Over the past decade, Morgan Evans has quietly built one of the most globally successful careers in Australian country music from Newcastle to Nashville, with chart-topping hits, over a billion streams, and sold-out tours across the world.

In this episode of On The Record, Morgan revisits a defining chapter of his journey: his 2018 album Things to Drink To.

The record marked a turning point debuting at #1 in Australia, breaking into the US Billboard 200, and featuring standout tracks like Kiss Somebody and Day Drunk. But behind the success, Morgan was navigating something far deeper.

Written in the aftermath of losing his longtime manager and mentor, Morgan opens up about the grief, pressure, and personal challenges that shaped the music and how the album carried a kind of “stubborn optimism” even as life was unravelling.

With distance and perspective, this conversation explores:

What that album really meant at the time

What wasn’t possible to say back then

The reality behind success, fame, and creative pressure

And how Morgan sees that chapter of his life today

If you’re new here, I’m Poppy Reid, and this is On The Record where we revisit pivotal releases with the artists who lived them.

This is Morgan Evans. On The Record.

-------------------

Follow Poppy :https://www.instagram.com/itspoppyreid/

Follow Morgan Evans :https://www.instagram.com/morganevansmusic/

Follow Curious Media :https://www.instagram.com/itscuriousmedia/

Emotion. Connection. Creation.

In this powerful conversation, Danish duo Roya open up about what it really takes to turn raw emotion into music that connects with millions. They also take us behind the scenes into just how their hit song “Cruise” was created. This is not just a story about songs. This is a story about feeling.

From their first meeting that felt like “the missing part” of their lives, to the moment they realised they couldn’t give their music to anyone else, Roya share how vulnerability, instinct, and trust shaped their journey.

They speak candidly about:

• The moment Roya was born; and why there was “no turning back”

• Turning heartbreak into music in real time

• Why being an artist feels like “walking around the world with one layer less skin”

• Creating songs that hurt… but also heal

• Overthinking vs trusting the process

• How letting go led to their biggest breakthrough

• Building a deep creative and emotional connection

This episode goes beyond music. It’s about emotion, identity, and creating from a place of truth.

Watch till the end; because what they reveal about where their songs come from will change the way you listen to music.

Poppy Reid is dressed by American Apparel.

Shop the looks at https://www.americanapparel.com.au/

Follow Poppy :https://www.instagram.com/itspoppyreid/

Follow Roya :https://www.instagram.com/ohmyroya/

Follow Curious Media :https://www.instagram.com/itscuriousmedia/

From pub gigs in Dublin… to sharing stages with Ed Sheeran and Lewis Capaldi.

In this episode, Aaron Rowe opens up about the moments that changed everything; from a chance encounter in a bar to finding his voice as an artist in a global industry.

This is a conversation about more than music. It’s about identity, honesty, and what it really takes to be heard.

Aaron speaks candidly about:

● The night that led to meeting Lewis Capaldi

● How a single introduction connected him to Ed Sheeran

● Why authenticity matters more than making “perfect” songs

● Turning real conversations into music

● Writing from emotion vs discipline

● Growing up in Dublin and hiding his passion for music

● Irish identity and its influence on his sound

● Friendship, humility, and staying grounded in the industry

This is not just a story about success. It’s about finding your voice, and having the courage to use it.

Watch til the end as one question reveals what kind of career he truly wants.

Poppy Reid is dressed by American Apparel.

Shop the looks at https://www.americanapparel.com.au/

-------------------

Follow Poppy :https://www.instagram.com/itspoppyreid/

Follow Aaron rowe : https://www.instagram.com/aaronrowe__/

Follow Curious Media :https://www.instagram.com/itscuriousmedia/

Reinvention. Tenacity. Joy.

In this powerful conversation, Marcia Hines opens up about what it really takes to survive and thrive in the music industry for five decades.

From litigation battles and career pauses, to creative risks, artistic instinct, and trusting the unknown; to the emotional weight of storytelling and what it truly means to stand on stage and give joy.

She speaks candidly about:

• Why “reinvention is everything”

• The truth about how hard the music industry really is

• Talent vs tenacity

• Creative risk and longevity

• Grief, resilience, and singing through heartbreak

• Mentoring young artists in the age of fame

• The real meaning of being a storyteller

  
  

This is not a nostalgia interview. This is about evolution, purpose, and staying present.

Watch till the end as the final question changes everything.

-------------------

Follow Poppy :https://www.instagram.com/itspoppyreid/

Follow Marcia Hines :https://www.instagram.com/themarciahines/

Follow Curious Media :https://www.instagram.com/itscuriousmedia/

In this episode, Kaylee Bell opens up about the long road behind her so-called “overnight success” from growing up in New Zealand where country music didn’t exist on the radio, to becoming one of the region’s biggest modern country exports.

She talks candidly about spending nearly two decades grinding without guarantees, being told releasing a tribute song could be “career suicide,” and why trusting her instincts even when the industry pushed back changed everything. Kaylee breaks down how songs like Keith and Cowboy Up came to life, what interpolation really means, and why fan connection now matters more than gatekeepers.

Beyond the music, this conversation goes deep into the realities of being a female artist in country music the double standards, the business side no one teaches you, and the pressure to look perfect while holding everything together. Kaylee also shares her deeply personal health journey, years in and out of hospital, being told she might never have children, and the emotional shock of discovering she was pregnant right as her career reached a new level.

This episode is about resilience, risk, self-belief, and redefining success on your own terms proving that you can chase big dreams, speak up, become a mother, and still do meaningful, creative work.

------------

Follow Poppy :

https://instagram.com/itspoppyreid/

Follow Kaylee Bell :

https://instagram.com/kayleebellmusic/

Follow Curious Media :

https://instagram.com/itscuriousmedia/

Jacob Banks makes music that feels ancient and futuristic all at once. His baritone carries the weight of gospel fire, while his production moves between West African rhythms, UK garage, blues grit, and cinematic soul. Born in Nigeria, raised in the UK, andoriginally trained as a civil engineer, Jacob didn’t pursue music seriously until 21 — but every chapter of his life has shaped the artist he is today.

In this episode, we will visit Village, the 2018 debut album that explored identity, survival, heartbreak, and belonging. A record that has now crossed 300M+ streams world wide, Village marked Jacob’s rise from early SoundCloud uploads tosold-out international tours, FIFA soundtracks, major sync placements in Lucifer, Suits, and Netflix dramas, and a reputation as one of the most distinctive storytellers of his generation.

Across two albums, an EP, and a three-part anthology, Jacob has continued reinventing his sound — but today, we go deep into the creation of Village : the emotional palette,the risks he took, the stories behind the songs, and why the album still resonates seven years later.

------------

Follow Poppy :
Instagram.com/itspoppyreid/

Follow Jacob Banks :
Instagram.com/mrjacobbanks/

Follow Curious Media :
Instagram.com/itscuriousmedia/

-------------
If you love songwriting, pop history, creativity, or personal reinvention, this episode is for you

Shelly Peiken is a two-time Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum songwriter whose music has shaped the soundtrack of pop culture. She’s written some of the most iconic songs of the last 30 years including “Bitch” (Meredith Brooks), “What a Girl Wants” (Christina Aguilera), “Almost Doesn’t Count” (Brandy), and countless others recorded by Britney Spears, Celine Dion, Ed Sheeran, Miley Cyrus, and more.

In this episode, Shelly opens up about:– Her 10-year struggle before her first hit– The unexpected moment that inspired “Bitch”– Writing hits in an era before social media– The shock of hearing her song on the radio for the first time– Why modern pop has become a “wordplay competition”– How streaming destroyed songwriter income– The fight for songwriter rights and transparency– The rise of AI in music and why originality is more important than ever– Her creative shift into writing musicals--------Follow Poppy :Instagram.com/itspoppyreid/Follow Shelly PeikenIntsagram.com/shellypeikenFollow Curious MediaInstagram.com/itscuriousmedia/--------

If you love songwriting, pop history, creativity, or personal reinvention, this episode is for you. 

Nothing but respect for Ocean Alley for this.....#OceanAlley #FiredTheProducer #BehindTheMusic #CreativeDifferences#MusicIndustryTruths #BandDecisions #ArtistJourney

#OceanAlley #ChasingTrends #StayAuthentic #TheTruth#MusicIntegrity #ArtistMindset #CreativeFreedom

Ocean Alley: The Story Behind Chiaroscuro | On The Record

We dive deep into Chiaroscuro, the breakthrough second album that transformed Sydney’s Ocean Alley from local cult favourites into global sensations. Released in 2018, this record gave the world “Confidence”, the swagger-filled anthem that topped Triple J’s Hottest 100 (2019) and later blew up again on TikTok, re-entering both the ARIA and Billboard TikTok Top 50 charts.But Chiaroscuro was much more than one viral hit; it was a full-blown artistic statement. With four tracks in the Hottest 100, the album defined a generation of Aussie indie rock lovers.In this episode, Angus Goodwin and Mitch Galbraith join us to unpack how this album came to life; from share house jam sessions to global festival stages. Hear the untold stories, including the first-ever reveal of the original stems, that made Chiaroscuro a modern classic.---------------Follow Poppy :https://www.instagram.com/itspoppyreid/Follow Ocean Alley :https://www.instagram.com/oceanalleyband/Follow On The Record :https://www.instagram.com/ontherecord.po/Follow Curious Media :https://www.instagram.com/itscuriousmedia/--------------If you love Ocean Alley, Triple J classics, and stories behind Australia’s biggest albums — this one’s for you.#curiousmedia OceanAlley #Chiaroscuro #Confidence #OnTheRecord #AustralianMusic #TripleJ #Podcast #MusicPodcast #RockMusic #BehindTheMusic #Billboard #TikTokMusic #ARIA #IndieRock