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…

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. C…

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…

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 unti…

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 Edinbur…

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 ar…

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 …

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 bl…

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 tra…

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 wor…

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…

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 wi…

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…

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…

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 San…

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 Belgia…

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-ins…

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 t…

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 albu…

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, Dea…

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 …

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 s…

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 …

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 o…

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 c…

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…

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 (vi…

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 …

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 cl…

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, fiddl…

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 Syapham…

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 a…

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 rele…

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.…

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 the…

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 …

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 featur…

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 …

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 b…

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 doin…

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 sound…

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 t…

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 Arab…

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 t…

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 Que…

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 t…

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 Turkis…