Music

Unfamous with Justin Tranter

Most of what you love in pop culture didn’t happen the way you think it did. Unfamous, hosted by Grammy-nominated songwriter Justin Tranter, reveals how creative work actually gets made. Each episode pairs a celebrity with the collaborator behind their biggest moments in music, comedy, film, and entertainment. You get honest stories, real insight, and a practical blueprint for building a creative career.

New episodes drop every Wednesday. Like, comment and subscribe.

www.instagram.com/unfamousthepodcast
www.tiktok.com/@UnfamousThePodcast
www.patreon.com/Unfamousthepodcast

Latest Episodes:

When "Pushing Through" Stops Working: Rainbow Kitten Surprise on Reinvention Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

What happens when pushing through stops making you stronger and starts getting in the way of the art? Justin Tranter sits down with Rainbow Kitten Surprise's lead singer/songwriter Ela Melo and her partner and movement director Cat Cogliandro to unpack how movement, trust and recovery changed the way Ela and the band perform. They trace “Devil Like Me” from a homemade recording built with cardboard-box stomp claps to its live reinvention, revisit the 2022 Red Rocks performance that forced Ela to confront how far she had pushed herself, and talk honestly about sobriety, creative conflict and knowing when to ask for help. It’s a conversation about building a better show, but also a more sustainable way to keep making art without buying into the idea that suffering is what makes an artist great. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Bailey Katler and 2BEntertainment.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inside Pop Songwriting: Hits, Failure, Fear + What Actually Makes a Song Work Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

What makes a great song when everyone is trying to reverse-engineer hits, virality and the “right” way to be an artist? Justin Tranter sits down with friends and collaborators Sasha Alex Sloan and Amelia Moore, two artist-songwriters whose careers keep proving that some of the best creative decisions are the ones that look wrong on paper. They unpack how an imperfect choice became one of the most memorable parts of Camila Cabello’s “Never Be the Same,” why the “too complicated” riff in Amelia’s “See Through” became a TikTok singing challenge and helped lead to her second record deal, and what getting dropped taught both of them about failure, freedom and trying again. Plus: writing for other artists, the very different mechanics of K-pop, how to say no without killing a writing session, and why neither industry rejection nor industry praise can tell you who you are. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Shaina Botwin, Sam French and Mady Davis.

Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/w4mqomzg #CashAppPod Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. Cash App Green features, Savings, Direct deposit, Round ups, Overdraft coverage and Discounts provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Some Songs Work Onscreen and Others Don’t: Pitch Perfect, The Devil Wears Prada + Wednesday Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

What makes one song perfect for a scene while another, even a great one, just doesn’t work? Justin Tranter sits down with music supervisor Julia Michels and songwriter, producer and arranger Alana Da Fonseca to break down the judgment behind the music in Pitch Perfect, The Devil Wears Prada, Wednesday, Off Campus and more. They get into testing whether “Toxic” would still connect with a younger audience, knowing instantly that KT Tunstall’s “Suddenly I See” belonged in The Devil Wears Prada, reinventing “Paint It Black” for cello, and why writing for screen means serving the story instead of protecting your song. Along the way, they unpack taking notes without ego, navigating directors and creative politics, and why the best song you’ve ever written can still be completely wrong for the moment. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans and the Guild of Music Supervisors.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Music Gets Into Hit TV Shows | The Hidden Process Behind Prime's "Off Campus" + More Sep 09, 2026

Show notes

How does a song actually make it into a hit TV show, and what makes the right placement capable of changing an artist’s career? Live from the GMS Conference, Justin Tranter sits down with Emmy-nominated music supervisors Amanda Krieg Thomas and Anna Romanoff to reveal the hidden process behind the music you hear on screen. They break down how Off Campus on Prime built its musical world from the scripts up, how artists like G Flip and The Beaches landed major moments, what it really takes to clear an iconic song, and why you can’t simply manufacture a viral soundtrack. They also share what songwriters need to understand about writing for film and TV, why the business side of creativity matters, and practical advice for anyone trying to break into music supervision: get close to the work, learn the craft, build your community, and don’t rush the process. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans and the Guild of Music Supervisors.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bella Kay + Alexis Idarose Kesselman | “iloveitiloveitiloveit”+ How Great Collaborators Disagree Sep 02, 2026

Show notes

Bella Kay and songwriter-producer Alexis Idarose Kesselman break down the creative partnership behind Bella’s debut album, from meeting during one of Bella’s first-ever writing sessions to making “I Love It, I Love It, I Love It,” “Stop,” “Blur,” and “Karaoke.” They talk about learning the rules without losing what makes an artist unique, fighting for ideas, turning messy relationships into songs, handling criticism, and why the best collaborators make you feel even more like yourself. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Lizbeth Alvarez, Priscilla Felten, Justin Frazier, Mandy Weiss, Cyndi Williams, Adam Mersel, Tracy Wasserman and Deborah Radel.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ruth B + Cole MGN | What Happens After Your First Song Becomes a Massive Hit Aug 26, 2026

Show notes

Ruth B’s career exploded with her very first song. Then came the harder question: how do you do it again? Ruth and producer Cole MGN join Justin Tranter to unpack the pressure that followed “Lost Boy,” why “Dandelions” unexpectedly going viral five years later changed Ruth’s relationship with success, and how the two built her most personal album yet. They break down abandoning the songwriting-session treadmill, reinventing Ruth’s creative process, taking nearly two years to finish “Breathe,” and finally completing “Storm,” the Vine-era song fans had been asking for for a decade. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Bobbie Gale + Nina Savio.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recap | How Artists Rebuild, Find Their Identity + Build the Right Team Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

Host and co-creator Justin Tranter and co-creator Morgan Stuart revisit their conversation with artist Valencia Grace and manager Kyle Stuart to unpack what it really takes to build an artist from the ground up. They break down why getting dropped can sometimes unlock the artist you were supposed to become, why the right manager needs to be genuinely obsessed with the work, and why virality, a record deal, or industry attention can never replace creative identity, trust, and a team that actually believes in you. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Wendy Laister & Magus Entertainment.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bea Miller | Child Stardom on The X Factor, Depression and the Wild Stories Behind Her Songs Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

Bea Miller joins longtime collaborator Justin Tranter to unpack growing up as a child star, surviving The X Factor, and finding her confidence as a songwriter. They break down how real conversations about depression, relationships, insecurity and bad decisions became songs like “Feel Something,” “Drunk Enough,” “Depressed on the Internet,” and “Sex for Attention,” plus sexism in writing rooms, Paramore’s influence, and the new album marking her first in a decade. This episode is funny, brutally candid, and basically a masterclass in turning your worst experiences into very good pop songs. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Tim Smith and Mike Powers.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recap: Kid Cudi on Creative Trust, Criticism, and the Meaning of "Pursuit of Happiness" Aug 05, 2026

Show notes

Unfamous host Justin Tranter and his co-creator Morgan Stuart revisit Justin’s conversation with Kid Cudi, unpacking what it reveals about trust, creative risk, criticism, and longevity. From the chaotic first session that helped unlock “Saltwater,” to Cudi pushing himself vocally, to “Pursuit of Happiness” becoming something bigger than its original meaning, this minisode looks at how great artists keep evolving without losing what makes them singular. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Kasey Sobey and Sydnee Nanas.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recap: Caleb Hearon + Caitie Delaney on TV Writing, Ego, and Bad Notes Jul 29, 2026

Show notes

Unfamous host Justin Tranter is joined by his co-creator Morgan Stuart to revisit their episode with comedian, actor, and writer Caleb Hearon and TV writer Caitie Delaney, whose credits include Big Mouth and Rick and Morty. Together, they unpack what Caleb and Caitie’s creative partnership reveals about writer room dynamics, ego, executive notes, knowing when to push back, and why the best collaborators care more about the work than getting credit. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Caleb Hearon, Caitie Delaney, Jimmy Knehans, Mark Beaven and Michelle Kariuki

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Unfamous with Justin Tranter

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected