As we approach the end of the year we’ve been reflecting on our favorite conversations throughout 2023. Host Catherine Shen chose her most memorable moments, all about music.

First, we discuss the power of nostalgia and the memories music can carry, with John Ondrasik, frontman for Five for Fighting. The soft-rock band topped the charts in the early 2000s with songs like "Superman" and "100 Years."

Eric George Lopez, or ericdoa, has been described as the "face of hyperpop," a newer music genre born out of 2000s electronic music. But in many ways, the "genre-bending" up-and-coming artist defies categorization. He discusses his upbringing in Connecticut, how he developed his sound and what makes Gen Z uniquely powerful in the arts.

Plus, Ashley Hamel discovered her love of music while growing up in Connecticut. The singer-songwriter eventually left New England behind to build her music career in Indonesia. She joined us from Jakarta to talk about her new single, "New England Baby."

Full episodes:

• A conversation with Five for Fighting frontman John Ondrasik

• CT-based Gen Z trailblazers: Musician ericdoa, K-pop dance crew SEOULAR, and designer MINIPNG

• Ashley Hamel takes her music to new heights abroad, plus a look at the ticketing industry

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