# How Dan Nigro Builds Superstars | Ep. 195 | Rewind

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Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/and-the-writer-is-with-ross-golan-221813/how-dan-nigro-builds-superstars-ep-195-rewind.md
Podcast: [And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan](https://stenobird.com/podcast/and-the-writer-is-with-ross-golan-221813)
Published: 2026-04-23T15:31:13+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/andthewriteris/episodes/rewind-how-dan-nigro-builds-superstars-ep-195
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/andthewriteris/e/69ea3b41abe143da5bbd4f1c/media.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/and-the-writer-is-with-ross-golan-221813/episodes/how-dan-nigro-builds-superstars-ep-195-rewind
Duration seconds: 4551

## Resource

Today's guest is the Grammy Producer of the Year who built the two biggest pop breakthroughs of the last five years back to back — and whose real story isn't about the hits. It's about the three years he spent making nothing and the rule he wants every producer in the game to understand. From indie rock frontman in As Tall As Lions to pop's most trusted collaborator, Dan built his career against almost every industry instinct. He carries three things at once that most producers never figure out how to hold: the commercial ear of someone who's had back-to-back Grammy runs with Olivia Rodrigo, the patience of a craftsman who sat on  "Good Luck, Babe"  for 18 months before it ever left his hard drive, and the conviction to say no — to every rushed demo, every session hop, every label note that doesn't serve the artist. This is one of the more honest conversations about what it actually takes to build a superstar. And The Writer Is... Dan Nigro! In this episode of And The Writer Is, we go deep on: • The three years he spent making nothing — and what finally broke it • Why getting Chappell dropped from Atlantic was "the greatest thing that ever happened" • "We're building like an icon here" — the real work behind Chappell Roan's rise • Why Dan refuses to send demos • 20 days with one artist, not 20 sessions with twenty • Meeting Dua Lipa in 2014 — "this girl is a superstar" • Artist development, finding your lane • Writing good songs sucks — and why that's fine And much more... Hit subscribe and turn on notifications. Every week, we go deep with the most interesting creatives in music. Follow us on socials: @andthewriteris A special thank you to our sponsors for making these conversations possible. Our lead sponsor, NMPA — the National Music Publishing Association…

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## Transcript

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