Life in Seven Songs

Pacific Standard Time is smart, surprising weekly podcast about California’s future—and why what happens here matters everywhere and to everyone. Hosted by SF Standard culture editor Emily Dreyfuss and enterprise reporter Jesse Alejandro Cottrell. New episodes Wednesday mornings, beginning Nov. 19.

When Andrew Ahn’s family rented “The Wedding Banquet” in the early 1990s, they didn’t realize it was a queer film. They also had no idea that 30 years later, Andrew would write and direct his own version of the film. For many years, Andrew felt his queer and Korean American identities were in conflict. But reconciling those parts of himself has helped Andrew become one of the freshest filmmakers working today – directing the Emmy-nominated “Fire Island” and several episodes of “Bridgerton.” In this episode, Andrew talks about coming out to his family through his art, the song that still gets him to rush the dance floor at a gay club, and the music that guided his journey towards wholeness. Here are his songs. Simon & Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” Yeah Yeah Yeahs, “Maps” Cascada, “Everytime We Touch” Aimee Mann, “Ray” Camille Saint-Saëns, “Symphony No. 3 (“Organ Symphony”)” Frank Ocean, “Self Control” Hikaru Utada, “Hanataba Wo Kimini” Listen to Andrew Ahn's ⁠⁠⁠full playlist on Spotify⁠⁠⁠. Find the transcript of this episode at ⁠⁠⁠lifeinsevensongs⁠⁠⁠.com. Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠lifeinsevensongs@sfstandard.com⁠⁠⁠.

Long before he became the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara was a first-generation Indian immigrant, listening to Bollywood music in his childhood home outside of Asbury Park, New Jersey. It’s no surprise that Bruce Springsteen became one of Preet’s heroes – though it was a surprise when ‘The Boss’ gave Preet a personal shoutout at a 2012 concert. In this episode, Preet talks about his work fighting Wall Street corruption and organized crime, how his family’s American dream unfolded across decades, and his unashamed patriotism in an era when expressing love for America can feel complicated. Plus, Sophie (almost) gets the former prosecutor to sing along to one of their shared seven songs. Here are his songs. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road” Kishore Kumar, Mahendra Kapoor, and Shailendra Singh, “Amar Akbar Anthony” Queen, “Another One Bites the Dust” U2, “I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For” Daniel Rodriguez, “God Bless America” Darius Rucker, “Wagon Wheel” Zeshan B, “O Say, Can You See”

Pepi Sonuga always knew she would become a performer. Even as a little girl in Lagos, Nigeria, watching “Barney” tapes that her flight attendant mother brought home, Pepi felt certain that someday, she’d be the one onscreen. That childhood conviction helped Pepi survive the culture shock of moving to Los Angeles at age 10, teen bullying, and years of grinding in an industry that tried to tell her, over and over, that she was replaceable. With her star now on the rise – with roles in Tyler Perry’s “The Six Triple Eight” and Hulu’s “Pam & Tommy” – Pepi joins Sophie to reflect on her journey so far, the songs that defined her girlhood, and her ultimate dream: to lift up the country she came from and “the little girl just like me who deserves everything she dreams about, too.” Here are her songs. "I Wanna Be a Rockstar" – Barney "You Gotta Be" – Des’ree "This Is What Makes Us Girls" – Lana Del Rey "The Only Exception" – Paramore "Dreamer" – Charli XCX "Ready" – Tems "Ojuelegba" – Wizkid

Miss Peppermint wears a lot of hats (and wigs): drag queen, first openly trans woman on RuPaul’s Drag Race, Broadway actress, Traitors contestant – and through it all, vocal trans rights activist. She’s also hilarious, fabulous, and unapologetically herself. In this episode, Peppermint dishes on her early queer icons (think Prince and Amadeus), the danger and drama of the ’90s NYC nightclub scene – and why she’s always wanted to be anything but “basic and predictable.” Here are her songs. Prince - 7 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Symphony No. 35 in D Major, K. 385 “Haffner” Lenny Kravitz - Believe Bush - Glycerine Deborah Cox - Nobody's Supposed To Be Here Stars On 54 - If You Could Read My Mind Ariana Grande - no tears left to cry

As the host and creator of numerous hit culture podcasts, Sam Sanders is known for having a finger on the pulse of pop culture. But growing up strictly Pentecostal in Texas, non-religious music was forbidden – so Sam got resourceful, smuggling CDs into the house in his underwear and watching MTV in secret. At 18 years old, just as he was getting ready to leave for Stanford, Sam’s life was turned upside down. Both of his parents suffered major health crises in the span of a few months, resulting in Sam becoming their caregiver. Years later, Sam would face another devastating double-whammy with the death of his mother followed a month later by a crushing breakup. In this episode, Sam opens up about the music that carried him through – from Janet Jackson videos to soaring gospel tunes to revenge-fueled breakup anthems – and why today, he’s savoring the freedom he’s been chasing his whole life. Here are his songs. Janet Jackson, “Love Will Never Do (Without You)” Stevie Wonder, "Don't You Worry ‘Bout A Thing" Richard Smallwood, "Total Praise" John Mayer, “Stop This Train" Labelle, "Isn't It a Shame" Caroline Rose, “The Kiss” Fleetwood Mac, “Silver Springs”

Sonia Manzano knows you think of her as Maria on Sesame Street – and that’s exactly the point. Growing up in the South Bronx in a household “ruled by domestic violence,” TV was Sonia’s refuge as a child – but she never saw anyone who looked like her. Years later, when she landed the role of Maria on Sesame Street, Sonia made a choice. She wouldn’t play a character; she would be herself – on purpose. For 44 years, she served as an authentic and beloved role model for millions of kids. More recently, she’s created another iconic Latina heroine through the animated children’s show Alma’s Way — this one inspired by her childhood self. In this episode, Sonia reflects on growing up “at a time when Latin people were absolutely invisible,” the power of seeing yourself reflected in pop culture, and the music that accompanied her journey. Here are her songs. Numero 6 - Bobby Rodríguez y la Compañía Lamento Borincano - Rafael Hernandez When You Wish Upon A Star sung by Jiminy Cricket [aka Cliff Edwards] Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes I Wish I Knew How It Feels to Be Free - Nina Simone Bang! Bang! - Joe Cuba Sextet Sing - Joe Raposo, cast of Sesame Street

After 25 years with American Ballet Theatre, Misty Copeland is taking her final bow this October. Just ahead of her last performance, the groundbreaking ballerina – who made history as ABT’s first Black female principal dancer – joins Sophie to reflect on her journey. From a shy girl nicknamed “Mouse” who grew up without a home for much of her childhood in Southern California, to a stunning career on the stages of Lincoln Center and beyond, Misty’s is a story of defying the odds. In this episode, Misty opens up about her tumultuous upbringing, dancing through six stress fractures, finding love at a nightclub, and the music that has carried her through it all. Here are her songs. Aretha Franklin - Ain't No Way Mariah Carey - Looking In N.E.R.D. - Run To The Sun Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Piano Concerto No 21 in C Major K 467 II Andante J. Cole - Be Free Sade - Kiss Of Life Drake - Nice For What

Jamie Brisick was living the California dream – a pro surfer sponsored by Quicksilver, traveling the world and competing on the ASP World Tour. But beneath the “Malibu Barbie” facade, tragedy was brewing: his brother was descending into a drug addiction that would soon claim his life. Jamie left the world of surfing and reinvented himself as a writer, with his words appearing in The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Guardian. But sudden tragedy would soon strike again. In this episode, Jamie shares how music became both an escape from pain and a pathway toward healing. His story shows us how sometimes our greatest losses become our most profound teachers – and that life has an extraordinary capacity to “totally blow you away,” even when it seems utterly broken. Here are his songs.

To celebrate one year of Life in Seven Songs, Sophie answers some burning questions about the show, shares a few songs off her list, and turns the mic to you — our listeners — to hear about the songs tied to your life stories. Here are your songs: Ronan Keating - When You Say Nothing At All Glass Animals - Heat Waves Bob Dylan - Tangled Up In Blue The B-52's - Roam Radiohead - Paranoid Android Carole King - Beautiful U2 - Beautiful Day Stevie Wonder - As Simon & Garfunkel - The Sound of Silence Madonna - Vogue The Police - Every Breath You Take Thank you to everyone who sent us songs. Our inbox is always open lifeinsevensongs@sfstandard.com.