EXCLUSIVE: Scarlett Burke Talks ‘Make It Up As We Go’ Podcast

Scarlett Burke is the director, co-creator, executive producer, and star of the very first scripted country music podcast ‘Make It Up As We Go’ which focuses on a young, aspiring songwriter trying to make it in the world of country music and follows her as she navigates the writing rooms of Nashville.

Here we chat exclusively with Scarlett Burke to find out more about the exciting series:

Can you tell us a little about how the podcast idea came to life?
To be honest, I had never listened to a podcast when this idea came about. Jared Gutstadt, who I created the series with, had just released Bear and a Banjo and knew that I was looking for a way of releasing my music aside from the world of touring. So the concept was: why not make a soundtrack for a podcast and release music from a different platform based on storytelling.

What was that light bulb moment when you realized you had something that could work in this sector?
When I read the script of the first episode by David Hudgins and Brooks Hudings, I knew we had something special. We had several discussions about how to make the series as true to the songwriter’s journey as possible as well as the stories and events that play out that inspire country music.

Can you tell those who’ve not yet listened what they can expect from the series?
The series gives the listener a behind the scenes look of the songwriting world here in Nashville. The songs are characters themselves in a way. Our goal was to give the listener the opportunity to feel like they are in the writing room as well as a peek into what goes on in the day to day of a songwriter’s life that inspires the music you hear on country radio.

The podcast features an array of country talent, how did you approach them for this series?
We approached artists with the idea of releasing music from a new platform, by way of sharing the stories that inspired the music. I think that caught their attention, as well as the scripts being so well written and authentic.

Would you ever consider moving this idea to TV at some point?
Absolutely, the plan is to get a TV development setup, which is why we paired with someone of David Hudgins caliber. We had an eye on taking this from podcast to broadcast from the very beginning. Fortunately, our packaging partners WME have been amazing. We have a great team that focuses on taking podcasts to TV and we are already getting down the road with this process. We think podcasts will be the bedrock for TV formats and ideas of the future. It’s a great time to be in podcasting!

What are your long-term goals for this podcast?
My long-term goal is to continue to tell the story of the songwriter at every level in their career and hopefully continue to tell a story that listeners feel they can relate to.

Can you tell us a little about what we can expect from future storylines?
Without giving anything away…we’re going to dive a little deeper into the past of a few of our lead characters and also follow Charlotte as she finds balance and navigates through her newfound success in Nashville. We also know this format will allow us to write more great music and bring more fun cameos from the Nashville community into this.

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