On October 8th, history was made when the first two episodes of the first-ever musical produced specifically for the podcast realm was released. Make It Up As We Go, created by Scarlett Burke and Jared Gustadt, was written by David Hudgins (Friday Night Lights) and Brooks Hudgins during a time when the world was, and still is, going through unprecedented times of a global pandemic. With an abnormal lack of live music and entertainment to turn to, Make It Up As We Go provided fans – and artists! – a sorely missed outlet for both, allowing them to break away from reality for a minute and experience the life of Charlotte Sayles (played by Scarlett) via an engaging script and incredible original music. But it also did something more – it gave fans an insider’s look into the nitty gritty of how the country music industry not only works, but what those who move to Music City have to go through to achieve success, and even more so when that person is a woman.
Today, fans will not only find out how this premiere season will end with the release of the finale episode, but the official Make It Up As We Go podcast soundtrack is also now available! The soundtrack features all songs previously released including “Breathe” – the duet by Scarlett and Tyler Rich – and “Workin’ Out” performed by Lindsay Ell (who also has a cameo in the podcast) and a surprise featured track. To celebrate both releases, The Country Note is excited to feature an exclusive Instagram Takeover with Scarlett TODAY! Be sure to follow Scarlett throughout the day on our Instagram here.
We recently caught up with Scarlett and Lindsay to talk in depth about how things worked behind the scenes of the podcast, the importance of Charlotte’s story in country music today, the amazing music, and more.
CN: Thank you for chatting with us today! Firstly, with everything that’s going on in the world in regards to COVID-19, we hope everyone in your circle is safe and healthy. How are you holding up?
Lindsay: Thank you for having me! It’s definitely been a strange time that has turned my world upside down. I released a new album during the pandemic and I so wish that I could be out on the road touring and playing for fans. Instead I’m making the most of my downtime and finding the silver lining in doing cool projects that I wouldn’t have had the time to focus on if I were out touring.
Scarlett: Like everyone, there are good days and bad ones with so much uncertainty going on, but most of all I’m just incredibly grateful to have been able to continue production during quarantine. We’ve been one of the lucky ones…
CN: Scarlett, the idea behind Make It Up As We Go was created by you and Jared Gutstadt. How did the storyline come about? Did you already have Charlotte Sayles in mind and work from there?
Scarlett: The storyline of the first season is based on a 6-song EP that I tracked long before the idea of turning the music into a soundtrack. Jared and I agreed to record the songs and find a home for them, which happened rather quickly as the EP had its own story arc that inspired the series. After our writers, David Hudgins and Brooks Hudgins, heard the music, my stories of songwriting, and just being a woman in the music business yet also from a small town, they drafted their script from there. So no, I didn’t know who Charlotte Sayles was or would turn out to be until reading the first draft of the episodes.
CN: How were David and Brook Hudgins approached to become a part of this project? How involved were you and Jared in the script writing process?
Scarlett: Jared and I share an agent at WME named Nancy Josephson. When she heard about this project, she connected us with David Hudgins from “Friday Night Lights.” This turned out to be an amazing connection because he listened to the music and the outline of the story in the room and jumped into action as our partner alongside his son Brooks. Inventing stories for this format with a writer of his caliber was an amazing process and brought a level of storytelling to the space we haven’t seen so far from many other shows.
CN: Miranda Lambert is an executive producer and also featured as herself in the podcast. How did she get involved?
Scarlett: I’ve always been a huge fan of Miranda, and when we were first putting this project together, we knew that we wanted her to be involved. We kind of took the long road to get there. The first step was setting out to Nashville and working with one of her trusted songwriters, Nicolle Galyon. We completed “Champion” and “Workin’ Out” in these initial sessions. Next, we spent a few months figuring out the best way to get Miranda excited about this project. Ultimately, it was our agent Sloan at WME who helped get Miranda attached. Having her involvement has been incredible, she recently shouted out the project on the red carpets of the CMAs. She’s been supporting across socials and aside from her incredible acting and contributions as an executive producer, she’s just been extremely supportive of the overall concept of this project, which is women helping women in the Nashville songwriter community.
CN: Lindsay, even with the constraints of the pandemic, you have had a very busy few months. Your latest and phenomenal album Heart Theory was released, you co-hosted CMA Summer Stay-Cay with Jimmie Allen, and you have your livestream Living wEll with Ell. How were you approached to be a part of “Make It Up As We Go” and how excited were you?
Lindsay: Thank you so much for the kind words about Heart Theory! My agency approached me about being part of “Make It Up As We Go,” and I didn’t have to think twice about hopping on board. It’s such a cool concept and is breaking new ground in the podcasting space. I always love to be on the forefront on new technologies and creative ventures, so it was a no-brainer for me.
CN: The conversation of women in country music has come further than in years past, as more women are more vocal about being represented. And it’s not just about getting played on the radio – it’s about respect as an artist, as a woman and as an independent person, each of which this podcast tackles in its storyline. How important do you think a podcast like “Make It Up As We Go” is to help get the whole aspect of the industry out to fans to help them understand more deeply not only how things work – the good and the bad – but how things work for women?
Lindsay: Country music is full of many incredible and unique women, and there really is room for all of us. Each and every one of us take a different path, but there is usually a universal story that most of us share. Personally, I want to be thought of as an amazing artist, singer, songwriter and guitarist. I don’t understand why it’s necessary for people to feel the need to point out that I’m a female artist or female guitarist. It would sound so odd we referred to men in that way, yet it’s so prevalent when it comes to women. Our talent should be judged on the merit of our talent alone, not our gender. One positive that I will say, though, is that I feel incredibly supported by so many of my female peers in country. I feel so lucky to have friends who support me and lift me up constantly.
Scarlett: Telling the story of the woman behind the music, writing the songs that we hear on country radio is a powerful and inspirational story to tell and one we had to get right. I think oftentimes we forget to acknowledge what inspired the writer behind the song. Women in music are a force to be reckoned with as we balance the natural need to nurture in the nature of a very high-pressure industry. Finding the balance is an everyday struggle but is also what inspires what you hear on country radio, and that’s the story we wanted to tell.
CN: Do you see yourself in Charlotte at all, and the issues she’s confronting?
Lindsay: I think most women who come to Nashville to chase their dream can see a bit of Charlotte in themselves.
Scarlett: Yes of course. The struggle we hear of Charlotte trying to balance family and friendships, with the fast paced and high-pressure situations of this business speaks to me the most.
CN: Scarlett, the original music featured in the podcast was written by you and songwriters including J.R. Moore, Jesse Siebenberg, Nicolle Galyon and others. Can you talk about the songwriting process for these cuts? Did you go in to specifically write for Charlotte? Were any songs previously written but adjusted to fit the podcast?
Scarlett: Seven of the tracks were already written. I wrote “Champion” and “Workin’ Out” here in Nashville with Nicolle Galyon, Jared Gutstadt and Jeff Peters. We knew going into the session the purpose as to which each song would serve. However, we kept a lot of space in the room for the idea to go where it naturally fit. The rest of the songs from the album were written prior to the idea of “Make It Up As We Go,” but the 6-track EP inspired the storyline of the first season.
CN: “My Dove,” “Workin Out,” “Breathe” and “Make It Up As We Go” and most recently “Here’s Lookin’ At You” are the songs that are currently available outside of the podcast, with more to come. Do you have a favorite song?
Scarlett: “Breathe,” hands down!!
CN: Lindsay, you recorded the podcast’s first single – “Workin Out” – which was released when the series kicked off. Listeners caught a glimpse of it being written early in the podcast, a point that brought up a lot of interesting points on copyright and stealing others work (even if it’s an honest mistake). What was it about the track that made you want to record it?
Lindsay: When I was presented with the opportunity, I loved the breezy groove of the song. Nicolle Galyon is one of my favorite writers in town, and you don’t have to ask me twice to sing one of her songs!
CN: In addition to the single, you also play yourself in the podcast. Have you acted in anything else prior to this? Were you out of your comfort zone at all?
Lindsay: Acting is something that I’ve always been drawn to and it’s something that I’m actively trying to do more of. I love picking music video treatments that let me play a character like I did in “Criminal” and in my latest video for “wAnt me back.” This experience was new for me because I’ve never done voiceover work, but the fact that I was playing myself helped take a bit of pressure off of me!
CN: Scarlett, how does acting for a podcast differ from acting on screen?
Scarlett: The main difference is having to constantly think about the location of your character in the scene, so while you’re recording you have to be aware of where you are on the mic. On a film set, you have marks to hit and more freedom to play, so this is more of an imaginary mark that each actor had to be aware of during the scene.
CN: This is also your first time directing. What was that experience like? How did it differ from the way a visual medium is directed?
Scarlett: Again, the main difference really was watching the actor on our Zoom sessions to make sure they were hitting imaginary marks by coming up on the mic and backing off the mic. The scenes are so well written and rewarding to myself and my cast, so it’s easy to get lost in the moment.
CN: You’re surrounded by a cast of incredible talent including Dennis Quaid, Craig Robinson, Billy Bob Thornton and more. What was it like to work with everyone?
Lindsay: I unfortunately didn’t get a chance to work directly with any of these cast members, but I am honored to share a role alongside them. These guys are all legends!
Scarlett: Getting to work with an ensemble of this caliber was intimidating at times of course, but by far the most rewarding part of the project as I’m also a huge fan of their work. Directing this cast and seeing their process was very inspiring and the best acting class I’ve ever had.
CN: The first two episodes premiered on October 8th and debuted #3 on Apple Music Podcasts, and as the weeks go on it’s still ranking in the Top 10. What does that mean to you for fans to support this first time ever project?
Lindsay: I am always blown away at how my fans show up and support me. It’s always extra special when it’s me trying something new.
Scarlett: Well first off, we are just so grateful to everyone who has tuned in and taken a chance on the idea of an old radio play set in the 21st century. To me, it speaks volumes that our audience is enjoying this new way of discovering music by way of this “theater of the mind” concept of storytelling. It’s funny how we’ve come full circle, but I think this speaks volumes of what we’re all craving: simpler times and creative freedom. It allows the listener to think for themselves and paint their own picture of the stories that inspire the music they hear on country radio.
CN: Is there a season 2 in the works?
Scarlett: We are currently in discussion for season two and can’t wait to get pre-production rolling!
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To download/stream the Make It Up As We Go podcast soundtrack, click here: https://MIUAWG.lnk.to/
To listen to today’s finale episode of the Make It Up As We Go podcasts, and to catch up on any of the previous 7 releases, visit: https://bit.ly/MIUAWGPodcast.
Make It Up As We Go is co-produced by Audio Up Media and iHeartMedia and exclusively presented by Unilever’s Knorr and Magnum brands.