Music Life

By BBC World ServiceSociety & Culture

Music Life episodes

May 29, 2020 Turning fear into excitement with Austra, Dry Cleaning's Florence Shaw, Dan Deacon and Cosmo Sheldrake
Prepare to be inspired by this week as Canadian singer Katie Stelmanis, AKA Austra, sits down with Dan Deacon, Cosmo Sheldrake and Dry Cleaning’s Florence Shaw.
Dan Deacon is a singer-songwriter and film score composer from Baltimore, USA, who is known for his exhilarating live shows and is described by his record label Domino as an "alchemist of electro-acoustic recording tools". He released his latest record Mystic Familiar in January 2020, his first to display his natural singing voice.
Another artist known to surprise his audiences is Cosmo Sheldrake, who often brings sounds from the natural world into his records and live performances. A multi-instrumentalist, producer, singer and songwriter, Cosmo released his debut album in 2018, and his compositions have featured in theatre, film, and London's Natural History Museum.
They’re joined by Florence Shaw, who is a visual artist and university lecturer as well as being the lead vocalist and lyricist for London-based band Dry Cleaning. Her sources of lyrical inspiration include social anxiety, YouTube comments and even takeaway menus.
They’ll be discussing the odd places they find inspiration, how an album’s format can impact the music itself, and overcoming anxiety.
32 min
May 22, 2020 Creative freedom with Labdi, Hibotep, Karun and Faisal Mostrixx
A show dedicated to artists from the Kenyan and Ugandan underground. Kenyan musician and singer-songwriter Labdi, the only female Orutu player in East Africa, is going to guide us through the episode. She’ll be asking the group how they settled on making their authentic sounds, if they feel free creatively, and whether the influence of West African music is a positive or negative.
Answering those questions is: Hibotep, a Ugandan counter-culture visionary, DJ, filmmaker, fashion designer, installation artist, rapper and producer. She’s performed twice for Boiler Room at Nyege Nyege Festival and is one of the lead artists in East Africa’s New Wave. Karun is a Nairobi-based singer and songwriter, Berklee College of Music alumni and formerly part of the BET Awards nominated Camp Mulla. She’s now a solo artist and one of Kenya’s most celebrated soul voices, appearing in Forbes Africa’s 30 Under 30 last year. And Faizal Mostrixx is one of Kampala’s most recognised contemporary dancers and a producer giving traditional Ugandan sounds a modern makeover with electronics in an effort to preserve its heritage. He also featured in the Resident Advisor artist 15 East African Artists You Need to Hear, and he recently provided the music for the Adidas Originals campaign Freedom.
35 min
May 15, 2020 'Why didn't I think of that?' with Ella Eyre, Mahalia, MNEK and Hamzaa
A huge episode of Music Life this week, with Ella Eyre, Hamzaa, Mahalia, and MNEK.
Our host today is BRIT Award and MOBO winner Ella Eyre, a singer who's worked with the likes of Rudimental, Sigala, Meghan Trainor, Bastille, and French Montana. She's joined by Mahalia, an R&B/Neo-Soul singer, songwriter and actor who started playing the guitar at 13, and has worked and toured with the likes of Rudimental, Emeli Sande and Ed Sheeran. Her album Love and Compromise, released last year, features Burna Boy, Lucky Daye, and Ella Mai - as well as another of our guests today, Hamzaa. She's an alt-soul singer-songwriter and pianist who’s worked with Wretch 32 & Ghetts, been championed by Stormzy and compared to Adele, and supported Ray BLK.
Completing the lineup is Grammy-nominated songwriter, record producer and recording artist MNEK . He’s had a major impact on the British pop charts by co-writing hits for the Saturdays and Duke Dumont, and has since gone on to work with the likes of Beyoncé, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, and Little Mix.
They’ll be discussing what you look for in a co-writer, what you want out of a producer, and how easy or hard it is to get the record labels on board with your music.
35 min
May 08, 2020 'I don't like rules' with Moelogo, Pongo, Silvastone, and Viva Msimang
This week on Music Life, Nigerian born artist Moelogo welcomes Pongo, Silvastone, and Viva Msimang (Penya).
We are very lucky to be joined by; Pongo, a vocalist and songwriter based in Portugal, born in Angola. She has renewed the Kuduro music by mixing her African roots with EDM, Bass, Dancehall, and Pop and her videos have been watched over 11 million times online. Silvastone is an genre-defying artist, producer and songwriter, raised in Freetown in Sierra Leone, and born to Ghanaian and Sierra Leonean parents. He describes his music as “a creative hybrid of African Beats and UK Street Sounds marinated in Global Melodies”. He’s worked with everybody from Popcaan and Davido to Damian Marley and Rita Ora. And finally, Viva Msimang who is a trombonist and singer of Chilean and South African heritage from the band Penya. She’s also worked with the likes of former Music Life host Sarthy Korwar, the Mercury-nominated Go Team, and Tanzanian musician Msafiri Zawose. And host Moelogo is an Afrobeat, R&B, and Hip Hop singer and songwriter who has collaborated with the likes of Giggs, Mostack, Tiggs Da Author, Mr Eazi, Adekunle Gold, Da Beatfreakz, Wretch 32, and Jonas Blue.
Together, they’ll be discussing how to stand out in today’s music scene, whether record labels help or hinder the creative process, and how their music connects with audiences.
28 min
May 01, 2020 The influence of family with Soweto Kinch, Shingai Shoniwa, Eno Williams and Barney Artist
Music Life this week sees British jazz saxophonist, MC, and poet Soweto Kinch host Shingai Shoniwa, Eno Williams, and Barney Artist.
Singer and bassist Shingai Shoniwa is formerly of the band The Noisettes. The name Shingai, according to Wikipedia, means "bold/courageous/strong" in the Shona language. Eno Williams is the lead vocalist in the electronic funk band Ibibio Sound Machine. She was born in London but spent most of her childhood in Nigeria where her family spoke Ibibio, the native language of the Ibibio people in Akwa Ibom Staten. And our final guest is Barney Artist, a London rapper, who’s worked with George The Poet, Tom Misch, and Jordan Rakai. Soweto is a Mercury prize nominated / MOBO winning artist who’s been championed by Mos Def and Rodney P and has supported the likes of KRS ONE, Dwele, and TY. He’s also the nicest guy in music.
Together they explore themes in music that revolve around family and its influence, the idea of homecoming and identity, and the importance of language.
26 min
April 24, 2020 Music therapy with Kane Brown,Holly Macve and Olivia Lane
Young country stars Kane Brown, Holly Macve and Olivia Lane discuss writing songs as therapy, recurring themes, and being put in a difficult position by their lyrics.
Kane Brown is a superstar in the making from Tennessee, and has been called the ‘Justin Bieber of country’. He has worked with the likes of Khalid, Becky G, and Marshmello, and his influences include Chris Young, George Strait, Lee Brice and Garth Brooks. He’s also the only artist in to simultaneously top all five of Billboard's country music charts.
Olivia Lane is an up and coming artist who is also from Tennessee, but was born in Texas. Her lyrics cover a wide range of topics from romance to mental health struggles. She cites Shania Twain, Frank Sinatra, Linda Ronstadt, Carole King and Taylor Swift as some of her musical influences.
And this week’s host, Holly Macve, is an Irish alt-country singer and guitarist, who has shared a stage with the likes of John Grant, Benjamin Clementine, and Ryley Walker. Her grandfather was a classical composer and her mother sang and collected blues, country and jazz records, so music definitely runs in the family.
27 min
April 17, 2020 The voice of the inner critic with Caroline Polachek, Robert Glasper, Colin Greenwood and Tamino
Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood discusses all things music with Tamino, Caroline Polachek, and Robert Glasper. Together, they’ll be attempt to solve the riddle of how they keep the creative flame alive, overcoming the voice of the inner critic, and why you need a plan B – a get out plan - if you’re a musician.
Colin Greenwood – the brother of Radiohead guitarist and keyboardist Jonny – is the bassist with Radiohead. He’s selected an awesome array of musicians to talk to: Belgian singer, musician, and model of Egyptian and Lebanese heritage Tamino; songwriter, producer, and singer formerly of Chairlift, who’s worked with the likes of Solange, Blood Orange, Travis Scott, and Charli XCX, Caroline Polachek; and Robert Glasper, a Grammy and Emmy Award-winning jazz pianist, producer, composer, and arranger, who’s worked with Kendrick Lamaar, Kanye West, Erykah Badu, Q-Tip, J Dilla, Jay-Z and Anderson Paak.
32 min
April 10, 2020 Overcoming obstacles with Melisa Whiskey, Zlatan, Lyta, and Garry Mapanzure
Melisa Whiskey, a singer from London by way of Nigeria, talks to some of the finest young African talent out there at the minute: Nigerian musician and dancer Zlatan, who has worked with the likes of Burna Boy, Olamide, Lil Kesh, and Davido; fellow Nigerian musician Lyta, who's making waves after releasing the singles Selfmade, Time, and the Davido-produced Monalisa; and Garry Mapanzure, a 21-year-old artist and architecture student from Harare, Zimbabwe, who’s an All Africa Music Awards winner.
Together they discuss their creative processes, if stage fright exists, and the pretty huge obstacles they’ve had to face to achieve success. BIG obstacles.
25 min
April 03, 2020 'Do my friends like my music?' with Shura, Kim Petras, Mae Muller and Ego Ella May
A bumper edition of Music Life this week sees alt-pop singer and guitarist Shura host Kim Petras, Mae Muller, and Ego Ella May.
German pop icon Kim Petras is now based in Los Angeles. She’s worked with everybody from Charli XCX and Fergie to MAX, Sophie, Jojo, and ALMA, and topped the Spotify viral 50 chart in 2017. Mae Muller is a rising pop star, releasing her debut album Chapter 1 last year. Self-taught songwriter, producer and guitarist Ego Ella May has worked with the likes of Oscar Jerome, Joe Armon-Jones (from Ezra Collective), Wu-Lu and Eddie Hick (from Sons of Kemet).
They discuss how social media affects the ability to create, how to know when a song is done, and whether trying to be commercial affects how songs are written. Plus the greatest names for dogs.
28 min
March 27, 2020 'Never plan' with La Roux, Channy Leaneagh, Elaha Soroor, and Dana Gavanski
Channy Leaneagh, the lead singer and synth player with the Minnesota band Polica, asks La Roux, Elaha Soroor, and Dana Gavanski what makes them want to write more, if they feel satisfied with the way they release music, and about their issues with the media industry.
Elly Jackson, also known as La Roux, is a bona fide alt-pop star and Grammy Award-winning singer, who is now back with her first album in five years, Supervision. Dana Gavanski is a folk singer-songwriter born in Vancouver, Canada, to a Serbian family. She’s a newcomer on the music scene, who has made waves with her debut album Yesterday Is Gone. And “protest singer” Elaha Soroor, from Afghanistan, born in Iran, found fame on the TV show Afghan Star – the Afghan equivalent of American Idol. She was forced to flee the country after singing songs critical of the Afghan culture and its oppression of women.
27 min