First Spin
Hey, I’m Hayden Thomas—musician, lifelong music fan, and the guy who still makes mixtapes for road trips.
First Spin is my weekly interview show where I sit down with emerging artists who I genuinely believe are doing something special. You might not know their names yet, but if you’re anything like me, you’ll want to change that.
This show isn’t about hype. It’s about real conversations—about the first gigs, the late-night doubts, the sound that finally clicks. It’s a space for new voices to tell their stories, and for all of us to listen a little closer.
If you’re always on the hunt for the next song that’ll mean something to you—welcome. You’re in the right place.
New artists. Real stories. Weekly drops. Let’s give ‘em their first spin.
First Spin
Latest Episodes
Young Ritual on OCD, Substack, and the influence of Kings of Leon
This week I sit down with Dylan Grantham, who released music under the name Young Ritual. Dylan and I talk about his OCD, not rushing his music, and the trend away from short form content and towards platforms like Substack. Dylan's uniq...
Will McCartt on therapy, collaborating with Northwest Stories, and the influence of Gregory Alan Isakov
In this episode of First Spin, I sit down with indie-folk artist Will McCartt for a conversation about creativity, emotional vulnerability, and the process of finding your voice as an artist.We talk about how music was always present in ...
Drew White on kindness, diabetes, and Concrete Americana
In this episode I sit down with Nashville-based singer/songwriter Drew White. Drew and I talk about his fantastic 2025 release, Concrete Amer...
Khatumu on racist kids, self-therapizing, and her upcoming performance at Bottle Rock
This week I sit down with the incredibly talented Khatumu. We talk about her experience of racism with a kid at work, how she passed time during covid lockdowns, the influences that developed her unique sound, and the neighbor that heard her si...
American Fraternity on masculinity, LA Hedonism, and celebrating imperfections
This week I sit down with Noah Thomas who releases music under the name American Fraternity. Noah and I talked about his brief experience in Greek life, graduating college during Covid, life in Los Angeles, and the importance of displaying conf...