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Almost Famous Enough · May 28 · 1 hr 32 min

ep46 Jacob Brodovsky is serious

Jacob Brodovsky uncovers his journey as a singer-songwriter from Winnipeg’s rich music community while discussing his highly anticipated new album, Tell the Kids We Tried. We dive into the grit of indie songwriting, the creative liberation of tracking live to tape, and the power of local music networks. From navigating imposter syndrome to balancing family life and finding his authentic voice, this conversation is an honest look at building a sustainable creative life in today's music industry. ep46 Jacob Brodovsky is serious released May 28, 2026 1:31:47 Key Highlights: The Power of Creative Accountability (The "Song Every Week Club"): Jacob highlights how a strict, high-accountability weekly writing circle in Winnipeg forces creators to bypass the ego and tap into a raw stream of consciousness. Navigating Toxic Industry Pressures vs. Authentic Balance: The discussion tackles the "toxic bullshit" narrative that artists must sacrifice everything or quit their day jobs to be taken seriously. Jacob and Glen advocate for a healthier, realistic approach to balancing real life while still making award-winning art. The Vulnerability of "Brutal" Editing: Jacob opens up about his relationship with mentor John K. Samson (The Weakerthans), who agreed to edit his first record on the condition that he could be "brutal" with a red pen. It’s a great lesson for all creatives on checking your ego at the door and treating songwriting as a long-term process of refinement. Spontaneity Over Perfection (Recording Live to Tape): Moving away from an album that was labored over for years, Jacob’s new record was arranged in a room in three hours and tracked live to tape. This highlight celebrates the magic of capturing spontaneous, flawed, and honest musical moments that can't be easily fixed in post-production. Community as the Ultimate Antidote: When unexpected professional and personal transitions hit Jacob, the local creative scene "scooped up" his family with gigs and immense support. This highlights the beautiful, reciprocal nature of a healthy music ecosystem—taking space when it's your turn to promote, and pumping everyone else's tires when it's not. http://www.jacobbrodovsky.com/ https://www.instagram.com/jacobbrodovsky https://www.youtube.com/@jacobbrodovsky hosts: Glen Erickson, Alexi Erickson AFE website: https://www.almostfamousenough.com AFE instagram: https://www.instagram.com/almostfamousenough AFE Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1o1PRD2X0i3Otmpn8vi2zP?si=1ece497360564480 Almost Famous Enough is a series of conversations centered around the music industry, pulling back the veil on what it really means to “make it”. Our podcast features guests who know the grind, who have lived the dream, or at the very least, chased the dream. Through these conversational biographies, truth and vulnerability provide more than a topical roadmap or compile some career advice; they can appeal to the dreamer in us all, with stories that can teach us, inspire us, and even reconcile us, and make us feel like we made a new friend along the way. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:07 Introduction and First Impressions 00:05:00 The Importance of Reaching Out 00:08:09 Musical Roots and Identity 00:11:04 The Role of Community in Music 00:14:00 Exploring Jewish Camp Experiences 00:17:04 The Value of Summer Camp 00:20:02 The Journey to Becoming a Musician 00:22:27 Recognition and Bittersweet Success 00:23:40 Navigating the Pandemic and Personal Struggles 00:25:37 Imposter Syndrome and the Artist's Journey 00:30:12 The Changing Landscape of the Music Industry 00:34:09 Creating a New Album: Inspiration and Process 00:38:08 The Joy of Being a Solo Artist 00:40:17 Writing from Experience: The Birth of New Songs 00:47:40 Collaborative Creation: The Making of the Record 00:50:12 Influences and Inspirations in Songwriting 00:53:58 The Importance of Editing in Music 00:56:22 Community and Support in the Music Scene 01:05:30 Navigating the Future of Music and Personal Growth 01:10:52 Post-Fame with Alexi Alexi pitches her dad's upcoming show with this old band, The Wheat Pool, Nov.21/2026 at The Aviary in Edmonton.

0:00 · Introduction-1:32:13

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show notes

Jacob Brodovsky uncovers his journey as a singer-songwriter from Winnipeg’s rich music community while discussing his highly anticipated new album, Tell the Kids We Tried. We dive into the grit of indie songwriting, the creative liberation of tracking live to tape, and the power of local music networks. From navigating imposter syndrome to balancing family life and finding his authentic voice, this conversation is an honest look at building a sustainable creative life in today's music industry.

ep46 Jacob Brodovsky is serious
released May 28, 2026
1:31:47

Key Highlights:

The Power of Creative Accountability (The "Song Every Week Club"): Jacob highlights how a strict, high-accountability weekly writing circle in Winnipeg forces creators to bypass the ego and tap into a raw stream of consciousness.

Navigating Toxic Industry Pressures vs. Authentic Balance: The discussion tackles the "toxic bullshit" narrative that artists must sacrifice everything or quit their day jobs to be taken seriously. Jacob and Glen advocate for a healthier, realistic approach to balancing real life while still making award-winning art.

The Vulnerability of "Brutal" Editing: Jacob opens up about his relationship with mentor John K. Samson (The Weakerthans), who agreed to edit his first record on the condition that he could be "brutal" with a red pen. It’s a great lesson for all creatives on checking your ego at the door and treating songwriting as a long-term process of refinement.

Spontaneity Over Perfection (Recording Live to Tape): Moving away from an album that was labored over for years, Jacob’s new record was arranged in a room in three hours and tracked live to tape. This highlight celebrates the magic of capturing spontaneous, flawed, and honest musical moments that can't be easily fixed in post-production.

Community as the Ultimate Antidote: When unexpected professional and personal transitions hit Jacob, the local creative scene "scooped up" his family with gigs and immense support. This highlights the beautiful, reciprocal nature of a healthy music ecosystem—taking space when it's your turn to promote, and pumping everyone else's tires when it's not.

http://www.jacobbrodovsky.com/
https://www.instagram.com/jacobbrodovsky
https://www.youtube.com/@jacobbrodovsky

hosts: Glen Erickson, Alexi Erickson
AFE website: https://www.almostfamousenough.com
AFE instagram: https://www.instagram.com/almostfamousenough
AFE Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1o1PRD2X0i3Otmpn8vi2zP?si=1ece497360564480

Almost Famous Enough is a series of conversations centered around the music industry, pulling back the veil on what it really means to “make it”. Our podcast features guests who know the grind, who have lived the dream, or at the very least, chased the dream. Through these conversational biographies, truth and vulnerability provide more than a topical roadmap or compile some career advice; they can appeal to the dreamer in us all, with stories that can teach us, inspire us, and even reconcile us, and make us feel like we made a new friend along the way.

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction

00:03:07 Introduction and First Impressions

00:05:00 The Importance of Reaching Out

00:08:09 Musical Roots and Identity

00:11:04 The Role of Community in Music

00:14:00 Exploring Jewish Camp Experiences

00:17:04 The Value of Summer Camp

00:20:02 The Journey to Becoming a Musician

00:22:27 Recognition and Bittersweet Success

00:23:40 Navigating the Pandemic and Personal Struggles

00:25:37 Imposter Syndrome and the Artist's Journey

00:30:12 The Changing Landscape of the Music Industry

00:34:09 Creating a New Album: Inspiration and Process

00:38:08 The Joy of Being a Solo Artist

00:40:17 Writing from Experience: The Birth of New Songs

00:47:40 Collaborative Creation: The Making of the Record

00:50:12 Influences and Inspirations in Songwriting

00:53:58 The Importance of Editing in Music

00:56:22 Community and Support in the Music Scene

01:05:30 Navigating the Future of Music and Personal Growth

01:10:52 Post-Fame with Alexi

 

Alexi pitches her dad's upcoming show with this old band, The Wheat Pool, Nov.21/2026 at The Aviary in Edmonton.

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