I can defiantly say that you have never come across an artist like BARKAA before. She’s a Malyangapa, Barkindji woman based in Sydney, Australia who is using rap to tell the stories, the truths, and the issues impacting First Nations people. But part of representing a group is being able to also tell your own story, which is something BARKAA does in a fierce manner that’s continuously unflinching. At a young age, she found herself addicted to drugs and alcohol, leading to several stints in juvie and prison (where she also gave birth to her third child). Music provided solace, a means to tell her story, and it was through music that she climbed out of this abyss to release music that’s gone on to win the hearts of critics and fans alike. In a few short years, BARKAA has gone on to perform at iconic venues like the Sydney Opera House and having her music integrated within the curriculum in Australian schools; to educate students on racism and the plights of indigenous people. But how did this all come to be? Well, you’re going to have to listen to today’s bonus podcast to find out.

Samm Henshaw is an unbelievably talented singer and producer from London that’s unabashedly elevating R&B to new heights. The most striking thing about Samm’s music is how it has this throwback vibe from his love of soul and gospel, yet his music never feels out of place within our modern age. His debut album Untidy Soul, presents Samm as a clear student of music, with a warmth that’ll undoubtedly catch you off-guard. Lyrically, the album sees Samm embracing the fact that we’re all a little fucked up inside and that there’s a beauty in trying to have a better day than the last. On today’s episode, we chat about the importance of those life lessons and how they can inform the work that goes into our art.

You can catch Samm Henshaw live during his upcoming US tour that will be kicking off on June 3rd at the Cafe Du Nord in San Francisco. Be sure to visit Samm’s website here for more tour dates.

Also be sure to check out the official New Exchange Playlist, which features a song from each musical guest that has guested on the series.

What do The Killers, Foals, Alex Lahey, Wolf Alice, and Manchester Orchestra have in common? They’ve all had transformative experiences working with Catherine Marks, a music producer/mixer/engineer from Australia who’s become the missing puzzle piece to so many of our favourite acts (most recently the Grammy award-winning Boygenius, featuring Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus). Throughout the years, Catherine has built a reputation of being a hard-working collaborator who knows how to think like an artist. On today’s bonus podcast, I chat with Catherine about producing our favourite records, along with how she got involved in music, how each situation of working with a band is different, and how most of her bands tend to ask themselves “what would Catherine Marks do?”

In a lot of ways, today's episode feels like I’m returning to my roots. I got my start in music through music journalism, writing about artists and their albums for blogs, newspapers, and magazines. The thrill I got from it, was being able to recommend music that I really enjoyed, knowing that you’d most likely be unfamiliar with it. I have a feeling that’ll be the case with you and today's guests, Dutch rock band De Staat. Though, calling these guys a “rock band” doesn’t do enough justice in expressing just how unique they are. De Staat are a bonkers fucking band, in the best way. They routinely utilize humor in a way that’s both daring and often heartfelt, while also pushing the boundaries of what you can achieve in a live show (like their 2019 Lowlands performance and their 2020 Larger Than Live show from the Ziggo Dome). Their latest undertaking is called Red, Yellow, Blue; which features the band releasing 3 new songs at one go, with each song allowing them to explore a different side of De Staat’s diverse sonic palette. On this episode, I chatted with frontman, Torre Florim, both about the distinctive history of the band and the exciting future that awaits them.

De Staat will be embarking on an extensive European tour that starts on May 13th in Belgium. You’ll find more information and full tour dates here. 

It’ll genuinely surprise me if a more personal episode happens this season. The chat you’re about to hear with Caleb Eberhardt (aka Rosehardt) really “goes there” in a way that I wasn’t intending it to, but I’m massively grateful that this talk happened. Caleb is a talented musician and actor based here in New York, who’s building a community of art lovers through his vulnerable works. His music has shimmering flecks of R&B, soul, jazz, rap and lyrically he isn’t afraid to tell you what’s exactly on his mind. The last bit was in full display in Live At National Sawdust, a music documentary and concert film that depicts a stark portrait of Caleb’s experience of being an artist during the pandemic. Together we chat about not just being an artist, but the struggles of being a human being and why we need to learn to be kinder to ourselves.

Simply put: Mannequin Pussy are a badass punk band from Philadelphia that take no prisoners. A staple of their songwriting is throttling headfirst towards the willful ignorance of people who fight against progressive values. Having music with a strong moral compass isn’t a new phenomenon, but the way Mannequin Pussy put their beliefs at the forefront does feel unique, exhilarating, and vital. Those beliefs (that Black Lives Matter, that the rights of LGBTQ+ and disabled people matter, etc.) greatly inform everything that they do and on this bonus episode, I chat with Missy and Bear of the band to find out why: why does this band of misfits deeply give a shit about the world around them?

Mannequin Pussy will be touring the states, starting with sets at Coachella and a club show on April 26th at Humphreys By the Bar in San Diego. Full tour dates can be found at https://mannequinpussy.com/ don’t miss out!

Hailing from Leicester, England, Easy Life are a fresh young band that flies the flag of genre-bending in a profoundly beautiful way. The evidence was clear across their first single, Pockets, which is this euphoric dance of instruments that meld in a way you wouldn’t expect. That ability to fuse sounds in a fun way is contrasted by the lyrics of frontman, Murray Matravers, who doesn’t shy away from depicting the nuances of mental health struggles that so many people can relate to. On today’s podcast, I chat with Murray about actualizing their debut album (Life’s A Beach), along with bringing Maroon 5 to award shows, headlining Brixton Academy, and what it was actually like to progress as a band during a global pandemic. Easy Life will be touring the states starting on April 8th at The Foundry in Philadelphia. Full tour dates can be found at https://www.easylifemusic.com/live/, don’t miss out!

The non-stop dominance of K-Pop is absurdly fascinating to me. I’m admittedly ignorant to this genre of music and interestingly enough, it’s that ignorance that rests at the center of today’s episode. I’m joined by fellow photographer/ridiculously impressive plant parent/my good friend, Wei Shi, a massive lover of K-Pop who came on to school me about what makes the genre special to not just her, but fans from all over the world. Together we talk about how Wei’s love for K-Pop began, the unique qualities of a K-Pop concert, and we also deeply discuss acts like IU, BLACKPINK, TOMORROW x TOGETHER, and yes of course; BTS.

The idea of spitting in the face of the expectations of life seems sexy, right? But what does that actually look like? What does it take to live that out? Northern English musician Rebecca Lucy Taylor lives that truth throughout Self Esteem, a subversive pop project that goes there. The songs of her second album, Prioritise Pleasure, highlights why trying to live up to societal expectations will always be unfulfilling and instead, we should aim to warmly embrace our “flaws.” A unique quality about Rebecca is how she both doesn’t give a shit and deeply gives a shit about what you think, and that duality beautifully comes across on this episode. We recorded this onsite at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn, and together we chat about women’s liberation, the slog of dating apps, periods and we even get into some word association (no really). If you’re in the UK, be sure to catch Self Esteem on tour, visit selfesteem.love for all tour dates.

I’m going to use Pokemon to describe today’s guest. Remember when we were introduced to Charmeleon and thought “man, can’t get better than this?” only for him to eventually evolve into a badass Charizard? In a weird way, that’s what happened with French disco-pop band, L’Impératrice. At the start, they were five friends who were cool as fuck, but then enters singer Flore Benguigui, whose vocals elevated the band to heights they only could’ve dreamed on. Their latest album, Tako Tsubo, is a beautiful example of what happens when serenity melds with experimentation. On today’s bonus podcast, Flore and Charles de Boisseguin join me to talk about how they craft such distinct sounds, the band becoming a family, and the experience of playing the Grand Palais in Paris.