10 World Cafe sessions we loved in 2024
If we had to sum up World Cafe‘s guests in 2024 using one word, it’d be “history.” So many of the artists we’ve spoken to this year opened up to us about their personal histories and the experiences and journeys that shaped their artistry and music today.
As we look back on the year that’s passed, we put together just a few of our favorite sessions from 2024. There’s Sampha, who drew from a childhood story to craft his latest album. There’s also Feist, who looked back on her back catalogue fondly. Nick Cave opened up about how grief opened the door to joy, and Gillian Welch and David Rawlings remembered the devastating storm that ultimately led to their latest album.
Thanks for tuning in to our show, and we can’t wait to share even more in-depth conversations in 2025. Enjoy!
Sampha on Lahai
The Mercury Prize-winning British musician talked to us about wanting to capture a weightlessness on his sophomore album. Inspired by Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a novella he read as a child, Sampha said he wanted to explore “questions of spirituality and also limits, of pushing boundaries, of the unknown.”
In this World Cafe session from February, Sampha also talks about lessons he’s learned as a new father, plus he leads his band in a drum circle captured live in the World Cafe studio.
Mannequin Pussy on I Got Heaven
Emotional catharsis is at the core of Mannequin Pussy, as frontperson Missy Dabice told us back in March. Dabice told us that’s why she started the Philadelphia punk band back in 2010 in the first place, and why that explosion of emotion remains a vital part of their fourth album, I Got Heaven.
In this session, Dabice talked about what it’s like to have your band start to break out in your 30s; her diagnosis with cancer as a teenager; and her upbringing in the church, which partly inspired the record.
Lizzie No on Halfsies
The premise behind Lizzie No’s latest album is intriguing: The indie folk musician called Halfsies a video game, helmed by a character No calls “Miss Freedomland.”
In this session from April, No broke down the album’s concept, explained why genre labels kept failing her, and how Beyoncé inspired her to break out of any preset mold.
Waxahatchee on Tigers Blood
We likely would not have connected the dots, but hearing Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee cite SZA‘s Ctrl as a big influence on her songwriting made so much sense. There is an ease with which Crutchfield’s vocal melodies flow in and out of her music, especially on her sixth studio album.
In this session from April, Waxahatchee stopped by the World Cafe studio for a live performance. Crutchfield talked about making Tigers Blood at Sonic Ranch in Texas and working with one of 2024’s breakout acts, MJ Lenderman.
Charley Crockett on $10 Cowboy
If there’s one takeaway from our conversation with Charley Crockett, he doesn’t do anything halfway.
In this session, Crockett pulled the curtain back on the path to being a successful touring artist. He’s not afraid to reflect on the industry he’s had to navigate, often through his own devices. Crockett also looked back on inspirations like Aretha Franklin and Willie Nelson.
Jon Muq on Flying Away
Growing up outside of Kampala, Uganda, Jon Muq was always drawn to music. As a teenager, he would perform with his guitar for crowds. Eventually, his music brought him to Austin, Texas.
In this session from May, Muq talked about growing up in Mutungo Hill, why he decided to leave Uganda to pursue his career despite protests from friends and family, and he performed live in front of a studio audience at World Cafe.
Abdullah Ibrahim on 3
This was a special one. Our conversation with one of South Africa’s finest jazz pianists was illuminating and wide-reaching. Ibrahim talked about leaving South Africa in the ’60s due to apartheid, his relationship with Duke Ellington, and why he recorded a massive double album.
Best of all, the composer explains part of his musical ethos — finding “form in the formless” — in one of the most artful ways possible.
Feist
Back in August, Feist joined us in the studio for a brand-new feature called Backtracking. The premise is simple: We give artists a long list of prompts they can choose from. Then, they’ll look back through their catalog and pick the song that fits best.
Still on the heels of her sixth studio album, Leslie Feist joined us to talk about her latest album, Multitudes, and looked back at special moments throughout her career, including “1234” and “Mushaboom.”
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings on Woodland
The 2020 Nashville tornado was devastating. One of the many losses included Gillian Welch and David Rawlings‘ East Nashville studio, called Woodland. But when the dust settled and the sky cleared, Welch and Rawlings were still standing.
In this session from September, Welch and Rawlings talked about rebuilding, and writing songs during turbulent times. They also told maybe the best story we’ve ever heard about winning a Grammy Award.
Nick Cave on Wild God
If we can convince you to listen to just one of our sessions from 2024, make it Nick Cave‘s conversation from September. World Cafe host Raina Douris sat down with the Australian musician at Electric Lady Studios in New York for an in-depth interview.
Cave talked about the grief he experienced after losing his sons, and how joy is a state of being we earn after grief. Cave told stories from the making of Wild God, working with his band The Bad Seeds, and how frogs inspired the music.
A gang attack on a Haitian hospital reopening kills 2 reporters and a police officer
Street gangs forced the General Hospital in Port-au-Prince to close earlier this year. As journalists gathered to cover its reopening, suspected gang members opened fire.
Far from the front lines, Ukrainians fight a war to preserve their culture
In the Transcarpathia region, some locals embrace a traditional lifestyle and cultural identity. After surviving Soviet threats, now they fear President Vladimir Putin seeks to erase their culture.
Russia targets Ukrainian energy infrastructure on Christmas Day
Russia's massive missile and drone barrage struck a thermal power plant and prompted Ukrainians to shelter in metro stations on Christmas morning.
When kindness becomes a habit, it improves our health
Whether it's volunteering at a local school or taking soup to a sick neighbor, improving the welfare of others can also improve our own physical and mental health, a sizable body of research shows.
‘The Bachelor,’ Ukraine edition, features a veteran who lost both legs in the war
He wants to give hope to the tens of thousands of Ukrainians who have lost limbs since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Hungry, cold and alone, a woman’s life changed from a kind stranger’s invitation
Many years ago, Karleen was physically attacked by her then-boyfriend. Terrified, she left their condo, sat down on the curb, and began to cry. Then, a kind stranger invited her to Hanukkah.
