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World Cafe WXPN in Philadelphia and host Raina Douris present interviews and performances with today's essential and emerging artists.

World Cafe

Essential and Emerging Artists
Chicago's indie music scene is thriving inside this college student's apartment

A crowd gathers before Chicago indie band Friko performs at Eli Schmitt's apartment as part of his New Now concert series. Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Kimberly Junod/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Chicago's indie music scene is thriving inside this college student's apartment

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DePaul University student Eli Schmitt hosts live performances from local bands as part of his New Now series.

New Now on World Cafe

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Chicago rapper Pinqy Ring knows you can't have a music scene without community

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Sense Of Place

Chicago rapper Pinqy Ring knows you can't have a music scene without community

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The Puerto Rican rapper and educator travels all over the city and the world using hip hop as a way to connect.

Pinqy Ring on World Cafe

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A 'product child of Chicago,' KAINA is learning to savor the home she's made here

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Dennis Elliott/Courtesy of the artist

Sense Of Place

A 'product child of Chicago,' KAINA is learning to savor the home she's made here

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The musician talks about her latest album, It Was A Home, and the creative community she's fostered in Chicago.

KAINA on World Cafe

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Dos Santos' sound is a cultural melting pot as eclectic as their Chicago home

Dos Santos Jose Calvo/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Sense Of Place

Dos Santos' sound is a cultural melting pot as eclectic as their Chicago home

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The Chicago band pulls from a mix of Latin influences to create their unique take on psychedelic rock.

Dos Santos on World Cafe

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Legendary audio engineer Steve Albini built his Chicago studio brick by brick

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Legendary audio engineer Steve Albini built his Chicago studio brick by brick

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The man behind albums by Nirvana, the Pixies and more opens the doors to Electrical Audio and details his egalitarian approach to working with musicians.

Steve Albini on World Cafe

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Pigface to Reznor: Here's what you'll find in Chicago's new industrial rock museum

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Sense Of Place

Pigface to Reznor: Here's what you'll find in Chicago's new industrial rock museum

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Industrial music heavyweight Martin Atkins pulled from his personal collection of memorabilia to create Chicago's new Museum of Post Punk and Industrial Music.

Martin Atkins on World Cafe

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Demi Lovato finally gets to unleash her anger on 'HOLY F***'

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Brandon Bowen/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Demi Lovato finally gets to unleash her anger on 'HOLY F***'

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Demi Lovato reflects on the limitations of the "hyper-feminine pop star" and embracing a hard rock sound on her latest album, HOLY F***.

Demi Lovato on World Cafe

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Danielle Ponder found her own voice after years of giving a voice to others

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Studio Sessions

Danielle Ponder found her own voice after years of giving a voice to others

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For a long time, singing was something Danielle Ponder did on the side, but with the release of her debut album, Some of Us Are Brave, last fall, it's become her main focus.

Danielle Ponder on World Cafe

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Captain Kirk Douglas dives into a 'New Unknown'

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Alexander Fischetti/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Captain Kirk Douglas dives into a 'New Unknown'

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Captain Kirk Douglas, the guitarist and vocalist for The Roots, talks about his second solo album, New Unknown.

Captain Kirk Douglas on World Cafe

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Alvvays hopes a sip of 'Blue Rev' will transport you to a different time

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Eleanor Petry/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Alvvays hopes a sip of 'Blue Rev' will transport you to a different time

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Alvvays frontwoman Molly Rankin talks about the stolen demos and recording experiments that led to the Canadian band's latest album, Blue Rev.

Alvvays on World Cafe

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Oliver Sim invokes the misunderstood horror movie villain on 'Hideous Bastard'

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Casper Sejersen/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Oliver Sim invokes the misunderstood horror movie villain on 'Hideous Bastard'

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Oliver Sim, the bass guitarist and vocalist for The xx talks about making "Hideous Bastard," his striking debut solo record.

Oliver Sim on World Cafe

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Death Cab for Cutie relinquishes control on 'Asphalt Meadows'

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Jimmy Fontaine/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Death Cab for Cutie relinquishes control on 'Asphalt Meadows'

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The band took a new approach to songwriting on their 10th studio album.

Death Cab For Cutie on World Cafe

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Take a walk down memory lane with Pavement

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Studio Sessions

Take a walk down memory lane with Pavement

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In this session, Pavement percussionist and multi-instrumentalist Bob Nastanovich talks about the band's enduring legacy and discovery by younger fans.

OLD

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Shemekia Copeland wants to sow understanding on 'Done Come Too Far'

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Victoria Smith/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Shemekia Copeland wants to sow understanding on 'Done Come Too Far'

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Copeland, widely considered one of the greatest blues singers of her generation, talks about the third installment in a trilogy of albums.

Shemekia Copeland on World Cafe

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Honey Harper makes country music for everyone

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Angus Borsos/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Honey Harper makes country music for everyone

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Hear Honey Harper's blend of cosmic country and southern rock in this mini-concert recorded live for World Cafe.

Honey Harper on World Cafe

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Here's why Amos Lee crafted a full album tribute to jazz legend Chet Baker

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Shervin Lainez/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Here's why Amos Lee crafted a full album tribute to jazz legend Chet Baker

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The Philadelphia-based musician performs covers from Baker's classic record, Chet Baker Sings.

Amos Lee on World Cafe

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10 albums in, Nickelback is no longer bothered by their haters

Nickelback Shervin Lainez/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Shervin Lainez/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

10 albums in, Nickelback is no longer bothered by their haters

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Chad Kroeger and Ryan Peake talk about the band's 10th record, Get Rollin', and how the public perception of Nickelback has changed in recent years.

Nickelback on World Cafe

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Big band and Old Hollywood inspired Father John Misty's latest album

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Guy Lowndes/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Big band and Old Hollywood inspired Father John Misty's latest album

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Hear Father John Misty perform a mini-concert showcasing music from his latest album, Chloë and the Next 20th Century.

Father John Misty on World Cafe

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The Smile is a weirder version of Radiohead, if that's even possible

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Alex Lake/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

The Smile is a weirder version of Radiohead, if that's even possible

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Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood formed a new band, and they share this exclusive mini-concert, recorded at the 2022 Montreux Jazz Festival.

The Smile on World Cafe

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