Music Magick with Dr. arah Grace Hanson
Sarai Johnson welcomes Dr. Sarah Grace Hanson—writer of the Substack Substack Shiny Tops and Soda Pops—onto Cauldron Her Daddy to talk about how music transmutes emotion, especially during breakups, and how sharing playlists can be a love language and a communal, almost worship-like experience. Sarah Grace traces her music obsession from a musician father and classical training to discovering 2000s indie rock, building seasonal and monthly playlists inspired by Hanif Abdurraqib, and diving into current favorites like Wednesday and other North Carolina indie twang. They discuss live shows as a meditative, cathartic practice, using loud or sad songs to process feelings, and Sarai’s experience of losing her singing voice and later returning to music after a “serious adult” phase. The conversation also touches on Brandi Carlile, Boygenius, and Sarai’s complicated affection for Taylor Swift.
Follow Shiny Tops and Soda Pops here.
Find Sarai's Breakup Playlist here.
00:00 Welcome And Breakup Songs
01:12 Music Obsession Origins
02:08 Indie Rock Awakening
03:45 Playlists And Substack
05:37 Summer Listening Picks
07:02 Sharing Music As Magic
08:50 Live Music As Church
11:43 Getting Unstuck With Sound
14:54 Lyrics Abiding And Identity
19:09 Packing Music Away
20:19 Music as Emotional Fuel
20:49 Reopening to New Songs
22:44 Concerts and Arena Magic
24:36 Taylor Swift Confessions
27:21 Streaming Habits and Algorithms
28:51 Ethical Swift Talk
30:39 Wrap Up and Recommendations
Work with Meredith: fourthcupastrology.com
Work with Sarai: saraijohnson.com
Follow the Daddies on social media @saraijohnson.witch and @fourth.cup.astrology
