growing up in a Puerto Rican family in Connecticut, navigating creative block in a post-pandemic world, and how collaboration has started to change the way he creates. If you’ve ever found yourself caught between ambition and burnout, or trying to make art that outlives the algorithm, Marc’s story will stay with you.

We Chat About:

• The DIY origins and evolution of Morning Wars
• Creating Prospect Gallery after a five-year hiatus
• How live performance shapes his relationship to music
• The role of perfectionism in his creative blocks
• Why he’s finally open to collaborating with outside producers
• What a flute solo taught him about trusting the song
• Advice for other artists navigating self-doubt and slow growth
• Why resilience, not luck, is the real key to success in music

About Marc Ramos of Morning Wars:

Morning Wars is the indie rock project of NYC-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Marc Ramos. Blending widescreen arrangements with slice-of-life lyrics, Ramos writes like a documentarian of modern twenty-something life— capturing the emotional volatility of coming of age in a hyper-connected world. Since emerging in NYC’s indie scene in 2022, Morning Wars has built momentum through word-of-mouth and authentic fan connection. The project has crossed the 100,000 lifetime streams mark on Spotify, with over 7,000 combined playlist adds and saves. Ramos has earned editorial recognition with features on Spotify’s Fresh Finds playlists and a standout performance at TikTok’s New York Headquarters on the platform’s official livestream.

With a growing reputation for explosive and emotionally immersive live shows, Morning Wars has taken the stage at respected NYC venues including Knitting Factory Brooklyn, Rockwood Music Hall, Arlene’s Grocery and others. Ramos’ DIY discipline is baked into the songwriting itself. Raised in a Puerto Rican family grounded in the spirit of the American dream, he writes songs that— no matter the subject— move toward resilience. The result is undeniable, arena-ready indie rock with heart, bite, and lift. Songs like “Breathing Underwater” have become fan favorites, praised for their soaring scope and lyrical honesty. Following a 2018 debut LP release and string of singles between 2019 and 2020 that helped the project cultivate its core audience, Morning Wars now approaches its self-released sophomore album poised for a defining leap— expanding its team, sharpening its vision, and building on a foundation of true organic growth. A deeply human, high-potential indie act with the voice and drive to go the distance.

Connect with Marc:

Instagram: @morningwars

Spotify: Morning Wars on Spotify

Other Resources:

Follow the OFFICIAL “loves music” playlist on Apple Music: ​​https://music.apple.com/library/playlist/p.4Y0J406i03DQrX

“loves music” playlist on Spotify: