You Had to Be There

Bre Kennedy on Writing 'The Alchemist' and the Stories We Tell Ourselves

Welcome to You Had to Be There, the podcast where we take a deep dive into the world of the music industry. I'm your host, Julia Gomberg. This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Nashville-based singer-songwriter Bre Kennedy. Bre kicked off 2026 with the release of The Alchemist, an introspective and beautifully crafted album centered on collaboration, self-love, and personal growth. Throughout both her music and our conversation, Bre offers a thoughtful perspective on navigating life's complexities, capturing the highs, the lows, and everything in between with remarkable honesty. In our conversation, Bre shares an honest look at her creative process, offering insight into the vulnerability, intention, and collaboration behind her songwriting. Be sure to check out The Alchemist and Bre’s journey through the links shared below, and follow along with the podcast @uhadtobetherepod on IG, TikTok and, Substack. Thanks so much for listening; I’ll catch you next time. Listen to The Alchemist [https://brekennedy.ffm.to/thealchemist] Follow Bre on IG [https://www.instagram.com/iambrekennedy/?hl=en] Follow You Had to Be There [https://linktr.ee/uhadtobetherepod]

Temples on BLISS, Nostalgia, and Twelve Years of Musical Evolution

This week, I'm honored to be joined by all four members of one of my favorite bands of the past decade, Temples. The English rock band blends influences from the '60s and '70s with a modern psychedelic sound that's made them a standout act in today's music landscape. Ahead of the release of their fifth studio album, BLISS, out June 26, we took a trip down memory lane to discuss the band's origins as a project between friends in 2012, their creative evolution over the last decade, and the journey that's brought them to this next chapter. If you enjoy this conversation, be sure to check out Temples and pre-save BLISS using the link below. Thanks so much for listening. Don't forget to follow along on Instagram and TikTok @uhadtobetherepod, [https://linktr.ee/uhadtobetherepod] and I'll catch you next time. Pre-save BLISS [https://temples.tmstor.es/] Follow Temples IG [https://www.instagram.com/templesofficial/?hl=en]

Cola’s Evan Cartwright on Post-Punk, Minimalism, and the Band’s New Release

Welcome to You Had to Be There, the podcast where we deep dive into the world of the music industry. I’m your host, Julia Gomberg. This week, I’m thrilled to welcome Evan Cartwright, drummer of the post-punk band Cola from Montreal. We chat about the band’s new release, Cost of Living Adjustment, out now, and Evan takes us behind the scenes of how the band’s separate musical lives came together to form a sound that blends post-punk edge, minimalism, and intelligence. Be sure to check out Cola’s music and upcoming tour dates below, and follow the pod on Instagram at @uhadtobetherepod [https://www.instagram.com/uhadtobetherepod]. Thanks for listening, and I’ll catch you next time. Cola on IG: https://www.instagram.com/band_cola/ [https://www.instagram.com/band_cola/] Listen to 'Cost of Living Adjustment': https://found.ee/colaband [https://found.ee/colaband]

Musician Jonathan Plevyak on Vintage Soul, Nashville, and the Human Connection

Welcome back to You Had to Be There, the podcast where we deep dive into the world of the music industry. I’m your host, Julia Gomberg. This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Nashville-based soul artist Jonathan Plevyak. With vocals and a style that feel pulled straight from a vintage jukebox, Jonathan blends classic soul influences with timeless themes of love, belonging, and self-discovery. We talked about his evolving sound, the nostalgia woven throughout his music, and his upcoming releases, including his newest single, “Turn Me On.” Be sure to check out the curated playlist Jonathan made to accompany this episode below, along with his socials and where you can find his music. Thanks so much for listening, and I’ll catch you next time. Jonathan’s Playlist [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5SmuKUmN3ZobYnMH7320XJ?si=fadf6956c707448c] Jonathan’s IG [https://linktr.ee/plevyak] Follow @uhadtobetherepod [https://www.instagram.com/uhadtobetherepod]

JVK’s Jo Krieger on Songwriting, Performing, and Breaking Genre Rules

Welcome to You Had to Be There, the podcast where we deep dive into the world of the music industry. I’m your host, Julia Gomberg. I’m so excited to share my interview with Jo, the frontwoman of the band JVK. They describe their sound as “pushing the boundaries of the rock genre through their empowering, retro glam-rock/dark-pop sound”, and their new album release, Pop Culture Affair, proves that to be true. It’s a super fun record that feels both nostalgic and futuristic, and it was so fun getting to talk to Jo about her songwriting process, what it’s like getting on stage, and all of the incredible things in store for JVK this year. Thanks so much for listening, and be sure to check out JVK’s album Pop Culture Affair out now, everywhere. Jo has also curated a playlist alongside the episode, which you can find in the show notes. Catch you next time. Stream Pop Culture Affair [https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/jvk2/pop-culture-affair?ref=release] Jo’s Playlist JVK’s Instagram Catch up on all YHTBT episodes