Jenn Wasner on Being vs. Performing

08/19/21 • 58 min

Tell Me Something True with Laura McKowen

What do you do when the music stops and there’s no dancing in the distraction machine? For Jenn Wasner, like so many of us, that was her pandemic year. She had become “incredibly adept at outrunning myself,” so when her life as a touring musician was paused and two relationships ended she realized that picking up the guitar was not going to bring peace. Jenn Wasner’s band Wye Oak, her collaboration with Andy Stack, is connoisseur-grade indie rock and her deep musicality has earned her spots on the Bon Iver and Sylvan Esso touring line-ups. She just released her best solo work as Flock of Dimes and the moving, evocative songwriter that has won over so many showed up in our interview. Even if you’ve never been in the spotlight, we think you’ll identify with Jenn’s poignant, often funny and piercingly true reflections on why we can’t let the outside give us our inside. Plus, you get a surprise detour discussion about the Enneagram. Get to know Jenn better: Flock of Dimes' Jenn Wasner: 'I became incredibly adept at outrunning myself' An instrument of healing with Jenn Wasner and Helado Negro - Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak and Flock of Dimes, Roberto Lange (aka Helado Negro), Hand Habits’ Meg Duffy and saxophonist Joseph Shabason discuss music as a form of healing. Tell Me Something True is a 100% independent podcast. There are no corporations or advertisers backing this community. We are 100% funded by the TMST community. Support TMST, hear uncut interviews, and keep it ad-free: https://tmst.supercast.com/ Join our free online community (it’s not a Facebook group!): https://www.tmstpod.com/

Previous Episode

Anne Helen Petersen on Burnout and The Myth of “Having it All”

“Rachel Hollis is a manifestation of a larger ideology about women's place in society. That if you just try hard enough, all of these structural issues that are making your life really, really hard can be solved if you just wash your face. .” - Anne Helen Petersen Anne Helen Petersen is one of our most essential cultural observers. Her work at Buzzfeed culminated in her 2020 book, Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation. Now she’s using Culture Study, her Substack newsletter, to explore everything from The Unified Theory of Peloton to how to make friends. In the episode, Laura and Anne unpack the faux empowerment of Rachel Hollis, the ways we sell quick fixes to systemic problems (like how a bath bomb will overcome the ways our society devalues women, and, particularly mothers) and the myth of “having it all.” More than ever, this is one to share with your favorite people! Readings mentioned in the show: Culture Study - AHP’s newsletter and community. Towards A Unified Theory of Peloton by Anne Helen Petersen How Millennials Became The Burnout Generation by Anne Helen Petersen “Girl, Wash Your Face” Is A Massive Best-Seller With A Dark Message by Laura Turner A Quick Explainer On Why People Aren’t Happy With Rachel Hollis Tell Me Something True is a 100% independent podcast. There are no corporations or advertisers backing this community. We are 100% funded by the TMST community. Support TMST and keep it ad-free: https://tmst.supercast.com/ Join our free online community (it’s NOT a Facebook group!): https://www.tmstpod.com/

Next Episode

Jim Zartman on The 4 Types of Relational Energy

How do you show up in relationships? Jim Zartman is a certified Enneagram teacher, a former Midwest megachurch producer, a father, husband, and the Co-Founder of The Art of Growth, a top-rated Enneagram podcast and company of the same name. He also happens to be one of Laura’s best friends. Laura brought Jim on to break down the three types of relational energy we tend to inhabit, how each can cause pain and dysfunction in our relationships, and the magical fourth type, or “with” energy, that he believes is the path through to peace. Jim’s the first to tell you that he doesn’t have the answers, but he’s a hell of an example of how awesome the process of growing up can be. Get to know Jim better: You can connect with him through his site or you can reach him and the entire team at The Art of Growth. Tell Me Something True is a 100% independent podcast. There are no corporations or advertisers backing this community. We are 100% funded by the TMST community. Support TMST, hear uncut interviews, and keep it ad-free: https://tmst.supercast.com/ Join our free online community (it’s not a Facebook group!): https://www.tmstpod.com/