On today’s episode, we’re tackling a question from a listener named Joel: Why do singers lose their accents when they sing? Our guest this week is New Yorker writer Kelefa Sanneh. In this wide-ranging conversation, we explore identity in country music, why Taylor Swift stopped singing with a twang, how Drake changed the way people think about authenticity in hip-hop, and why Adele and Harry Styles don’t sound British when they sing. Want to hear all the music from this episode? Check out our newsletter for a playlist. Check out Kelefa’s book Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres If you’re new here, listen to episode 36: Is Taylor Swift bigger than Michael Jackson? and check out our NST starter pack. Fill out our NST listener survey here. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at [email protected] or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286 EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ http://www.nordvpn.com/nst Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guaranteeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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