EP 1: 'Brexit Blues' |
EP 2: 'Street Fighter' |
|
In this first episode on politics, joined by musicians Lizzie Ball and Jessie Murphy from Let Music Live, I dive headfirst into the new Brexit deal and the devastating impact its new migration system will have on the touring industry. The episode then breaks down examples of music as a reaction to politics, picking out tracks whose lyrics speak out against everything from the refugee crisis to Brexit itself.
EP 3: 'I Am Her'Turning, this episode, to the mammoth topic of gender, I look at the place and representation of women, transgender and gender-fluid creators in a continually male-dominated business. Welcoming music producer Aubrey Whitfield – whose career experience includes working with Little Mix, Simon Webbe and Kelly Clarkson – we discuss why only 2% of producers are women. I then look at the music itself, highlighting songs tackling misogyny in the business, and bringing attention to some exciting but lesser-known trans and nonbinary artists, including Jackie Shane, Claud and Ryan Cassata.
|
In this topical and important second episode, The Hear and Now examines the role of race in shaping the music industry as we know it. I'm joined by Digital Jukebox Records's Mark Anthony and Loose Ends's Carl MacIntosh, discussing the lack of diversity in top executive roles and the experiences and suppression of Black people in the business. I then look to the artists and records using their platforms to discuss racial troubles through lyrics, from Childish Gambino to music collective SAULT.
EP 4: 'She'Following on from last episode's dissection of gender in the music industry, I turn this time to open the conversation more broadly onto LGBTQ+ representation in the business. Welcoming Jamie Ahye from Pride In Music, this episode considers the progress and problems that make up the interwoven relationship between queer culture and music. Later, I look to those within the LGBTQ+ community to pick the artists and songs that have been part of their journey, from George Michael to Bessie Smith.
|
EP 5: 'Self Care'After a whole year of national lockdowns, those in the music industry have arguably been among those most affected – financially, emotionally and mentally. I discuss this episode how the disappearance of work opportunities has affected musicians’ mental health across the UK, speaking with freelance musician Russell Swallow about his own experience, and hearing from psychologist and counsellor Rachel Jepson (founder of Counselling for Musicians) about the support available to those in need. I then present a playlist of tracks whose lyrics cover different journeys of mental health struggles, from hitting rock bottom to coming out the other side – including Mac Miller, Arlo Parks, SOAK and Johnny Nash.
|
EP 6: 'Money For Nothing'In the final episode of season one, discussing money in the industry, I portray music as the business it is. Welcoming Luke Hinton, music promoter and regional coordinator for Music Venue Trust, he and I discuss the financial impact an entire year without live music has had on independent UK venues, and the repercussions for the industry if we were to lose these sites. As a celebration of live music, the playlist for this episode is entirely made up of live recordings – from stadium gigs to intimate studio settings – featuring the onstage talents of Elbow, Bleachers and Beyoncé.
|