Shea Couleé is a drag performer & musician from Chicago. Having rose to fame across three seasons of Ru Paul's Drag Race, she became beloved for her multifaceted performance skills. Now, she's released her debut album, '8' - a conceptual look at the fictional Lipstick City, & a tale of black, queer euphoria. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Murkage Dave is an artist from London. His raw, cards-on-the-table lyricism dances through an eclectic soundtrack - equally inspired by UK garage as it is by post punk. On 'The City Needs... Part Deux', stories of compassion meet ones about ego, & cheeky humour intermingles with moments of deeper reflection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ER FIGHTMASTER is an LA-based musician, comedian, actor & writer. On their new EP 'Violence', they re-fashion anti-queer, derogatory terms into stories of queer love, lust, & joy. It's as powerful as it is bop-heavy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Flyte are a London-based folk duo. Whether they're narrating the lives of fictional characters, or getting vulnerable with personal tales, the band always takes a heartfelt approach. Each subject is handled with care, each song penned with poetry and nuance. On their third record, the self-titled 'Flyte', the band's relationships take centre stage - both long-term romantic relationships, and their beloved creative friendships. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bombay Bicycle Club are a band from North London. Beloved in the world of indie rock for their vibrant take on the genre, the band has seen enormous international success. Now, they return with their latest record, My Big Day - it features some of the band's most heartfelt and playful writing, as well as collaborations with Damon Albarn, Chaka Khan, Holly Humberstone, Nilüfer Yanya, and Jay Som. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jalen Ngonda is an artist from Maryland, USA. Some of his accolades include graduating from LIPA (the performing arts school founded by Paul McCartney), playing some of world's biggest jazz festivals, and supporting the likes of Lauryn Hill and Laura Mvula. He joins me to discuss his debut album, Come Around And Love Me, and the creative process behind it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feist is an artist from Alberta, Canada. For more than two decades, Feist has cemented herself as a pillar of Canada's folk music legacy. On her latest album Multitudes, she covers topics from motherhood and intergenerational womanhood, to mortality and variations of grief. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Local Natives are a band from Los Angeles, California. After a difficult few years, the band worked hard to find healing & come back together stronger. On 'Time Will Wait For No One', the band sings of the unforgiving nature of time, trying to control the uncontrollable, & the resilience of hope amidst it all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Miya Folick is a solo artist based in Los Angeles. On her latest album Roach, Miya documents the high highs & low lows of early adulthood. Thanks to her unabashed vulnerability, the record gives us all room to be gentle to our younger selves, laugh at our mistakes, & rejoice in our growth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Curtis Waters is a Nepalese-Canadian artist. After a sudden viral hit shot him to fame in 2020, Curtis wanted to showcase a deeper side of his music, & tell his story on his own terms. Enter his sophomore album, BAD SON. On the album, Curtis covers the themes that intertwine in his life: fame & ego, bipolar disorder, the pressures of being the child of immigrants, & more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gengahr are a band from East London. Their brilliant musicianship has endured across four albums, and their approach to songwriting has grown and shifted alongside of it. While earlier songs played with abstract concepts and mythical creatures, their later work is increasingly personal. On Red Sun Titans, the band explores life’s big existential themes and grounding in the things that get us through our days. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Half Moon Run are a band based in Montreal, Canada. They released their debut album, Dark Eyes, in 2013, and quickly gained fans both locally & internationally. Throughout the pandemic, they found themselves digging through cassettes from that time period, revisiting these ideas with fresh perspective. The result is is their fourth album Salt: a musical conversation between past and present, exploring all that has changed and all that remains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Big Moon are a 4-piece indie rock group from London England. On their latest album Here Is Everything, frontwoman Juliette Jackson unpacks the highs and lows of first-time motherhood. She details expectations versus realities, the double isolation of infant rearing and Covid lockdowns, all the way to the euphoria of loving your child. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Westerman is an artist from London, England currently based in Athens, Greece. On his latest record ‘An Inbuilt Fault’, he looks at the human condition in both its glory & its mess, doing so by fusing stories from his own life, those of known figures, & observations about our modern way of living. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will Joseph Cook is an artist from Kent, England. With his newer music, namely his last album ‘Every Single Thing’ and his recent single “MF BASSLINE”, Will aims to be more open. These songs are an excercise in acceptance: accepting the way one feels, no matter how scary, difficult or even awkward a feeling is. Whether he’s musing about an unabashed dive into infatuation, or finding peace with emotional lows, his music reminds us that vulnerability is the best way forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Billie Marten is a songwriter based in London. On her last record, Flora Fauna, Billie began to examine herself through her writing (We actually spoke about Flora Fauna back on Episode 24 of the podcast). Nearly two years later, she is out with another self-examining record: Drop Cherries. It’s a tender, multifaceted observation of long-term love, vulnerability, and finding joy in the mundane. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Benny Sings is a songwriter & producer based in Amsterdam. Over the years, he has become known for his vibrant & eclectic approach to pop. On Young Hearts, Benny continues his quest for pop gold, flexing his well-established songwriting skills & breathing new life into some of pop’s longstanding tropes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jaws of Love is the solo project of Kelcey Ayer, one of the founding members of Local Natives. His new record, Second Life, explores big, existential questions by way of small, everyday moments. It’s about moving through life’s phases, even when change is scary & outcomes are uncertain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mykki Blanco is an artist with a decade-long career. For ‘Stay Close to Music’, they pulled several pages from their own diary - the record delves into Mykki’s innermost worries and desires, asking questions about oneself & their relationships with others. Simultaneously, the record is celebratory: Mykki proudly flexes their position as a musical pioneer, & honors the icons who inspired them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Quinn Christopherson is an artist from Anchorage, Alaska. Much like his Ahtna Athabascan and Iñupiaq ancestors, he is a storyteller at heart. He writes with earnestness & compassion, handling both heavy & joyful moments with equal care. On his debut record ‘Write Your Name in Pink’, he tells us stories from his life up until now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Amazons are a four-piece rock group from Reading, England. Their third album, How Will I Know If Heaven Will Find Me? is incredibly personal - a lot of its songs focus on frontman Matt Thomson’s long-distance relationship with his partner. In a wider sense, the record explores the feeling of loving someone from a distance & of longing for the things we miss - after the past few years, these are feelings we can all relate to. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MUNA are a pop trio based in Los Angeles. They have garnered a devout fanbase, thanks to their bright hooks & unique approach to pop songwriting. Their lyrics cover everything from heartbreak & longing, to mindfulness, self-love, & queer & female empowerment. Their new self-titled record, their first release on Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory Records, is simultaneously their healthiest &, as they've said themselves, their horniest songwriting yet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bhi Bhiman is a solo artist based in Los Angeles, who has collaborated with the likes of Chris Cornell, Keegan-Michael Key, Dave Eggers and Boots Riley. On his latest record, I’ll Sleep When I’m Famous, Bhi balances feelings of hope and grief. It’s a deeply existential album, exploring how we choose to live our lives & face our ultimate fate. But in the end, the record offers a sense of hope and peace: we can live on after tragedy, and hold on to love while we’re still here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mysie is an artist based in London, England. On her latest EP ‘joyride’, she explores the complexities & heartbreak of a long-term relationship. We discuss the ways we protect ourselves in relationships, the forces - both internal and external - that can drive people apart, and discovering that, in the end, there is still light at the end of the tunnel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pond are a psychedelic rock band from Perth. On their 9th album (aptly named ‘9’), they took a mostly insular approach, drawing on personal experiences and niche interests for lyrical themes. Frontman Nick Albrook wanted the album to be lengthly and sprawling, but in a democratic vote amongst band members, they decided to cap it at 9 tracks. This is where the Deluxe Edition comes in: with 4 new songs added to the tracklist, Nick and I go through all 12 songs in depth. So buckle in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Poppy Ajudha is a London-based solo artist. She has been making a name for herself in the London music scene for years, and in 2022, she has finally released her debut album The Power In Us. On this record, Poppy fiercely takes on a breadth of social issues, like abortion bans, feminism, immigration bans, mental health and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lady Wray is a solo artist based in Atlanta. She has had a long career in the world of RnB & Hip-Hop, and has experienced her fair share of highs and lows. Her latest record Piece of Me offers raw insight into her life, career, faith & the all-encompassing love she has for her daughter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fana Hues is a RnB artist based in Los Angeles. Her new album flora + fana is as refreshingly botanical as it is dizzyingly psychedelic. More importantly, it’s a beautiful scrapbook of musings on heartbreak, sex, situationships, & the growth that comes with them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Metronomy are a wonky pop 5-piece from the UK. They’ve been a major indie staple in their homeland for over a decade, & it’s really no wonder why - their unique approach to pop is more than meets the ear, encompassing an eclectic concoction of other genres. Their latest record, Small World is no exception: you’ll hear indietronica rubbing shoulders with alternative rock, dream pop, & more. And it all soundtracks a hopeful message, which we’ll be discussing in this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Palace are a London-based indie four-piece. Their third full-length album, Shoals, is a meditation on fear - something we all struggle to come to terms with. Backed by an ethereal soundtrack, frontman Leo Wyndham takes us through his journey towards befriending the unknown - from his first interactions with fear to finding solace in human connection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sloppy Jane is an artist based in New York City. Her latest record, Madison, is a concept album through and through - amongst other things, she recorded it 120 feet below ground in a West Virginian cave. The record explores the theme of unrequited love, and basks in all of its blue-washed melodrama. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Munya is a solo artist, originally from Saguenay, Quebec. Like many people during the pandemic, she found herself needing an escape - so she began writing. The result was an album filled with space-themed songs, made to take the listener on an intergalactic journey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nation of Language are a trio from Brooklyn, New York. Despite close comparisons to OMD, New Order & Kraftwerk, the band have managed to carve out an original sound. Their use of synthesizers is emotive & visceral, easily morphing from song to song. Their new record A Way Forward, spans the cold sounds of a concrete jungle to the euphoria of new love. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back in 2019, Rebecca Lucy Taylor released Compliments Please, her debut solo album under the moniker Self Esteem. She has now returned with Prioritize Pleasure, another album celebrating emotional growth, sexual freedom, healing, & queer expression. She joined me way back on Episode 3 to discuss the first record, so it is a joy to have her back now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mr. Jukes & Barney Artist is the collaborative project between two of London’s brightest musicians. Mr. Jukes, aka Jack Steadman, is a solo jazz artist, as well as the frontman of Bombay Bicycle Club. Barney is a rapper from East London whose style is a blend of 90s era rap - think A Tribe Called Quest & Wu-Tang Clan - and jazz. Both artists frequently collaborate with their friends in the London jazz scene, so collaborating on an album came naturally to them. On ‘The Locket’, they hope to spread a little joy, and remind us all to hold onto the things that matter most. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Her’s was a duo from Liverpool, comprised of Stephen Fitzpatrick and Audun Laading. Their fans loved them for their silly antics, beautiful friendship, and most importantly, their stylish yet deeply tender songs. As the third anniversary of their debut album “Invitation to Her’s” approaches, I wanted to look back on the beautiful music they made, and the wonderful people that they were. Because I did not know them well, I am joined by someone who did: Saam Jafarzadeh, their dear friend and producer of their debut album. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eliza Shaddad is a Sudanese-Scottish artist. Her sound is equal parts gritty grunge and soft folk, and she pens her lyrics with unabashed transparency. On ‘The Woman You Want’, Eliza writes about the lows of lockdown, new marriage, and pushing against the expectations that others put on her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Drug Stores Romeos are a trio from Fleet in the UK. For their debut album ‘the world within our bedrooms’, they’ve offered up a slice of escapism, thanks to their cushiony sonic worlds. We get to wander through subconscious thoughts & unpack the world around us from a safe emotional distance, tucked away in the safe space of one’s own bedroom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sandunes is a composer, producer and pianist from Mumbai, India. She has been making mostly instrumental music for years, but lately she has been drawn to the emotional power of the human voice. This has been especially important for her latest EP ‘ Nowhere to Stand’, which explores the fears & questions surrounding change. On the EP, she explores both her own relationship with change, and that of the four guest vocalists who feature on it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michelle Zauner, better known as Japanese Breakfast, is a Brooklyn-based solo artist. After writing two albums made to help process grief - ‘Psychopomp’ & ‘Soft Sounds from Another Planet’ - she felt that she deserved to finally write about joy. On ‘Jubilee’, she explores joy from all angles, from chasing it to the experience of it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Billie Marten is a solo artist currently based in London. Throughout her teen years, she became a rising star of UK indie folk. But until recently, she never explicitly wrote about herself, obscuring meaning behind poeticized lyrics. On “Flora Fauna” however, she has chosen to face herself directly, both celebrating the growth she has experienced, & readying herself for the growth that comes next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Small Black are a chillwave four-piece from New York City. Frontman Josh Kolenik has called several parts of the Tri State Area home, having grown up on Long Island and now residing in Brooklyn. Between moving around & the recent loss of his uncle, a surfboard shaper and local fixture on Long Island, Josh has been reflecting on what it means to live a fulfilling life. It is this question that has largely shaped the band’s new album, Cheap Dreams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Flyte are a three-piece band based in London, known for their tight harmonies & brilliant, near-perfect instrumentation. On ‘This Is Really Going to Hurt’, they intentionally dropped some of their usual polish; frontman Will had come out of an 8-year relationship, & was writing his most vulnerable songs to date. The resulting record is a true gut-punch, powerfully taking us through the pain of endings, & the healing that comes after them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julien Baker is an artist from Memphis Tennessee. She is known for both her solo work, & as a member of the bands Forrister & boygenius. Her 2015 record Sprained Ankle rose her to fame with its gut-wrenchingly honest songwriting. On Little Oblivions, her third full-length album, Julien explores themes of addiction & relapse, mental health & faith, never mincing her words. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nuha Ruby Ra is a London-based experimental artist, with roots in sound art & avant-punk music. For her debut EP, she took the ups & downs of an unhealthy relationship & fashioned them into a powerful journey. How To Move is a raw, visceral, complete record that shows that while the healing process is never perfect, we can emerge with new resilience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Genesis Owusu is a Ghanian-Australian artist, currently based in Canberra. He has an affinity for genre-stretching sounds & storytelling; because of this, his music is full of colour & complexity. On his debut album ‘Smiling With No Teeth’, he explores the interconnectedness of depression & racism - two things that have greatly impacted his life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Claud is a solo artist based in Los Angeles. Blending elements of dream pop, indie & more, their music is as refreshingly bright as it is warm & introspective. On their debut album Super Monster, they show that growth isn’t an easy, linear process; it’s okay to fall on your face, & overcoming things does’t happen overnight. In time, we all fall into place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

clipping. are an experimental rap trio currently based out of Los Angeles, California. Their last two albums, 'There Existed an Addiction to Blood' & 'Visions of Bodies Being Burned', draw heavy influence from horrorcore, a niche genre of rap from the 90s. However, where horrorcore was often campy, clipping. goes visceral, making fully-fledged horror films for your ears. I am joined now by the three members of the group to discuss the second of the aforementioned records, Visions of Bodies Being Burned. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices