Some stories don’t change. We do. In this episode, J.D. sits down with Brittney Jenkins to discuss her song 'Bend to Break' from her album 'Faultlines'. Brittney explores themes of identity, distance, generational trauma, and the power of reframing the past after growing up in a conservative North Carolina community and building a life in the UK. This conversation covers music as a tool for healing, the artist's creative process, and the strength required to bend instead of break.

Key topics include:
- Generational trauma and identity
- Music and mental health
- The creative process of songwriting
- Healing through storytelling

Go backstage HERE
Theme music by: Lincoln Parish

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From the Studio

This episode is part of Come Back To Earth, produced by Story House. We believe story is a tool for meaning-making, not just performance.

Leave a voice message or reflection

The Letterbox

I read every letter. If something in this episode landed for you, or raised something you're still sitting with, I'd love to hear it.

Story House
370 Mallard Loop Dr.
Clayton, NC 27527

Find the House

• Long-form writing and studio notes: https://story-house.beehiiv.com/
• Support this work: http://storyhousestudio.org/community

Presence over persuasion. Consistency over frequency. http://storyhousestudio.org

Grief doesn’t always arrive as tears. Sometimes it arrives as instinct, the sudden, sharp reflex to call someone who isn’t there anymore.

I’m sitting down with Canadian folk-pop songwriter Joe McLeod to talk about his single, “ARROWS” the first release from his upcoming album TORN. Written over years of reflection following the loss of his father at age 22, “ARROWS” explores the weight of becoming the protector.

From writing in solitude on an acoustic guitar to intimate house shows in Switzerland, this conversation explores loss not as a one-time event, but as a lifelong reshaping.

In This Episode:

• Navigating the loss of a parent in early adulthood.
• Understanding grief as an evolving process, not a destination.
• The journey of writing alone versus the energy of the studio.
• Creating a shared, present-moment refuge for the audience.

Go backstage HERE
Theme music by: Lincoln Parish

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From the Studio

This episode is part of Come Back To Earth, produced by Story House. We believe story is a tool for meaning-making, not just performance.

Leave a voice message or reflection

The Letterbox

I read every letter. If something in this episode landed for you, or raised something you're still sitting with, I'd love to hear it.

Story House
370 Mallard Loop Dr.
Clayton, NC 27527

Find the House

• Long-form writing and studio notes: https://story-house.beehiiv.com/
• Support this work: http://storyhousestudio.org/community

Presence over persuasion. Consistency over frequency. http://storyhousestudio.org

Some songs are written during the day. Others are built in the quiet hours, when no one is watching, when exhaustion meets inspiration, and when something inside refuses to let you sleep.

I’m joined by Danish pop artist Emilie Thorsby to talk about her single, “Late Night”—a vibrant celebration of hardworking musicians in an era increasingly shaped by AI and automation. From global radio play (including a surreal first spin in Uganda) to studio sessions fueled by disco beats and live saxophone, Emilie shares why she believes in breath over perfection and live performance over simulation.

This is a conversation about the craft of songwriting, the ethics of AI in the music industry, and the simple truth that some things can’t be generated, they can only be lived.

Go backstage HERE
Theme music by: Lincoln Parish

---

From the Studio

This episode is part of Come Back To Earth, produced by Story House. We believe story is a tool for meaning-making, not just performance.

Leave a voice message or reflection

The Letterbox

I read every letter. If something in this episode landed for you, or raised something you're still sitting with, I'd love to hear it.

Story House
370 Mallard Loop Dr.
Clayton, NC 27527

Find the House

• Long-form writing and studio notes: https://story-house.beehiiv.com/
• Support this work: http://storyhousestudio.org/community

Presence over persuasion. Consistency over frequency. http://storyhousestudio.org