Artistry with Heart: A Musician’s Wellness Podcast

Heads up!
This episode has strong language and mentions sexual abuse.
If you or a loved one is experiencing an emergency, dial 911 or call The National Sexual Assault Hotline, available 24/7:
1-800-656-4673
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In this episode of Artistry with Heart, I sit down with singer-songwriter Alana Hill to talk about the journey from their debut album Me to the deeply personal Diaries of a Common Woman.
Alana opens up about growing up in Kentucky amid domestic abuse, a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, and a lifelong pattern of people-pleasing, and how all of it feeds directly into their songwriting. We hear the origin story behind "Love and Mental Breakdowns," written in ten minutes after a real moment of relational rupture, and get a first look at an upcoming project, "Who's to Blame," exploring ancestral trauma.
It's a conversation about artistic development as a spiritual process, and the gratitude of learning, as Alana puts it, that "we leave home to find who we are, but what we find is where we're from."
Find Alana Hill:Instagram/YouTube: @alana.hillStreaming: all platforms
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Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/artistrywithheart
Artistry with Heart is a small, independent show hosted by Stephanie Bernards and produced by Vic Billones. Each episode is made with love – and tons of heart.
This podcast was created for you: the dreamer, the artist, the one still figuring it out. If it's added something to your day, we'd love your support.

In this episode of Artistry with Heart, I sit down with tenor saxophonist, jazz improviser, educator, and composer Tristan Weitkamp, whose warmth and positivity shine both on stage and in the classroom.
Tristan traces his musical journey from picking up a clarinet in middle school band to a career that spans the podium, the stage, and the classroom.
We talk about:
Self-criticism as the biggest hurdle musicians face, and how to move past it
Creating art from internal satisfaction rather than chasing outside approval
Why Tristan believes everyone is born with the capacity to compose
His path as an educator and the founding of Sherwood Summer Jazz, a jazz camp and festival in Oregon
Tristan is currently band director at Sherwood High School, where he coordinates jazz ensemble activities across the district.
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Listen to Flash in the Pan - https://tristanweitkamp.bandcamp.com/album/flash-in-the-pan
Get tickets to Sherwood Summer Jazz - https://sherwoodsummerjazz.ludus.com/index.php?sections=events
Reach out to Tristan: t.j.weitkamp@gmail.com
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Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/artistrywithheart
Artistry with Heart is a small, independent show hosted by Stephanie Bernards and produced by Vic Billones. Each episode is made with love – and tons of heart.
This podcast was created for you: the dreamer, the artist, the one still figuring it out. If it's added something to your day, we'd love your support.

In this episode, sit down with Emmalese Schultz who, at just 17 years old, is already becoming a force to be reckoned with both on and off the stage.
Four years ago, Emmalese was battling leukemia, a fight that tested her strength, resilience, and determination in unimaginable ways.
In this episode, Emily opens up about using music as a lifeline through treatment, what it meant to release her debut single "Endless Ties," and how she's helping launch TTA's new music division, TTA Sounds.
Her story stands as a triumph of a journey defined by courage, resilience, and unwavering determination, even in the darkest seasons.
 
Key themes:
Resilience & Healing - Emma’s cancer diagnosis, treatment, relapse, and recovery. The shock, fear, and ultimately being cancer‑free while continuing treatment
Music as Therapy - Writing and singing become how Emma processes trauma and gives her purpose
Vulnerability & Performance - The recording studio and live performance experiences reveal vulnerability (sick during sessions, nervous on stage) and growth in confidence. 
Support, Family & Community
Coping Practices - Practical tools – exercise, grounding (bare feet in grass), breathing, all help manage anxiety and maintain focus.
 
Find Emmalese on social media platforms
‘Endless Ties’ is available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music
 
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Artistry with Heart is a small, independent show hosted by Stephanie Bernards and produced by Vic Billones. Each episode is made with love – and tons of heart.
This podcast was created for you: the dreamer, the artist, the one still figuring it out. If it's added something to your day, we'd love your support.
☕ Buy us a coffee

In this episode, we sit down with Allison Sky, singer‑songwriter, chronic Lyme survivor, and mother, to listen to her remarkable story about illness, recovery, and reclaiming creativity.
After decades of unexplained symptoms she was diagnosed with chronic Lyme Disease at 23 and found life-changing results with a treatment called LymeStop. Allison’s upcoming EP Behind This Smile turns postpartum struggle, brain fog, and long seasons of doubt into songs of resilience and hope.
Key themes:
Chronic Lyme disease: Diagnosis, misdiagnosis, and the limits of standard testing
LymeStop recovery – an alternative treatment that helped clear co‑infections
Mental health & postpartum depression: Navigating motherhood while healing, brain fog, anxiety, depression, and their physical roots
Music as medicine: Songwriting, performance, and using art to process trauma
Performance anxiety & the inner critic: Practical mindset shifts for artists
“Move out of your own way”: Overcoming victim thinking and taking small, brave actions
Resilience & purpose: Turning hardship into creative momentum and community
Tune in for an honest, hopeful conversation that reminds us hard times can change us for the better — and that taking the next small step matters.
 
Find Allison at allisonskymusic.com or as Allison Sky Music on all social platforms.
 
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Artistry with Heart is a small, independent show hosted by Stephanie Bernards and produced by Vic Billones. Each episode is made with love – and tons of heart.
This podcast was created for you: the dreamer, the artist, the one still figuring it out. If it's added something to your day, we'd love your support.
☕ Buy us a coffee

On this episode, I sat down with my sister, Mallory Cooke – a soulful Seattle musician.
We dug into what it actually takes to use your voice — literally and emotionally. We talked about play, dreams, and the awkward bravery of sharing something raw. Her song “Guides” closes the episode and landed like a punch to the heart.
Key themes: 
    •    Stepping into your voice: singing is literal embodiment — Mallory shares how getting in her body helped her stop hiding.
    •    Play first, judge later: trying new instruments and dream-journaling opens surprising ideas without pressure.
    •    Honesty over comfort: she strips a song down to just her voice on purpose — it’s risky, awkward, and necessary.
Listen to “Guides” on Bandcamp https://dwarfstarmotel.bandcamp.com/track/guides-demo
Follow Mal on Instagram - @dwarfstarmotel
For more resources, visit https://www.patreon.com/ArtistrywithHeart1
and stephaniebernards.org/artistrywithheart/wellnesshub
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Artistry with Heart is hosted by Stephanie Bernards, and is produced and edited by Vic Billones.
 
We are building a community for creatives. Putting yourself out there takes courage, and this podcast was created to help support you!
 
Support the show: 
    •    http://buymeacoffee.com/artistrywithheart

Kyshona is a Nashville-based musician, music therapist, and activist whose powerful work bridges music, healing, and social impact.
This episode is deep-dive into her 2024 album, Legacy, which explores ancestry, generational trauma, and the work of healing through song.
Kyshona talks bout therapeutic songwriting—turning participants’ journal entries into songs—and shares powerful stories about music as empowerment for incarcerated people, elders in memory care, and communities in recovery.
She dives into the inspiration behind the track “Carolina,” the role of genealogy in reclaiming family stories, and offers practical advice for artists to align with a mission-driven practice and use their gifts in ways that are trauma-informed and community-centered.
Learn more at kyshona.com and yoursong.org
 
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Artistry with Heart is hosted by Stephanie Bernards, and is produced and edited by Vic Billones.
We are building a community for creatives. Putting yourself out there takes courage, and this podcast was created to help support you!
Support the show: 
patreon.com/aristrywithheart1
buymeacoffee.com/artistrywithheart

In this episode of Artistry with Heart, I sit down with Charleston-based trio Gale Bird.
Josh, Melissa, and Sean share how their songwriting is shaped by marriage, long-term friendship, parenthood, creative doubt, and the constant work of choosing authenticity over performance—both in art and in life.
Their original song featured at the end of the episode, Roses, was written from a place of deep heart and honesty—a reminder that tomorrow is never guaranteed, and that love is meant to be expressed while we still have the chance. 
Throughout our conversation, we explore:
Balancing family, friendship, and music without sacrificing what matters most
How songwriting can become a grounding force during anxiety, conflict, and uncertainty
Why vulnerability is what truly connects us to each other
Learn more about Gale Bird 
Support Artistry with Heart: 
patreon.com/aristrywithheart1
buymeacoffee.com/artistrywithheart
More resources at stephaniebernards.org

In this special holiday episode, Artistry with Heart celebrates Voices Unlimited, a Portland-based choir, serving adults with special needs while also creating opportunities to socialize and form friendships in a safe, positive environment.
You’ll hear from founder Ben Landsverk and from the students themselves as they share what music means to them—joy, purpose, friendship, and having a place to truly belong. This conversation shines a light on the importance of arts access, inclusive music communities, and the healing power of singing together.
If you’re looking to support a meaningful nonprofit this season, Voices Unlimited is doing beautiful, life-changing work through the arts.
Donate to Voices Unlimited: voicesunlimited.net
-------------------------------------------------Support Artistry with Heart: 
patreon.com/aristrywithheart1
buymeacoffee.com/artistrywithheart
 

In this episode of Artistry with Heart: A Musician’s Wellness Podcast, Portland-based singer-songwriter Rachel Taylor Brown shares her journey from classically trained soprano to DIY indie artist known for her darkly poetic, genre-bending sound—what critics once called “creep rock.”
Rachel reflects on her early years balancing ear training and sight-reading, overcoming imposter syndrome in acclaimed vocal ensembles like Capella Romana, and ultimately carving out her voice as a songwriter and self-produced artist. She opens up about how music became both therapy and truth-telling, with albums that document emotional and societal change—from grief and burnout to Portland’s cultural evolution.
This candid conversation explores the intersection of creativity, exhaustion, and gratitude, offering insights for any musician navigating burnout or creative recovery. Rachel shares how focusing on serving the song helps her quiet performance anxiety and reconnect with purpose.
The episode closes with her hauntingly beautiful track “Anemone”—a meditation on love’s sting and surrender—featuring Ben Landsverk on viola and backing vocals. 
racheltaylorbrown.bandcamp.com/
Support Artistry with Heart: 
patreon.com/aristrywithheart1
buymeacoffee.com/artistrywithheart

Country-soul artist Miko Marks has lived many lives—child of gospel, Carnegie Hall soloist, mother, and trailblazer in country music. 
After a 14-year hiatus, she returned with a renewed sense of purpose, channeling her ancestors, her struggles, and her joy into music that heals and liberates. 
In this conversation, Miko opens up about resilience, faith, and becoming a vessel for spirit and song.
mikomarks.com
stephaniebernards.org
Support Artistry with Heart: 
patreon.com/aristrywithheart1
buymeacoffee.com/artistrywithheart