SongWriter turns stories into songs
SongWriter is a multimedia creative project created by Ben Arthur that brings together writers, artists, scientists, and musicians to transform stories and ideas into original songs. Featured artists include Questlove, Isabella Rossellini, David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), George Saunders, Sharon Van Etten, Joyce Carol Oates, Steve Earle, and Jamila Woods.
Ben hosts and edits the show.
SongWriter is available as a podcast from PRX, and as a live performance series, in segments on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Cafe for 1.5M listeners, and in articles in Paste magazine.
Since 2024 SongWriter has been supported by Templeton World Charity Foundation. Episodes focus on elements of human flourishing like forgiveness, empathy, caregiving, AI, and polarization, and include the perspective of scientists on their related research.
As an example, in the summer of 2024 there was a live SongWriter performance in Kigali, Rwanda, exploring forgiveness on the 20th anniversary of the genocide. Survivor Freddy Mutanguha (Director of the Kigali Genocide Memorial) spoke about visiting the man who killed his mother in prison, Dr. Pamela Wadende described her research on forgiveness in Kenya, and Hope Azeda and Peace Jolis shared poetry and a performed a new song written in response to Freddy's story.
In 2026, excerpts from SongWriter will be included in a research project led by Columbia neuroscientist Dr. Meghan Meyer (whose work is featured in this episode) investigating how artistic storytelling may enhance scientific learning. The SongWriter creative methodology is also being adapted by three international teams in Brazil, Turkey, and The Bahamas to explore locally relevant stories and issues.
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