# Melanie Martinez + CJ Baran | Building Worlds Through Intuition, Trust, and Experimentation

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/unfamous-with-justin-tranter-7726071/melanie-martinez-cj-baran-building-worlds-through-intuition-trust-and-experimentation
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/unfamous-with-justin-tranter-7726071/melanie-martinez-cj-baran-building-worlds-through-intuition-trust-and-experimentation.md
Podcast: [Unfamous with Justin Tranter](https://stenobird.com/podcast/unfamous-with-justin-tranter-7726071)
Published: 2026-03-25T12:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://s.gum.fm/s-69d7ee016d4e688e2552e0d7/traffic.megaphone.fm/GBLL2325231971.mp3?updated=1777345565
Audio file: https://s.gum.fm/s-69d7ee016d4e688e2552e0d7/traffic.megaphone.fm/GBLL2325231971.mp3?updated=1777345565
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/unfamous-with-justin-tranter-7726071/episodes/melanie-martinez-cj-baran-building-worlds-through-intuition-trust-and-experimentation
Duration seconds: 4702

## Resource

Melanie Martinez and CJ Baran make dark, beautiful, deeply specific art. But more importantly? They know how to build a universe together. In this episode of Unfamous, Justin Tranter sits down with the longtime collaborators behind Cry Baby, Portals, and Melanie’s upcoming double-album world to talk about storytelling, trust, experimentation, intuition, and what it takes to make something both wildly ambitious and emotionally precise. It’s imaginative. It’s meticulous. It’s weird in all the right ways. And it’s a real look at how two artists build a fully realized world without sanding off what makes it special. If you love pop culture, music, and the messy, magical truth behind how things get made, this one’s for you. Follow, subscribe, like and comment wherever you watch and listen. Credits: Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart Director: Morgan T. Stuart Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Bobbie Gale, Nina Savio and Kyle Stuart Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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