Music Life

Emmelie de Forest, Conchita Wurst, Duncan Laurence and Daði Freyr share their experiences of the Eurovision Song Contest, including what makes a winning Eurovision entry, how taking part in the Contest has influenced their music outside of Eurovision, and the personal stories they tell through their songs.Emmelie de Forest won the Eurovision Song Contest for Denmark in 2013 with her song Only Teardrops. She has gone on to release two albums, and in 2017 she co-wrote the UK’s Eurovision entry Never Give Up on You. She’s joined by 2014’s winner, singer and drag artist Conchita Wurst, who represented Austria with power ballad Rise Like A Phoenix and went on to become a global icon for the LGBTQI+ community.The Netherlands' Duncan Laurence is the reigning Eurovision champion, winning in 2019 with his self-penned debut single Arcade. Last year, he released his debut album Small Town Boy.Daði Freyr is a musician and songwriter who will represent Iceland at Eurovision 2021 with the song 10 Years, which he wrote about his wife. He was due to perform at Eurovision last year before the Contest was cancelled due to the pandemic, but his 2020 entry Think About Things became a viral hit on social media and has been streamed more than 75 million times.

Biig Piig, Nayana IZ, Puma Blue and Louis Culture explore the power of community, how social media has affected the way they make music, and what it's like to make music as an introvert.Biig Piig blends soul-tinged melodies over hip-hop and pop beats with lyrics in English and Spanish. After growing up between Ireland and Spain, she moved to London and joined the Nine8 music collective alongside Nayana IZ.Born in India and raised in North London, Nayana was named on BBC Asian Network's 2020 Future Sounds list and last year released her debut EP Smoke & Fly.Puma Blue is a musician and songwriter originally from South London, now based in Atlanta. His first two EPs have built up millions of streams and he recently dropped his debut album In Praise of Shadows to critical acclaim.Also representing South London is rapper and lyricist Louis Culture, who released his debut EP Smile Soundsystem last year and has worked with Frank Ocean producer Vegyn.

Soul producer and composer Adrian Younge, A Tribe Called Quest's Ali Shaheed Muhammad, American harpist Brandee Younger, and Geneva-born, New York-based producer and bassist Alissia go deep on the decade that most inspired them musically, the fight for equality in the music industry, and using their music to show respect for what's come before.Adrian Younge is a musician, broadcaster and DJ who founded the LA-based label Linear Labs. He has scored for film and TV and his production credits include collaborations with Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z.Joining Adrian is his close collaborator and fellow member of The Midnight Hour, Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Ali is an American DJ, producer and hip-hop legend, known for being a founding member of A Tribe Called Quest, as well as production collective the Ummah and R&B supergroup Lucy Pearl.Brandee Younger is an American harpist whose sound is a blend of classical, jazz, soul and funk. Her latest album, Force Majeure, is a collaboration with her partner, the bassist Dezron Douglas, which they recorded in lockdown in their New York apartment. Alissia is a producer, songwriter and bass player who is lauded as the future of funk. She has collaborated with the likes of Mark Ronson, Q-Tip, Anderson .Paak and Bootsy Collins, as well as releasing music under her own name.

Gazelle Twin, Lucrecia Dalt, Cosey Fanni Tutti and Keeley Forsyth, four artists making truly original music outside of the mainstream, discuss how they use electronics to build different themes in their music, working within and breaking out of their sonic comfort zones, and how making music leads to creative catharsis.Composer and producer Gazelle Twin explores industrial and avant-garde sounds through her albums, soundtracks and remixes. Her latest record, Deep England, sees her collaborate with electronic drone choir NYX.Sharing her experiences is Lucrecia Dalt, a sound artist from Columbia now based in Berlin. She draws on influences from her academic background as a civil engineer, encompassing electronics and avant-garde sounds in her compositions. Cosey Fanni Tutti is an English performance artist, author and musician who is known for her ground-breaking band Throbbing Gristle, which she co-founded in 1976. She has released music as a solo artist and as part of the duo Chris & Cosey. Keeley Forsyth is an artist and actress from the north of England, known for starring in many acclaimed film and TV series over the last 20 years. At the start of 2020 she released her atmospheric debut album Debris, in which she explores personal experiences through minimal arrangements and her evocative, intimate vocal.

Alex Isley, Tiffany Gouché, India Shawn and Gwen Bunn discuss the creative foundations of songwriting – how has your sound evolved over time? How do you finish a track that you’ve been working on for ages? And crucially, how do you know if a song is actually good?R&B and soul singer-songwriter Alex Isley grew up surrounded by the musical influences of her father and uncle’s band, the Isley Brothers. Her classical vocal training and jazz background have shaped her three self-written and produced projects, and she has worked with artists including Kendrick Lamar, Moses Sumney, and Brandon Williams.Three-time Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and producer Tiffany Gouché's 2015 EP Pillow Talk turned heads across the music industry. She has gone on to collaborate with Terrace Martin, and produced Lalah Hathaway’s acclaimed album Honestly. India Shawn is an LA-based singer-songwriter whose writing credits are as impressive as her vocal performances. She is an in-demand collaborator, having worked with Anderson .Paak, Solange and 6LACK. Gwen Bunn started out as a singer in the church choir in her hometown of Atlanta, going on to set up her label Melody Dungeon Music, and released her debut record Safe Travels in 2017. She has collaborated with the likes of Rapsody, Ty Dolla $ign and Faith Evans.

will.i.am, Static & Ben El, Lioness and Lady Leshurr take a deep dive into beatmaking, how to collaborate with other artists, and the best way of writing a song - from getting ideas down with a pen and paper, to just getting on the mic and seeing what happens. Hip Hop innovator, songwriter and producer will.i.am has released eight records over 22 years with the Black Eyed Peas, which he formed in 1995. He has released four albums as a solo artist and is one of the world’s most in-demand producers, having worked with everyone from Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Miley Cyrus, to rock legends U2.Joining will.i.am are Static & Ben El, an Israeli pop duo who formed in 2015. They have amassed close to half a billion streams and have worked with the likes of J Balvin, Pitbull and Flipp Dinero. Lioness is a grime MC from south-east London whose mixtapes have gained support from hip-hop legend Rick Ross. She has featured on tracks with Ghetts, Toddla T and fellow guest Lady Leshurr. Born and raised in Birmingham, UK, Lady Leshurr dropped her first mixtape at the age of 14 and turned heads with her Queen’s Speech freestyle series. Her accolades include a MOBO Award in 2016 and a spot on the 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours list, as well as collaborations with the likes of Lethal Bizzle, Krept & Konan, and Labrinth.

Liraz, Bedouine, Daniel Smienk and Tolga Boyuk discuss the link between music and heritage, turning the past into the future through music, and how to be creative whilst navigating obstacles.Liraz is an Israeli singer, actress and dancer of Iranian descent, whose latest album, Zan (which translates to "women" in Farsi), features collaborations recorded in secret with Iranian artists. Her music combines the traditional sounds of the Bağlama, a Middle Eastern stringed instrument, with 1970s disco and funk rhythms.Joining Liraz is Bedouine, a folk singer and guitarist born in Syria, who spent time living in Saudi Arabia and across the USA before settling in Los Angeles. Her inspirations range from her childhood to her travels, and the feeling of wanderlust. Tolga Boyuk is a producer and founder of electro-acoustic trio Islandman, whose music combines Turkish psychedelia with African roots. Daniel Smienk is the drummer of Amsterdam-based band Altın Gün. The group’s name translates to ‘Golden Day’, and their music seamlessly blends Turkish psych and traditional folk songs.

Eyedress, Dâm-Funk, Low Leaf and Jessica Pratt discuss how the toughest times they’ve been through inspired their music, how horror films influence their sounds, and the most special moments in their careers.Eyedress is a musician and producer, born and raised in Manilla in the Philippines, and now based in LA. His sound encompasses everything from synth-pop to R&B and shoegaze.The ‘modern funk’ king Damon Riddick, aka Dâm-Funk, is a musician, vocalist and producer who blends everything from P-Funk to computer-game inspired soundtracks. He’s released a number of critically acclaimed albums, and collaborated with the likes of Tyler the Creator, Snoop Dogg, and Christine & the Queens.Low Leaf is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, composer and producer. Classically trained in piano as a child, her Filipino roots and DIY recordings fuse traditional and digital sounds. She’s a self-taught producer and can play the guitar and harp.And Jessica Pratt is a Folk artist, whose acoustic guitar melodies and voice are a truly special thing. She’s toured the world with artists like Real Estate and Julia Holter, and has released three studio albums thus far.

Music Life this week joins the World Service Festival and brings together a truly global gathering. Ibeyi talks to Kindness, Charlotte Day Wilson, and Nai Palm from the band Hiatus Kaiyote about their first emotional dealings with art, why they create, and celebrating culture and ancestors.Ibeyi are French Cuban duo Naomi and Lisa-Kaindé Díaz, currently based in Paris. They weave together everything from jazz and gospel to hip-hop and soul, pushed through a modern electronic filter and have released two albums to date: their self-titled debut, and Ash. Joining them is cinematic pop and soul producer and artist Adam Bainbridge, aka Kindness. They’ve produced for the likes of Blood Orange, Solange and frequent collaborator Robyn. Charlotte Day Wilson is a Canadian R&B singer-songwriter who’s released three EPs to date and has worked with the likes of Daniel Caesar, River Tiber, and BadBadNotGood. And Nai Palm from the band Haitus Kaiyote is a Grammy-nominated future soul vocalist and guitarist from Melbourne, Australia. Only six months after the band formed, they collaborated with Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest, and their second album Choose Your Weapon took them all over the musical spectrum.

Rostam, Santigold, Dijon and Samantha Urbani discuss whether melody or lyrics come first, how to avoid the temptation to go back to tracks to make alterations, and how naming an album is the last bit of personality you can sprinkle on a project.Rostam is a Grammy-winning producer, composer, musician, and founding member of the band Vampire Weekend, producing their first three albums. Now a solo artist, he released his debut album Half-Light in 2017, and went on to produce Haim’s Women in Music Pt. III LP, as well as working with the likes of Frank Ocean, Solange, and Carly Rae Jepsen.Joining him is singer, songwriter and producer Santi White, aka Santigold. She’s released three albums to date, and draws influences ranging from 1980s pop and rock to new age hip-hop.Dijon is an artist whose reflective, folk-inspired R&B has drawn comparisons to Frank Ocean and Nick Hakim. He began producing music as part of the duo Abhi//Dijon whilst in college before establishing himself as a solo artist.And finally, Samantha Urbani is an artist, filmmaker, and songwriter who formed the influential DIY indie band Friends. She then moved to LA, where she lent her skills to collaborators including Dev Hynes, Nite Jewel and Zoe Kravitz.