Music Makes You Think | Interviews with musicians

Music Makes You Think is for people who experience music a little more deeply than the average listener. All articles are written by Julie Simmons and most were previously featured in other publications.

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A low-angle shot of Lucy Brotherton. Her hands are shown prominently as she's doing ASL at concerts for hard of hearing audiences.

Music Interpreters for the Deaf: Do You See What I See?

ASL music interpreters share insights about the art of translating lyrics on stage and how they've been treated (good and bad) by some of the biggest musical acts.

21 hours ago5 min read

In this photo from the artists, Brae is standing behind Joey. Brae is wearing a NY Yankees baseball hat and Joey is wearing a pink beanie hat. This image is most likely from when they were 22 years old (or younger).

Interview with Joey Valence & Brae: Can They Succeed Without the Music Industry?

How old are Joey Valence and Brae? What we should be asking is whether it's possible to maintain success without a label.

Feb 254 min read

Image of Josh Dun singing into a microphone. This is probably from the Clancy tour (2023) in which he sang backing vocals on "Leave the City"

Interview with Josh Dun: How twenty one pilots’ Drummer Found His Voice

Josh talks about challenging himself to do more interviews to singing to becoming a dad.

Sep 26, 20257 min read

Neyla Pekarek is shown playing cello and singing into a mircophone. This image is meant to show her getting out on her own.

Interview with Neyla Pekarek, Cellist of The Lumineers, as She Steps Out on Her Own with "Rattlesnake"

In this rare interview, Neyla talks about the solo project that confirmed her departure from The Lumineers.

Aug 14, 20256 min read

ABOUT
JULIE SIMMONS

Julie Simmons is an American music journalist and creator of Music Makes You Think.

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Five Things I Learned About Running a Music Group for 10 Years

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