The FADER Uncovered Podcast

The FADER Uncovered is a series of in-depth conversations with the world’s most impactful musicians, from genre-defining stars to avant-garde pioneers hosted by seven time Grammy Award winner, Oscar Award winner, legendary record producer and DJ, Mark Ronson. Each episode is rooted in these musicians’ iconic FADER cover stories, an institution that, over the past two decades, has told artists’ stories like no other. It’s a chance to talk about the past, present, and future of music and artistry, reflecting on the breakthroughs, creative struggles, and evolutions that can take place under the spotlight. Join Mark Ronson for a new episode every week.

The FADER Uncovered Host Mark Ronson Trailer

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The FADER Uncovered Trailer

On the first episode of The FADER Uncovered, host Mark Ronson speaks with Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, drummer of The Legendary Roots Crew. Quest takes Mark back to 2002, when The Roots appeared on the cover of The FADER just before the release of their fifth album, Phrenology. They discuss the incredible creative energy in Philadelphia around the turn of the millennium and the absurd concentration of talent around Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village; the difficulties The Roots faced when trying to level up after 1999’s Things Fall Apart; and how Jay-Z quoting The Simpsons on a phone call with Quest led to The Roots collaborating with Hov on MTV Unplugged, thawing out the cold war between underground and mainstream hip-hop.

The FADER Uncovered - Questlove

The FADER Uncovered: Questlove

On the second episode of The FADER Uncovered podcast, host Mark Ronson is joined by sugar trap pioneer Rico Nasty to look back at her 2018 FADER cover story and her life in the spotlight since. Rico tells Mark about the highs and lows of her life on tour, merging rap and rock in new ways, and how she learned to trust herself as she rose to global fame.

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The FADER Uncovered: Rico Nasty

On the third episode of The FADER Uncovered podcast, host Mark Ronson is joined by Talking Heads icon David Byrne to reminisce about his 2009 FADER cover story and his inspiring and unique musical career. David tells Mark about his numerous classic albums, both as a solo artist and as part of Talking Heads, collaborating with Brian Eno, what he wanted to achieve with his must-read book How Music Works, and the journey from arthouse to arenas. They also discuss Byrne’s ambitious staging of his American Utopia live show on Broadway and the new artists he has been listening to in lockdown.

The FADER Uncovered: David Byrne

On the fourth episode of The FADER Uncovered podcast, host Mark Ronson is joined by Este and Alana from HAIM to reminisce about their 2013 FADER cover story and to look back over their early days as a band. The sisters fill Mark in on the tough period in their personal lives that led to their Grammy-nominated 2020 album Women In Music Pt.III and how the global pandemic put a stop to their planned tour of delis to promote the record. They also reminisce about being in a band with their parents and Este’s time as a member of pop-rock group the Valli Girls alongside her sister Danielle. There’s talk of panic attacks on the set of Saturday Night Live plus HAIM’s work with Hollywood auteur Paul Thomas Anderson, too. In fact, they had so much to discuss that a second episode featuring HAIM will follow in the coming weeks.

The FADER Uncovered: HAIM Part 1

On the fifth episode of The FADER Uncovered podcast, host Mark Ronson is joined by Tame Imapala’s Kevin Parker to look back at his band’s 2012 FADER cover story and his journey from creating psych rock alone at home to becoming festival headlining rock star. Kevin tells Mark about celebrating 10 years of the band’s debut album Innerspeaker, the key to writing a great song, and his memory of playing Coachella with Tyler, The Creator and Danny DeVito watching from the side of the stage. Mark, meanwhile, reveals the Tame Impala song he and his fiancée had their first kiss to.

The FADER Uncovered: Tame Impala

On the sixth episode of The FADER Uncovered podcast, host Mark Ronson is reunited with HAIM to continue the conversation they began in Part One. Mark, Este, and Alana pick up where they left off, discussing the secrets to a good party, a shared love of The Eagles, early work on the band’s next album, and a long lost Ghostbusters theme cover Haim and Mark once recorded together alongside an ill-fated Howard Stern collaboration.

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The FADER Uncovered: HAIM Part 2

On the seventh episode of The FADER Uncovered, host Mark Ronson is joined by the legendary Erykah Badu. Ronson and Badu delve into her unique and pioneering career, diving deep on her iconic albums Baduizm and Mama's Gun plus her recollections of recording at New York’s Electric Lady Studios. Mark and Erykah also share memories of the night they DJ'd together as well as discussing the perils of getting drunk before a show.

The FADER Uncovered: Erykah Badu

On the eighth episode of The FADER Uncovered, host Mark Ronson is joined by the one-of-a-kind superstar Santigold. Ronson and Santi, friends for over two decades, talk about her genre-spanning 2008 debut album and its unforgettable singles “Creator” and  "L.E.S. Artistes." Santi goes back in time to discuss her first band, the punk group Stiffed, and her days as a regular performer at CBGBs as well as her transition into becoming an unlikely popstar in the mid-2000s. Later on Santi fills Mark in on upcoming album Spirituals, her first new music since 2016.

The FADER Uncovered: Santigold

On the ninth episode of The FADER Uncovered, host Mark Ronson is joined by Damon Albarn, a true musical polymath and the creative force behind both Blur and Gorillaz. Together they revisit Albarn’s 2007 FADER cover story, written around the release of a new album from one of Albarn’s many musical projects; The Good, The Bad & The Queen. They also talk about Albarn’s new opera, his musical education in Africa, the way funding for art has been affected during the COVID-19 pandemic, and what it feels like to headline Glastonbury twice in a row with different bands.

The FADER Uncovered: Damon Albarn

On the tenth episode of The FADER Uncovered, host Mark Ronson is joined by J Balvin, the global superstar whose charisma and chart-topping hits have taken Spanish language music to unparalleled heights in the past decade. Together they revisit Balvin’s 2016 FADER cover, written as the Colombian reggaetón artist was playing arenas in South America and looking to make waves in the U.S. and beyond. They look back on Balvin’s past five years, including appearances at the Super Bowl and on stage at Coachella during Beyoncé’s iconic headline set, while picking apart the wider impact it has had on the music world. Ronson also dives into Balvin’s new album Jose, his most personal album so far.

The FADER Uncovered: J Balvin

On the second episode of Season 2 of The FADER Uncovered, host Mark Ronson is joined by Kelis, the genre-defying, future-everything artist whose arrival on the music scene two decades ago changed the game forever. Together they revisit Kelis’s 2001 FADER cover, written between the release of her iconic albums Kaleidoscope and Wanderland. They look back on that period of Kelis’s career, taking in everything from making studio magic with The Neptunes to the downsides of touring Europe with U2. They also reminisce about the time Kelis, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef, catered a party at Mark’s, and look forward to new music, including her latest single, “Midnight Snacks.”

The FADER Uncovered: Kelis

On the third episode of Season 2 of The FADER Uncovered, host Mark Ronson is joined by Japanese Breakfast aka musician and author Michelle Zauner. Together they revisit Zauner’s 2018 FADER cover, written shortly after the release of Japanese Breakfast’s second album Soft Sounds from Another Planet. Since then the band has released new album Jubilee while Zauner published her memoir, New York Times best-seller Crying In H Mart, written about losing her mother and establishing her own identity. Zauner guides new fan Ronson through her career to date, from her early forays into music through to the viral New Yorker essay that led to her book, and onto her most recent project; scoring indie video game Sable. They also spend time discussing their shared love of Japanese city pop and coming to terms with your artistic voice.

The FADER Uncovered: Japanese Breakfast

On the thirteenth episode of The FADER Uncovered, host Mark Ronson is joined by My Morning Jacket’s Jim James. Together they revisit James’ 2006 FADER cover, written shortly after the release of the band’s breakout album Z. Since then the band has released five more studio efforts, including new album My Morning Jacket. James has also released a series of solo albums and formed the Monsters of Folk supergroup alongside Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst, M. Ward, and Mike Mogis. Both producers, James and Ronson geek out over the mystic qualities of a good studio and discuss how a change in temperature can make all the difference when it comes to laying down classic tracks. James also talks to Ronson about his interest in transcendental meditation as well as his feelings towards religion and the polarized state of online discourse.

The FADER Uncovered: My Morning Jacket

On the latest episode of The FADER Uncovered, host Mark Ronson is joined by legendary rap producer DJ Premier. Together they revisit Premier's 1999 FADER cover, a joint interview conducted alongside Rev. Run of Run DMC and Rage Against The Machine’s Zack de la Rocha. Super fan Ronson then grills Premier on his legendary ‘90s period, when he was one half of Gang Starr and also producing grimy NY rap bangers for the likes of Biggie and Nas. They also chat about Premier’s love of Duran Duran and the time he joined Ronson in the DJ booth among many other things.

The FADER Uncovered: DJ Premier

On the latest episode of The FADER Uncovered, host Mark Ronson is joined by hook lord Ty Dolla $ign. Together they revisit Ty’s 2014 FADER cover, written off the back of his cult Beach House mixtapes and before he dropped debut album Free TC. Since that cover story Ty has established himself as an integral part to many great hip-hop or R&B tracks, lending his distinctive vocals to songs by Kanye West, Post Malone, and Megan Thee Stallion to name just a few. Ty casts his mind back to his early days hustling in New York before returning to his native LA and finding his musical crowd, including producer DJ Mustard and rapper YG. They discuss old school R&B and house influences, the keys to a successful collaboration, and touring with Justin Timberlake, as well as sharing stories about how nervous meeting Stevie Wonder made them both feel.

The FADER Uncovered: Ty Dolla $ign

On the latest episode of The FADER Uncovered, host Mark Ronson is joined by Big Boi. Together they revisit the three occasions Big Boi has graced the FADER cover, twice as part of Outkast and again in 2005 alongside his protege, a young Killer Mike. The importance of Big Boi’s role in putting his beloved Atlanta on the hip-hop map is beyond compare. He talks to Mark about his earliest days making music alongside Andre 3000 right up to their crowning moment, winning the Grammy for Speakerboxxx/The Love Below in 2004. Mark also lavishes praise on his guest for gifting him multiple classics for his DJ sets and Big Boi even drops an exclusive update on his long rumored collaboration with Kate Bush.

The FADER Uncovered: Big Boi

On the latest episode of The FADER Uncovered, host Mark Ronson is joined by Pharrell Williams for the first in a two part interview. Together they revisit The Neptunes’ 2002 FADER cover and look back on the breakthrough period of Pharrell’s career, discussing the magic of working with colorful characters including Mystikal, N.O.R.E. and Ludacris. Pharrell also lifts the lid on what it’s like in the studio with Jay-Z and how a refusal to be confined to any one kind of music led him to where he is today. Be sure to join us next week for Part II of the conversation.

The FADER Uncovered: Pharrell Williams Part 1

On the latest episode of The FADER Uncovered, host Mark Ronson is once again joined by Pharrell Williams for the second part of their epic interview. This time out they discuss Pharrell’s punk education at the iconic 9:30 Club in DC, his love of go-go music, why Lenny Kravitz is underrated, and the surprising origins of N.E.R.D.’s rock sound before the pair stop to give A Tribe Called Quest legend Q-Tip his flowers as one of the most influential figures in musical history.

The FADER Uncovered: Pharrell Williams Part 2

This week Ronson is joined by rapper, author, and business mogul Rick Ross. Together they revisit the Miami rapper's 2006 FADER cover, written just as his breakout hit "Hustlin'" was blowing up. Ross looks back to a time before "Hustlin'," including a time when a car crash made him re-evaluate life and almost quit rap altogether. They also touch on his stratospheric rise in the hip-hop game, collaborating with Kanye West in Hawaii, his new book The Perfect Day to Boss Up, and what it's like to perform at a bar mitzvah.

The FADER Uncovered: Rick Ross

The FADER is the definitive voice of emerging music and the lifestyle that surrounds it. Through in-depth reporting and a distinct street sensibility, The FADER aggressively covers the most dynamic breadth of music and style emanating from the fringes of the mainstream to the heart of the underground. The FADER is the authority on what's next.