Ep. 225: Julia Michaels pt.2 | The Woman Who Changed Pop

And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan

And The Writer Is

Unknown, Music Interviews, Songwriting, Music, Songwriters, Education, Interviews, Music Creation, Artists

4.9 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 20 October 2025

⏱️ 79 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Julia Michaels has quietly rewritten the emotional DNA of pop music.

From Selena Gomez to Justin Bieber to Sabrina Carpenter — her pen reshaped how vulnerability sounds on the radio.

In this episode, Julia sits down with Ross to unpack the craft behind her catalog: the psychology of honest writing, the architecture of a hit, and the years she spent changing pop from behind the glass.

They dive into the writing of hits, the evolution of her artistry, and what it means to sustain creative integrity in a fast-changing industry.

Chapters

0:00 Intro: The Woman Who Reshaped Pop Music

0:59 Welcome Back: Reflecting on 8 Years in the Industry

2:13 Music Industry Evolution: Then vs. Now

3:00 Adapting Songwriting to Social Media and Trends

4:32 Early Career Advice: Mental Health and Boundaries

6:03 Panic Attacks and Performance Anxiety

9:25 From Songwriter to Artist: Reluctance and Breakthrough

11:23 Influence on Songwriting: Changing Pop's Sound

15:06 Hit Runs, Burnout, and Creative Pauses

17:55 Writing for Disney's Wish: Behind the Scenes

19:42 Future Plans: Musicals, Retirement, and Balance

21:05 Artistry and Collaborations

23:00 Inside the Sabrina Carpenter Camp

29:01 Breaking Down Hits: Taste, Bed Chem, and Coincidence

30:50 Joining Tate McRae: From 17 to Global Hits

33:39 Favorite Producers: Ryan Tedder, Stargate, and More

36:04 Working with Ed Sheeran: Panic, Brotherhood, and Hits

39:30 Crafting Lose You To Love Me with Selena Gomez

43:24 Longtime Bond with Selena: Firsts and Milestones

45:50 Celebrating Wins in a Changing Industry

47:19 Songwriter Struggles: Pay, Radio, and Streaming

50:26 Fair Splits and Standing Up for Writers

55:09 Gender Challenges: Overworking Female Writers

1:00:06 Regimented Life: Balance and Boundaries

1:02:40 Running Her Own Label: Freedom and Control

1:04:15 Career Lows and Highs

1:06:10 Perfect Studio Moment: Working with Britney Spears

1:07:34 Reflections: Where She Thought She'd Be

1:08:45 Uncut Demos and Sacred Songs

1:11:27 Wrapping with Selena, Benny, and Unlikely Stars

1:15:55 Ego-Free Sessions and Lifelong Roots

1:18:22 Outro and Credits

NMPA fights for songwriters' rights, ensuring fair pay and protection.

Check them out at NMPA.org and follow them on social media at @NMPAorg

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And The Writer Is...

Hosted by Ross Golan

Executive produced by Joe London and Jad Saad

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

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0:00.0	I never wanted to be famous.
0:02.5	I just wanted to make good songs, and if there was someone in Iowa that related to it, great.
0:08.4	One of the most in-demand songwriters in pop music.
0:11.8	This woman has reshaped pop music.
0:14.1	Julia Michaels!
0:15.5	Have you changed how you write because of the way people consume music?
0:20.1	Yes and no. I was doing two, three sessions sometimes a day. They made me feel like my career
0:27.7	was going to be over if I didn't say yes to every opportunity. And you look difficult from a
0:33.8	label if you're like, hey, be super great if we could have a fee they're like whoa
0:38.8	most people get record deals that's all they ever wanted yes what they want is the fade right
0:44.8	what's the lowest part of your career i don't talk about these experiences
0:55.5	this season is presented by NMPA.
0:59.4	Welcome to And The Writer is.
1:01.7	I am your host, Ross Golan.
1:04.3	Today's superstar composer is no stranger to crafting global hits or to And The Writer
1:10.4	is.
1:11.3	She is certainly one of the most influential writers of the past decade.
1:15.2	In fact, I don't think there's a female artist who doesn't have Julia Michaels as one of their
1:21.1	lyrical muses.
1:22.9	Both as a pop star and writer, this woman has reshaped pop music and the writer is my good friend julia
1:30.7	michael's hi you know this obviously the second time you've been on this um the first time
1:38.7	it's not totally dissimilar except for it was eight years ago yeah and we're still here that's what I was gonna say
	...

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