Damiano David is in the kitchen! From illegally busking in Rome with his band, Måneskin, to launching his powerful solo career, Damiano opens up about his emotional new record, the relationship between music and fashion, and his thoughts on that iconic “Rock and Roll never dies” moment at Eurovision. He shares stories about writing 72 songs for his debut album “Funny Little Fears’, working with Labrinth, and the differences in writing songs in English vs. Italian. Plus, he plays “Silver Lining Them Up,” a high-stakes elimination showdown where he chooses the next artist he’ll collaborate with.

Episode Breakdown:

• 00:00 - The hosts recap their week, including a Counter Melodies–inspired drink and singing with Rachel Zegler.

• 02:00 - Welcome Damiano David! The hosts introduce the Grammy-nominated artist and his upcoming solo album.

• 04:00 - Damiano shares his basketball-to-band pipeline and the origin of Måneskin.

• 05:30 - Illegally busking in Rome. The police came 2–3 times a day, but the band just circled the block and kept playing.

• 07:20 - Damiano’s Disney debut. He chats voicing “Jeffrey” in the Italian dub of Cruella and fills us in on his acting ambitions.

• 08:45 - Old Hollywood inspiration. Damiano explains why he’s drawn to classic tailoring and crooner-era aesthetics.

• 10:00 - Fashion and fast fashion. Why Damiano avoids fast fashion and how his personal style evolved with his solo era.

• 12:00 - Clothes and songwriting. The connection between mixing fashion pieces and musical influences.

• 12:40 - 72 songs, 14 made the album. Damiano talks about writing over 70 songs and the sounds that didn’t make the cut.

• 14:15 - The song he fought for. Why he insisted on including “Tango” on the album despite label hesitation.

• 15:30 - Born With a Broken Heart vs. Silver Lines. Where each song fits in the sonic direction of Fine Little Fears.

• 16:00 - Labyrinth collab backstory. Damiano wrote “Born With a Broken Heart” on day two of his first writing sessions.

• 16:45 - The songwriting rule. “We don’t leave the room until the song is done”—even if it takes all night in Joshua Tree.

• 17:30 - The realest collaborators. Damiano names his tight circle of trusted co-writers, including Sarah Hudson and Jason Evigan.

• 18:25 - Writing in English vs. Italian. Why writing in English helps him express raw emotion without overthinking phrasing.

• 20:00 - “I’ll lick your tears.” The now-iconic lyric from “Next Summer”—and why the room let him keep it.

• 21:30 - Rock and roll isn’t dead. Damiano clarifies his viral quote and explains why pop has always been a part of his sound.

• 23:20 - Will Måneskin return? Damiano shares how the band is on indefinite hiatus—but in a good way.

• 25:00 - Inside the industry. Why Damiano refuses to “live” in the music industry, even while working in it.

• 26:45 - How he stayed grounded. Launching at 16, his proudest achievement is keeping his head on straight.

• 27:15 - What to expect from tour. No two cities will be the same. Each crowd’s energy will shape the night.

• 28:00 - Game time: Silver Lining Them Up. A rapid-fire round of ultimate dream collabs—from Benson Boone to Bruno Mars to Taylor Swift.

• 31:00 - Where to find Damiano. Tour info, social handles, and where to stream Fine Little Fears.

Follow Damiano’s Journey:

Stream the new singles and pre-save Fine Little Fears, out May 16, at damianodavid.com (https://www.damianodavid.com/) and follow him @damianodavid on all socials.

Socials: Follow the hosts for more fun content!

@AnthonyGargiula

@JonathanTilkin

@CounterMelodiesPod

Listen and Watch:

https://tinyurl.com/CounterMelodiesPod

Credits:

Executive Producer/Showrunner/Editor: Louis Gargiula

Consulting Producer: Renee Colvert

Scott Hoying of Pentatonix is in the kitchen! From singing on Star Search to winning The Sing-Off, Scott shares his incredible journey and the experience of building a Grammy-winning a cappella empire. He opens up about his solo music, creative anxiety, queer joy, and a heartfelt behind-the-scenes story of his wedding day with Christina Perri. Plus, the ultimate pop star test: can Scott correctly guess which iconic artists once sang a cappella?

Episode Breakdown:

• 00:00 - He’s here! Scott Hoying joins the show. Anthony and Jonathan fangirl immediately

• 5:00 - Scott, Jonathan, and Anthony chat the Snow White premiere, working with Rachel Zegler, and meeting Jon M. Chu

• 12:00 - Scott’s beginnings. Texas, Star Search, and Maren Morris

• 14:00 - How Pentatonix got their start

• 17:45 - Winning The Sing-Off and immediately losing a record deal

• 20:00 - PTX takes their momentum to YouTube

• 21:15 - Working with Dolly Parton

• 24:00 - Working with Tori Kelly

• 25:30 - Posthumous work with Whitney Houston

• 27:00 - PTX Christmas albums and tours

• 30:00 - Producing for Brittany Broski

• 33:30 - Scott’s dream producing projects

• 35:00 - Christina Perri officiating and singing at Scott’s wedding

• 36:45 - Mel Robbins, bowling, and Sabrina Carpenter singing Justin Beiber

• 39:40 - A surprise guest drops by (hint: our first “pod dog!”)

• 41:45 - Chatting Scott & Mark’s children books

• 43:30 - “Rose Without The Thorns” and Grammy-Award nominations

• 47:00 - Game time! “Land of the Free, Home of the Rank”: Scott blind-ranks the most iconic National Anthems

• 55:00 - Final thoughts and where you can find Scott online!

Follow Scott’s Journey:

Listen to Parallel and find Scott on all socials at @ScottHoying!

Socials: Follow the hosts for more fun content!

@AnthonyGargiula

@JonathanTilkin

@CounterMelodiesPod

Listen and Watch:

https://pods.to/countermelodies

Credits:

Executive Producer/Showrunner/Editor: Louis Gargiula

Consulting Producer: Renee Colvert

Sam Harris of X Ambassadors joins the guys in the kitchen today—and he’s telling all the stories you want to hear! From the random drumhead brand that inspired the band name to how a one-line fadeout turned into a billion-streamed hit, this episode is packed with career surprises, emotional songwriting, and laugh-out-loud moments. Sam talks about working with Rihanna, co-writing for Lizzo, how Imagine Dragons changed everything, and the surprising story behind their massive Jeep jingle (Renegades). Plus, he joins Anthony and Jonathan for the ultimate performer’s challenge: rank all of the possible live show fails that can happen.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 - catching up with the guys + a family affair! Anthony’s parents surprise the team with custom mugs and wooden spoons.

04:00 - Welcome Sam Harris! From mistaken identity (he’s not the neuroscientist) to the backstory behind his full name.

06:00 - The “X” in X Ambassadors. How a copyright issue, Photoshop, and Dan Reynolds led to a last-minute rebrand.

09:00 - The real origin of “Ambassadors.” Hint: it involves a drumhead.

11:30 - Upstate New York roots. Sam and Anthony bond over small-town New York, from Ithaca to Albany.

13:00 - VHS turns 10. Sam reflects on the album that changed everything.

14:30 - How a ballad got them signed. A five-minute sad song caught fire on Virginia radio, leading to a chance encounter with Dan from Imagine Dragons.

17:30 - Label rejections and a surprise call from Alex Da Kid. The real start of X Ambassadors’ record deal.

19:00 - Opening for Imagine Dragons. From schlepping gear to performing for arenas with no crew—it was chaos.

22:15 - Why collaboration changed Sam’s life. How writing with others freed him from perfectionism.

23:30 - The Sucker for Pain saga (full story). Featuring Lil Wayne, a hotel bathroom, and 7 million artists.

26:45 - Working with Lizzo. From writing Jerome and Cuz I Love You to co-producing her latest single.

31:00 - Writing with artists from different worlds. Sam’s approach to helping artists stay authentic, especially with voices as big as Lizzo’s.

33:00 - The Rihanna story. How American Oxygen took a year to write—and why it wasn’t the hit they hoped for.

37:30 - The myth of the “sure thing.” Sam reflects on the unpredictability of the industry.

40:30 - Writing Unsteady. How a song originally intended for Zedd became one of the band’s biggest emotional anthems.

46:00 - Fans and trauma-dumping. Sam opens up about the intensity of fan interactions and what it means when people say “your song saved my life.”

49:00 - TikTok and TV revivals. Why Unsteady lives on, and how Anthony may have helped reignite the trend.

51:00 - The Renegades twist. How Sam accidentally wrote a jingle for Jeep—and why he’s now proud of it.

58:00 - Game time! Sam and the guys rank all of the possible live show fails that can happen

57:00 - Game time: What’s the Rena-grade? Sam gives letter grades to live performance challenges: no soundcheck, broken packs, untuned guitars, and more.

1:11:00 - The rubber band trick. A therapy technique Sam uses to stop the spiral of self-blame.

1:12:00 - What’s next for X Ambassadors? Sam announces (exclusive!) that a VHS 10-year rerecord is coming, with tour dates to follow.

Follow Sam and X Ambassadors:

Stream their new releases and keep up with the band on all socials @XAmbassadors and at xambassadors.com

Socials: Follow the hosts for more fun content!

@AnthonyGargiula

@JonathanTilkin

@CounterMelodiesPod

Listen and Watch:

CounterMelodiesPod.com

Credits:

Executive Producer/Showrunner/Editor: Louis Gargiula

Consulting Producer: Renee Colvert