Talia Schlanger on her debut album, 'Grace for the Going'

For regular listeners of World Cafe, our guest today needs no introduction. Talia Schlanger was the host of the show for three years. She interviewed hundreds of musicians during her stint. Then, in 2019, she stepped away.

Here was someone who was exceptional at their craft but envisioned a more fulfilling adventure on a different path. A former theater performer who appeared in shows like American Idiot, We Will Rock You and Mamma Mia!, Schlanger wanted to pursue her first passion: singing. So she packed her bags, traveled to Europe and began writing songs on an old guitar she found in Paris.

That journey led to her debut solo album, Grace for the Going. It's a dazzling record, theatrical and intimate in equal measure. In this session, Schlanger talks about the journey from radio host to recording artist, plus she performs songs from Grace for the Going in front of a live audience.

This episode of World Cafe was produced and edited by Miguel Perez. Our senior producer is Kimberly Junod and our engineer is Chris Williams. Our programming and booking coordinator is Chelsea Johnson and our line producer is Will Loftus.