Raphael Saadiq on Love, Loss, and Three Decades of Soul | Fresh Air
August 7, 2025
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47:25Now PlayingRaphael Saadiq on Love, Loss, and Three Decades of Soul | Fresh Air
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as posted by the channelRaphael Saadiq kicks off Part 2 of his No Bandwidth tour on September 7 in Sacramento, California. He’ll hit 21 cities across the U.S., performing a setlist that spans three decades of his groundbreaking career.
From Tony! Toni! Toné! to Beyoncé, from devastating family losses to Grammy wins, Raphael Saadiq has lived a thousand musical lives.
In this intimate conversation with Fresh Air cohost Tonya Mosley, Saadiq opens up about:
The personal tragedies behind “It Never Rains in Southern California”
His one-man show, No Bandwidth — no band, no phones, just music and raw storytelling
Why playing bass made him feel “big” as a small kid growing up in Oakland
Writing songs in tribute to his late siblings
Collaborating with Beyoncé (Cowboy Carter), Ryan Coogler (Sinners), and Solange (Cranes in the Sky)
Designing his own Fender and why instruments still come before everything else.
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Tonya’s Raphael Saadiq Playlist
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Fresh Air Instagram: @nprfreshair
Tonya Mosley Instagram: @tonyatalks
Hope Wilson, Consulting Visual Producer
Molly Seavy-Nesper, Digital Media Producer
Walid Azami, Director of Photography
Enrico Benjamin, Original music
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