Music Life Podcast
Where music stars discuss how they make their music.
Episodes to download
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'I was told I was too much' with will.i.am and Lady Leshurr
Saturday
What's the best way of writing a song?
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Muted musicians with Liraz and Bedouine
Sat 3 Apr 2021
Four musicians with Middle Eastern and Mediterranean roots discuss music and heritage
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The disappearing album with Eyedress, Dâm-Funk, Jessica Pratt and Low Leaf
Sat 27 Mar 2021
Four Los Angeles artists discuss how they make their music
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You are what you make with Ibeyi and Kindness
Sat 20 Mar 2021
A global gathering as part of the BBC World Service Festival
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'My feet felt like a metronome' with Rostam and Santigold
Sat 13 Mar 2021
What comes first - melody or lyrics?
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Don't run away from pressure with Caroline Polachek, Perfume Genius, Jlin and Oneohtrix Point Never
Sat 6 Mar 2021
Four experimental musicians discuss their links to poetry.
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A million ways to make a song with Eliza Shaddad and This Is the Kit
Sat 27 Feb 2021
How do politics and heritage feed into the creative system?
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Toys in the studio with Tunng’s Mike Lindsay and Hannah Peel
Sat 20 Feb 2021
Four innovative musicians discuss the power of the concept album
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Comparison is the thief of joy with Liz Lubega and TINYMAN
Sat 13 Feb 2021
Does self-doubt get in the way of creating?
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History in the making with Mickey Guyton and Jimmie Allen
Sat 6 Feb 2021
Four country stars discuss how they tell stories in songs
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The courage to be disliked with BŪJIN, Desire Marea, Lynn Daphne Rudolph and Jackie Queens
Sat 30 Jan 2021
BŪJIN welcomes three eclectic artists based in South Africa
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'Educate yourself quickly' with Sarathy Korwar, Nadine Shah, James Holden and Nubya Garcia
Sat 23 Jan 2021
Is there something inherently dysfunctional about being a performer?
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Dancing in the kitchen with Eris Drew, Octo Octa, Kate Pierson and Jayda G
Sat 16 Jan 2021
How 1950s rock'n'roll influences today's dance music
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Writing under blankets in planes with Aloe Blacc and Gregory Porter
Sat 9 Jan 2021
What happens to the creative process after losing those closest to you?
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Chaos vs perfection with Ami Dang
Sat 2 Jan 2021
Does it matter if songwriters don't know where their songs will end?
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'Swans ruined our recording' with Ólafur Arnalds and Agnes Obel
Boxing Day 2020
Are composers happiest working alone?
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Trapped in an idea with David Byrne and St Vincent
Sat 19 Dec 2020
Do artists make music to make people think or move their feet?
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The science behind the perfect hit with Becky Hill, MNEK, Ella Eyre and Frances
Sat 12 Dec 2020
Is there a formula for writing the perfect hit?
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Coconut water and confidence with Kranium, Masego and Alicai Harley
Sat 5 Dec 2020
Is an airport a good place to work on music?
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Loving and hating the studio with Tune-Yards, Haim, Black Pumas and Chicano Batman
Sat 28 Nov 2020
How much do musicians consider the audience when they're writing?
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The politics of pleasure with Thurston Moore and Sunn O)))'s Stephen O'Malley
Sat 21 Nov 2020
How much does politics influence the work musicians create?
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The importance of improvising with Bebel Gilberto and Martha Wainwright
Sat 14 Nov 2020
How important are family and tradition in music?
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Magic moments with Paul Epworth and 100 gecs
Sat 7 Nov 2020
What's it like to work with analogue equipment in a digital world?
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The ‘Lost Beats’ folder with Felicia Douglass and Tiana Major9
Sat 31 Oct 2020
How quarantine hobbies have fed into musicians' work
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Music in our grandmother's DNA with Kelsey Lu and Beverly Glenn-Copeland
Sat 24 Oct 2020
How do our ancestral backgrounds influence the stories we tell?
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Recording tradition with Derya Yildirim and Yousra Mansour
Sat 17 Oct 2020
What can music tell us about tradition?
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Floppy disks and cassette tapes with Témé Tan and Nick Hakim
Sat 10 Oct 2020
Is an album a single piece of work or a playlist of songs?
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Musical resistance with Rina Sawayama and Mykki Blanco
Sat 3 Oct 2020
Where do artists get the inspiration to create when they are not performing?
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Heart v technique with Norah Jones and Nitin Sawhney
Sat 26 Sep 2020
How does being a solo artist differ from being part of a band?
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Songwriting first dates with Melanie C and Nadia Rose
Sat 19 Sep 2020
How do you build a songwriting team?
Music Life Playlists
Stars from the series give us a fascinating peek into their music collections
