It’s been five years since Meg Washington released an album of original songs, but that time hasn’t been wasted. 

Starring in Bluey as Calypso, and co-writing the Paul Kelly inspired film How To Make Gravy have dominated her last little while. 

But now she’s back with GEM, and it’s a welcome return.

When talking about the album, Meg said she conjured a treasure island while writing these songs, finding music as an oasis, and that was the catalyst for her Take 5. 

What she revealed, was a deep love of songwriting in an age where being a musician is harder than ever. And the music that has been a refuge, and inspiration, for her.

• Sade - 'No Ordinary Love'
• The Bangles - 'Eternal Flame'
• Kevin Morby - 'Harlem River'
• Eugenio Bennato - 'Ogni uno'
• The Roches - 'Hammond Song'

Sophie Payten has had a wild five years. Better known as Gordi, she’s been living all over, put music on hold to work her day job as a doctor during the pandemic, and has been reassessing her place and space in the world through it all.

It’s been that long too, since her last album, and she’s captured the intensity, beauty, and whirlwind of her experiences on Like Plasticine.

Ahead of her third album dropping, I invited Gordi to Take 5. I was thinking it’d be a lil album preview, what I got was something a lot deeper. This is a special conversation, full of deep reflection and beautiful music.

• Missy Higgins - 'Any Day Now'
• MUNA - 'I Know a Place'
• Big Red Machine - 'Forest Green'
• Taylor Swift - 'epiphany'
• S. Carey - 'Take It With Me'

Patience Hodgson is no stranger to the Hottest 100. 

As lead singer of The Grates, she is certified alumni – with 8 entries and plenty of memories with her beloved band. And as we celebrate a special Hottest 100 of Australian songs, who better to wear their love of local on their sleeve. 

I roped Pae in for a pre-party and she delivered; not just with incredible songs but a peek behind the curtain of the beautiful community in the Australian music scene.

• The Mavis’s – 'Cry'
• Violent Soho – 'Covered In Chrome'
• WAAX – 'Labrador'
• Sekiden – 'Up In The Air'
• Regurgitator - '! (The Song Formerly Known As)'

Howlin’ Pelle is a joy to be around. As the longtime lead singer for Swedish garage rock legends The Hives, he brings big energy on stage and off. The band are known for their live shows, and their forthcoming new album is one they wrote with a stadium sensibility in mind. So when The Hives returned to Australia for the first time in 10 years, I asked him to choose his blockbuster songs. From AC/DC to Outkast to Billie Eilish, this is a fist pumping, heart filling conversation about music's power.

• AC/DC - Thunderstruck 
• OutKast - Hey Ya 
• Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want To Have Fun
• Billie Eilish - Bad Guy 
• Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit

Yorta Yorta man Tom Forrest knows how to spin a yarn. Better known as Outback Tom, he’s amassed hundreds of thousands of fans on social media with his bush recipes and know how. Often joined by his Grandad, he shows his beautiful backyard of the Kimberley, while entertaining us with his charm and smarts.

Tom’s a real renaissance man, he’s one of those people who tries his hand at everything… curiosity and drive are the cornerstones of his life. And whenever I cross paths with him, he lights up my day. I knew I wanted him to Take 5. I gave Tom the theme of generations, tapping into the theme of NAIDOC week this year – the next generation - and celebrating those who have come before, and those who are leading us into the future. Across five songs Tom shared the stories of his life, and the people who had guided him through his extraordinary path so far.

• Moby – Porcelain
• Ngaiire – Once
• Jem Cassar-Daley - Big Container
• Paul Kelly - How to Make Gravy
• Gurrumul – Wiyathul

This week, I’ve pulled out a special Take 5 from the archives, when Ngaiire joined me to explore songs without boundaries.

Ngaiire has long been one of Australian music's most treasured voices.

Having lived and travelled across many places, she draws on these experiences to shape her distinctive sound.Music has always been a big part of Ngaiire’s life. As a child of the 90’s, she grew up listening to pop songs in Papua New Guinea and New Zealand, then Australia. She would find a connection particularly to Janet Jackson and Talib Kweli; a brown woman in song in an overwhelmingly white Australia.

In this Take 5,  Ngaiire guides us through the music that reflects a life lived across cultures, sounds, and borders.

Eddie Perfect has been entertaining us for years. 

A star of stage and screen, he’s a writer of Broadway musicals, played Mick Holland on Offspring, and once composed a musical about Shane Warne. 

Eddie’s currently starring in the titular role for another musical he wrote – Beetlejuice - and he nails it. 

But for someone with such a varied life in song, I was curious about the inspirations he drew from. 

Strap in for his source material, and some truly beautiful nerding out on music.

• The Beach Boys - 'I Get Around'
• Lauryn Hill - 'Ex-Factor'
• Rage Against The Machine - 'Killing In The Name'
• Ella Fitzgerald - 'Fascinating Rhythm'
• Joni Mitchell - 'Both Sides, Now' 

If you’re an avid podcast listener, you’ve likely heard one of Richard Fidler’s Conversations. 

For 20 years he’s been chatting with people from all walks of life, making the Conversations podcast one of the most popular in Australia. 

So as they mark this big 20th birthday, I thought it’d be fun to flip the mic on Richard. Because his story begins long ago, as a founding member of the Doug Anthony Allstars, and host of Race Around the World. 

In 2016 Richard published his first non fiction book Ghost Empire, and since then has written three more (Saga Land, Golden Maze, and The Book of Roads and Kingdoms).

He is a curious soul, a master storyteller, and you’re about to relish in his tales.

• T. Rex – Get It On
• Joy Division – Interzone
• The Violent Femmes – Blister in the Sun
• Cocteau Twins – Carolyn’s Fingers
• Big Star – Kanga Roo

Katy Steele has always been surrounded by music. 

Her brothers came up with the Sleepy Jackson and Empire of the Sun, and her dad Rick Steele was a legendary blues guitarist around Perth. 

But Katy made her own mark more than 20 years ago, when she burst out as the songwriter and frontwoman of Little Birdy. With her soaring voice and knack for writing catchy pop songs, their debut album BigBigLove made a huge mark on Australian music. And now the band are reuniting to play that record in full for the first time in years. Good reason to invite her in to Take 5, and trek through some of the musical moments that have helped her break out as a songwriter.

• Odetta – Gallows Pole (Live)
• Peter Gabriel – The Book of Love (Live)
• Adrianne Lenker – Sadness As A Gift
• Rick Steele – Dianella
• Janis Ian – Stars

It's been a big year for Sam Cromack and his band Ball Park Music. A sold out tour, a #1 album, and a step away from their jaunty indie tunes into a more heartfelt, reflective moment. Like Love has solidified their place and one of Australia’s most loved bands.

It got me thinking about other artist's departures; when they shifted the needle on their sound and surprised us all (for the better). Dive into a gloriously nerdy and warm convo with one of Australia's best songwriters, as we explore his favourite departures in song.

• Big Thief - 'Spud Infinity'
• Beck - 'Paper Tiger'
• Julia Jacklin - 'Body'
• King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - 'Planet B'
• Radiohead - 'Idioteque'