पडकास्ट
BBC World Service
२४६ एपिसोड · en
Where music stars discuss how they make their music.
२०२४ मार्च २९ · ३२ मिनेट
Brìghde Chaimbeul, Rhodri Davies, Sam Amidon and Linda Buckley discuss the roles of tradition and place in music, and what they might think about when performing. Brìghde Chaimbeul is a Gaelic musician, composer and bagpipe player. Her music stems from traditional Gaelic material, particularly sourced from archival recordings, of songs, stories and music from the Highlands and islands of Scotland. It also explores wider musical influences, such as a variety of global piping traditions from eastern Europe, Cape Breton and Ireland. She has collaborated with artists including Ross Ainslie, Gruff Rhys, Martin Green, Carlos Nunez and Allan MacDonald. Last year she released the album Carry Them With Us in collaboration with Colin Stetson, weaving together textural drones, trance atmospheres and instrumental folk traditions. Rhodri Davies is a Welsh musician who plays harp, electric harp and live electronics, as well as building harp installations. He started playing the harp at the age of 7 and is classically trained on the orchestral pedal harp; he also plays a range of different harps, modifying their sounds with different techniques and pushing the boundaries of how the instrument can sound. He’s released seven solo albums and regularly works with groups such as Hen Ogledd, Cranc, the Sealed Knot and Common Objects. Sam Amidon is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Vermont. He plays the fiddle, guitar and banjo, and is a member of the Icelandic music collective/record label Bedroom Community. He has released a string of acclaimed albums, ranging in theme from interpretations of traditional Irish fiddle pieces to old-time melodies and tales from traditional American folk history. His collaborators include classical composer Nico Muhly, experimental composer/producer Ben Frost, composer/violinist Eyvind Kang, guitar legend Bill Frisell and veteran jazz drummer Milford Graves. Linda Buckley is an Irish composer and musician who creates electronic and acoustic music working across many disciplines, most notably film, and drone and dark ambient music. She’s worked in many collaborative contexts, including scoring films such as Nothing Compares by Kathryn Ferguson and To The Moon by Tadhg O’Sullivan. Recent collaborators include Liam Byrne and Crash Ensemble, Gudrun Gut and Andrew Zolinsky.
२०२४ मार्च २२ · ३० मिनेट
Caterina Barbieri, Kali Malone, Moritz Von Oswald and Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe discuss the role limitations play in the creative process, and whether they can be a source for creativity, if working with limitations helps sharpen one’s aesthetics and define one’s unique artistic voice, and whether human imagination needs limits to become limitless. Caterina Barbieri is a composer and modular synth artist whose sound draws from electronic, experimental and dance music. Her work is informed by an education in classical guitar and electro-acoustic composition at the Conservatory of Bologna, as well as the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and its famed centre for sound art, Elektronmusikstudion. She has spent a decade since her debut release, Vertical, breaking the rigid structures of electronic music and exploring how sound can induce both metaphysical and psycho-physical responses. Her most recent project, Myuthafoo, further investigates her interest in time, space, memory and emotion, and the links between them. Kali Malone is a composer and organist based in Stockholm. Her compositions are rich with harmonic texture through synthetic and acoustic instrumentation. In 2016 she co-founded the record label and concert series XKatedral, together with Maria W Horn, in Stockholm. Over the last few years she has released the critically acclaimed albums The Sacrificial Code, Living Torch, and Does Spring Hide Its Joy featuring Stephen O’Malley & Lucy Railton. Moritz Von Oswald is a dub techno pioneer producer and percussionist hailing from Berlin. He is the co-founder of production duo and record label Basic Channel. Prior to becoming one of the leading figures in electronic music in the 1990s, he played in one of the last incarnations of Palais Schaumburg. In a career spanning more than 30 years, he has worked with many legendary artists including Juan Atkins, Thomas Fehlmann, Carl Craig and Tony Allen. Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe is a Brooklyn-based artist, curator, composer and multi-instrumentalist. In 1997, he joined the band 90 Day Men before releasing solo projects under the moniker Lichens from 2004. He has collaborated on projects or provided sound in a featured artist capacity for such films as End of Summer, Sicario, Arrival, Last and First Men with Johann Johannsson and It Comes at Night with Brian McOmber. More recently, Robert has scored Il colpo del cane for Fulvio Risuleo, Candyman for Nia DaCosta, The Color of Care for Yance Ford and Master for Mariama Diallo.
२०२४ मार्च १५ · २६ मिनेट
Ane Brun, Linden Jay and Sylvan Esso's Amelia Meath discuss collaboration, navigating between genres and lyrical inspirations. Ane Brun is a musician hailing from Norway but based in Sweden, who also runs the label Balloon Ranger. Her music is rooted in folk pop and she's released 11 studio albums; her most recent is Portrayals, which came out last year. It is a collection of covers, including a previously unheard version of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart’s Blue Moon, to celebrate 20 years since her debut album Spending Time with Morgan. Linden Jay is a Grammy-nominated musician and producer from London. In addition to releasing music as a soloist, he is one half of the band FARR, a transatlantic duo described as a crossover between soul and alternative pop. As a producer and songwriter, he has also worked with artists including Stormzy, Sampha, Kelis and Loyle Carner. Amelia Meath is a Grammy-nominated musician and dancer based in North Carolina. She sings in the electronic pop band Sylvan Esso and alt-folk group Mountain Man, and has collaborated with the likes of Real Estate and John Cale. Audio for this episode was updated on 27th March 2024.
२०२४ मार्च ८ · ३० मिनेट
Bill Ryder-Jones, Anna Calvi and Poppy Hankin discuss the first piece of music that really affected them, how their writing has changed as they’ve grown older, and how much they’re willing to give people control over their music. Bill Ryder-Jones is from West Kirby, Merseyside. He co-founded the Coral, playing as their lead guitarist from 1996 until 2008. Since then he’s pursued a solo career, writing his own albums and film scores, as well as producing and playing on records for other artists including the Last Shadow Puppets, Graham Coxon, Paloma Faith, the Wytches and Hooton Tennis Club. He’s recently released his fifth solo album Iechyd Da (which translates as "good health" in Welsh). Singer-songwriter and composer Anna Calvi is known for her operatic singing voice and virtuosic guitar skills. She’s the only solo artist to have received three consecutive Mercury Prize nominations, going on to become a judge for the awards, and her other work includes everything from scoring seasons five and six of the acclaimed TV series Peaky Blinders to a stage production of the opera The Sandman. Vocalist and guitarist Poppy Hankin leads London-based indie-rock trio Girl Ray. Their sound has taken them on a journey from C-86 style indie-rock to uplifting pop music; their third album Prestige, released last year, sees them reclaim disco music as a celebration of sexuality and outsider culture.
२०२४ मार्च १ · २६ मिनेट
Dot Allison, Andy Bell, Bishi and Charlotte Kemp Muhl discuss AI in music, the importance of music in education and finding your own creative voice. Dot Allison is a singer-songwriter and composer whose work has included film and TV scores such as Black Death, Triangle, The Devil’s Double and Henry: Mind of a Tyrant. She began her career in Edinburgh in the early 90s with the band Dove/One Dove, before releasing her debut solo album Afterglow a decade later. She has since worked with artists including Massive Attack, Kevin Shields, Hal David, Paul Weller, Pete Doherty and Darren Emerson. In 2023 she released Consciousology, an album that provides an imagined voice of a conscious universe expressed through music. Andy Bell is a musician, producer and DJ hailing from Cardiff. He started his career in Oxford in 1988 as one of two vocalists and guitarists of the band Ride, helping pioneer the genre of shoegaze. He went to play in Oasis and Hurricane #1. His production work includes projects with The Kynd and the Swedish band Weeping Willows. In 2023, he joined the supergroup Mantra of the Cosmos along with Shaun Ryder, Zak Starkey and Bez. He also worked with Dot Allison on her album Consciousology last year. Bishi is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, multimedia performer, producer, composer and DJ. Born in London with Bengali heritage, she has been trained in both Hindustani and Western classical styles and studied the sitar under Gaurav Mazumdar, a senior disciple of Ravi Shankar. She has released three albums independently on her own label Gryphon Records. Her third album, Let My Country Awake, released in 2021, is a musical setting of a work by Bengali poet and social reformer Rabindranath Tagore. She is the artistic director and co-founder of WITCiH (‘The Women in Technology Creative Industries Hub’), a platform increasing the visibility of women at the intersection of music, creative technology and STEM. Charlotte Kemp Muhl is a singer-songwriter, writer, model, actress, director, Chimera label co-founder and multi-instrumentalist. She formed the band The Ghost of a Sabre Tooth Tiger in 2008 with her partner Sean Ono Lennon, best known for their 2014 album Midnight Sun. In 2009 she co-founded the label Chimera with Lennon and Yuka Honda. She later formed the group UNI and The Urchins in 2017 alongside Jack James Busa and David Strange, releasing last year the project Simulations.
२०२४ फेब्रुअरी २३ · ३४ मिनेट
Laura Misch, Suzanne Ciani, Madame Gandhi and Sian O'Gorman talk about their music practices, how they’re entwined with nature and technology, the natural muses which inspire their creative process, and imagining futures in which music can have a reciprocal relationship with the environment it is played within. Laura Misch is a multidisciplinary artist and producer from London. She is a singer, songwriter and saxophonist, who also makes audio and video collages. She primarily has a loop-based saxophone practice, and her debut EP Playground was released in 2017. Since then, she has also become interested in including natural surroundings in recordings. In 2021, she composed an immersive outdoor installation in Epping Forest in the UK, eventually soundtracking large-scale tree projections mapped onto buildings in London. Her debut album Sample The Sky came out on October 13th, and it’s an ode to care, connection and listening to the natural world. Producer, drummer, artist and activist Madame Gandhi's career has included collaborations with MIA, Kehlani, and Thievery Corporation, and she’s also featured on the BBC's 100 Women list. Her activism includes combating menstrual stigma people face around the world, and she’s a Harvard graduate to boot. Suzanne Ciani is a musician, sound designer, composer, and record label executive who has made incredible electronic music and sound effects for films and TV. She’s worked with quadrophonic sound, and has been pioneering electronic music since the 1970s. Sian O’Gorman is part of the self-managed collective NYX,a collaborative drone choir and otherworldly electric chorus, re-embodying live electronics and vocal techniques. NYX will be recording their debut album later this year.
२०२४ फेब्रुअरी १६ · २६ मिनेट
Chromeo, La Roux and Empress of discuss longevity in the music world, the future of music media and the shifting notions of taste and trends. David “Dave 1” Macklovitch and Patrick “P-Thugg” Gemayel make up electro-funk duo Chromeo. The pair met in the mid-1990s at college in Montreal, bonding over a love of hip-hop and vintage funk. After hearing records like Daft Punk’s Discovery, they formed Chromeo in 2002, releasing their debut, She’s in Control, in 2004. Their music combines funk grooves and pop hooks with analogue synth melodies, and they have just released their new album Adult Contemporary: a meditation on modern, mature relationships. La Roux is a bona-fide alt-pop star and Grammy Award-winning singer, whose debut album from 2009 dominated charts around the world with an unforgettable falsetto and unmistakable vintage sound. She came back in 2020 after 5 years with her third album Supervision, and recently collaborated with Chromeo on a new rework of her hit single Bulletproof. Empress Of is a singer and musical artist who creates introspective, self-empowering electro pop. She grew up on the music of Latin America and debuted with anonymous demos on YouTube in 2012. She’s developed into an artist whose creativity knows no bounds, from the quirky and eclectic to the straight-up danceable. She will release her fourth album, For Your Consideration, on March 22nd through Major Arcana.
२०२४ फेब्रुअरी ९ · २५ मिनेट
Joel Shadbolt, Dallas Tamaira, Anna Coddington and Allen Stone talk about how environments shape their sound, staying healthy and sane on the road, and the 70s soul sound. A lifelong musician from the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand, Joel Shadbolt studied music at polytechnic before joining L.A.B. as the singer and guitarist in 2016. Their distinct blend of reggae, rock, funk and soul has established them as one of the premier acts in New Zealand. L.A.B's sixth album, L.A.B VI will be out 23 February 2024. Dallas Tamaira is a singer and musician born in Christchurch, raised in Kaikōura and now based in Wellington, New Zealand. He’s occasionally known by the alias Joe Dukie, but is best known as the vocalist for the internationally renowned urban pasifika and dub group Fat Freddy's Drop, which he co-founded in 1999. He’s just dropped his new solo EP, Levels. Anna Coddington is a multi-award winning songwriter, singer and producer from Raglan, New Zealand, currently living in Auckland, who has released four critically acclaimed albums to date. She also has an MA in linguistics, is currently studying for a law degree, and is a 2nd dan black belt in kyokushin karate. Allen Stone is an American soul and R&B singer and musician, based in Spokane, Washington. He is a pastor’s son who grew up on gospel music, and by the time he was 11, he’d picked up a guitar and written his first song. He has released five albums to date.
२०२४ फेब्रुअरी २ · ३४ मिनेट
Ana Carla Maza, Lucas Santtana and Eliane Correa discuss the music of Cuba, women as producers and composers in Cuban music, and their creative process. Cuban composer, cellist and singer Ana Carla Maza grew up in the Afro-Cuban Guanabacoa district of Havana, Cuba, in the early years of the Buena Vista Social Club revival. She moved to Paris to train at the Conservatoire, and the city became the beginning of her solo and touring career. Although she’s a classically trained cellist, she’s always incorporated her Havana roots in her work, and her latest album Caribe is a reconnection to those roots, inspired by Afro-Cuban descarga jams of the 1950s. Lucas Santtana is a singer, composer and producer from Salvador, Brazil. He recreates the Brazilian guitar tradition, mixing up sounds from the 1950s, like João Gilberto and Dorival Caymmi, with mashups, samples and his own creations. Eliane Correa is a pianist, MD and composer based between London and Havana. She was the bandleader of the Cuban fusion project Wara, and has also worked with Eli & La Evolución, En El Aire Project and The World of Hans Zimmer. Her unique sound equally reflects her Latin heritage and London musical melting pot experience.
२०२४ जनवरी २६ · ३० मिनेट
Composers Zubin Kanga, Jasmin Kent Rodgman, Laura Bowler and Neil Luck discuss the role of technology in their work, how their collaborators have influenced them and the technology they’d love to try. Australian-born pianist, composer and technologist Zubin Kanga moved to London in 2007, where he attended the Royal Academy of Music. Through his work he seeks to explore and redefine what it means to be a performer through interactions with new technologies, including artificial intelligence, virtual reality, biosensors and more. He’s worked with some of the world’s leading composers including Steve Reich, Shiva Feshareki and Alexander Schubert and has premiered more than 130 works across the world. Artist and composer Jasmin Kent Rodgman brings together contemporary classical, electronics and sound art to create powerful soundscapes and musical identities. She works across a variety of different art forms, including dance, word film and VR, and explores otherness, memory and narrative in her music. Composer, vocalist and artistic director Laura Bowler specialises in theatre, multi-disciplinary work and opera. She’s been commissioned by orchestras and ensembles across the globe and as a soloist has performed and premiered works internationally. She’s also a vocalist in contemporary music ensemble Ensemble Lydenskab in Aarhus, Denmark. Neil Luck's music explores the interaction between live human performance and multimedia. His work takes a range of forms, from music-theatre to concert works and radio, and last year he collaborated with Mimi Doulton on an EP titled Five English Folk Songs, a piece of work that explores traditional singing techniques that have been lost and buried.
२०२४ जनवरी १९ · ३० मिनेट
George Evelyn - AKA Nightmares on Wax - Corinne Bailey Rae, Theo Croker and James Lavelle discuss their creative relationship with music, the presence of social issues in music, and the pros and cons of the digital age. Musician, record producer and DJ George Evelyn, aka Nightmares on Wax was born in the city of Leeds, UK, and is now based in Ibiza. In his youth, he was greatly inspired by the likes of Quincy Jones and Curtis Mayfield, before discovering hip hop. He originally formed Nightmares on Wax in 1988 as a group project alongside John Halnon, with Kevin Harper joining later, but after one album it became solely his project. He debuted on Warp Records with A Word of Science in 1991, and has since released eight studio albums, various mixes and DJed countless gigs across the globe. Jazz trumpeter, composer and producer Theo Croker is known for his adventurous playing and determination to expand the horizons of jazz. He took up the trumpet around age 11 after being inspired by his grandfather, the legendary Doc Cheatham, and has released seven studio albums. Acclaimed singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae shot to fame in 2006 with her self-titled UK number one debut album. She’s known for her soul-rooted indie sound and has collaborated with everyone from Mary J Blige and Al Green to Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. Electronic musician, DJ and label owner James Lavelle is best known for his work under the Unkle moniker. He started the band in 1992, and in the same year founded the influential trip hop label Mo’ Wax. As Unkle, he’s released eight full length studio albums, most recently Rōnin II.
२०२४ जनवरी १२ · ३४ मिनेट
Galya Bisengalieva, Robert Ames, Actress and Claire M Singer discuss how instruments can affect composition, collaboration, and the relationship between music and its visual identity. Born into a musical family in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Kazakh-British musician Galya Bisengalieva won a music scholarship to study music in London, where she now lives. A classically trained violinist, composer and electronic musician, she released her debut solo EP in 2018, and debut album Aralkum in 2020. Her collaborators include Steve Reich, Laurie Spiegel, Sigur Rós, the National, Terry Riley and Thom Yorke, and she currently leads the London Contemporary Orchestra. She recently released her second album, Polygon. British conductor, composer, arranger and violist Robert Ames is the co-founder and artistic director of the London Contemporary Orchestra. His collaborators include Frank Ocean, Imogen Heap, Belle and Sebastian, Vivienne Westwood, DJ Shadow, Anna Meredith, Radiohead and Foals. His debut album, Change Ringing, came out in 2021. Innovative British electronic musician Actress released his debut single in 2004, and his debut album, Hazyville, followed in 2008. He recently released his seventh studio album, LXXXVIII, which he regards as the culmination of his career to date. Claire M Singer is a composer and performer of acoustic and electronic music, film and installations, known for her experimental approach to the organ. Her work draws inspiration from the dramatic landscape of her native Scotland. She released her debut album in 2016, and recently put out her fourth album, Saor.
२०२४ जनवरी ५ · ३० मिनेट
Arthur Jeffes of Penguin Café, Johnny Borrell, Douglas Dare and Judi Jackson discuss taking your own music seriously when starting out, selling out, and whether it’s OK to re-hash your previous work. Musician, composer and band leader Arthur Jeffes formed Penguin Cafe in 2009, bringing together a talented and disparate group of musicians initially to perform his father Simon Jeffes’ legacy of world renowned Penguin Cafe Orchestra music, 12 years after his untimely death in 1997. Since then, they have continued to perform the music of Penguin Cafe Orchestra alongside their own compositions, and have released five albums to date. The most recent, Rain Before Seven…, came out in the summer. Douglas Dare's piano-led music creates an elegant minimalist sound. He released his debut album Whelm in 2014, which was made on a battered grand piano, then followed it up in 2016 with Aforger. In 2020, he released his third album, Milkteeth. British musician Johnny Borrell is best known as the frontman of the band Razorlight. The band have gone through several line-up changes, with him the sole permanent member. In between the band's activities, he released a solo album in 2013, and currently has a new project called Jealous Nostril. Singer Judi Jackson grew up in Roanoke, Virginia, playing piano and singing in the church choir. After moving to London, she released her debut EP, and in 2020 won vocalist of the year at the Jazz FM awards. Last year she released her full-length debut album, Grace. Her live show includes her own interpretations of songs from jazz greats, along with her original soul-infused music.
२०२३ डिसेम्बर २९ · २७ मिनेट
Faizal Mostrixx, Afrorack, Grove and Kaya Byinshii discuss pop music, musical cultures and the aftermath of live performance. Ugandan producer, dancer and choreographer Faizal Mostrixx was surrounded by music and dancing as a child and began his working life as a professional dancer, before deciding to focus on his other love, sound. After putting out EPs in 2019 and 2022, this year he released his debut full length album Mutations on the Glitterbeat label – an Afrofuturist manifesto from Uganda. Bristol-based producer and vocalist Grove draws on everything from dancehall and dub to hip hop and dance. Their latest album P*W*R PL*Y came out this year. Afrorack is a Ugandan musician who built Africa’s first DIY modular synthesizer. Learning electronics and constructing an instrument that would have been impossible to buy in Uganda, he released his debut album in 2022, bringing together the first recordings with his new machine – a wonderful sound melding acid, techno, and African musicality. Born and raised in Rwanda, Kaya Byinshii strongly believes in the spiritual power of music. She released her debut EP Nyabyinshi in 2020 and her first full length album, Ukwiyuburura, in 2022.
२०२३ डिसेम्बर २२ · ३० मिनेट
Siavash Amini, Sarrsew, mHz and Mariam Rezaei discuss Tehran’s experimental scene, and how geography and community can affect the creative process. Based in Tehran, Iranian musician and composer Siavash Amini has worked with the labels Room40, Hallow Ground, Opal Tapes and Umor Rex for the better part of the past 10 years. He’s also collaborated with a wide range of international artists including Rafael Anton Irisarri, 9T Antiope and Zenjungle, and remixed tracks for Carl Craig, Bernard Szajner and the duo Arigt. This year he’s released two albums, Eidolon and Eremos. Mariam Rezaei is a composer and genre-defying turntablist who’s been honing her own unique style since starting DJing at 15. She previously led experimental arts project TOPH, TUSK FRINGE and TUSK NORTH, and in November 2022 received the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award for Artists in recognition of her contribution to music composition. She released her album BOWN earlier this year. Sara Bigdeli Shamloo, aka SarrSew, is a Tehran-born and Paris-based vocalist, lyricist and composer. She’s one half of duo 9T Antiope, and also one half of the aternative/electronic Farsi duo Taraamoon. On top of her collaborative projects and solo releases, she’s also produced creations for theatre and film and is an active performer and actor. Mo H. Zareei, aka mHz, is an electronic musician, sound artist, and researcher whose artistic practice covers a wide range from electronic compositions to kinetic sound-sculptures and audiovisual installations. After studying in Tehran and California, he now lives in Wellington, New Zealand, where he’s a senior lecturer in composition and sonic arts. He also released the album Proof of Identity earlier this year
२०२३ डिसेम्बर १५ · ३४ मिनेट
Since starting out in the late 90’s, musician, DJ and label owner Adrian Younge's sound has borrowed from soul, funk, jazz and hip hop. His work includes scores for film and TV, including the Marvel series Luke Cage; a collaborative album with Ghostface Killah based on the comic book Twelve Reasons To Die; and productions for Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z. He founded the label Linear Labs, and is also co-founder of the Jazz Is Dead label with A Tribe Called Quest’s Ali Shaheed Muhammad. He’s produced for greats such as Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and Wu Tang Clan, and in 2021, he released The American Negro, an album that provides an unapologetic critique on the evolution of racism in America. Jean Carne is an incredible soul singer boasting a five-octave vocal range. She started her career in the early 1970s, with her 1978 solo single Don’t Let It Go to Your Head becoming an R&B hit. She’s also worked with Motown Records, the Temptations and Michael Jackson, and in 2014, she was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National R&B Music Society. She's worked with host Adrian through the years, most notably on the 1990 song Star Flower. Brian Jackson is a keyboardist, flautist, singer, composer, and producer who had a decades-long writing and producing partnership with Gil Scott-Heron, including the albums Pieces of a Man, Free Will, and Winter in America. He went on to work with Earth, Wind & Fire and Stevie Wonder, and also has an extensive solo career, looking to both the present and the past for inspiration in order to honour the ancient tradition of the griot – the African troubadour of truth. Legendary jazz pianist and bandleader Lonnie Liston Smith joined Pharaoh Sanders’s band in 1968, where he began to experiment with electric keyboards, and also had a stint in Miles Davis’ band before forming Lonnie Liston Smith and the Cosmic Echoes in 1974. In April this year, he released his first record in 25 years, called JID017.
२०२३ डिसेम्बर ८ · ३५ मिनेट
Carlos Niño, Liv.e, André 3000 and Luis Pérez Ixoneztli discuss how their music is inspired by spirit, the feeling of creating sounds that are meaningful to them, and how they stay open to learning during their lives in music. Carlos Niño is a prolific producer, percussionist, and composer based in California, known for his unique, highly developed, self-described “Spiritual, Improvisational, Space Collage” sound. In September of this year, he released (I’m just) Chillin’, on Fire, his most singular, intentional work ever, featuring the most vibrant and abundant gathering of Friends which included the likes of Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Laraaji, Kamasi Washington and André 3000 (and also produced André's latest album, New Blue Sun). André 3000 - is one of the most celebrated artists of the last three decades, an auteur whose work in music, film, fine arts, and fashion, continues to influence the cultural landscape on a global scale. As one half of Outkast, André established a brand new voice within rap that had never been experienced before when the pair emerged in the early ’90s. In November of this year, after a 17-year hiatus, André 3000 released his debut solo album, New Blue Sun - where he plays flutes - it's not a rap record and as André describes "represents a continuation of adventure and discovery for me." Hailing from Dallas, Texas, experimental R&B artist Liv.e is known for her hypnotic voice and eclectic musical influences. She was first introduced to music through the church ,but now draws inspiration from the likes of Lalah Hathaway and Wayne Shorter, as well as Dallas-based label Dolfin Records. In February of this year she released her critically acclaimed second album, Girl in the Half Pearl. Composer, ethnomusicologist and multi-instrumentalist Luis Pérez Ixoneztli is a hugely influential figure in Mexican music, who’s dedicated years of research to the pre-Columbian instrumentation of Mesoamerica, travelling around the country to study the musical traditions of Mexico’s native peoples. His music has been described as “perhaps the ultimate fusion of ethnic and modern music”; in 2013, his work was inducted into the Archive of Mexican Music, 32 years after it was first published.
२०२३ डिसेम्बर १ · ३४ मिनेट
Zach Condon, AKA Beirut, Blondie's Debbie Harry and Chris Stein, and Stephin Merritt of the Magnetic Fields discuss the myth of self-expression as an artist, the influence your location, and particularly New York, has on songwriting, and what unexpected genres we might get musical influences from. Zach Condon, AKA Beirut, grew up in the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and from a young age absorbed a vast array of musical influences. When he was 14 his older brother moved to New York and left behind a strict musical education of minimal German electronica, hip hop and mix tapes of Neutral Milk Hotel. From ther,e he began recording little tunes with a trumpet, a drum machine, a synthesizer and his father’s acoustic guitar. He was finally convinced to try playing a few concerts when he was around 17, and has since gone on to release eight studio albums and tour all over the world. His new album Hadsel came out this year and is named after a northern Norwegian island where he spent time in 2020. Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Stephin Merritt is best known for fronting The Magnetic Fields, one of the most important indie rock bands of the last 30 years. He is renowned for his beautiful melodies and rich lyrics, meticulously crafting soundscapes using a variety of acoustic, electronic and improvised instruments. Debbie Harry and Chris Stein are members of one of punk and pop’s most influential bands, Blondie. They formed in 1974 in New York and were pioneers of the city’s new wave scene, going on to top the charts around the world with hits such as Atomic, Heart of Glass and Hanging on the Telephone. They’ve gone through many line-up changes over the years, but been held together by the two amazing musicians we have with us today.
२०२३ नोभेम्बर २४ · ३१ मिनेट
Charlotte Adigéry, Bolis Pupul, John Carroll Kirby and Marie Davidson discuss second albums, having kids as a musician and collaborations. Charlotte Adigéry is a Belgian musician of Martinican and Guadeloupean descent, born and raised in Ghent. She's worked extensively as a solo artist and also as her punk alter ego WWWater. Bolis Pupul is a Belgian musician of Chinese descent who debuted in 2016 with the single Moon Theme / Sun Theme. They started releasing music as a duo in 2019 with an EP called Zandoli on Soulwax’s record label DEEWEE. Last year, they released their debut album Topical Dancer, a multilingual 13-track project that explores themes of racism and misogyny. American pianist, record producer and composer John Carroll Kirby has a background steeped in jazz but with a signature sound that blends genres and styles. He’s an in-demand collaborator who has worked with the likes of Solange, Frank Ocean, Miley Cyrus, Norah Jones and many more, and earlier this year he released his ninth album Blowout. Canadian producer Marie Davidson's hypnotic style combines analogue synthesizers and drum machines with vocals, leading to a prolific career both as a solo artist and member of creative trio L’Œil Nu.
२०२३ नोभेम्बर १७ · २५ मिनेट
Bloom Twins, Dorofeeva and Jamala discuss the influence of their Ukrainian identity in their music, how their music has changed since the war, and the advice they have for aspiring Ukrainian musicians. Bloom Twins are a pop duo made up of sisters Anna and Sonia Kuprienko, who are currently based in London. They’re both classically trained multi-instrumentalists who use their platform to draw attention to issues such as mental health and freedom of expression, and whose brand of dark pop takes inspirations from the likes of Radiohead, Massive Attack and Ukrainian folk music. Singer and actor Dorofeeva first rose to fame in the duo Vremya i Steklo, alongside rapper Positiff. She is also a prominent fashion designer and blogger, and released her debut album сенси in 2022. Jamala is a singer and actor who is best known for winning the Eurovision Song Contest for Ukraine in 2016 with her track 1944. She made her first record at nine years old with an album of songs for children, and has since released 10 albums that straddle soul, jazz, funk and folk.
२०२३ नोभेम्बर १० · २८ मिनेट
Country stars Charlie Worsham, Ashley McBryde and Jaren Johnston combining traditional bluegrass with new sounds in the studio, the importance of being a good songwriter in country music and the differences between live tracking a recording versus piecing it together remotely. Singer and songwriter Charlie Worsham grew up in Mississippi but moved to Nashville as soon as he could to pursue his dreams in Music City. He makes country music that’s influenced by southern rock and bluegrass, and has just released his latest project Compadres, a collection of five collaborations with musicians such as Lainey Wilson, Kip Moore and Luke Combs. Ashley McBryde is a Grammy and CMA award-winning artist who has been making waves in Nashville for decades. She’s particularly well-known for Lindeville, a concept album centred around the characters that appear in her songs and named as a tribute to songwriter Dennis Linde. She's also just released her latest album, The Devil I Know. Jaren Johnston is a multiple Grammy-nominated country and rock songwriter and producer who is one of the founding members of the Cadillac Three. He’s worked with stars such as Keith Urban and Tim McGraw, and produced Charlie’s most recent project, Compadres.
२०२३ नोभेम्बर ३ · ३० मिनेट
Our host this week is American multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter Andrew Bird. His recordings combine the violin with loops and effect pedals, whistling and vocals. He started out playing in jazz acts before forming his own swing ensemble. In 2003 he released his first solo album Weather Systems and since then has produced 16 studio albums spanning swing music, indie rock and folk. His most recent album, Inside Problems, came out in the summer. He is joined by Meshell Ndegeocello, a German-American singer-songwriter, rapper and bassist who played a pivotal role in kickstarting the neo-soul movement in the 1990s. Her biggest hit was Wild Night, a duet with John Mellencamp, which went to number three in the Billboard Charts in 1994. She fearlessly used her music to make statements about sexuality and queerness, and continues to do so today. And joining them is Juana Molina, an Argentine singer-songwriter known for her unique ‘folktronica’ sound. Drawing influences from her home country and the Parisian culture she was surrounded by in her adolescent years, her music blends elements of ambient, electronic and folk. Together they discuss musical process, ego in composition and analysis versus intuition. In the second half of the programme, Meshell Ndegeocello takes us through a playlist she has called Sonder, a collection of songs which celebrate that everyone of us has our own story, featuring tracks from Parliament, Womack & Womack, Jeff Parker and more. (Image: Juana Molina (L), Credit: Alejandro Ros; Andrew Bird (C), Credit: Alec Basse; Meshell Ndeogeocello (R), Credit: Charlie Gross)
२०२३ अक्टोबर ३० · २८ मिनेट
Our host this week is artist and musician GAIKA - he was born in London and raised in the city’s night clubs. He released his debut mixtape Machine, in 2015 and since released a string of projects including BASIC VOLUME and Seguridad. He has collaborated with some of the most renowned names in contemporary music, including 3D of Massive Attack, Dean Blunt, Kelela, Mike Skinner, Mykki Blanco and SOPHIE. Alongside his music he has also created a number of art installations and has just released his new album Drift. Joining him are a group of artists whose music incorporates hip-hop, dub poetry and experimental pop – plus lots of spaces in between. First is British rapper Speech Debelle, who released her debut album Speech Therapy in 2009, which went on to win the coveted Mercury prize. She released two further albums in 2012 and 2017. In June the self-confessed food lover shared her latest album Sunday Dinner On A Monday. Next up is a singer-songwriter, composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Lucinda Chua. Based in South London, she primarily uses her voice, a cello, and an array of effects units to create her music, and released her debut album Yian in March. Finally, South London-born poet and musician James Massiah, a wordsmith who has built a reputation for his literary voice. His collaborators include The xx and Massive Attack. He released his Natural Born Killers EP in 2019 and at the end of last year shared the latest in his New Poems series, Volume 4. Together they discuss their song-writing process, whether they are led by words or music, and the psychological effect of creativity. In the second half of the programme, Speech Debelle takes us through a playlist called Music Is Good Food, featuring tracks from Black Uhuru, Prince, Kelis, plus more.
२०२३ अक्टोबर २० · २९ मिनेट
MC Yallah, Catu Diosis, Chrisman and Debmaster, four members of Uganda's Nyege Nyege collective, talk about working remotely, managing your time between touring and the studio, and staying true to yourself. Born Yallah Gaudencia Mbidde in Kenya and raised in Uganda, MC Yallah has been involved in East Africa's rap scene since the 90s, when she was inspired by American hip hop and the Ugandan artists Young Vibes. She was a host on NewzBeat from 2014-2018, which was a TV programme that skirted Uganda’s censorship laws by rapping about current affairs and controversial topics. At NewzBeat she met Derek Debru and Arlen Dilsizian, and is now part of the collective Nyege Nyege. She rhymes in Luganda, Kiswahili, English, and Luo, and in 2019 released her debut album Kubali. This year sees the release of her second album Yallah Beibe. Catu Diosis is a Ugandan DJ and producer who's been making waves across Kampala’s underground electronic scene since the age of 16. She’s one half of the DJ & producer duo БŁΛϾК SłS-ТΛЯZ and a co-founder of Dope Gal Africa, which supports and nurtures female producers across the continent. Chrisman is a DJ and producer from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He began his music career as a sound engineer and member of the hip hop band Young Souljah Empire. His work skilfully blends traditional African rhythms with electronic beats and experimental textures. Debmaster is a French-born Berlin-based electronic producer, also known as Julien Deblois. Back in the early 90s, aged 11, he started off as a punk drummer in the north French countryside. He’s a key part of the Nyege Nyege collective and Hakuna Kulala camp, and a longtime collaborator of MC Yallah.
२०२३ अक्टोबर १३ · ३४ मिनेट
Anoushka Shankar, Arooj Aftab, Lisa-Kaindé Diaz and Nadine Shah talk about the role of spirituality in their music, what their sound gives the audience, and share thoughts on being women of colour in the music industry. Born in the UK, Anoushka Shankar spent her younger years in London and Delhi before moving to California. She began learning the sitar aged 9 with her father, the legendary Ravi Shankar, and made her professional debut at 13. Since then has been nominated for nine Grammys, played everywhere from the Barbican to Carnegie Hall, and worked with a wide range of artists including Herbie Hancock, Patti Smith, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Jules Buckley and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Her latest project, a mini-album titled Chapter I: Forever, For Now, comes out in October. Arooj Aftab is a Grammy award winning Pakistani-American singer, composer, and producer whose musical styles cover everything from jazz to minimalism. She’s performed at Coachella, Glastonbury, and the Montreal Jazz Festival, and is also an Emmy winning documentary editor. She also produced Anouska’s latest album. Lisa-Kaindé Diaz is one-half of multilingual French-Cuban duo Ibeyi, whose work fuses jazz with beats, samples, and traditional instruments. They’ve released three studio LPs, appeared on Beyoncé’s groundbreaking visual album Lemonade, and have collaborated with Chilly Gonzales, Kamasi Washington and Jorja Smith. Nadine Shah is a Mercury Prize-nominated British singer-songwriter who has performed at Glastonbury and London's Barbican. She’s supported Patti Smith, Depeche Mode and Suede, recently made her acting debut in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and is currently working on her fifth album.
२०२३ अक्टोबर ६ · ३४ मिनेट
Steven Wilson, Roland Orzabal, Lucy Rose and Andy Partridge talk about the effect of fan expectations on the creative process, whether the world needs any more new music, and if “retro mania” is stopping rock music from evolving. Born in London and raised in Hemel Hempstead in the UK, Steven Wilson developed an interest in music as a child and was heavily influenced by Pink Floyd. His dad built him a multi-track tape machine when he was 12, which allowed him to start experimenting with sound. He formed two bands in 1986, No Man and Porcupine Tree, both of which came to define much of his career. His music covers everything from rock, to ambient, to electro pop, and he’s worked with Elton John, Guns N' Roses, XTC, Pendulum, Yes, Marillion, and Black Sabbath. He’s just released his seventh solo album, The Harmony Codex. Roland Orzabal is a British musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and author. He is best known for co-founding of one of the most influential bands from the 80s, Tears for Fears. British singer-songwriter Lucy Rose started out performing with indie act Bombay Bicycle Club before becoming a successful solo artist in her own right. More recently she’s worked with Paul Weller, and she’s just finished her new album. Andy Partridge is a British guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer who, as a founding member of cult rock band XTC, many call the godfather of Britpop.
२०२३ सेप्टेम्बर २९ · २८ मिनेट
Xefer, Apashe, Kovacs and Raja Kumari discuss singing in English or their native languages, overcoming obstacles due to where you live, and how to evolve as an artist through songwriting. Xefer was born and raised in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and her journey in music started on YouTube where she would upload covers of herself performing songs in English of the likes of Bruno Mars, Jessie J and Paramore. She released her first single, Judge, in 2016, followed by her debut album, Uncaged, in 2017. Since then her style has changed and evolved, writing hit singles in Bengali such as Nei Proyojon, Jhumka and Harbo Na. Apashe is a Belgian electronic music producer who is known for his bass-heavy anthems and expert sampling skills. His cinematic sound blends electronic music with elements of orchestral and classical music and has soundtracked the trailers for blockbuster films including John Wick: Chapter 2 and Fast & Furious: Hobbes and Shaw. He’s also currently touring the world with a live brass orchestra. Kovacs is a singer from the Netherlands who spent her early years performing at open mic nights and wowing audiences with her powerful yet vulnerable sound. Her debut single, My Love, became a number one hit across Europe in 2013 and this year she released her album Child of Sin. Indian-American rapper and singer Raja Kumari originally trained as an Indian classical dancer before discovering hip-hop through the Fugees’ album The Score. She’s since become a star in both the US and India, collaborating with everyone from Gwen Stefani to Sidhu Moose Wala, headlining huge festivals and founding her own label, Godmother Records.
२०२३ सेप्टेम्बर २२ · ३२ मिनेट
Devendra Banhart, Phil Elverum, Jenny Hval and Bedouine discuss eating on tour, how art is intimacy exposed, and what can be learned from terrible shows. Devendra Banhart, was born in Texas and raised between Venezuela and California, where he attended the San Francisco Art Institute. After dropping out in 2000, he started moving around different cities, experimenting with songwriting and busking as he went. When he released his second album, Oh Me Oh My, in 2002 ,he signed to XL Recordings, and has since released nine albums and collaborated with artists like Anohni, Beck and The Strokes’ Fabrizio Moretti. His new album Flying Wig has just come out and was recorded in a Topanga cabin once owned by Neil Young. He’s also a visual artist, and has had pieces featured in galleries including San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art, MOCA and Brussels’ Centre for Fine Arts. Phil Elverum is a singer-songwriter, producer and visual artist from Washington state. Best known for his musical projects The Microphones and Mount Eerie, he almost exclusively uses analogue recording equipment to make music and tends to compose as he records. His output spans more than 40 albums. Norwegian singer-songwriter, producer and novelist Jenny Hval's avant-garde music has a heavy focus on sexuality and politics. Her debut EP Cigars was released in 2006 and was nominated for a Spellemannprisen (the Nowegian Grammys). Since then, she has released music under her own name, Rocket to the Sky and collaboratively with Laura Jean as Lost Girls. Bedouine is a Syrian-American folk musician whose sound is beautifully reminiscent of 1960s North America. Born in Aleppo, Syria, she grew up between Saudi Arabia and Texas before settling in Savannah to study sound design. Since then, she’s released three studio albums and toured with the likes of Fleet Foxes, Michael Kiwanuka and Jose Gonzalez.
२०२३ सेप्टेम्बर १५ · ३५ मिनेट
Lea Salonga, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Gerard Salonga and Daniel Edmonds discuss the process of working through a piece that isn’t going well, what drives them when starting a new project, and the most important things they look for in a performer of musical theatre. Lea Salonga has done everything from playing Kim in the original production of Miss Saigon, to playing Fantine and Éponine in Les Misérables. She has also released 12 of her own albums. Claude-Michel Schönberg is a French record producer, actor, singer and musical theatre composer with a prolific career in music. He is best known for his collaborations with lyricist Alain Boublil and has scored some of the biggest works in musical theatre including Les Misérables, La Révolution Francaise and Miss Saigon. Gerard Salonga is a Filipino conductor, composer and arranger who is currently the resident conductor of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra in Kuala Lumpur. He started playing piano at the age of five and sang duets with Lea, his sister, for her first album, Small Voice, before going on to study at Berklee College of Music. He's conducted orchestras across the Philippines and has worked with distinguished conductors and composers across the world. Musical director, composer and arranger Daniel Edmonds has written music for both screen and stage. He was the musical director of the musicals King Kong, Strictly Ballroom and Dream Lover, as week as the award-winning show Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. He’s also worked closely with Lea on various projects, such as writing the music for her 2020 single Dream Again, which was released to raise funds for Covid-19 charities.
२०२३ सेप्टेम्बर ८ · ३५ मिनेट
Jeff Mills, Neue Grafik, Prabhu Edouard and Knoel Scott talk about improvisational performance, rhythms as a form of communication and how technology is overtaking the artist. Jeff Mills started out on the Detroit techno scene in the 1980s before founding Underground Resistance with ‘Mad’ Mike Banks in 1989. He left Detroit for New York in 1991 (via a residency at Berlin’s mighty Tresor), to pursue a solo career and set up his own label, Axis. Since then, he’s released a number of projects, including two volumes of Waveform Transmissions for Tresor; 2005’s Blue Potential, a live album recorded with the 70-piece Montpelier Philharmonic Orchestra; and a new soundtrack for Fritz Lang’s 1926 film Metropolis in 2000. In 2018, he set up the Afrofunk-electro-jazz ensemble Tomorrow Comes The Harvest with the late Nigerian drummer Tony Allen, and has been making music and performing with the collective ever since. Neue Grafik is a composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist making a truly unique sound. Blending hip-hop, jazz and house, his music draws a map between his African heritage, time in Paris and love of London’s grime scene. Forming the Neue Grafik Ensemble at an after-hours jam session at London’s Total Refreshment Centre, he’s established himself as formidable force in the world of jazz. Indo-French percussionist and composer Prabhu Edouard is recognised as one of the most versatile tabla players of his generation. A student of the legendary Pandit Shankar Ghosh, he’s collaborated with artists from around the world including Jean-Pierre Drouet and Laxmi Shankar, and is part of the afrofunk-electro-jazz ensemble Tomorrow Comes The Harvest. Knoel Scott is an American saxophonist and composer best known for his time with jazz collective Sun Ra Arkestra. With a career spanning more than 40 years, he’s worked alongside jazz greats including Lou Donaldson and Leon Thomas. Most recently, he’s released his first major studio album, Celestial with long time collaborator Marshall Allen.
२०२३ सेप्टेम्बर १ · २२ मिनेट
Eyedress, Homeshake, Na'Kel Smith and María Zardoya discuss the difficulties of re-capturing a moment, pushing everything else away when going through a creative block, and the importance of controlling your own visual identity. Eyedress is a singer, rapper and producer who grew up in the Philippines but moved to the USA with his family at the age of six. He grew up playing in punk bands, before moving back to Manila in 2005, where he formed garage pop band Bee Eyes. Meanwhile, he was pursuing his own project which would eventually become Eyedress, a name he originally came up with for his Twitter account. His music takes inspiration from everything from shoegaze to bedroom-pop, and last year he released his fifth album, FULL TIME LOVER. Canadian musician Peter Sagar, AKA Homeshake, is known for his unique brand of R&B influenced indie-pop. Originally part of Mac DeMarco’s touring set-up, he uses synthesizers and drum-machines to accompany his guitar-playing and soft vocals, creating a relaxing, ethereal sound. Na’Kel Smith is a rapper, actor and skater who was originally one of the non-musician members of alternative hip-hop group Odd Future. After debuting with a powerful, emotional verse on Earl Sweatshirt’s DNA and teaching himself how to record, engineer, and make beats, he’s evolved into an experimental, lo-fi artist who embodies the spirit of DIY music. Puerto Rican singer María Zardoya fronts American indie-pop band The Marías. They create a dreamlike fusion of jazz, psychedelia and funk music, drawing inspiration from the band’s diverse musical backgrounds and singing in both English and Spanish. Their debut album Cinema was released in 2021, and they’ve since gone on to collaborate with the likes of Bad Bunny and Cuco.
२०२३ अगस्ट २५ · ३२ मिनेट
Hak Baker, Benjamin Zephaniah, Celeste and Baxter Dury talk about writing whilst living in London, their view of success in their careers so far, and the impact of family and cultural history on their writing. Hak Baker was born in Luton and raised on the Isle of Dogs, in London. At a young age he was exposed to everything from reggae and dub to classic pop, R&B and soul via friends and family. His first introduction to performing was as part of the Southwark Cathedral choir, before moving towards grime and MC-ing at his local community centre. Later he learned to play guitar, and started writing songs about his experiences and those of the people around him, digging deep into everything from toxic masculinity to social inequality, identity and unity. This year he released his debut album World’s End FM, which is presented as a pirate radio broadcast transmitting from the edge of the apocalypse. Benjamin Zephaniah is a novelist, playwright and musician, and one of the UK’s best poets of the last 50 years. Born in Birmingham, he is influenced by the music and poetry of Jamaica and writes about race, politics and social injustice. He’s recorded numerous reggae records and has worked with the likes of Sinead O’Connor and The Wailers. Celeste is an American-born British singer who has established herself as one of the finest soul singers in the UK right now. After winning the Brit Award Rising Star of 2020, she released her critically acclaimed debut album Not Your Muse, becoming the first female British solo artist in five years to reach number one with a debut album. Baxter Dury is a singer and musician known for his gritty vocals and witty, observant storytelling. His sound brings in influences from hip-hop to new wave, and in June of this year he released his new album I Thought I Was Better Than You, written with his teenage son Kosmo during lockdown.
२०२३ अगस्ट १८ · ३७ मिनेट
British folk musicians Kathryn Tickell, Laura Cannell, Amy Thatcher and Ruth Lyon discuss their musical and personal identities, the music they made when they were younger, and whether or not place affects the music they create. Kathryn Tickell is from the North Tyne Valley of Northumberland and comes from a musical family of pipers, singers, fiddlers and accordion players. She took up the Northumbrian small pipes at the age of nine, and began learning tunes from old shepherd friends and family. Her work has evolved to traverse jazz, and music from around the world, to large-scale orchestral works. She has released 15 of her own albums to date, and has recorded and performed with Evelyn Glennie, the London Sinfonietta, Sting, and many others. In 2015 she was awarded an OBE for services to folk music. Laura Cannell is a composer and violinist whose music straddles the worlds of experimental, folk, chamber and medieval music. She came to prominence with her debut album, Quick Sparrows over the Black Earth, and is known for her compositions that draw on the emotional influences of landscapes, and explore the spaces between ancient and experimental music. She’s also the founder of independent record label Brawl Records, and is curator of the Modern Ritual performance series. Amy Thatcher is one of the UK’s leading folk accordionists, who’s based in the North East of England. Her first album, Paper Bird, was recorded when she was just 16 years old, and she released her first album proper, Solo, in 2019. She’s worked with the likes of the Royal Northern Sinfonia and Sting. Ruth Lyon is a folk and chamber-pop artist who has established herself as a key member of the music scene in Newcastle, UK. She grew up in the countryside of the North York Moors, inheriting a love of the outdoors as well as a sense of melancholy from the landscape, something that is instilled in the music she creates. Her most recent EP, Direct Debit to Vogue, showcases her soulful vocals and her witty, raw lyricism, expressing the power in fragility and the beauty in imperfection.
२०२३ अगस्ट ११ · ३१ मिनेट
Busiswa, DJ Lag, Karen Nyame KG and Scratchclart talk about the impact of the pandemic on amapiano and gqom, what it was like getting back to the clubs when things opened up again, and the global rise in popularity of these genres. Busiswa is a singer and poet from South Africa. Her music career began when she featured on Sir Bubzin’s track Syaphambana in 2011, and she’s since gone on to feature on DJ Zinhle’s global hit My Name Is, as well as Beyonce’s My Power as part of The Lion King: The Gift soundtrack. She’s released three studio albums, and her most recent single Lagos came out late last year. DJ Lag is a prolific DJ and record producer who is widely recognized as the king of gqom music, a genre of electronic dance music from Durban in South Africa. His bass-heavy, minimalist sound has pushed him into the upper ranks of the global electronic music scene, and last year he released his debut full-length album, Meeting with the King. Karen Nyame KG is a producer, DJ and broadcaster who has been one of dance music’s true innovators of the last decade. She’s been dubbed the Goddess of Rhythm, and is known for her energetic, polyrhythmic sound that is lighting up the clubs of London and beyond. Scratchclart is an electronic musician, DJ and record producer who is part of the fabric of grime music and UK funky. He’s the head of the highly respected DVA Music label, and in recent years he’s been building bridges between music scenes in the UK and South Africa, in particular with his DRMTRK series and his new EP Beyond Gqom & Grime.
२०२३ अगस्ट ४ · ३७ मिनेट
Nitin Sawhney, Tim Burgess, Nainita Desai and Ayanna Witter-Johnson discuss how their family and cultural history impacts their creativity, being conscious of who they’re representing when creating, and how their output is a reflection of their changing identities. Producer, composer, and DJ Nitin Sawhney grew up studying the piano, guitar, sitar and tabla, and released his debut album Spirit Dance in 1993. Since then he has scored music for theatre, dance, video games and cinema, including the BBC TV series Human Planet. He’s also produced albums for the likes of Helene Grimaud and Anoushka Shankar, conducted and composed for the London Symphony Orchestra, and had his own BBC classical Prom. He’s also DJed at world-renowned London nightclub Fabric and has worked with Paul McCartney, Nelson Mandela, Joss Stone, Annie Lennox, Sting and Mira Nair. His new album Identity will be coming out this year on October 13th. Tim Burgess is a singer, musician, and record label owner, best known as the frontman of influential English rock band the Charlatans. He’s enjoyed an incredibly successful career in music, from releasing hit singles throughout the 90s to exploring the fabric of pop and rock in his books, as well as his ever-popular Tim’s Twitter Listening Party events on social media. Nainita Desai is an award-winning composer of film, television and video game music with a background in sound design. She creates powerful, emotive scores, and moves seamlessly from working with orchestras to using her collection of custom-made instruments. Some of her recent projects include The Reason I Jump, an immersive cinematic exploration of neurodiversity, and the Oscar-nominated documentary For Sama. Ayanna Witter-Johnson is a composer, singer and cellist whose music crosses the boundaries of classical, jazz, reggae, soul and R&B. She’s toured with the likes of Anoushka Shankar and Courtney Pine, recorded with Akala, and composed for the London Symphony Orchestra, effortlessly straddling different musical worlds.
२०२३ जुलाई २८ · ३७ मिनेट
Sampa the Great, Thandiswa Mazwai, Emmanuel Jagari Chanda and Mag44 discuss music standing the test of time, African music, and the new generation of musicians. Sampa the Great was born in Ndola in Zambia and became interested in music from a young age, writing poems and singing from the age of 9, spending time in both Zambia and Botswana. She released her first mixtape in 2015 whilst at university in Australia, and created a sound influenced by everything from classic hip-hop to Zamrock. Her latest album, As Above So Below, was released last September and came about after returning home to Zambia during the early days of the pandemic. Thandiswa Mazwai is one of the most influential South African musicians around today. She has been at the forefront of change in South African music since the late 90s with her politically-conscious lyrics and stunning vocals, both as a solo artist and lead singer of ground-breaking trio Bongo Maffin. Emmanuel Jagari Chanda is a founding member of the Zambian rock genre known as Zamrock, which blends rock with funk and African rhythms. He was the leader of the band Witch (We Intend to Cause Havoc) who were the first band to record a commercial record in Zambia in the 1970s. Magnus Mando, AKA Mag44, is a rapper and music producer who has expanded Zambia’s musical horizons. He started singing and rapping in church, before writing his own lyrics which gave birth to his career. He also co-produced Sampa the Great’s latest LP.
२०२३ जुलाई २१ · ३३ मिनेट
Indonesian musicians Rara Sekar, Sandrayati, Ugoran Prasad and Rully Shabara discuss music and social change, trying to thrive as musicians in the age of social media, and whether or not all musicians have an equal opportunity to succeed. Rara Sekar's career in music began as the vocalist for folk group Banda Neira, as well as a member of Daramuda. In 2020 she began her solo project hara, in which she creates a musical fusion inspired by folk, ambient and post-rock music. She is also an anthropologist, having completed a master’s degree in cultural anthropology from Victoria University of Wellington. Sandrayati is a Filipino-American singer who grew up in Java and Bali, whose music explores the pain and beauty of uprooting and planting yourself somewhere else. She possess a light, dream-like singing voice and has recently released Safe Ground, an album created in Iceland alongside Olafur Arnalds. Ugoran Prasad is a renowned Indonesian fictionist, dramaturg and musician who is perhaps best known for fronting modern rock band Majelis Lidah Berduri. Their restless, exciting sound has made them one of Indonesia’s most important indie bands over the last few decades, and they are currently working on their fourth studio album. Rully Shabara is an Indonesian artist and vocalist whose main musical interest lies in exploring the human voice as a medium of creation. He’s a genre-bending musician whose duo Senyawa are pushing the boundaries of experimental music in Indonesia.
२०२३ जुलाई १४ · २९ मिनेट
Gina Birch, Kathleen Hanna, Mark Moore, and Stephen McRobbie how their teenage years influenced their path into music, how it felt to be doing something creative and combative for a living, and being at peace with themselves later in life. Gina Birch was inspired to form post punk band the Raincoats after seeing the Slits in 1977. They recorded their self-titled debut album that same year, and went on to record three further albums, the last of which was released in 1996. She is also a film-maker and painter, and staged her first solo show last year. After around 45 years in the business, she recently released her debut solo album I Play My Bass Loud. Kathleen Hanna is an American singer, musician and pioneer of the feminist punk riot grrrl movement. She co-formed punk band Bikini Kill in 1990, and went on to form Le Tigre in 1998, and The Julie Ruin in 2010. She’s currently on tour with Le Tigre. Mark Moore is a British dance music record producer and DJ. In 1998 he topped the UK chart with his pioneering dance act S’Express and their legendary track Theme From S’Express. He is engrained in the history of UK club culture and is hugely influential to both UK dance and pop music. Stephen McRobbie is the frontman and founder member of the cult Glasgow indie rock band The Pastels. They formed in 1981, have released 5 studio albums, and are cited as influences on everyone from The Jesus and Mary Chain to Primal Scream, Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo, and Nirvana.
२०२३ जुलाई ७ · २८ मिनेट
Perera Elsewhere, Fever Ray, Paula Temple and Maral discuss how the space you’re in affects the music you write, the importance of mistakes or ‘curating errors’, and the significance of technology, particularly when music production software reaches new countries. Producer, songwriter, and DJ Perera Elsewhere was born in London and is now based in Berlin. She’s played shows at iconic venues including Berghain, the Guggenheim Museum, and the Hamburg Philharmonic. She performs in extraordinary stage outfits, and her music has been described as "doom-folk". Swedish singer-songwriter and record producer Karin Dreijer, aka Fever Ray, was one half of the electronic music duo The Knife, and released their debut solo album in 2009. They love to use masks, body paint and intricate costumes when they perform live. The UK’s Paula Temple is one of Europe's most in-demand techno artists. She’s a self-proclaimed “noisician” known for making awe-inducing techno, and co-runs the label Noise Manifesto. She’s a regular on the festival circuit, having recently performed at Time Warp, DGTL, Awakenings, and Extrema Outdoor. Maral is an Iranian-American DJ and producer. She takes snippets of Iranian folk music and poetry, and repurposes them as glitchy sound experiments to bring the Persian classical repertoire to the dancefloor, something she describes as "jamming with my ancestors". Her musical creations are driven by artful experimentalism, and last year she released her third album, Ground Groove.
२०२३ जुन ३० · ३२ मिनेट
José González, Vashti Bunyan and Erlend Øye discuss what draws them to create quiet music, how they approach playing it live, and its universal and trans-genre appeal. José González was born in Gothenburg in Sweden to Argentinian parents, and grew up listening to Latin folk and pop music. In 2003 he released his debut solo album ‘Veneer’. It featured a downtempo cover of The Knife’s ‘Heartbeats’ which became an international success after being featured on a TV ad campaign. He’s celebrating the album’s 20th anniversary with a run of shows this year. Vashti Bunyan is an English singer songwriter who began her music career in the 1960s. She left London for the Outer Hebrides, travelling in a wagon drawn by a black horse called Bess, and wrote an album about the trip called Just Another Diamond Day. It was released in 1970, but had little commercial success. Vashti withdrew from music for 30 years, but by 2000, the album had acquired a cult following, and the second phase of her musical career began. Erlend Øye is a Norwegian best known for being one half of the indie-folk duo Kings of Convenience. He’s also front-man for the band The Whitest Boy Alive, is the co-founder of the independent label Bubbles Records, and plays extensively with trio La Comitiva.
२०२३ जुन २३ · ३२ मिनेट
Floyd Lavine, Lakuti, Coco Em and Desiree discuss where their inspiration comes from, the challenges of being an African artist trying to tour, and the Afro boom. Floyd Lavine's sound takes in influences from his childhood listening to Kwaito, soul, jazz and South African house, alongside the house and techno club sounds of London, and his adopted home town of Berlin. He runs his own label Afrikan Tales, and produces for international labels like Innervisions and Ninja Tune. Lakuti is a DJ born in Soweto in South Africa, who since the early 90s has organised underground parties around the world. In 2007 she founded Uzuri Recordings, and later Uzuri artist Management. She’s also a resident at Berlin’s legendary Panorama Bar. Coco Em is a photojournalist turned DJ who was born in Kenya. She’s the founder of the Nairobi-based femme collective Sim Sima, which is also the name of her label. Last year she released her debut EP, Kilumi. Johannesburg-based DJ and producer Desiree’s been making waves with her impeccable selecting skills and eclectic tastes. She co-founded Boys Club, an electronic music events movement which seeks to empower femme DJs. She released her debut EP, Femme Tech, last summer.
२०२३ जुन १६ · २८ मिनेट
Melike Şahin, Kutiman, Dijf Sanders and Ah! Kosmos discuss combining lyrics with music, working with others over long distances, and their favourite parts of the collaboration process. Melike Şahin was born in Istanbul, and developed a great interest in music as a child. After university she worked with Turkish psychedelic group Baba Zula, before beginning her solo career in 2017. Her sound navigates across Middle Eastern and Anatolian pop, and she collaborates with musicians from all over the world. Kutiman is an internationally revered producer, composer and animator from Israel who is constantly creating. He’s known for his dance and groove-orientated style, and prolific productions. He’s also responsible for the Thru You series, in which he mashes together unrelated YouTube videos to create original tracks. Dijf Sanders is a Belgian multi-instrumentalist and composer who specialises in experimental music and field recordings. Previously a member of synth-pop bands Teddiedrum and The Violent Husbands, his sonic universes explore electronica, jazz and psychedelia, enriching his sound with influences from across the world. Turkish composer, producer and performer Başak Günak, also known as Ah! Kosmos, uses polyrhythms and electronic composition to build immersive, mystical worlds of sound. Her works and sound installations have featured in festivals and institutions across the world, and as a performer she’s supported the likes of Sigur Rós, James Holden, and Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood.
२०२३ जुन ९ · ३१ मिनेट
Ffour artists who are playing Christine and the Queens’ Meltdown festival at the Southbank Centre in London - Sheila Maurice-Grey from Kokoroko Anja Plaschg (AKA Soap&Skin), Django Django’s Vinny Neff and Let's Eat Grandma’s Jenny Hollingworth - where to find inspiration outside of music, how to overcome creative blocks, and what they might be doing in a parallel universe. Sheila Maurice-Grey is a London-based trumpeter, vocalist and visual artist who leads eight-piece afrobeat, soul, funk and jazz collective Kokoroko. They released their self-titled debut EP in 2019 and their debut LP, Could We Be More, in 2022. They have played across the globe at the likes of Glastonbury, Jazz à la Villette, SIM São Paulo, Boiler Room, and the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Anja Plaschg, AKA Soap&Skin, is an Austrian experimental singer-songwriter. She’s released three albums, including From Gas to Solid/You Are My Friend in 2020. You might have heard her music in the TV series Breaking Bad or the film Sicilian Ghost Story, or even seen her on screen acting in the Austrian movie Stillleben. Vinny Neff is the singer and guitarist from British art rock band Django Django. He’s fresh from cooking up their fifth album, Off Planet, and they’re gearing up to tour this summer. Jenny Hollingworth is one half of ‘sludge pop’ group Let's Eat Grandma. Last year they released their third album Two Ribbons, and they also scored the soundtrack for the Netflix series The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself.
२०२३ जुन २ · २८ मिनेट
Cello players Peter Gregson, Dobrawa Czocher, Dom La Nena and Sebastian Plano discuss working with new collaborators, overcoming creative blocks, and how to define success. Peter Gregson took up cello at age four after seeing James Bond sled down a mountainside on a cello case in The Living Daylights. You may have heard his cello solos in the soundtrack to the BBC's Sherlock series, or on the album ÷ (Divide) by Ed Sheeran. He released his latest solo album, Patina, in 2021. Dobrawa Czocher is a Polish cellist who started playing at the age of seven. She’s an award-winning chamber and orchestra musician, and her motto is to never stop growing. At the start of 2023, she released her debut solo album, Dreamscapes. Brazilian-born, Paris-based cellist Dom La Nena spent her teenage years studying cello in Buenos Aires with the renowned Christine Walevska, before a pop apprenticeship backing Jane Birkin. She’s one half of Birds on a Wire, and her stage name translates as “Dom the Little Girl”, an allusion to her time as a child prodigy. Sebastian Plano is an Argentinian cellist, multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer, who is best known for his unique approach to music creation: Uninterrupted nights playing and recording every single note by himself in his Berlin studio, layering each musical phrase at a time.
२०२३ मे २६ · ४९ मिनेट
John Grant celebrates Music Life’s 200th episode with highlights from the shows to date. Nearly 800 singers, producers, DJs, visual artists, and performers have come to have a chat on the show so far, sharing their experiences and unique perspectives on their lives as musicians. To celebrate this milestone, this week we’re looking back at some of the best conversations from the series, featuring the likes of alt-pop artist Santigold, soul singer Gregory Porter, rock singer Skin from Skunk Anansie, rock legend Elvis Costello, video game composer Olivier Deriviere and Uruguayan legend Jorge Drexler. They take us on a journey through the songwriting process, discussing the merits of simplicity vs technique in recording, revealing insights into the processes of big stars, considering how to deal with the biggest topics within music, looking at the bigger picture, and finally the future of the music world. And yes, that involves AI! In its 4 years or so to date, Music Life has joined the dots between every genre of music imaginable and featured artists from every corner of the globe. We’ve heard Hans Zimmer explain how he went from playing in a new wave pop band to composing for the biggest films in the world, Santigold on how to use songwriting as an opportunity to make social commentary, Moonchild Sanelly on what she can’t say in her music, David Byrne on the pressure to do something different, Lykke Li on going it alone, Dele Sosimi on sustaining creativity, Angel Olsen on trying to not make ‘normal’ music, Kranium on how he made his best chorus, Iggy Pop on genre-crossing, Eris Drew on the importance of positivity in dance music, Mykki Blanco on the role of resistance in their work, and Becky Hill on how to write the perfect hit.
२०२३ मे १९ · २६ मिनेट
Deena Abdelwahed, 3Phaz, Aïsha Devi and débruit discuss the effect of using computers when writing music, dealing with the press and their labelling, and converting studio music into a live set. Deena Abdelwahed is a producer and DJ from Tunisia. She arrived in France at the age of 26 after earning her stripes in the Tunis scene as part of the Arabstazy collective. She has played for Boiler Room, and at iconic Berlin club Berghain. 3Phaz is a Cairo-based DJ obsessed with bass, distortion, and the deconstruction of the Shaabi aesthetic. If you don’t know it, Shaabi is an Egyptian musical genre coming from working-class roots and is the core of popular music in the country's streets. His self-titled debut album came out in 2020, and he describes his music as “post-Shaabi”. Aïsha Devi is a Swiss-Nepalese producer who co-founded the experimental club label Danse Noire. She applies meditation techniques in her approach to production, and describes herself as a “radical alchemist”. Her latest release was her EP S.L.F. (Spirit Liberation Front) in 2019, and she won the Swiss Music Prize in 2020. Xavier Thomas, aka débruit, is a French artist and musical explorer who imagines alternate worlds and the way they'd sound from his adopted home of Brussels. He explores complementary culture clashes, combining elements that have never existed together before. He’s also part of KOKOKO!, a collective born in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
२०२३ मे १२ · ३३ मिनेट
Phil Selway, Hannah Peel, Valentina Magaletti, and Errollyn Wallen discuss how to progress from a blank page to a room full of musicians, navigating barriers to development, and balancing the various demands of being a musician. Phil Selway grew up in Oxfordshire and met his Radiohead bandmates at school. They formed the band in 1985 and released their debut album Pablo Honey in 1993. They’ve released nine studio albums to date. Phil’s debut solo album, Familial, came out in 2010, and he recently released his third solo album Strange Dance. Hannah Peel is a Mercury Prize and Emmy-nominated composer, musician, artist and broadcaster. Her music is primarily electronic and often includes classical scoring and sound design, with references to the links between science, nature and music. As well as solo releases, she has also composed soundtracks and collaborated with artists such as Paul Weller, John Foxx and Phil Selway. Valentina Magaletti is a drummer, composer and multi-instrumentalist, with an inventive approach to drums and percussion. She moves effortlessly between the seemingly disparate worlds of alternative and mainstream music. She’s played with artists such as Jandek, Mica Levi, Sampha, Kamasi Washington, and Nicolas Jaar. Errollyn Wallen is a multi award-winning Belize-born British composer and performer. Her output includes 22 operas and a large catalogue of orchestral, chamber, and vocal works. She composed for the opening ceremony of the 2012 Paralympic Games and for the climate change conference COP26. In 2020, she was awarded a CBE for services to music.
२०२३ मे ५ · २९ मिनेट
Sam Ryder, Mr. Lordi, Teya and Poli Genova discuss writing for Eurovision, how it impacts their creative process, and how they handle nerves on stage. Sam Ryder was inspired to get into music after seeing Sum 41 in concert when he was 11. He took up the guitar after seeing Lordi win Eurovision in 2006, and was also influenced by David Bowie and Queen. He co-founded a band called The Morning After, and during the first Covid lockdown he started posting cover songs on TikTok, which caught the attention of Elton John, Justin Bieber and Alicia Keys. One of the songs he wrote during the pandemic was called Space Man; it went on to be the UK's 2022 Eurovision entry, finishing second behind Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra. Mr. Lordi is the lead singer and costume maker of Finnish heavy metal group Lordi. The monster mask-wearing band won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2006 with Hard Rock Hallelujah. Poli Genova's music career began aged 4, as a member of the children’s ensemble Bon-Bon. Since then, she’s represented Bulgaria at Eurovision twice, has appeared as a coach or mentor on The Voice of Bulgaria and X Factor Bulgaria, has had three #1 singles, and hosted the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2015. Teya is one half of Teya & Salena, the first-ever female duo to compete for Austria at the Eurovision Song Contest. They’re entering this year’s competition with a song about being possessed by the ghost of Edgar Allen Poe.
२०२३ अप्रिल २८ · ३६ मिनेट
Soweto Kinch, Eska, Esperanza Spalding and Tumi Mogorosi discuss responding artistically to lockdown, changing the ways they create and release music, and the latest idea they got excited about. Soweto Kinch was born in London to a Bajan father and British-Jamaican mother, and began learning saxophone at the age of nine. He discovered jazz in his teenage years and subsequently fell in love with it, with early influences including Wynton Marsalis and Frank Holder. He established the Soweto Kinch Trio in 2001, and has released albums on themes ranging from austerity and modern slavery, to mathematics. His most recent project, White Juju, came out last December, recorded alongside Lee Reynolds and the London Symphony Orchestra. Eska is a vocalist, composer and producer with Zimbabwean heritage who grew up in London. She makes genre-hopping soul music with folk, jazz, reggae and classical influences. Her eponymous debut album was nominated for the 2015 Mercury Prize. South African drummer Tumi Mogorosi's music transcends labels and styles. His flexible, powerful drumming brings a distinctive South African inflection to the polyrhythmic tradition of Elvin Jones, Max Roach and Art Blakey. His powerful new album Group Theory: Black Music came out last July. Esperanza Spalding is a Grammy-award winning bassist, singer and composer from Portland, Oregon, who has consistently pushed boundaries and married genres in her illustrious career. She’s a breathtaking performer who has made her mark not just as a virtuoso jazz bassist or incredible singer, but as a hybrid of the two.
२०२३ अप्रिल २१ · २५ मिनेट
Gaye Su Akyol, Dana Colley, Marc Ribot and Via Mardot discuss who they would most like to collaborate with, how they deal with the politics of the industry, and which musician or band has been a game changer in their lives. Gaye Su Akyol was born in Istanbul to an artistic family. Her father Muzaffer Akyol was a painter, and her mother loved Turkish classical music. She listened to a lot of Turkish jazz and psychedelia growing up, along with bands like Led Zeppelin and Nirvana, which influenced her own songwriting. Her latest album is called Anadolu Ejderi (Anatolian Dragon), and one of her biggest inspirations is her home town of Istanbul. Dana Colley is a saxophonist from Massachusetts in the USA. He was the co-founder and baritone and tenor saxophone player in the band Morphine, and also a visual artist who studied at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Marc Ribot is an American guitarist whose work has touched many styles, including no wave, free jazz and Cuban music. He’s known as the go-to guitar guy for all kinds of people: Tom Waits, Robert Plant and Elvis Costello, to name a few of the stars he’s worked alongside. Via Mardot is a composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist from Detroit. Her music has been heavily influenced by film music - classical, exotica, spaghetti westerns, noir - and she even plays the theremin!
२०२३ अप्रिल १४ · २५ मिनेट
Francisco Carrasco and N. Hardem are joined by Graciela Zaera Moraña and Beto Robledo Zaragoza of the band Chapulines to discuss creativity and the songwriting process. These four Latin American artists, who are on the line-up of this year’s La Linea Festival in London, UK, talk about their most constant themes in song writing, writing songs in different languages, the spiritual nature of Spanish literature and playing to audiences from different cultures. Francisco Carrasco is a Chilean musician who leads the band Grupo Luma. Born in Santiago but based in the UK, he’s a dynamic musician who plays everything from guitar and cuatro to congas and panpipes. He’s led art events across the world, including the Merseyside International Street Festival, as well as delivering lectures in universities across the UK, South Africa and Latin America. N. Hardem is a Colombian MC, beat maker and producer, and one of the country’s finest wordsmiths. He is the lead MC of British-Colombian ensemble Mestizo, an innovative group building musical bridges between Colombian folk and London hip-hop. Spanish violinist Graciela Zaera Moraña and Mexican singer Beto Robledo Zaragoza are part of Belgium-based band Chapulines. They play an interpretation of son jarocho, a traditional Mexican music genre from the southern state of Veracruz, and take inspiration along the way from the rhythms and sounds of Cuba, Colombia and the Caribbean.
२०२३ अप्रिल ७ · २८ मिनेट
Mark de Clive-Lowe, Iman Europe, dot and Pat Junior talk about financial equity for independent artists, building community with your fans and the future possibilities of using blockchain tech. Mark de Clive-Lowe was born in Auckland and started piano lessons when he was 4. In high school in New Zealand and Japan, he fell in love with sample-heavy 90s hip-hop and early UK drum’n’bass. He lived in London for a decade, where he helped to evolve the broken beat genre, and then later moved to LA. If you see him play live, you might catch him remixing classic jazz records in real-time, or joined by instrumental masters like Kamasi Washington, Pino Palladino or Eric Harland. Last year he released Freedom: Celebrating the Music of Pharoah Sanders. Iman Europe is a singer, lyricist and writer from Los Angeles, California. She specializes in crafting relatable lyrics through a hip-hop/soul/R&B fusion. Her latest single Surrender came out last year. Pat Junior is a hip-hop artist, writer, producer and sound designer. He describes himself as the ‘Gold Fanged Medjay’, making music and art that serves the wellbeing of others. Earlier this year he released the single ‘need that!’ Kate Ellwanger, aka dot, is the founder and CEO of Unspeakable Records, an all-female label of producers and musicians, and member of beat collective Team Supreme. She’s based in Los Angeles, and she’s a producer, DJ, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist who fuses electronic, indie rock, and R&B elements.
२०२३ मार्च ३१ · ३२ मिनेट
Molly Rankin, Tracyanne Campbell, Mac DeMarco and Molly Nilsson talk about whether or not you need to be social to make your best work, whether you’re a creative fox or a hedgehog, and how much of yourself to expose in your work. Molly Rankin grew up in a musical family on the remote island of Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, Canada. Her father was a professional folk musician, and she started writing music with her neighbour Kerri MacLellan as a teenager, before forming Alvvays in 2011. They won the Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year in 2018, and last October released their third album Blue Rev. Tracyanne Campbell is a singer from Glasgow who formed the band Camera Obscura in 1996. Their first album was released in 2001 and was produced by Stuart Murdoch of Belle & Sebastian. They have since gained a cult following and released five LPs to date. She’s also one half of Tracyanne & Danny with Danny Coughlan. Canadian Mac DeMarco was once described as the “lovable laid-back prince of indie rock” by the New York Times. His latest album, Five Easy Hot Dogs, came out earlier this year and was recorded during a road trip from Los Angeles to New York. Berlin-by-way-of-Sweden synth-pop singer Molly Nilsson produces and performs all her music solo, and is determined to find magic in the everyday. She released her tenth album, Extreme, last year.
२०२३ मार्च २४ · ३३ मिनेट
Baaba Maal, Tricky, Jah Wobble and Chi-Chi Nwanoku discuss the influence of African musical roots and traditions in Western classical music, the importance of collaboration, and rhythm and its position in the song writing process. Baaba Maal was born into a family of fishermen in the north of Senegal, but rather than go into the family business, he studied music in Dakar and Paris. Since then, he has recorded 14 albums, worked on the Black Panther soundtrack, and collaborated with Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, Mumford and Sons and U2. Tricky is an icon of the hugely influential Bristol music scene. He grew to prominence as a member of the genre-defining act Massive Attack, before launching his own successful solo career working with Neneh Cherry, Björk, and Bobby Gillespie. In 2021 he released his latest album under the name Lonely Guest, which featured Lee “Scratch” Perry, Idles’ Joe Talbot, and Maxïmo Park’s Paul Smith. Jah Wobble is a music enthusiast, bass guitarist, and singer from East London. He met John Lydon, better known as Johnny Rotten, at college, and following the Sex Pistols' break-up, they formed Public Image Ltd. When he left the band, his solo projects led him to collaborate with a broad range of artists including Brian Eno, Chaka Demus, and Baaba Maal. Chi-chi Nwanoku is a classical double bass player from London, who took up the instrument aged 18 after her sprinting career was cut short by injury. As well as being a successful musician, she is also the founder and director of a foundation which supports Black, Asian and ethnically diverse classical musicians, and was awarded a CBE for services to music and diversity in 2022..
२०२३ मार्च १७ · २९ मिनेट
Ana Moura, Pedro Mafama, Herlander and Pongo discuss celebrating music that is tied to its place of origin, moving away from home to carve out a musical career, and discovering the happy parts of their song writing. Ana Moura is a fado singer born in Santarem, Portugal to an Angolan mother and Portuguese father. Introduced to fado music at a young age by her parents, she’s performed the traditional Portuguese music all over the world, including collaborations with legends such as Mick Jagger and Prince. Her latest album, Casa Guilhermina, came out in 2022 and is a tribute to her grandmother. Singer and producer Pedro Mafama's multifaceted sound draws from Portuguese aesthetics, as well as the African and Islamic past of the country. Herlander is a producer, composer, and singer who’s been making waves in Lisbon’s underground music scene, and lighting up venues across the city with his playful yet experimental sound. Angolan-Portuguese singer, dancer and pioneer of Kuduro music Pongo has previously featured as a guest on Music Life. She performed with Buraka Som Sistema for two years before releasing her first EP Baia in 2018, and released her full length album Sakidila in April last year.
२०२३ मार्च १० · २६ मिनेट
Sun-Mi Hong, Jen Shyu, Mark Guiliana and William Parker discuss art as an outlet to process grief, and how touring is the best way to meet interesting people. Sun-Mi Hong is a jazz drummer and composer. She was born and raised in Incheon, South Korea, but moved to Amsterdam in 2012 to study music. She’s since made her mark on the European jazz scene and in 2017 formed the Sun-Mi Hong Quintet, performing original contemporary compositions as well as improvised jazz music. Her latest album “Third Page: Resonance” was released in November 2022. William Parker is a double bassist who is a giant of the American avant-garde jazz scene. His boundary-pushing antics over the last 40 years have led him to being labelled "the most consistently brilliant free-jazz bassist of all time", as well as playing next to some of the greats, including pianist Cecil Taylor and David S Ware. Mark Guiliana is a drummer and composer known for his technical mastery and genre-shifting abilities. Whether it’s acoustic jazz, boundary-stretching electronic music or next-level rock, he’s become one of the most influential drummers of his generation. He’s worked with David Bowie, and former Music Life guests Meshell Ndegeocello and St Vincent. Singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist Jen Shyu is widely regarded for her virtuosic singing and riveting stage presence. Her extensive career has seen her study traditional music and dance all over the world, and she speaks 10 languages and plays 10 instruments.
२०२३ मार्च ३ · २८ मिनेट
Liraz, Derya Yildrim, Adrian Younge and Ladybug Mecca discuss art as propaganda, the exhaustion of performing on stage and having the courage to seek the unknown. Liraz is an Israeli-Iranian singer, musician and actress. In 2022 she released her album Roya, a collaboration between musicians from Israel and Iran. Adrian Younge is a former Music Life host and self-taught musician who re-imagines soul, jazz, funk and hip-hop into his own sound. He’s scored for film and TV, and has produced the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z. He’s also the co-founder of the Jazz Is Dead label with A Tribe Called Quest’s Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Derya Yildirim is a saz player and lead vocalist of Anatolian psych-rock outfit Grup Şimşek. Her lush vocals draw inspiration from Turkish folk traditions, and with the band makes dancefloor-friendly reinterpretations of a classic sound. Ladybug Mecca is a New York rapper from the legendary group Digable Planets. She grew up in a musical household; her Brazilian parents were Jazz musicians, and her mum was a singer.
२०२३ फेब्रुअरी २४ · ३४ मिनेट
Mia Gladstone is a New York based singer, multi-instrumentalist, producer and programmer. Her genre bending style incorporates the cutting up of Jazz, Funk, and R&B, before reassembling it for the social media age. Promoting messages of self-acceptance, compassion, and creative freedom her Loopy project in 2022 explored gender, identity, social media, and the complexities of the human mind. Rommel Donald, better known as ROMderful, is a British producer, multi-instrumentalist and singer on the rise. Currently based in Seoul, South Korea, his slick, woozy, and experimental production style blends Pharrell Williams with Flying Lotus. Maiya Blaney is a singer from New York who released her debut album 3 in 2021. She writes about the nuances of human connection and emotion, and how they play big parts in the machinations of everyday society, soundtracked through the influence of jazz and soul. She also collaborated with Mia Gladstone on her Loopy project. Independent R&B singer Emmavie says she’s "addicted" to music, and that being an independent artist means working every day “with no PR, no label and quite often with no money”. She’s collaborated with the likes of Kojey Radical, Alfa Mist, and fellow guest ROMderful. Together they discuss the pain of song writing, processing emotions, being the vessels for their art and music, defining success and being nerds. In part two, ROMDerful shares a playlist of music he’s called Different Parts Of Your Adventure On The Road. It features tunes from Louis Cole, Hello Yello, Children of Zeus and Poom.
२०२३ फेब्रुअरी १७ · २६ मिनेट
Amelia Moore, REI AMI, G Flip and Royal & the Serpent discuss favourite lyrics, the power of the second verse, getting inspiration in the shower, learning to become more vulnerable and how their upbringings influence their music. Amelia Moore is a singer and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles, whose future pop sound is inspired by artists including Frank Ocean, SOPHIE and Flume. Having started playing violin at the age of 4, she taught herself piano and started writing songs at 13, before producing for other artists by the age of 16. During the pandemic she started sharing songs on TikTok, which led to a record deal and her debut EP, in a whirlwind journey she describes as “homeschool to Hollywood”. REI AMI is a South Korean-born, US-raised singer whose breakout single Snowcone went viral in 2019. Her rebellious pop sound has earned support from Billie Eilish and former Music Life guest FINNEAS, and her debut mixtape Foil was released in 2021. G Flip is an Australian singer, producer and drummer who makes synth-driven indie pop with vulnerable, relatable lyrics. Their powerful single Waste of Space reflects on and celebrates their non-binary identity. Royal & the Serpent is an American singer who blends rock guitar riffs and heavy hyperpop drums with experimental industrial sounds and deeply personal lyrics. Her latest EP, Happiness is an Inside Job, came out in October last year.
२०२३ फेब्रुअरी १० · ३२ मिनेट
Sarathy Korwar, Nwando Ebizie, Sandunes and Abel Selaocoe discuss diversifying the classical music space, balancing capitalistic forces with creativity, and creating space in which to disappear. Sarathy Korwar is a composer and percussionist whose music combines jazz, Indian classical, Indian folk and electronic influences. His latest record, KALAK, explores what the past, present and future are, and how they interact. Nwando Ebizie is a multi-disciplinary artist whose work combines music, performance art and ritualistic dance from the African diaspora. She has released music under the alter ego Lady Vendredi, who she describes as a time-travelling pop star from another dimension. Sanaya Ardeshir, AKA Sandunes, is a composer, producer and pianist from Mumbai, India, who incorporates elements of dance and jazz to create something wholly unique. She describes her sound as rhythmic meditations on the future of pop and electronic music. Abel Selaocoe is a South African cellist and singer whose work blends everything from African dance rhythms to 18th-Century sonatas. His latest record, Where Is Home, wanders through his musical life so far, which sees him beatboxing a song about his nephew and singing counter melodies taught to him by his mother.
२०२३ फेब्रुअरी ३ · ३२ मिनेट
Santigold, Black Thought and theOGM of Ho99o9 discuss how best to balance information and imagery, how being an artist is about dancing between spaces, the importance of not overthinking your art, and how to write an arena banger. Santigold is a singer and producer whose music is influenced by everything from hip-hop and punk, to gospel and reggae. Born in Philadelphia, she began her musical career writing for other artists, and performing in a punk band, before releasing her self-title debut album in 2008 to huge critical acclaim. Bringing things up-to-date, 2022 saw Santi put out her fifth studio album Spirituals, the first release on her own label Little Jerk Records. Tarik Trotter, AKA Black Thought, is an American rapper and actor who is regarded as one of the most important MC’s of his time. He was the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip-hop group The Roots, and has recently released a new album in collaboration with Danger Mouse called Cheat Codes. theOGM, from the band Ho99o9, is an American musician whose fusion of hip-hop and industrial metal simply hasn’t been done before. They’re known for visceral live shows and have worked with some of the greats across metal and punk, including Slipknot’s Corey Taylor and The Prodigy.
२०२३ जनवरी २७ · ३१ मिनेट
Dele Sosimi, Angélique Kidjo, the Allergies and Shingai discuss discuss why music is their calling, loving the bass, being custodians and transmitters of messages, the importance of preserving music and putting it into a new space, and why making music is like your subconscious, creative self sending you messages. Dele Sosimi is a Nigerian-British singer and keyboard player, whose career went into overdrive at the height of the Afrobeat in the 1970s, joining Fela Kuti’s legendary group Egypt 80. Currently he performs in three ensembles and lives for his live shows, which release his passion and unrelenting spirit. Beninese singer, actress, and activist Angélique Kidjo is known for her striking voice, electric stage presence, and her fluency in multiple languages. She’s a creative force, having released 16 albums and winning five Grammy Awards. Zimbabwean-British singer Shingai spent more than a decade as the frontwoman and bassist of indie-rock band Noisettes. Her soulful and mesmerizing sound mixes up her London world with her Bantu and Zimbabwean heritage. DJ Moneyshot and Rackabeat, a.k.a. the Allergies, are a duo from Bristol, UK, who’ve made it their mission to turn vintage sounds into modern dancefloor bangers. Inspired by the golden eras of funk, soul and disco, they’re known for their infectious grooves and bold basslines.
२०२३ जनवरी २० · ३० मिनेट
Σtella, Michelle Gurevich, and Las Palabras discuss the difference between writing in your first or second language, insisting you use major chords in your work to sound happy, why the songs that live in your head are always so simple, and why more is actually more. Greek singer Σtella started out focusing on visual arts before getting into music, studying at Athens School of Fine Arts. Her sound combines indie, synthpop and folk music, drawing on Greek instruments such as the bouzouki and giving a modern twist. Michelle Gurevich is a Canadian singer known for her intimate ballads that combine humour with dark realism. She was brought up on her parents' collection of Soviet and ‘70s European records, and creates a decadent yet dramatic sound that sells out shows across Eastern Europe and beyond. Rafael Cohen - AKA Las Palabras - is a Guatemalan-American singer and bassist who plays bass for rock band !!! (Chk Chk Chk). His current project arose out of a desire to write songs in his native language of Spanish, despite not being very proficient, and creates charming songs that draw on the sounds of Brazilian popular music, American soul and the traditional sounds of Mexico.
२०२३ जनवरी १३ · ३३ मिनेट
November Ultra, Barbara Pravi, Mélissa Laveaux, Yael Naim, and Pi Ja Ma discuss writing songs from their beds, catastrophe in music, feeling connection to family, and being a bad musician away from the public. November Ultra started singing at the age of three in Paris with with her Spanish mother and Portuguese father. She embraces the many facets of folk, R&B and the Iberian music traditions she grew up with. Barbara Pravi is one of the biggest stars in French chanson. Her powerful and passionate vocals have drawn comparisons with icons such as Édith Piaf and Jacques Brèl, and in 2021 she came second in the Eurovision Song Contest with her song, Voilá. Mélissa Laveaux is a Haitian-Canadian performer known for her poetic lyrics and unique guitar style. She sings in both English and Haitian Creole, and her adventurous songwriting sees her do everything from reinterpreting long-lost Haitian tunes to exploring the lives of resilient women that history has cast aside. Yael Naim is a Franco-Israeli singer and multi-instrumentalist who, in a 20 year career, has created a sound world that stretches from upbeat piano pop to introspective and emotional music. Pi Ja Ma started out busking covers of Patti Smith and The Velvet Underground. After taking part in French talent show La Nouvelle Star aged 17, she’s gone on create bold tracks with lush arrangements that are inspired as much by ‘60s pop as contemporary indie-pop.
२०२३ जनवरी ६ · ३५ मिनेट
Jockstrap, Flux Pavilion and Mala discuss writing music on games consoles, passing the baton between each other in collaboration, music connecting in the right time and place, and hearing your songs in a club. Jockstrap are Georgia Ellery and Taylor Skye, a duo from London who are changing the indie world with their genre-bending debut album I Love You Jennifer B. The pair met when Georgia was studying jazz and spotted Taylor wearing tartan pyjamas on his way to do his laundry. They meld together a kaleidoscopic blend of pop, disco, jazz, dubstep, with classical influences, impressionistic lyrics, and lush melodies. For more than a decade, electronic producer and dubstep trailblazer Josh Steele, aka Flux Pavilion, pioneered new bass sounds for the dancefloor, before co-founding the influential Circus Records label. He’s now in a new era of productivity, using analog synth-driven melodies to create new soundscapes. Pioneering dance music producer and DJ Mark Lawrence, aka Mala, changed UK dance music forever with the creation of dubstep, slowing down the tempo, increasing the snap of the percussion, and adding shelf-wobbling, ear-splitting bass to the music. He’s also the co-founder of production duo Digital Mystikz.
२०२२ डिसेम्बर ३० · ३१ मिनेट
Patrick Watson, Weyes Blood, Flume and Caroline Shaw discuss why perfection is a route to self-sabotage, having to play by the rules as a new artist, the pressure to be more candid and expose more of your personal life, and the ability of new technology to revolutionise music creation. Singer, film composer and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Watson was born in California but raised in Montreal, Canada. He performed in local church choirs and played keyboards in a high-school ska band before co-writing several tracks with The Cinematic Orchestra. Joining him is alt-pop singer and multi-instrumentalist Natalie Mering, aka Weyes Blood. She says she speaks to inspire the romanticism that is in us all with her gloomy sonic explorations. Harley Streten, aka Flume, is a Grammy Award-winning musician, DJ and producer from Australia, known for his melodic, layered electronic sound, blending future bass and pop. Caroline Shaw is a composer and violinist who is one of the leading figures in contemporary classical music. She began playing the violin at two years old, and in 2013 became the youngest ever winner of the Pulitzer Prize.
२०२२ डिसेम्बर २३ · ३२ मिनेट
Angel Olsen, Julianna Barwick and Marissa Nadler discuss going to the movies on Christmas Day, wanting to chill out over the holiday, why they try to not make ‘normal’ music, creating a rough exterior of your personality, and getting lost in landscapes. Angel Olsen is a guitarist, singer, and poet from Missouri, USA who sings about romantic crises, life on the road, forgiving yourself for making mistakes, betrayal, and perseverance. Julianna Barwick is a singer who experiments with loops of her voice to create huge cinematic landscapes. She takes the listener on widescreen psychic journeys; her work is inspired by growing up in a church choir. Folk and Americana singer, guitarist, and visual artist Marissa Nadler is from Nashville, Tennessee. Her work glides between dreamy folk music, black metal and meditative ambient music, culminating in a sound that is deeply intimate and endlessly creative.
२०२२ डिसेम्बर १६ · ३४ मिनेट
Skin, Nona Hendryx and Paolo Nutini discuss writing songs in your dreams, knowing when to grab at an idea, why playing piano can take you to places you have no right to go, and fighting on stage. Skin grew up in a Jamaican family in Brixton, London, and as a child, wanted to be a pianist. She formed Skunk Anansie in 1994 and they became pioneers of the Britrock scene, speaking out against racism, homophobia and sexism. She was also the first Black artist to headline the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury Festival when the band performed there in 1999. Vocalist, songwriter, producer, author and actress Nona Hendryx was a member of the pioneering girl group Labelle in the 1960s and 1970s. Since then, her avant-garde solo career has taken in everything from hard rock to RnB to house music, and she intends to become a cyborg and still make music. Following an 8 year absence from the music scene, Scottish singer-songwriter Paolo Nutini is back with his latest project Last Night in the Bittersweet, and pop superstar Lewis Capaldi has declared himself a huge fan.
२०२२ डिसेम्बर ९ · ३२ मिनेट
Seckou Keita, Julie Fowlis, Anandi Bhattacharya and Richard Bona discuss why words are easy, story-telling being a family tradition, feeling free with the melody, and finding the confidence to experiment. Seckou Keita was born in Ziguinchor in Senegal and is descended from the Griots – a family of musicians and storytellers whose tradition is passed down from one generation to the next. Cameroonian Richard Bona is one of the world’s most acclaimed bass players, and has played with the likes of Oumou Sangaré, Buena Vista Social Club and Sting. Julie Fowlis is a world-renowned folk singer from Scotland. She has been deeply influenced by her early upbringing in the Outer Hebrides, and sings in the Gaelic language, as well as enjoying exploring many other traditions. Anandi Bhattacharya is originally from Kolkat, India, and started singing at the age of three. Despite being rooted in the Indian classical tradition from her musical family, she embraces both traditional and contemporary vocal styles.
२०२२ डिसेम्बर २ · ३० मिनेट
Nyokabi Kariūki, Moor Mother, Edward Wakili-Hick and KMRU discuss yelling to the universe, why making music is easy, quick thinking collaborations, what experimentalism means to them, and struggling through your processes. Nyokabi Kariūki grew up in Nairobi and played classical piano from an early age, before moving to New York to study composition. Her sound is guided by a love for experimentation, improvisation and collaboration. KMRU, a sound artist and musician who is also from Nairobi, is one of the leading exponents of Kenya’s experimental music scene. His hypnotic ambient music is made up of environmental sounds and field recordings; he’s also the grandson of the influential Benga and gospel artist Joseph Kamaru. Nigerian-British musician and drummer Edward Wakili-Hick is a member of renowned jazz quartet Sons of Kemet. His most recent project, Nok Cultural Ensemble, draws on Afro-diasporic percussive traditions to create a sound that looks both to the past and the future. Poet, musician and educator Camae Ayewa, aka Moor Mother, is one of the most in-demand musicians around. Her sound delves into free jazz, soul and Black classical traditions.
२०२२ नोभेम्बर २५ · ३५ मिनेट
George Fitzgerald, SOAK, Marie Davidson, Mount Kimbie's Kai Campos and TOKiMONSTA discuss how they make their music matter in today’s transient world, whether an artist’s work has to have a clear narrative, having to live with music that you're not 100% happy with, and accidentally writing knock-offs of your favourite artists. George FitzGerald is one of the most popular electronic producers and DJs in the UK right now. He was raised on garage and dubstep in his early years, before moving to Berlin to work as a translator and falling in love with the city's house and techno scenes. French-Canadian producer Marie Davidson's hypnotic style combines analog synthesizers and drum machines with “spoken text” vocals, leading to a prolific career both as a solo artist and member of creative trio L’Œil Nu. SOAK is a thought-provoking singer-songwriter from Northern Ireland. Their effortless intimacy and moving lyrics have marked them as a voice for their generation, writing honest and introspective tracks that are mature beyond their years. After expanding the horizons of the dubstep scene in the late 2000s, Mount Kimbie's Kai Campos has gained a reputation for being an innovative producer, lending his skills to the likes of James Blake, King Krule and slowthai. TOKiMONSTA is a producer, DJ and prominent member of LA’s underground dance music scene. She creates a futuristic style of electronic music that touches pop and instrumental hip-hop, and is also the boss of the Young Art label.
२०२२ नोभेम्बर १८ · ३३ मिनेट
Amahla, Corinne Bailey Rae, Tiana Major9, and Simeon Hammond Dallas discuss using music to freeze life, how much to reveal about yourself in a song, creating worlds through lyrics and crying in the studio. British soul singer-songwriter and Nile Rodgers mentee Amahla grew up in a Caribbean household, and her songwriting is inspired by a love of literature and activism. Multiple Grammy-winning artist Corinne Bailey Rae's soul-rooted indie sound helped her shoot to fame in 2006 with her self-titled debut album, and she’s since collaborated with the likes of Mary J Blige, Al Green, Paul McCartney, and Stevie Wonder. Tiana Major9 is a singer-songwriter and Grammy nominee signed to Motown Records. Her track Collide, with EarthGang, featured on the soundtrack to the film‘Queen & Slim and was nominated for a Grammy. She blends influences from jazz, soul, and her Jamaican heritage. Singer-songwriter Simeon Hammond Dallas fuses country, blues, and soul music to create her own brand of UK Americana.
२०२२ नोभेम्बर ११ · ३६ मिनेट
Thomas Attar Bellier, Dina El Wedidi, Alsarah, Ali Güçlü Şimşek and Alain Johannes discuss collecting sound memories from birth, Egypt's rich tradition of melodies, the power of modal music, why folk music is fundamentally old-school pop, and adapting traditional instruments for modern listening. Thomas Attar Bellier is a French-American musician and producer from the Arab garage rock outfit Al-Qasar. They combine instruments like the oud and the darbuka with Fender amps and drum kits to create a sound that unites East and West. Prolific Egyptian singer Dina El Wedidi plays a mixture of folk, fusion and contemporary music. She’s been mentored by Brazilian legend Gilberto Gil, and Time Magazine declared her “a future leader for the next generation”. Alsarah is a Sudanese-American singer-songwriter and ethnomusicologist. After fleeing from Sudan aged 8 she’s gone on to create music that she calls "East African retro-pop” with Alsarah & the Nubatones. Musician and producer Ali Güçlü Şimşek has been one of the biggest names in Turkish rock over the last 20 years. His current band Lalalar are making waves in the Turkish psych scene with their fusion of retro basslines, dirty electro beats and old samples from Turkey’s rich psych-rock heritage. Chilean-American musician Alain Johannes has toured with Dave Grohl’s Them Crooked Vultures and formed the band Eleven. He's also worked extensively with the likes of PJ Harvey and the Arctic Monkeys. They’ll be talking
२०२२ नोभेम्बर ४ · ३५ मिनेट
Folk musicians Alela Diane, Rhiannon Giddens, Mariee Siou and Uwade discuss that spark of electricity you get when songwriting goes well, how moments of personal growth and transition affect the music, going a whole year without writing a song, thinking of taxes while performing, and how songs are their own little houses or realms that have their own energy. Alela Diane is a singer and guitarist based in Oregon, USA. She would often hear her parents harmonize bluegrass songs in the kitchen, which inspired a move to San Francisco aged 19, and started her on a path to a musical career that has garnered fans all over the world. Rhiannon Giddens is a Grammy award-winning multi-instrumentalist and former Music Life host. She was the lead singer, violinist, banjo player and co-founder of the old-time string band Carolina Chocolate Drops, and her solo work covers everything from country to opera and hip-hop. Singer-songwriter and guitarist Mariee Siou makes ethereal and transcendental folk music, which draws inspiration from her indigenous heritage and an upbringing spent going to bluegrass festivals. Uwade is a young singer-songwriter born in Nigeria, who started writing music during her studies in New York. Her sound is influenced by everything from Greek mythology to choral hymns to Nigerian highlife.
२०२२ अक्टोबर २८ · ३३ मिनेट
Harvey Sutherland, Yu Su, Paul Woolford and Stella Mozgawa discuss treating yourself (psychologically), the power of non-verbal connection, the thrill of being in a room together, producing new and experimental music in China, and nature’s ability to inspire. Harvey Sutherland is a 'neurotic funk' producer and synth player from Australia. Yu Su is a composer, DJ, producer, instrumentalist and prominent member of Vancouver’s underground dance scene. Born in the Henan province of China, she creates elegant downtempo electronic music, which has been described as “organically groovy jazz-bient expeditions”. Paul Woolford is one of British dance music's most important and most respected producers and DJs, with a career now pushing 20 years. Stella Mozgawa is an Australian drummer and producer, probably best known for being in the indie rock band Warpaint. She’s also played with the likes of the xx, Kurt Vile, Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon, and Tom Jones, and produced artists including Australian rock royalty Courtney Barnett.
२०२२ अक्टोबर २१ · ३४ मिनेट
Cakes Da Killa, Nita Aviance, Rochelle Jordan and Eli Escobar discuss the current climate of dance music, being inspired by the nightlife of New York City, and how to turn painful experiences into music. Brooklyn-based rapper Cakes Da Killa’s music blends ‘90s grit with club beats, with witty, unapologetic lyrics that promote Black excellence and LGBTQIA+ visibility in the hip hop world. Nita Aviance is a producer and DJ who is one of the most prominent figures in New York’s LGBTQIA+ nightlife scene. Originally a trained percussionist, jazz singer and dancer, she was inducted into the legendary House of Aviance and has had DJ residencies across New York City. Rochelle Jordan is a singer-songwriter from Toronto, Canada, whose gritty and experimental R&B sound has seen her gain a cult following. She’s released four albums since 2011, and collaborated with the likes of Childish Gambino and Jimmy Edgar. Eli Escobar is a DJ and producer who has been tearing up clubs in New York and beyond over the last two decades. He’s built a unique sound that combines his love of hip-hop, disco, dance music and remixing, and also runs his own label, Night People NYC.
२०२२ अक्टोबर १४ · ३० मिनेट
Poppy Ajudha, Maverick Sabre and Madison McFerrin discuss how much they try to cater to an audience when songwriting, the backlash that can come from political and social comment in songs, and the complexities of expressing their identities through music. Poppy Ajudha is a singer-songwriter from London, UK whose music fuses pop, jazz, soul and R n’ B with politically-charged lyrics. Her songs have received over 25 million streams and in 2019 she featured in Barack Obama’s Best of the Year playlist. Maverick Sabre is a platinum-selling London-born Irish singer, songwriter and rapper. After being nominated for a BRIT Award in 2011, he’s gone on to collaborate with the likes of Jorja Smith, Akala, and former Music Life guest Kojaque. Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter and producer Madison McFerrin was born into a family of celebrated vocalists, but has forged her own career in music, creating a sound which seminal producer Questlove dubbed "soul-appella".
२०२२ अक्टोबर ७ · ३३ मिनेट
Metal and hard rock stars Diamanda Galás, Lamb of God's Randy Blythe, Inger Lorre and Malevolence frontman Alex Taylor discuss balancing the emotion with the noise, recording in Charlie Chaplin’s studio, and how an artist's duty is to reflect the times. Alex Taylor is the lead singer of the heavy metal band Malevolence, from Sheffield in the UK. They’re known for their ferocious sound and live shows, and have supported some of the biggest names in heavy metal including Trivium, Architects and Lamb of God. Singer, pianist and avant-garde luminary Diamanda Galás has gained a huge cult following for her violently compassionate music and stunning four-octave vocal range. American singer Inger Lorre fronted the seminal glam-punk band Nymphs in the 1990s. She is an underground icon and has worked with the likes of Jeff Buckley and Iggy Pop. Randy Blythe is a true legend of heavy metal who is the frontman of one of the genre’s most important bands of the last 30 years, Lamb of God. His band have released 10 studio albums and taken their thunderous sound to sold-out stages across the world.
२०२२ सेप्टेम्बर ३० · ३१ मिनेट
Jitwam, GAIKA, Elle Shimada, and Nabihah Iqbal discuss what it means for your music when the place you’re from can’t be easily described, why they like making music when they’re bored, how musicians don’t think about genre when they’re creating music, and why listening to their own music at the gym is an odd experience. Jitwam is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and vocalist creating music that fuses funk with disco, punk and hip-hop. He’s based in New York but born and raised in India, Thailand and South America. His latest record, Third, explores the idea of finding peace within the chaos of daily life. GAIKA is a south London-based artist, writer and musician whose music pairs dancehall rhythms and melody with imposing electronic beats. His parents were from Grenada and Jamaica, and those influences appear in his music in dark and twisted forms. Elle Shimada is a violinist, producer and DJ from Tokyo but now based in Melbourne, who uses abstract compositions and dance beats to create music inspired by the futuristic underground sounds of Tokyo and beyond. Nabihah Iqbal, once known as Throwing Shade, is a British-Pakistani DJ, producer, guitarist, and songwriter who originally pursued a career in law before turning to music. She blends her influences in new wave and shoegaze with electronics and heartfelt lyrics.
२०२२ सेप्टेम्बर २३ · ३२ मिनेट
You Me at Six's Josh Franceschi, Lynn Gunn of PVRIS, Cody Frost and A Day to Remember's Jeremy McKinnon discuss getting protective over their own original ideas, writing with people from different styles and genres, releasing music at 4am in the morning, and the importance of liking your own music. Josh Franceschi founded You Me at Six in 2006 with a group of school friends, and since then they’ve released seven studio albums of pop-punk and rock. Their most recent album SUCKAPUNCH reached number 1 in the UK album charts back in 2021 and sees them introducing dance, R&B and hip-hop elements into their sound. Lynn Gunn is the vocalist and multi-instrumentalist from the band Pvris. After releasing their hugely successful debut album White Noise in 2014, her band have continued to prove they’re one of the most innovative groups in rock right now, blending explosive, rhythm-driven rock music with atmospheric electro-pop. Jeremy McKinnon is the singer, producer and frontman of A Day to Remember. He’s been releasing his incredible fusion of metalcore and pop-punk music since 2004 and has also lent his production skills to some of the best bands in the scene, including The Devil Wears Prada and Neck Deep. Cody Frost is a young singer-songwriter and tattoo artist who makes maximalist electro-pop-punk music. She started out uploading covers to YouTube after teaching herself piano and guitar, and her debut mixtape TEETH was released in 2022. She's also recently been collaborating with You Me at Six.
२०२२ सेप्टेम्बर १६ · ३२ मिनेट
Tkay Maidza, Lolo Zouaï and Chiiild discuss why making music feels like having a superhero persona, the importance of sticking to the truth in lyrics, enjoying the search for inspiration, and why song writing is mostly just about talking to your collaborators. Tkay Maidza is a Zimbabwean-Australian multi-talented singer-songwriter and rapper. Born in Harare, Zimbabwe before moving to Australia when she was five years old, she originally trained for a tennis career, then studied architecture, before becoming a full-time musician. She also supported Billie Eilish on tour earlier this year. Yonatan “xSDTRK” Ayal is a singer and producer who leads the Canadian experimental Soul group Chiiild. He blends psychedelia, retro soul, and modern R&B. He’s also produced the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Iggy Azelia, Rob Thomas, and former Music Life guest Jacob Banks. French-born, American-based R&B and Pop musician Lolo Zouaï grew up on a musical diet of hip-hop, classic French chanson, and Algerian rai music. She's recently supported Dua Lipa on tour.
२०२२ सेप्टेम्बर १० · ३२ मिनेट
Nandele, Batida, Turkana, and TYGAPAW discuss how the sounds of Africa, and the African diaspora, influence their music, as well as the links between music and movement, how they make music to connect to home and the country they were born in, and why being ‘okay’ with your music is not good enough. Nandele is a DJ and producer from Mozambique, whose journey has taken him from the city of Maputo to the worldwide stage with his Afro-futurist sound, fusing instrumental hip-hop, dubstep, trap, and psychedelia. Batida is a musician and producer who was born in Angola, and is now based in Portugal. He’s become a major player in Lisbon’s underground electronic scene with his Kuduro-influenced sound. Turkana is a South Sudanese DJ and producer who was raised in a refugee settlement in Kenya, and is now based in Uganda. Her hard dance style has taken the Ugandan electronic scene by storm, and has led to performances for the hugely popular Boiler Room. TYGAPAW is a Jamaican DJ, producer, and multidisciplinary artist who brings techno and Jamaican dancehall music together in the nightclubs of Brooklyn, New York.
२०२२ सेप्टेम्बर २ · ३१ मिनेट
Ahead of the End of the Road festival in Dorset, England, Lynks, Xenia Rubinos, Bingo Fury and NewDad's Julie Dawson discuss the power of specificity when writing lyrics, how they find inspiration by writing from the perspective of fictional characters, and how the moment that you feel most creatively stuck is the moment just before you figure it out. Julie Dawson is the lead singer of the Irish alternative indie rock band NewDad. They formed as teenagers in Galway, inspired by bands such as The Cure and Pixies, and crafted a sound that brings together elements of shoegaze and dream pop. They’ve only released two EPs so far but are already creating a buzz with indie music fans. Lynks is regarded as a cult sensation in London’s underground music scene. Known for their hard-hitting lyrics and incredible outfits, their exciting and unpredictable brand of industrial pop is selling out live shows across the UK, bring together music, drag and theatre. Xenia Rubinos is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Brooklyn, New York, whose music combines aspects of R&B, electronic pop and Caribbean rhythms. With her powerful vocals and raw energy, she has been critically acclaimed for a sound that crosses genres and breaks boundaries. Singer and musician Bingo Fury conjures up dark experimental post-punk-inflected jazz. His way with words has been compared to American beat poets from the 1950s, and he’s an exciting name in the diverse music scene of Bristol, UK.
२०२२ अगस्ट २६ · ३२ मिनेट
ANOHNI, Hannah Peel, Hayden Thorpe and Purity Ring's Megan James discuss questions including what their music might sound like in an alternate universe. Hayden Thorpe is the frontman from the now disbanded Wild Beasts, and has moved to the north of England where his solo albums are inspired by the nature that surrounds him. UK-born singer, songwriter, and visual artist ANOHNI has had an eclectic career as a solo artist and as a member of the Mercury Prize-winning Antony and the Johnsons. She’s also been nominated for an Academy Award, and creates thought-provoking music that ask questions of those in power, gender imbalances, and climate change. Megan James is a member the duo Purity Ring. Formed in Edmonton, Canada, they are known for their crystal clear synth sounds, hypnotic melodies, and corporeal, metaphorical lyrics. Hannah Peel is a composer, producer, and radio broadcaster born in Northern Ireland and raised in the North of England. Her music explores electronic, classical, and traditional sounds, and is often inspired by science and nature.
२०२२ अगस्ट १९ · ३२ मिनेट
Otura Mun, Matthew Halsall, Cécile McLorin Salvant, and Maria Chiara Argiró discuss how capitalism affects their music making, how the weight of history can alter their own creations, and the role of competitiveness has in the creative process. Otura Mun is a producer, percussionist, and band leader for the Afro-Caribbean ensemble ÌFÉ. He mastered the art of DJing, then got into west African drumming, before making a trip to Puerto Rico and staying there for 19 years. Matthew Halsall, is a composer, trumpeter, producer and DJ who’s at the forefront of the UK jazz music scene. He’s also the founder of Manchester's well-renowned Gondwana Records. American jazz vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant is known for her unique voice and passion for storytelling. At 21 years old she won first prize at the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, and since then has received various accolades for her dynamic musical style. Maria Chiara Argiró is an Italian jazz musician based in London with an incredibly diverse musical background. After training as a jazz pianist she played in the post-punk band These New Puritans, and has now released an exciting electronic concept album, Forest City.
२०२२ अगस्ट १२ · ३१ मिनेट
Baby Queen, Powfu, Mae Muller, and Dylan Fraser discuss why there’s always a little bit of “theft” in trying to sound like your heroes, why writing a song is multiple moments over extended periods of time, the snowball effect of starting in one place and ending in another, and how putting your phone down will inspire you. Music Life this week – once again – covers the musical spectrum in one show. Baby Queen is a South African pop singer who got her record deal during the first lockdowns of 2020. Her music covers themes of insecurities and self-esteem, and this this year she made the longlist for BBC’s Sound of 2022 in the UK. Lo-fi Canadian singer, rapper and record producer Powfu’s lyrics talk about the perils of adolescence. His track Death Bed (Coffee For Your Head) dominated TikTok in 2020, and achieved over a billion streams on the big music platforms. English singer-songwriter Mae Muller's soulful blending of pop and R&B is turning heads, and her lyrics are known for being frank and funny. Scottish musician Dylan Fraser's 2020 debut EP received 5 million global streams, and earned him fans including Sam Smith and Sir Elton John. He makes brooding alt-pop inspired by everyone from Nine Inch Nails to Joni Mitchell.
२०२२ अगस्ट ५ · ३३ मिनेट
Rostam, Lykke Li, Hatis Noit, and Barrie discuss what their favourite sounds are, their favourite stages of the songwriting process, and why they dislike working with producers, preferring to go it alone. Born in Washington DC to Iranian parents, Rostam was a founding member of Grammy-winning indie-pop band Vampire Weekend, and is now an in-demand producer and musician. He has worked with the likes of Haim, Solange and Frank Ocean, as well as releasing music under his own name. Lykke Li is a Swedish singer and songwriter who has perfected the art of the sad song that you can’t help but dance to. Since 2007, she has released five studio albums blending elements of indie, pop and electronic music. Hatis Noit is a Japanese vocalist with an impressive range. Originally from Hokkaido but now based in London, her influences range from classical Japanese music to Bulgarian and Gregorian chanting, avant-garde sounds and pop music. Barrie is a singer-songwriter and producer based in Brooklyn, New York, who makes lush, wistful art-pop.
२०२२ जुलाई २९ · ४२ मिनेट
FINNEAS, Maggie Rogers, Sigrid and Röyksopp's Svein Berge discuss sticking to one musical identity, how making songs is like preparing a meal, and how to navigate other people’s expectations of their music. Sigrid began playing the piano aged seven. She’s released two studio albums, including 2022’s How To Let Go, and is currently one of the most essential names in pop. Viral folk-pop sensation Maggie Rogers is a multi-instrumentalist from Maryland, USA, whose music combines Folk, RnB, and electronic sounds. FINNEAS is probably best known for his work with his sister Billie Eilish. In a short career he’s already won 8 Grammys, co-written an Oscar winning James Bond theme and released his debut solo album in 2021. Svein Berge is one half of iconic Norwegian Electro-pop duo Röyksopp. They’ve released six studio albums of boundary-pushing music over a 24-year career.
२०२२ जुलाई २२ · ३१ मिनेट
Gwenno, Lleuwen, Adwaith's Hollie Singer and Lloyd Steele discuss how they’ve been welcomed by the Welsh language community in the UK, why Welsh music needs an image change, and how they use language to express themselves through music. Gwenno is a Welsh singer, songwriter and electronic musician who started her career in the retro indie-pop group the Pipettes. She has three albums to date, and sings in both the Welsh and Cornish languages. Hollie Singer is the vocalist from Welsh indie lo-fi group Adwaith, whose debut album Melyn won the Welsh Music Prize in 2019. Guitarist Lloyd Steele, formerly of noisy five-piece Y Reu, is gaining a reputation as one of the most exciting Welsh musicians as he embarks on a solo career. Lleuwen is a jazz-folk singer and classically trained vocalist who takes inspiration from Welsh hymns and Celtic musical traditions, writing and performing in the Celtic languages of Welsh and Breton.
२०२२ जुलाई १५ · ३१ मिनेट
Poliça's Channy Leaneagh, Erika Dohi, Real Estate's Martin Courtney, Twin Shadow and Bessie Turner discuss the creative process during the pandemic, learning to not put too much pressure on themselves, and what dream concept album they would make if they had infinite time and resources Channy Leaneagh has played violin in folk-rock bands, played as part of 25-piece Minnesotan indie-rock group Gayngs, and collaborated with Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. In 2011 she founded the band Poliça, who fuse elements of RnB, experimental indie, dance music, and electronic sounds. Erika Dohi is a New York-based pianist originally from Osaka, Japan, with an eclectic musical background. She has worked on everything from traditional classical music to improvisation, and her debut album I, Castorpollux is as technical as it is emotional. Bessie Turner is a singer songwriter known for her stunning soulful voice, whose beautiful brand of alt-pop has received praise from DJs across Europe. Martin Courtney is from the indie-rock band Real Estate. The American singer and guitarist is known for his dreamy soundscapes and jangly guitar sounds that have dominated the genre during the last decade. Twin Shadow is a Dominican-American singer, songwriter and record producer whose energetic synth-pop sound takes inspiration from Dominican bachata and has achieved huge critical acclaim.
२०२२ जुलाई ८ · ३० मिनेट
Branko, Rita Vian, Dino D'Santiago and ZenGxrl discuss creating music in post-pandemic Lisbon, the balancing of new and traditional sounds, and loving the flaws of the voice. DJ and producer Branko draws inspiration from the music and the people across the Portuguese-speaking world, first as part of rap group Buraka som Sistema and then as a standalone artist, fusing techno and global club sounds with Zouk and Angolan Kuduro music. Rita Vian is a Portuguese singer who combines both traditional fado and electronic sounds. Her 2020 single Purga was named as one of Tidal's best songs of the year. Singer and former Music Life host Dino D’Santiago is one of the biggest names in Portuguese music, and his most recent album BADIU connects electronic music, Zouk, and hip-hop. ZenGxrl is an exciting new DJ and model who has been playing sets in some of the best clubs across Portugal.
२०२२ जुलाई १ · ३० मिनेट
Natalia Lacunza, Birdy, Matt Maltese and Silvana Estrada talk about the importance of being your own friend, out-of-body experiences when playing live, how being in the studio is like being a child again, and how they find the middle ground between self-doubt and ego. Spanish singer-songwriter Natalia Lacunza's music career was kickstarted by her appearance on the TV singing competition Operación Triunfo. Her music blends elements of bedroom pop with electronic overtones and heartfelt lyrics. Mexican singer and composer Silvana Estrada's music reimagines the legacy of Latin American song in her own personal, poetic style. She has performed internationally with artists including former Music Life host Jorge Drexler. Matt Maltese's sweeping indie ballads have taken TikTok by storm, and led him to be described as "the UK’s answer to Father John Misty". His track As the World Caves In has over 200 million streams on Spotify. UK singer-songwriter Birdy first shot to fame at the age of 14 with her cover of Bon Iver’s track Skinny Love. She’s since released four albums of her own magical indie folk, and her music has featured on the soundtrack of films such as The Hunger Games and The Fault In Our Stars.
२०२२ जुन २४ · ३१ मिनेट
Bonnie Banane, HSRS, Sébastien Forrester, Photay and QuinzeQuinze's Tsi Min discuss downloading ideas, why music is like a dish with an infinite number of ingredients, and the importance of not drowning in words. Tsi Min formed the French-Tahiti group QuinzeQuinze with a bunch of close friends who met at art school in Paris. Their music is electronic in nature, but draws on the sounds and traditions of their French-Polynesian heritage. French alt-pop star Bonnie Banane has a unique experimental sound that blends R&B and electronic music, and is known for some pretty eccentric music videos. Julie Bessard, otherwise known as HSRS, is a transgressive pop artist from France who started singing and producing in 2004 under the moniker BESSA. Sébastien Forrester is a French-British drummer and composer who was formerly known as Holy Strays. After spending lots of time in Gabon growing up, he developed a passion for percussion, particularly the Bwiti ritual drums. Photay is an electronic music producer based in New York, who is a master of combining natural and synthetic sounds. Being introduced to Aphex Twin at the age of nine provided him with the foundation for his musical journey, and he’s also a member of the Afro-Latin electronic collective WEMA.
२०२२ जुन १७ · ३५ मिनेट
Nova Twins, Cassyette, Dream Wife's Alice Go and Theresa Jarvis of Yonaka discuss how their music is like a lair full of poisonous frogs, writing in windowless rooms, how laptops have been an intimate sketchpad for the way they write music, making unusual sounds with smashed glass, and why a song doesn’t have to be personal to be meaningful. Nova Twins are one of the most exciting bands of the last 20 years. Amy and Georgia bring their metal energy to new audiences around the world, and have been friends since childhood. Alice Go is a guitarist and singer with Dream Wife, a punk band known for their lively on-stage performances and powerful feminist anthems. Theresa Jarvis leads the quartet Yonaka, who have gained a massive reputation in the British alt-rock scene for their heavy riffs and wild live shows. And London-based Cassyette's provocative blend of nu-metal and electro-pop has been winning fans since she dropped her debut single Jean in 2019.
२०२२ जुन १० · ३३ मिनेट
Jessie Ware, Meshell Ndegeocello, Dave Okumu and Eska discuss why you shouldn’t appease anybody with your music, loving the souls of your audience, keeping in your mistakes, why music is an essential part of existence, being a jack of all trades, and why finishing a song isn’t necessarily a process of letting go. The legendary Grace Jones curates this year’s Meltdown Festival at the Southbank Centre, London, so Music Life is bringing together a selection of artists playing, and some of their musical friends. Jessie Ware has sold millions of records all over the world. After receiving a Mercury Prize nomination in 2012 for her debut album Devotion, she has become one of the biggest names in pop over the last decade. German-born, US-raised bassist, singer, songwriter, rapper and composer Meshell Ndegeocello's prolific musical output mixes jazz, R&B, hip-hop, funk and rock, and she’s been nominated for 11 Grammy awards over the course of her career. Producer, guitarist, and The Invisible front man Dave Okumu has worked with the likes of Adele, Amy Winehouse, and Grace Jones, and is an institution in the British music scene. Vocalist, composer and producer Eska grew up in London with Zimbabwean heritage, and makes genre-hopping soul music with folk, jazz, reggae and classical influences.
२०२२ जुन ३ · ४२ मिनेट
Elvis Costello, Marisa Monte, Jorge Drexler and Leo Sidran discuss how to create emotional lyrics, shouting to make yourself heard, arriving at the idea of a song through its title, competing with the scale of music, and working in multiple languages. Elvis Costello is a singer, songwriter, and producer who has sold millions of records both as a solo artist and with his amazing bands. His diverse genres and thoughtful lyrics have earned him various accolades including two Grammys, and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Marisa Monte is widely recognized as one of the greatest Brazilian singers and composers of all time. She completely shook up the role of women in the Brazilian music landscape, by becoming her own producer, business, and artistic director. She’s received four Latin Grammys so far, and is one-third of Brazilian supergroup Tribalistas. Jorge Drexler is a musician, singer, and composer from Uruguay. He trained as a doctor, but soon realised he wanted to dedicate his life to music. He’s been releasing records for over 30 years, combining styles from across the Iberoamerican world. Latin Grammy-winning producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Leo Sidran's fascination with Spanish culture has led him to a celebrated career in music producing, composing and podcasting. Early in his career, he was “guided” on the drums by James Brown’s drummer Clyde Stubblefield.
२०२२ मे २७ · २७ मिनेट
Eyal El Wahab, Ana Kravanja, Kees Berkers, and Bex Burch discuss being in love with an instrument, not really knowing what you’re doing, moving sounds through your body, and using instruments made out of pumpkins. Eyal El Wahab is a Yemeni-Israeli musician who leads the four-piece folk jazz group El Khat, based in Tel Aviv and featuring musicians from Iraq, Poland, and Morocco. Slovenian musician Ana Kravanja plays on traditional, classic, and self-made instruments. She is one third of Slovenian experimental folk band Širom, a band who play 12 instruments between them, and also works with 10-piece band Olfamoštvo. Dutch percussionist Kees Berkers created the band YĪN YĪN with Yves Lennertz back in 2017. Their music is greatly inspired by south-east Asian psych-pop, funk and disco grooves. British percussionist Bex Burch spent three years with virtuoso musicians in northern Ghana, where she learnt to play the gyil. She has gone on to form the Jazz trio Vula Viel.
२०२२ मे २० · २९ मिनेट
Country music stars Scotty McCreery, Tenille Arts, Matt Stell and Hailey Whitters discuss scrapping all of their work after the pandemic, trying to fit in to country radio, relating to fans who go through the same struggles, and being true to yourself in your writing. Scotty McCreery is a singer-songwriter from North Carolina, USA, and he loves those mountains. And his truck. He started playing guitar at the age of 9 or 10, and sang at school and at church. At 16 he auditioned for American Idol, and went on to win the competition in 2011. Tenille Arts is orignally from Saskatchewan, Canada, but now based in Nashville. Her single Somebody Like That made history in 2021 as the first song written, performed, and produced by an all-female team to top the country charts. Matt Stell is a singer and guitarist from Arkansas, USA, whose massive hit Prayed For You spent two weeks at the number one spot in 2019 and catapulted him to the country big leagues. Hailey Whitters is one of Nashville’s most in-demand songwriters. Born into a musical family in Iowa, she’s worked with the likes of Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, Alison Krauss, and Keith Urban.
२०२२ मे १३ · ३४ मिनेट
Two of this year's Eurovision hopefuls, Cornelia Jakobs and MARO, meet three former contestants - SuRie, Dami Im and KEiiNO's Alexandra Rotan - to discuss how writing music in rooms with strangers is like speed dating, the expectation that fans have of their sound, why there’s no formula to win the competition, and the strength in simplicity. Susanna Marie Cork, better known as SuRie, was the 2018 UK entry for the competition. Dance-pop singer-songwriter Alexandra Rotan is a member of the super group KEiiNO, who represented Norway in 2019. Stockholm-based singer-songwriter Cornelia Jakobs is representing Sweden in this year’s Eurovision, taking place in Turin, Italy, while MARO is representing Portugal. Korean-Australian pop singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Dami Im came second in the 2016 competition.
२०२२ मे ६ · २९ मिनेट
Spanish musicians Carlotta Cosials, Depresión Sonora, NAVXJA and BERNARDA discuss why the best ideas happen when you’re happy, improvising lyrics, understanding different ways of writing, getting into music because of heartbreak, washing dishes and riding your bike to get ideas, and living like a vampire. Carlotta Cosials is the lead singer of the Spanish group Hinds. Depresión Sonora's dark brand of post-punk has rocked Spain since his first release in May 2020. He expresses the anxieties and frustrations felt by many people going through difficult times. Barcelona-based musician and filmmaker BERNARDA, used to play bass in rock band Holy Bouncer, and is now creating soft pop sung in Catalan and Spanish. Colombian-Spanish musician NAVXJA has experimented with making everything from Bossa-Nova to straight-up electronic music. Her lyrics eloquently express her personal experiences and vulnerabilities.
पछिल्लो १०० एपिसोड देखाइएको।
