This summer I traveled to Boston to teach songwriting at Berklee College of Music, and while I was in town I sat down with Boston's hometown hero, Stephanie James. We talked about vocal technique, practice routine, practicing too much, what teaching teaches you, my Josh Groban era, singing by instinct, how to cnotrol the audience, lifestyles of a musician, manifestation vs. mindfulness, and Stephanie's new EP!

Stephanie is a singer, songwriter, vocal coach and Berklee alum. I've written several songs for her and with her, including the title track of her new EP, Manifesting a Man. She's also one of a few vocal coaches who have really helped me as a singer, and she's a collaborator and confidant I lean on. We talk about vocal technique, what Barbra Streisand and Kacey Musgraves can teach you about singing, a Ben Folds post on finding your voice, and a friendly disagreement about manifestation versus mindfulness.

This is a special on-the-road episode.

Recorded on the road in Boston
00:00 – Cold Open
01:25 – Iced Coffee at Stephanie's in Boston
01:59 – On the Road: Teaching at Berklee
03:20 – Sleep, Hustle & Making Good Art
06:30 – The Rock 'n' Roll Myth
13:16 – The Brownies That Weren't
14:15 – What Teaching Teaches You
16:48 – The 17-Year-Old Producer & the AI Question
19:11 – Build a Practice Routine
22:17 – Getting My Voice Back
26:15 – Vocal Load & Vocal Fatigue
28:59 – Barbra Streisand Sings by Instinct
30:13 – Why Singers Cancel Tours
36:33 – Open Your Mouth, Make the Noise
37:34 – Role Models for Male Singers
39:00 – My Josh Groban Era
41:44 – Ben Folds on Finding Your Voice
46:26 – Manifestation vs. Mindfulness
49:34 – The Non-Negotiables List
54:36 – Do You Write Down Your Goals?
57:05 – Fixing Our Song in Real Time
58:20 – Rehearsing a Song 100 Times
01:00:39 – Be Face-Melting
01:02:10 – Living With 89%
01:07:35 – Manifesting a Man — The New EP
01:11:59 – Wrap Up

—

Follow Stephanie James:
🌐 https://www.stephaniejamesmusic.com
📸 Instagram: @stephaniejamesmusic
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephaniejamesmusic
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTo9yuVL1I6lqRk1UORcO6w
🎵 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5gHGL4PK4oAWEQCItOu2ey

Subscribe to The Noah Jackson Podcast for weekly conversations with working artists and music industry professionals.
📺 YouTube: @noahjacksonlive
📸 Instagram: @noahjacksonlive

I sat down with Nashville musician Jude Smith to talk about his brand-new album Destiny, what it means to create from a place of genuine conviction, and how to use social media as a tool — not a trap.

Jude is a multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter blending blue-eyed soul and pop. He sings, plays electric guitar, drums, keyboard, produces, mixes and writes — all while staying grounded in his faith and the Nashville community he loves. He's collaborated with Scary Pockets, racked up 3M+ streams worldwide, and earned endorsements from Fender, Martin Guitars, D'Addario, JHS Pedals, and more.

Recorded at Treehouse HQ, Nashville.

—

00:00 – Introduction
01:24 – Making Destiny & What the Album Is About
06:21 – Why Vinyl & the 10-Song Limit
08:46 – Home Studio Setup & Production Philosophy
14:49 – Being a Multi-Instrumentalist (Guitar, Drums, Production)
18:00 – Social Media, Content Creation & Humor
24:22 – Losing Followers & Staying Authentic Online
30:22 – Wisdom, Balance & "The Man of God Avoids Both Extremes"
37:01 – Discipline, Not Sleeping In & Observing the Sabbath
40:09 – Rock & Roll Culture & Faith in the Music Industry
48:20 – Why Music Is Inherently Spiritual
53:16 – Scary Pockets & the Power of Collaboration
54:38 – Practical Advice for Independent Musicians
58:13 – Is East Nashville Special?
59:36 – Best Advice He Ever Received
01:02:23 – Favorite Nashville Coffee Shop & Guitar Hero Origin Story
01:07:18 – Fitness, Basketball & Life on the Road
01:12:58 – AI in Music — Threat or Tool?
01:18:57 – Homeschooling, Family & Creative Roots
01:20:00 – Upcoming September Tour Dates
01:22:25 – The Vinyl Release & How to Find Jude

—

Follow Jude Smith:
🌐 judesmithmusic.com
📸 Instagram: @jude_smith
▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/user/judesmithmusic
🎵 Spotify & Apple Music: search "Jude Smith"

Subscribe to The Noah Jackson Podcast for weekly conversations with working artists and music industry professionals.
📺 YouTube: @noahjacksonlive
📸 Instagram: @noahjacksonlive

Nashville singer-songwriter Emily Hackett stopped by Treehouse HQ ahead of her album release Must Be Present to Win (out June 26) and we got into everything — how a throwaway line from her husband became the title of her album, writing "Butter" in 10 minutes flat and cranking the autotune to full T-Pain, navigating creativity and motherhood when the inspiration window is baby's nap time, and the deeply personal song she wrote about visiting a lost friend in her dreams. We also get into East Nashville, Halloween haunted houses, the wardrobe malfunction costume, and what Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic has to do with all of it.
🎙️ Follow Emily: @ms_emilyhackett
🎵 Must Be Present to Win — out June 26
📍 Treehouse HQ | Nashville, TN
@NoahJacksonLive

0:00 — Welcome to Treehouse HQ
2:00 — Introducing Emily & Must Be Present to Win
5:00 — The listening events: wine, yoga & ceramics
8:00 — Mother and Sunshine: Emily's cyanotype art side hustle
12:00 — "Validation" & the entrepreneurial circus of being an indie artist
16:00 — Where the album title came from (Mikey said what?)
22:00 — Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic & showing up for your genius
26:00 — Creativity after having a baby
30:00 — "Butter": the 10-minute take & going full T-Pain
36:00 — Why Alan Watts is on the record
40:00 — "The Steps": forget the steps, enjoy the dance
44:00 — Mourning your own wedding & the mushroom trip that healed it
51:00 — Brian: the song about a friend on the other side
58:00 — Halloween, haunted houses & the wardrobe malfunction costume
1:05:00 — What is East Nashville really?
1:09:00 — Best food in Nashville (hot takes)
1:11:00 — Advice for independent artists putting out a record
1:13:00 — Outro & where to find Emily