On this episode of The Spark Parade, Grammy and Golden Globe-nominated songwriter, producer, and activist Justin Tranter talks about feeling completely entranced the first time they heard Ani DiFranco’s song "Swan Dive."
Tranter instantly fell in love with “Swan Dive” and its poetic message of self-empowerment. Ever since, it's continued to shape their taste and songwriting process.
Percy Jackson and The Olympians star Aryan Simhadri was a bit skeptical when he first saw The Devil Wears Prada, but he quickly became enthralled with the incredible acting and sharp storytelling. On this episode of The Spark Parade, the actor explains how it wasn't just the glitz, glamour, and fashion that drew him, but the powerhouse that is Meryl Streep.
Ted star Max Burkholder might have been born in the '90s, but the 1980 cult classic Airplane! still resonated with him like few other comedies before or since. On this episode of The Spark Parade, Burkholder gushes about the silly world of Airplane!, a style of comedy that grabbed him and never let go.
The actor admits that, upon first viewing, the performances in the film were so subtle he didn't realize it was a comedy. He's since grown to adore its blend of deadpan humor, slapstick, and surrealism, and it's proven to be a major influence for his work on Ted, a show from another one of his creative heroes, Seth MacFarlane.
When Sleater-Kinney's Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker discovered Patti Smith's legendary debut album Horses, an artistic earthquake occurred in both of their lives. They were blown away by Smith's fearless, challenging lyrics and melodies and Robert Mapplethorpe's stunning portrait on the album's cover. Horses has remained a constant source of inspiration in Sleater-Kinney's decades long career, as the band has travelled the globe playing iconic venues infused with the spirit of Smith's music and that of her contemporaries.
Be sure to check out Sleater-Kinney's new album Little Rope, a record that was completed in the aftermath of a deadly car accident involving Brownstein’s mother and stepfather in late 2022, which is releasing 1/19 here!
As a lifelong Janet Jackson stan, actress, singer, and drag superstar Peppermint loves Janet's entire back catalog. But her self-titled fifth album has a special place in Peppermint's heart. It represents a major leap forward in Janet's style and sound, as well as her public advocacy for the queer community. And, Peppermint has been so inspired by Janet's choreography that she's recreated two of her videos!
Learn more about Peppermint here and be sure to check her out in Peacock's The Traitors, a competition show, hosted by Alan Cumming, where contestants play the ultimate murder mystery game to win a prize of up to $250,000.
Actor and content creator Sam Song Li (The Brothers Son, Never Have I ever, and Better Call Saul) was bowled over when he first saw Damien Chazelle's frenetic music school nightmare Whiplash. Li was even compelled to seek out acting classes that mirrored the film's hard-edged approach to artistic practice - albeit a less extreme version. In look back, he still sees the value of brutal honesty in furthering artists' careers, but he also sees the drawbacks and limitations of relentless negative feedback.
Learn more about Sam Song Li here and be sure to check him out in Netflix's The Brothers Son starring alongside Michelle Yeoh and Justin Chien.
Singer, songwriter and producer Jesse Boykins III was introduced to The Fifth Element by his college roommate (who happened to be Jonah Hill!). He was hooked on the film's style and storytelling from the first frame and has continually revisited it as a source of creative inspiration throughout his career. Jean Paul Gaultier's costume design combined with Luc Besson's unique storytelling to create a distinctive sci-fi landscape, one that showed Boykins the power of combining masculine and feminine energies in his artistry.
Drag Race superstar Trinity The Tuck loves the bonkers campness of queer classic Death Becomes Her for lots of reasons. The deliciously over-the-top performances by Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn, the iconic fashion, and the ridiculous story have had her hooked since the first time she saw it. She watches it multiple times a year and it's influence has even seeped into her drag.
Rapper, singer, and writer Dessa first came across Dave Eggers' memoir A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genious as a college student and was immediately drawn to its wild, vibrant prose. Eggers' frankness and honesty had a huge influence on Dessa's own writing. Her live performances have also been inspired by his unusual, subversive book readings.
Comedian and actor Amanda Seales loved The Cosby Show as a child and it had a profound effect on the development of her own comedy. It taught her to bring a personal slant to her stand-up. It's also incredibly important to her because it was a huge step forward for Black representation across all media and was one of the most successful sitcoms of all time.
Of course, the legacy of the show has been severely tarnished by disgraceful revelations about its namesake. Seales and host Adam Unze address the elephant in the room and whether it’s possible to separate art from artist. At the same time, they acknowledge that The Cosby Show was more than just one individual, and its influence on young Black people in the the ’80s like Seales was very real.
As a young man, The Polyphonic Spree's Tim DeLaughter found a strong connection with a small piece of Ennio Morricone's score to The Good, The Bad And The Ugly. Il Forte (The Strong) is an instrumental piece that has moved and inspired DeLaughter in a way that no other music has. It acted as entrance music for The Polyphonic Spree concerts and provided an emotional foundation for much of his own writing.
Cold War Kids' Nathan Willett and Matt Maust are obsessed with all things U2, so it's no surprise that they love Davis Guggenheim's documentary about the making of one of the band's biggest albums, Achtung Baby. Seeing U2's creative process and the intraband turmoil that ensued at the height of their fame gave Willett and Maust a different perspective on their own careers and musical methodology.
Comedian, actress, and author Phoebe Robinson first saw Sex In The City as a college freshman and has binge-watched the whole series annually ever since. She loves the camaraderie between the four leads, the sex positivity, and the nuanced take on romantic relationships. She is not, however, a fan of the SATC big screen outings or the poorly received sequel series And Just Like That...
Singer-songwriter Angie McMahon watched the mycelium-centered documentary Fantastic Fungi during the height of COVID and it radically changed how she sees the world. It brought the interconnectedness of the natural world into sharp focus for McMahon and that concept served as a major inspiration for her new album Light, Dark, Light Again.
The first time she saw David Lynch's neo noir classic Blue Velvet, singer and songwriter Slayyyter was immediately drawn to its distinctive visual style. The saturated colors and dramatic lighting acted as a mood board for her new album S********R. She was particularly captivated by Isabella Rossellini's lounge singer character Dorothy and incorporated elements of her story into the album's songwriting process.
Shamir had Charlotte Sometimes' Sideways EP on repeat throughout high school and it's never come out of heavy rotation. The simple honesty of her lyrics and her strong melodies gave him hope that he could find success as a performer someday. He loved that it wasn't a groundbreaking project, but rather a solid example of the kind of songwriting and production that felt familiar to him.
Until The Ribbon Breaks' Pete Lawrie Winfield has a very close relationship with Run The Jewels' seminal second album Run The Jewels 2. The production, the rhymes, the features, and every element of it have impacted him personally and professionally. And he had a front-row seat to the creation of that masterpiece and it changed the course of his life and career.
Comedian, actor, activist and icon Margaret Cho has loved Todd Haynes' work since his first film Superstar, but his glam rock pseudo-biopic Velvet Goldmine has always been her favorite of his films. She loves the way it centers queerness through the lens of some of her favorite artists, namely David Bowie, Iggy Pop, and Lou Reed. She loves the music, the costumes, and art direction, but is particularly enamored of the fearless performances by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Ewan McGregor, Christian Bale, and Toni Collette.
From the moment her older sister introduced her to Edward Scissorhands, singer/songwriter Oh Land felt a kinship with the lead character, as well as his love interest, Kim. As a pre-adolescent trying to make sense of the world, she felt connected both to the isolation and awkwardness channeled through Edward and the romance and whimsy that shone out of Kim. Danny Elfman's score also left an indelible imprint on her young mind and has been a constant source of inspiration in the development of her own work.
The sounds of '90s and 2000s RnB have always spoken to singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Tone Stith and Usher's career-defining third album 8701 is at the top of his list for albums of that era. It produced mega-hits like "U Remind Me" and "U Got It Bad" and featured production from superstars like The Neptunes and Jermaine Dupri, ensuring its global success. In addition to Usher, Tone's influences extend to artists like Jazmine Sullivan, Michael Jackson, and Prince, all of whom have informed his songcraft and vocal style.