Joe Rogan Experience #2504 - Skylar Grey

The discussion turns to the increasingly blurry line between real and artificial content. Rogan describes this as "the first whispers of the fog of the Matrix" and notes that people are becoming more skeptical, questioning everything. He mentions prominent news figures reposting AI-generated videos that looked like they came from video games. Both express that while the situation is strange, it makes people appreciate real physical connections, real art, and human-made creations more deeply. Rogan shows a chimp skull artwork made from Zildjian cymbals by artist Shane Against the Machine and notes that knowing a person created it adds value. They agree that imperfections and nuance in real art make it more relatable.

Early Musical Beginnings06:30

Skylar Grey started performing at age six. Her mother was in folk bands and played Celtic harp, while her father sang in a barbershop quartet and her great-grandmother was an opera singer. At age two she spontaneously sang harmony during "Happy Birthday," which her mother noticed. She began joining her mother's band rehearsals and making guest appearances on stage. At six they performed a full hour-long Mother's Day show together at a library in Madison, Wisconsin. Skylar Grey is from Mazomanie, a small village of about 1,500 people. They toured the Midwest playing elementary schools, libraries, women's health conventions, and even a Boy Scouts event with 1,500 attendees.

Going Solo and Buying a Piano08:30

At age 12 Skylar Grey decided to go solo, buying her first grand piano with money saved from performing. She began writing pop songs. Middle school kids mocked the silly songs she sang with her mom, such as "We Are the Colors of the Rainbow," "Never Smoke Tobacco," and "My Grandma Slid Down the Mountain." Her mother was disappointed because performing together had become her career. Skylar Grey felt driven to pursue her own path and knew she wouldn't sing with her mother forever. She hated school, felt she was wasting time, and begged to be homeschooled. At 16 she dropped out.