Tanya Burr, who first found fame uploading makeup tutorials to YouTube in 2009 that reached millions of views and made her one of the UK’s very first “influencers”, comes on Straight Up to talk to Kathleen and Eleanor all about her pivot to acting and the launch of her lifestyle brand Authored.

As well as recommending her favourite beauty products and explaining their sustainability, Tanya also reveals how her anxiety as a teen stopped her from pursuing her love of drama, but how hours of therapy gave her the confidence to take up acting classes in her mid-twenties and become a professional actress across theatre, TV and film.

Over some gin cocktails from Lockdown Liquor, Tanya also talked battling body image issues and why she never reads reviews, as well as finding love in her thirties after going through a divorce at 29. Plus, the music that reminds her of her best memories with friends as well as of her new relationship.

Thank you to our two amazing sponsors for this episode:

Lockdown Liquor, which sent Straight Up and Tanya the gorgeous Pepino cocktails to enjoy on air. Lockdown Liquor’s range of nine pre blended cocktails are crafted by expert mixologists and include everything from Espresso Martinis to a killer Old Fashioned. Perfect for gifts, nights at home with friends or special events. Order yours from lockdown-liquor.com 

Dame, the world’s first climate positive period brand, making products that are both healthier for you and the planet and which has already saved hundreds of millions of pieces of plastic from going into landfill. This female founded green brand is changing the game with its amazing products including the reusable tampon applicator, tampons and reusable pads – and we are never going back. Enjoy 25 per cent off Dame products at wearedame.co. with the exclusive code UP25!

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What's it like to quit a seven-year medicine degree to chance it on a music career? Over some spicy margaritas, the lead singer, writer and producer of psych-pop band Glass Animals tells Straight Up all about how he swapped a career as a neuroscientist to launch a No1 band with a record-breaking one billion streams for their 2020 single Heat Waves.

Also in this episode, Dave busts some myths around life as a musician, including how the band had to wash their own underpants while on a major tour, how he spent the band's minimal advance from their record label, and his escape strategy for when fans recognise him in public.

Plus, Dave recalled his funniest drunken story, his strangest conspiracy theories and the one internet black hole he always falls into.

Thank you to our two amazing sponsors:

VOX, which has everything any amateur or professional guitarist needs for the home and studio, from noise-cancelling headphones to retro-looking electric guitars and amps. Check their brand-new VOX Bobcat V90 & S66 semi-hollow body guitars and VH-Q1 smart noise-cancelling headphones for guitarists voxamps.com

Follow Eleanor on Instagram @elliehalls1 and Kathleen @kathleen.m.johnston

Straight Up's music and editing is by Marlon Percy. Follow him on Instagram @marlonpercy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do you do when you're about to embark on a world tour but are suffering from burnout? London Grammar frontwoman Hannah Reid sat down with Kathleen and Eleanor to trace her journey from the band forming at Nottingham University to coping with a chronic illness and industry misogyny all the while going to No1. 

Hannah spoke powerfully about her experiences of sexism in the music business (from getting her lyrics called "vacuous" by critics to being dismissed as "irrational"), as well as the problematic adoration of the complicated male genius and how macho culture can also corrode men in the music business as well as women. Straight Up also drilled into why some male critics write about women’s music so patronisingly, and how Hannah felt pressured to desexualise her image to be taken seriously.

Plus, Hannah revealed what she blew one of her first paycheques on, the one person she stalks religiously from the London Grammar Instagram account and the career she secretly fantasises about if she ever calls it quits on music. And of course, as always, shares the songs that have soundtracked her highs and lows.

This episode of Straight Up is supported by two brilliant sponsors:

Strykk, the no-alcohol, calorie-light spirit range that will save you from your worst mornings. By swapping to Strykk, you'll be waving goodbye to hangovers without compromising on taste or the fun of a fancy drink. All of the spirit, none of the alcohol - what's not to love? It’s as simple as using each one as a straight swap for its namesake spirit, bringing some much needed balance for those who want to take a flexible approach to drinking. We are so happy to be offering listeners of Straight Up 25% off site wide with code STRAIGHTUP25. Check out the amazing Not Vanilla V*dka, perfect for pornstar or espresso martinis, and the rest of the range, from Not G*n to Not R*m, s at strykk.com

Q Acoustics, the must-have wireless, widescreen speakers that can connect with everything from your phone and tablet to your TV and turntable. They will upgrade your listening experience as well as your living room, and are perfect for listening to London Grammar's new album Californian Soil at home with friends. Snap up your pair at qacoustics.co.uk

Follow Eleanor on Instagram @elliehalls1 and Kathleen @kathleen.m.johnston

Straight Up's music and editing is by Marlon Percy. Follow him on Instagram @marlonpercy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you keep your privacy when you're one of the most famous YouTubers in the entire world, and have shared your entire life online? One of the first YouTubers to make his name on the platform (where he has 23 million subscribers) KSI spoke to Kathleen and Eleanor about the pressures of being in the public eye from such a young age. 

Over Bacardi rum cocktails, KSI also talked through the songs that have soundtracked his life's highs and lows, from the song he wrote for his first romance (and which he has tried to scrub from the internet) to the songs he associates with heady nights of success. Plus, KSI spills the beans on how he met his girlfriend of three years – and how he has managed to keep her identity from prying fans – his reflections on getting cancelled for using a transphobic slur, and whether we will ever see him come offline completely.

Also in this episode, KSI reveals his favourite cryptocurrency, whether he will let his kids use social media and the songs he loves to sing in the shower.

Thank you to this episode's two brilliant sponsors:

Bacardi, who provided the amazing Coco Colada Spritzes we drank with KSI during the record: a simple but delicious mix of pineapple juice, soda water and Bacardi's coconut flavoured white rum. It's the perfect drink for the holiday season, immediately bringing the tropical island vibes we are all so sorely missing. Get your bottle from major retailers including Asda, Sainsburys, Ocado and Tesco.

Q Acoustics, the must-have wireless, widescreen speakers that can connect with everything from your phone and tablet to your TV and turntable. They will upgrade your listening experience as well as your living room. Snap up your pair at qacoustics.co.uk

Follow Eleanor on Instagram @elliehalls1 and Kathleen @kathleen.m.johnston

Straight Up's music and editing is by Marlon Percy. Follow him on Instagram @marlonpercy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should women pay on the first date? Should men date women with more money than them? In this very juicy episode, South London RnB musician Ray BLK chats to Kathleen and Eleanor all about dating do's and don'ts ahead of her debut album Access Denied.

Ray also shared hilarious anecdotes around first paycheques, her very first experiences of success and her craziest moments from the last few years (including her funniest drunken night out in Ghana).

Plus, Ray reveals how the music industry forced her to make pop music at the expense of her true self, and Ray shares for the very first time a traumatic X Factor audition that happened when she was 16, and a song from a few years ago that she regrets making today.

Follow Ray on Instagram @rayblk and pre-order Access Denied on iTunes or Amazon Music. Follow Eleanor on Instagram @elliehalls1 and Kathleen @kathleen.m.johnston

This episode of Straight Up has two wonderful sponsors. First up hometipple, the one-stop-shop for creating your own at-home bar all the while giving back to winemakers, brewers and distillers all around the world. Use the discount code straighthome21 to open a PRO account that gets you 10% off every purchase. Open yours now at hometipple.com

And second, the independent jeweller Katie Mullally, whose gorgeous handmade collections are all hallmarked at either the London or Dublin Assay Office and are therefore an investment for life. Check out her designs at katiemullally.co.uk

Straight Up's music and editing is by Marlon Percy. Follow him on Instagram @marlonpercy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the world’s most adored film directors Zack Snyder comes on the brand-new second series of Straight Up to talk all about the music that made him: from the songs that soundtracked his childhood and his first romance to the song that always makes him cry.

Zack also chats to Kathleen and Eleanor all about his favourite songs from across his films, as well as getting stuck into topics around being a provocateur, reading reviews, vulnerability and the power of fandoms.

Plus, Zack picks his favourite character from Justice League and Army of the Dead, gives us a sneak peak at the Army of the Dead TV series and what‘s happening with Fountainhead.

Thank you to our three amazing sponsors for this episode:

Polaroid, the game-changing instant camera legend which has just launched the world’s smallest instant analog camera and 2021's coolest little gadget: the Polaroid Go. It's a must-have for young creatives, with a newly developed selfie mirror, self-timer, a battery life for 15 packs of film, dynamic flash, and double exposure. Check it out at uk.polaroid.com

hometipple, the one-stop-shop for creating your own at-home bar all the while giving back to winemakers, brewers and distillers all around the world. Use the discount code straighthome21 to open a PRO account that gets you 10% off every purchase. Open yours now at hometipple.com

Q Acoustics, the must-have wireless, widescreen speakers that can turn your sitting room into a mini at-home cinema: perfect for watching all of Zack's incredible films and hearing the soundtracks in all their glory! Snap up your pair at qacoustics.co.uk

Find Kathleen on Instagram @kathleen.m.johnston and Eleanor @elliehalls1

Thank you to Marlon Percy for our music and editing. Find him on Instagram @marlonpercy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

No one puts the UK's biggest musicians in their place like Amelia Dimoldenberg, CEO of Chicken Shop Date, the cult YouTube series in which the comedian and broadcaster takes stars to their favourite chicken shop, and grills them about everything from their love lives to their most embarrassing moments. Both deliciously awkward and completely hilarious, Chicken Shop Date has become a massive viral hit, racking up millions of views, and with guests including AJ Tracey, Dave, D Double E, Sean Paul, and Maya Jama.

Amelia talked to us about her favourite Chicken Shop Date episodes, the musicians who have turned her down, the one date that went disastrously wrong and the musician she still keeps thinking about. Also on this episode, Amelia dissects the behind-the-scenes of how Chicken Shop Date is filmed, how she prepares her questions and who she still wants to get on the show.

Also this week: the wild success of pop prodigy Billie Eilish, who has become the youngest writer of the Bond song. Keep listening right until the end to hear all about her pet tarantula, her brother Finneas and her sleep paralysis. 

Follow Amelia on IG @ameliadimz and shoot us a DM at @staightuppod

Loved this episode of Straight Up? Have any suggestions for our next episode? Are you a brand wanting to chat to us about sponsorship opportunities? We'd love to hear from you: [email protected]

Straight Up's music and editing is by Marlon Percy: @marlonpercy

Straight Up was recorded at club and co-working space The Ministry by Chris Bailey of The Boy in the Corner @cornerHQ

Straight Up is sponsored by online spirits specialist Master of Malt, where you can buy Amelia's bottle of Artigianale Prosecco.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's it like to tour the world with Harry Styles, capturing some of the most intimate and symbolic moments of his life and career? Paris-based photographer Hélène Pambrun talks to Kathleen and Eleanor all about how she first met Harry, and why her interest in his fans is the reason she was hired by his team.

Also in this episode, Straight Up and Hélène talk all about the power of seduction in photoshoots, as well as her most striking memories shooting everyone from Lenny Kravitz and Ed Sheeran to Tom Hanks.

Plus, Hélène reveals what she wants to do next. Have a listen!

Thank you to this episode's three wonderful sponsors: 

Polaroid, the game-changing instant camera legend, which has just launched the Polaroid Go, the world’s smallest instant analog camera. Portable, wearable, and take-anywhere-able, the Polaroid Go is set to be the next generation’s creative collaborator, featuring a newly developed selfie mirror, self-timer, a battery life for 15 packs of film, dynamic flash, and double exposure. polaroid.com

Piper-Heidsieck champagne, which we enjoyed while recording this episode to toast to Hélène's incredible career. 

Eliou jewellery, which Harry Styles fans will know is loved by the pop star himself. Fans of Straight Up get 15 per cent off at Eliou using the discount code STRAIGHTUP15, via www.eliou-eliou.com.

Straight Up's music and editing is by Marlon Percy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chic co-founder and super producer Nile Rodgers, along with his longtime manager Merck Mercuriadis, joins Straight Up to chat about how they’ve made a decades-long professional partnership work, what they love most about each other and why they’ve never had an argument (except a small one in this episode).

They also told us all about their new business venture, Hipgnosis, which is essential to anyone who loves music and cares about the fair treatment of performing artists and songwriters. It is completely changing the way the music industry works by challenging the power of the big record companies, redressing an uneven power balance that has been corroding the music industry for decades. 

How? By buying some of the most famous songs in the world, because Hipgnosis believes that songs are just as valuable as gold and oil, completely unaffected by economic cycles, and basically just about the safest investment you can make. By buying up these songs and "actively managing" them, they are giving these old songs a new lease of life, protecting their cultural legacy, while giving songwriters more money.

Merck and Nile also chat about why songwriters are so undervalued, how it feels to disrupt music industry from the inside when its top execs are the people they go on holiday with, and the UK artists they love right now.

Thank you to our three wonderful sponsors:

Q Acoustics, which has just launched the most handsome active speakers on the market, ideal for music lovers who want rich, beautiful, widescreen sound as well as a living room upgrade. The Q Active 200 speakers will transform your interiors and listening experience in equal measure. Check them out at qacoustics.co.uk. 

Eve bar, our favourite Covent Garden bar from Adam Handling, which serves some of the most luxurious and theatrical cocktails in the city. Their espresso martini (laced with white chocolate) will have you coming back every Friday. Book a table at evebar.co.uk and you can buy their beautiful cocktails for home delivery at adamhandling.co.uk/hame. 

VOX, which has everything any amateur or professional guitarist needs for the home and studio, from noise-cancelling headphones to retro-looking electric guitars and amps. Check their brand-new VOX Bobcat V90 & S66 semi-hollow body guitars and VH-Q1 smart noise-cancelling headphones for guitarists voxamps.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How did Drake build his floating yellow ferrari and who owns it now? What inspires Gaga's theatric performances or JAY Z's political visuals? And what's it like to edit Kanye West's wardrobe? Willo Perron, creative director to the stars and co-founder of Los Angeles based architect studio Perron–Roettinger, talks to Straight Up about all of this and more.

Also in this episode, we chat about how the best ideas come from our subconscious, what happened when his Rihanna show went wrong, and why his favourite artists are the ones with "shitty attitudes".

Thank you to this episode's wonderful sponsor Shop Cuvée, the hugely successful lockdown project from renowned North London restaurant Top Cuvée, which launched a gorgeous online shop at the start of the pandemic and has since become one of the leading sellers of natural wine in the UK. Shop Cuvée also stocks incredible cocktails from Three Sheets bar in London, as well as beautiful store cupboard essentials and deli items including charcuterie and cheese. With Willo we drank a super fresh bottle of Austrian orange wine, the Joiseph Muskat Ottonel, that came specially recommended by the team. Enjoy 10 per cent off shop-wide with the code STRAIGHT UP

Straight Up's music and editing is by Marlon Percy 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.