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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
On 'Continue as a Guest,' The New Pornographers skirt creative expectations

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Ebru Yildiz/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

On 'Continue as a Guest,' The New Pornographers skirt creative expectations

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Frontman Carl Newman talks about the band's new album and why he steers clear of the internet.

The New Pornographers on World Cafe

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Ruston Kelly tore it all down on his new album — so he could build something better

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Alysse Gafkjen/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Ruston Kelly tore it all down on his new album — so he could build something better

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The singer-songwriter calls it a foundation. In this session, hear a live performance of songs from The Weakness.

Ruston Kelly on World Cafe

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Nick Hakim flows seamlessly through R&B, soul and psychedelia on 'COMETA'

Nick Hakim inside the World Cafe Performance Studio Galea McGregor/WXPN hide caption

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Galea McGregor/WXPN

Studio Sessions

Nick Hakim flows seamlessly through R&B, soul and psychedelia on 'COMETA'

by , Will Loftus

Hakim stopped by World Cafe for a mini-concert featuring live performances of songs off his latest album, COMETA.

Nick Hakim on World Cafe

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Hear live performances from Nickel Creek's first album in nearly a decade

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Josh Goleman/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Hear live performances from Nickel Creek's first album in nearly a decade

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Plus, Chris Thile and Sara Watkins join World Cafe to talk about the making of and meaning behind Celebrants.

Nickel Creek on World Cafe

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Say She She's sweet harmonies make the band's 'discodelic soul' music shine

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Kaelan Barowsky/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Say She She's sweet harmonies make the band's 'discodelic soul' music shine

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Vocalist Piya Malik talks about how the Brooklyn band formed and their debut album, Prism.

Say She She on World Cafe

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The Culture Corner: How Todd Rundgren shaped a generation of bedroom musicians

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Richard Creamer/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Studio Sessions

The Culture Corner: How Todd Rundgren shaped a generation of bedroom musicians

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World Cafe correspondent John Morrison dives into Rundren's 1973 album, A Wizard, a True Star.

The Culture Corner on World Cafe

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U2 turns their rock anthems into intimate affairs on 'Songs of Surrender'

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Kurt Iswarienko/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

U2 turns their rock anthems into intimate affairs on 'Songs of Surrender'

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World Cafe sits down with guitarist The Edge, who produced and curated the band's new collection of re-recordings.

U2 on World Cafe

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Robyn Hitchcock's latest work is a party with a little melancholy

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Paige Walter/WXPN

Studio Sessions

Robyn Hitchcock's latest work is a party with a little melancholy

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Enjoy this mini-concert featuring songs from Shufflemania!, Hitchcock's latest album of surrealistic rock.

Robyn Hitchcock on World Cafe

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For Sampa The Great, there's no place like home

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Imraan Christian/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

For Sampa The Great, there's no place like home

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Born in Zambia, raised in Botswana and having spent much of her music career in Australia, Sampa The Great returned to Zambia to make As Above So Below.

Sampa the Great on World Cafe

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Adeem The Artist wants to expand what's possible in country music

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Shawn Poynter/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Adeem The Artist wants to expand what's possible in country music

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Country music belongs to anyone with a story. Adeem The Artist asks big questions about privilege, race and toxic masculinity on their new album White Trash Revelry.

Adeem The Artist on World Cafe

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For Weyes Blood, gentleness can be a powerful tool against tech-driven apathy

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Neil Krug/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

For Weyes Blood, gentleness can be a powerful tool against tech-driven apathy

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The musician talks about the message behind her mesmerizing fifth studio album, And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow.

Weyes Blood on World Cafe

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Will Sheff strikes out on his own on 'Nothing Special'

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Studio Sessions

Will Sheff strikes out on his own on 'Nothing Special'

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The Okkervil River frontman plays songs from his debut solo album in this mini-concert recorded live for World Cafe.

Will Sheff on World Cafe

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For Omar Apollo, making music should feel like falling in love

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Gustavo Garcia Villa/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

For Omar Apollo, making music should feel like falling in love

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The R&B singer talks about striving for musical perfection on his debut album, Ivory.

Omar Apollo on World Cafe

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Ron Gallo dances through his anxieties on 'Foreground Music'

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Paige Walter/WXPN

Studio Sessions

Ron Gallo dances through his anxieties on 'Foreground Music'

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The Philadelphia musician shares his fears and observations on an increasingly anxiety-inducing world.

Ron Gallo on World Cafe

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zzzahara charts the constant change of their native LA on 'liminal spaces'

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Braden Morgan/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

zzzahara charts the constant change of their native LA on 'liminal spaces'

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The musician explores the ways their hometown has grown and changed over the years.

zzzahara on World Cafe

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Michigander charts the long journey to 'It Will Never Be The Same'

Michigander performs live for WXPN's Free At Noon Concert at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia, PA. Paige Walter/WXPN hide caption

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Paige Walter/WXPN

Studio Sessions

Michigander charts the long journey to 'It Will Never Be The Same'

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Jason Singer's mix of optimism and vulnerability has been one of indie rock's most exciting stories in the last few years.

Michigander on World Cafe

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The Culture Corner: R&B in the '00s and today

SZA performs onstage at the 60th annual Grammy Awards on Jan. 28, 2018, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS hide caption

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Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS

Studio Sessions

The Culture Corner: R&B in the '00s and today

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World Cafe caps off its exploration of the Black roots of R&B with a look at the genre in the 2000s, forward.

The Culture Corner on World Cafe

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Tegan and Sara are still growing as artists and sisters on 'Crybaby'

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Eluvier Acosta/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Tegan and Sara are still growing as artists and sisters on 'Crybaby'

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The duo talk to World Cafe about their first album of all-new music since 2016.

Tegan and Sara on World Cafe

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'Anarchist Gospel' is Sunny War's most compelling album yet

Sunny War performs live for WXPN's Free At Noon Concert Paige Walter/WXPN hide caption

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Paige Walter/WXPN

Studio Sessions

'Anarchist Gospel' is Sunny War's most compelling album yet

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The Nashville, by way of Los Angeles, singer and virtuoso guitarist experimented with punk and folk music for the last decade, often to dazzling results.

Sunny War on World Cafe

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