Welcome to You Had to Be There, the podcast where we deep dive into the world of the music industry. I’m your host, Julia Gomberg. This week, I’m fangirling a bit because I got to speak with the iconic, blue-haired, and effortlessly cool Charlotte Sands. Charlotte is a pop punk artist who blends upbeat melodies with honest, self-reflective lyrics. Her upcoming album, Satellite, really encapsulates where she’s been (including opening for The Maine and Yungblud on tour), who she is, and where she’s headed in her career (her next album is out March 6!) You can pre-save her album and stream a handful of singles now, and be sure to check out Charlotte’s playlist she curated for this episode in the show notes. Thanks for listening, be sure to presave her album, and I’lll catch you next time.

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Charlotte's Playlist

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Welcome back to You Had to Be There! I’m so excited to end the year with a special episode featuring one of my all-time favorite bands, Twen. I’m joined by Jane and Ian to talk about their DIY approach in everything they do, from writing songs to touring across the country, and what it’s taken to find real success on their own terms.

Be sure to check out the playlist Jane and Ian curated below, alongside this episode in the show notes. You can also follow Twen at the links I’ve included. Thanks so much for listening, and I’ll see you in 2026.

Twen's Playlist

Twen YouTube

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Welcome back! I’m so excited to introduce Erica Campbell as this week’s guest. Erica is a seasoned music editor and writer, and most recently the former Music Editor of PAPER. She has a way of seeing artists before the rest of the world catches on, and today we get to tap into that perspective: the culture she’s observing, the shifts she’s excited about, and the moments that remind her why this work matters.

You can find Erica’s curated music playlist alongside this episode in the show notes. Thanks so much for listening. Be sure to follow along on Instagram at @uhadtobetherepod, and I'll catch you next time.

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Erica’s Playlist

Welcome to You Had to Be There, the podcast that dives deep into the world of the music industry. I’m your host, Julia Gomberg. This week, I had the pleasure of chatting with Alany Rodriguez, festival and conference programmer for SXSW’s music initiatives. In her role, Alany helps bring to life everything from Keynote & Featured Speakers, artist demo listening sessions, and music conference content. She’s also a professional member of the Recording Academy and currently serves on the National Music Education & Professional Development Committee.

It’s clear that Alany truly loves what she does — and what stood out to me most is how she views the music industry as more than just business. For her, it’s about curating unforgettable experiences and creating moments that fans and artists carry with them long after the show ends.

After the episode, be sure to check out Alany’s curated playlist, linked in the show notes. Thanks so much for listening, and I’ll catch you next time.

Alany's Playlist

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Welcome back to You Had to Be There, the podcast where we dive deep into the world of the music industry. I’m your host, Julia Gomberg. This week, I’m thrilled to be joined by Kristin Robinson. Kristin is a Senior Correspondent at Billboard and the host of On the Record, Billboard’s new podcast that unpacks the biggest stories at the crossroads of music, business, and technology. Over the course of her career, Kristin has become a leading voice on music publishing, tech, and the rise of AI in the music industry.

Kristin has written standout cover stories for Billboard on artists like Charli XCX’s Brat Summer, Mustard’s role in Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” and Ghostwriter’s viral AI-generated track “Heart on My Sleeve” featuring ‘Fake Drake’—which we’ll be digging into in this episode.

Some other exciting news: you can now watch clips of the biggest moments from this interview over on You Had to Be There’s Instagram at @uhadtobetherepod. After the episode, be sure to check out Kristin’s curated playlist a which you can find in the episode show notes. Thanks so much for listening, and I'll catch you next time.

Kristin’s IG

Kristin’s Playlist

Billboard’s On The Record Podcast

Welcome to another episode of You Had to Be There, the podcast where we deep dive into the world of the music industry. I'm your host, Julia Gomberg. This week, I’m excited to introduce Melanie Williamson as this week’s guest. Melanie is the founder and editor-in-chief of Music Scene Media, a digital music publication featuring all the facets of music: from artist interviews, social content, artist photography, and more. Plus, Melanie is a concert photographer and publicist herself, so she has undoubtedly experienced some unforgettable ‘you had to be there’ moments that have shaped her career today.

Thanks so much for listening, and be sure to follow along on Instagram at @uhadtobetherepod, and I'll catch you next time.

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Melanie's Playlist

Music Scene Media's IG

Music Scene Media Website

Welcome to another episode of You Had to Be There, the podcast where we deep dive into the world of the music industry. I'm your host, Julia Gomberg. This week, I’m so excited to introduce Sofia Gillani as my special guest. Sofia is a West London-based artist who has devoted herself to her music through writing, producing, self-promotion and directing music videos– all independently. Her single ‘Read My Mind’ has been featured as BBC’s Artist of the Week. Her authenticity is as undeniable as her talent, and she’s just getting started.

Be sure to check out Sofia’s upcoming single, “Vulnerability,” is out this Friday, available on all streaming platforms. So be sure to check that out, as well as her curated playlist alongside this episode, which you can find in the show notes. Thanks so much for listening, be sure to follow along on Instagram at @uhadtobetherepod, and I'll catch you next time.

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Sofia’s Playlist

Welcome to You Had to Be There, the podcast where we deep dive into the behind-the-scenes of the music industry. I’m your host, Julia Gomberg. This week, I was lucky enough to get to sit down with Abby Jones, staff editor and writer for Stereogum. Her writing has also been featured in Pitchfork, Billboard, Consequence, NPR Music, SPIN, and more. We got to discuss the impressive trajectory of her career, trusting the process, and what it was like when she saw a photo of Linkin Park vocalist Mike Shinoda wearing an excerpt from her article on his t-shirt, circulating on Twitter. Truly a “you had to be there” kind of moment.

Be sure to check out Abby’s curated playlist and socials, which you can find below. Appreciate you listening, and I’ll catch you next time!

Abby's Playlist

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Abby's Twitter

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