Songwriters are natural storytellers, and they’re always looking for an audience. I’m Jonah Grinkewitz, producer and host of WHRV’s new music program Lyrical. I’m also a songwriter and know how important the story behind a lyric can be. That’s why I’m excited to bring you Lyrical, a show that gives songwriters a platform to explain their lyrics, share their influences and perform their most interesting and powerful songs.

Lyrics have always been my favorite part of music because they allow us to connect with an artist on a personal level. A good songwriter can take a situation we all relate to and talk about it in a new and interesting way. Take this line from songwriter Afie Jurvanen of the band Bahamas: “We can’t change each other, always be who we are. I’m so tired of fighting, so from now on let’s just spar.” His use of metaphor to describe a feeling many of us can relate to invites the listener in and puts the situation in a new perspective.

Another trait good songwriters share is their ability to set a scene and tell a story. One of my favorite songwriters, Ray Davies of the Kinks, does this perfectly in the song “Waterloo Sunset.” From the perspective of a lonely narrator looking out on the Thames in London he sings “Dirty old river, must you keep rolling, flowing into the night. People so busy, make me feel dizzy, taxi light shines so bright.” In our fast-paced world, many of us may sympathize with this character. But Lyrical takes the time to focus on the words when they so often get lost in the music.

Each episode of Lyrical represents not only who the songwriter is, but who helped them get to where they are now. As a songwriter myself, I will admit that my best writing was strongly influenced by my favorite artists. It can be a style of writing or even a riff on a favorite lyric that sets you in a new creative direction. Lyrical gives artists that chance to surprise us and challenge our notions of who they are as songwriters.

But most importantly, Lyrical is a musical conversation for everyone. Lyrics have no boundaries – they can represent us and bring us all together. If you are a songwriter interested in sharing your story, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. And visit whrv.org/lyrical to hear new and past episodes on our media player.