The Swinging Palm Trees Podcast

On today's episode, I chat with Podcast and Radio Producer Amy Elizabeth about her career within the field of broadcasting.  We talk about how she took on various odd jobs, and various freelance media gigs before her break at the BBC.  We discuss music, breakfast radio, dancing, work ethic, family, and of course: cake!  With refreshing honesty Amy talks multi-tasking, grafting & the wise words that have kept her focused and resilient!

Award winning Broadcaster, Radio and Podcast Producer Amy Elizabeth works across the most successful Radio and Television programmes globally.  Producing for four national BBC radio stations: Radio 1, Radio 2,  1Xtra and Asian Network, Amy is no stranger to 4am starts, leading a team under pressure & entertaining millions of listeners daily.
Head hunted to produce podcasts for BBC & ITV's prime time entertainment shows, Amy is equally as comfortable in front of the camera, having presented over one thousand hours of live television!  A former news anchor Amy reported globally & launched a podcast for BBC news from her bedroom during the pandemic. 

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Support the show

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!  
I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.
If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected] or @theswingingpalmtrees on Instagram
Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!

In today's episode, I chat with my 'geek sis', Michelle, about her love for all things popular culture including The Green Lantern Corp, Comic-con conventions, Isaac Asimov and Alan Moore, and growing up in the 80s, and why she has the nickname 'Kermit Mash'.

We also talk about her love for music that includes being the manager in a blues and rock band; being a radio presenter in Deal; attending raves; George Michael and of course, her deep love for all things Prince.  We chat about certain episodic moments in her life, and of course,  her approach to living life and a few of the quotes and affirmations that continually encourage her.

Michelle Duncan is a presenter at Deal Radio and presents her show 'Duncan Disorderly'.   She is also a lamp maker and you can find more about her bespoke creations here. 

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!  
I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.
If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected] or @theswingingpalmtrees on Instagram
Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!

In today's episode, I had the opportunity to  chat with exciting British-Nigerian film director Tomisin Adepeju.  We talk about his journey from Nigeria to London at a young age; how finding and shaping his identity led  him to film making: from his first short film at college to his catalogue of high profile short films thus far.  We delve into his passion for film and talk about the works of Ousmane Sembène, Satyajit Ray, Yasujiro Ozu, Andrew Dosunmu,  Abbas Kiarostami, Andrei Tarkovsky, Herbert Ogunde and much more.  We also chat about our Yoruba cultural heritage, Tomisin's faith and and most importantly, his approach to living life and a few of the quotes and affirmations that continually encourage him.

**In case you're wondering, the outro of this episode is of Tomisin's short film, The Good son (Omo daada).

Tomisin Adepeju is a Nigerian-British filmmaker based in London, England. His multi award-winning shorts have been selected at over 150 international film festivals; including multiple Oscar-Qualifying festivals. His award-winning short, The Right Choice, had its World Premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and also screened as part of Sundance London. The film has screened at over 50 international film festivals, including various Oscar and BAFTA-qualifying ones such as the Pan African Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival & HollyShorts Film Festival. 

His most recent short, Appreciation,  had it's North American Premiere at the Oscar- Qualifying Aspen Shortsfest and screened at BFI London Film Festival 2019. He is currently developing his debut feature. He is represented by United Agents in the UK and Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in America.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!  
I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.
If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected] or @theswingingpalmtrees on Instagram
Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!

On today's episode, I chat  with  Melanie about her fascinating career working in the field of photography, including commissioning photographers, art directing, the importance of following the brief to the letter,  challenging editorial and advertising shoots, setting up a photography agency, the business of photography, being diplomatic with clients, editors and journalists and the minefield of copyright and imagery in the digital age.  We share anecdotes from our careers as picture editors and what the future holds for the role.  Whether you're trying to break into the industry as a photographer or already established, you'll pick up a lot of information from this episode.

I also discuss with Mel her position as a Luxury Editor, photoshoots and exquisite works of art, and what her favourite pieces of jewellery.  We talk about her book which is about jewellery and art; mentoring, and most importantly, her approach to living life and a few of the quotes and affirmations that continually encourage her.

Melanie Grant has been a journalist for over 20 years having worked at The Times, The Financial Times, The Independent, The Guardian, The BBC and now The Economist where she is the Luxury Editor of 1843 Magazine, their lifestyle sister publication. Her first book on the jewel as art entitled Coveted: Art and Innovation in High Jewelry was published by Phaidon in Oct 2020 and in her spare time she gives talks at institutions such as The Science Museum, The V&A, The Gemological Institute of America, The Association of Art & Antique Dealers, Phillips, Christies and The Goldsmiths' Company on jewellery and luxury. She also writes for Vogue, Vanity Fair and Tatler and is a guest lecturer at Central Saint Martins as well as a guest crit leader at the Royal College of Art. 

For more information about Mel and how to contact her, you can reach her via DM on Instagram. But make sure your message is brief and concise, as she has  thousands of messages sent to her daily.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!  
I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.
If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected] or @theswingingpalmtrees on Instagram
Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!

In this episode, I chat with Abby V about music, more music and everything music.  We even got to jam a bit.  We talk about how his musical journey started in Carnatic,  Hindustani and Western classical music;  his musical influences including the biggest of them all: his dad, Mr Venkat.  We chat about his time in Chennai and the music season, competing in musical contests, food, ' 73 raagas with Abby V',  including his favourites;   and of course, AR Rahman.  And naturally, we look at the quotes and sayings that continually shape his life.

Based in Toronto, Ontario, Abby V is a professional vocalist and an award-winning singer, songwriter, and music composer. He is also a producer and audio engineer.  In 2015 he was the winner of Worldwide TV Music Reality Show, 'Astro International Superstar'.  He has collaborated with many world-renowned musicians, and you can see more of his work on his Youtube channel or listen to his music on Spotify.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!  
I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.
If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected] or @theswingingpalmtrees on Instagram
Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!

On today's episode, I caught up with the multi-talented Charlie Blokhuis.  We chat about pediatrics and why she got into this field of medicine & what it means to her.  We  geek out on  'Fear the Walking Dead', 'Galavant' and 'Once Upon a Time'.  We also chat about music, art, and most importantly, her approach to living life and a few of the quotes and affirmations that encourage her.

Charlotte Blokhuis is a pediatric resident and entrepreneur living in the Netherlands.  Her interest in medicine began at a very young age, and converged with her passion for working with children on the pediatric ward.  Being a part of this rapidly evolving field of health care also sparked an interest in research, which led her to obtain a PhD in pediatric infectious diseases, focusing on the neurological effects of being born with HIV. 

The time that Charlotte doesn't spend in a white coat is typically infused with creativity, and her curiosity for learning new things gives it a wide range — including singing, playing several instruments, graphic design, illustration, and photography. She has over a decade of experience as a worship leader and band member. She recently lauched "feather + moon", housing her design and illustration work and a webshop, and her art can also be seen at @artunderthefeather

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!  
I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.
If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected] or @theswingingpalmtrees on Instagram
Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!

On today's episode, Rapper Rama Kazi talks about being a musician, science, his African-American and Indian heritage, and the meaning behind his name.

We also chat about his album, Delusions of Grandeur,  and his immense love for AR Rahman,  Lupe Fiasco and the city of Atlanta.

Rama Kazi is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer and entrepreneur. He is of African American and South Indian origin. Rama first began to take an interest in music through his childhood piano lessons and eventually his knack for poetry turned into a love for Hip Hop lyricism. Rama Kazi released his debut album, Delusions Of Grandeur, in January where it received praise by fans and industry vets alike for its cohesiveness, lyrical profundity and creativity. He has since been working on several projects that aim to introduce his background further and raise awareness on a variety of subjects. As a side project he publishes a blog called 'Decyphering Dope' which looks at Hip Hop through the lens of a neuroscientist, as Rama holds a bachelors degree in Neuroscience from Vanderbilt University and a Masters in Biomedical Science. He is set to release his follow up EP in the fall.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!  
I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.
If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected] or @theswingingpalmtrees on Instagram
Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!

On today's episode, Jonah and I chat about relationships, in particular 'blindian' relationships, and how he started the #BlindianProject, a media platform and global community at the intersection of Black  and Brown culture.

We also talk about identity, heritage and why Black is seen by many as 'other' within these Indian Subcontinent communities.  We also talk about the very real challenges of being in a blindian relationship and the toil it can have on a couple's mental health and wellbeing.

We also chat about Jonah's kids and their love for Rasam (South Indian soup), travel, Jay-Z and haggling!

Jonah Batambuze is a Ugandan-American, multidisciplinary creative, and founder of a community for Black and South Asian people called the Blindian Project. https://www.blindian-project.com/ , which started back in 2017 that was inspired from an incident of African students being attacked by street mobs in New Dehli.  The #BlindianProject aims to normalize Black x South Asian relationships while dismantling anti-Blackness and believes in removing negative stereotypes by creating experiences that unite our communities and inspire solidarity. 

The #BlindianProject is the "meeting place for Black x South Asian communities". Started as a passion project in 2017, the project drew its inspiration from an incident in which street mobs attacked African students in Noida, New Delhi. Restarted at the beginning of 2020, the events of this year have seen the community grow enormously. 

'The #BlindianProject aims to normalize Black x South Asian relationships while dismantling anti-Blackness and believes in removing negative stereotypes by creating experiences that unite our communities and inspire solidarity.'

The project have published a new book 'When We See Ourselves', which can be bought at all good book retailers including Amazon.

#blindian

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!  
I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.
If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected] or @theswingingpalmtrees on Instagram
Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!

Today's episode takes a slightly different detour from the normal format.  I invited my bass teacher, David Gyamfi, to chat about music, his faith and education, while also teaching me chord progressions and jamming during the episode.  We also talk about how growing up with a gospel church background continually builds his strong musical foundation.

​This episode is mostly about music and us geeking out about bass greats that continually inspire us including Sharay Reed, Marcus Miller, and of course, Jaco Pastorius.

We also talk about his career as a scientist & Chemistry teacher,  and naturally, which jollof rice he prefers.

David Gyamfi is a musician, producer and educator.  If you're interested in bass lessons/ booking/tracking /production enquiries, you can contact him at [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!  
I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.
If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected] or @theswingingpalmtrees on Instagram
Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!

On today's episode, Anu Hasan talks about her career including acting in films and TV, how she negotiated with her famous uncle, her work ethic, and why she always tries to keep her sunny side up!  We also chat about how she cannot bring herself in uttering the F-word and how she deals with trolls.

Anu Hasan is an actor, author, TV personality, entrepreneur, cook, and a proponent for mental health and well-being.  She made her film debut in the critically acclaimed Indian film 'Indira' (1995), directed by her cousin, Suhasini Maniratnam.  Anu also acted alongside her uncle, Kamal Hasan in the film 'Aalavandhan' (2001), and she also starred in the Tamil hit movie, 'Run' (2002).

Apart from films, Anu has acted in a number of popular tv shows in South India, including hosting the talk show 'Koffee with Anu' on South Indian TV station, Vijay TV.  She has
starred in a number of British TV shows including 'Eastenders', 'Emmerdale' and 'Cucumber' . 

Anu  is a contributing columnist  for Just for Women (India) magazine, a leading multi-platform content brand focussing on entertainment and lifestyle for South Indian women.  She is also an author, with one of her books, 'Sunny Side Up', being a collection of her experiences and observations, and where she learns to put a sunny disposition on a situation.

For more about Anu including her 'Rainforest Report', tips on Positivity and Well-being, 'Note to Self' notes, check out her socials including Facebook and  instagram page.

#anuhasan # kamalhasan # sunnysideup #suhasini #justforwomen # actor # koffeewithanu #thegoodstuff #author #rainforestreport #

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!  
I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.
If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected] or @theswingingpalmtrees on Instagram
Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!