Straight Up

What does a festival organiser do when there's a bomb threat beneath the main stage and a royal in the crowd? How to cope when Madonna's manager is shouting at you down the phone, when JAY Z threatens to pull out of your event, or when Eminem starts being a diva? This week, over a couple of whiskeys, BBC Introducing and GetOnMusic founder Jason Carter gives Straight Up the skinny on what working with the stars (and their entourage) is really like.  Also in this episode, Jason talks about booking a then unknown Ed Sheeran to play the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury, how the BBC Sound Of lists get drawn up and why Radio 1Xtra was launched, and the time a manager tried to bribe him to get his artist on the radio.  Keep listening until the end to hear Kathleen and Eleanor chat about interviewing Stormzy and Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne's problematic new album and the queer narrative around Harry Styles. Enjoy!To listen to all the music discussed on Straight Up and the songs we've got on repeat, follow our Straight Up playlist on Spotify.Enjoyed this episode of Straight Up? Have any suggestions for our next episode? Are you a brand wanting to chat to us about sponsorship opportunities? We'd love to hear from you: hello@straightuppodcast.co.ukStraight Up's music and editing is by Marlon Percy: @marlonpercyStraight Up was recorded at club and co-working space The Ministry by Chris Bailey of The Boy in the Corner @cornerHQStraight Up is sponsored by online spirits specialist Master of Malt, where you can buy a bottle of Jason's Ardberg single malt.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What makes an artist blow up and what happens when they fall? Do artists still need press, how much do their music videos cost and who tells them off when they step out of line? Why does Rita Ora have such a complicated reputation and why is George Ezra so nice? Cassandra Gracey, President of Sony’s in-house creative agency 4th Floor Creative and one of only two female label presidents in the UK, lifts the lid on all this and more over a cold glass (or two) of her favourite drink: Moët champagne. To listen to all the music discussed on Straight Up and the songs we've got on repeat, follow our Straight Up playlist on Spotify.Enjoyed this episode of Straight Up? Have any suggestions for our next episode? Are you a brand wanting to chat to us about sponsorship opportunities? We'd love to hear from you: hello@straightuppodcast.co.ukStraight Up's music and editing is by Marlon Percy: @marlonpercyStraight Up was recorded at club and co-working space The Ministry by Chris Bailey of The Boy in the Corner @cornerHQStraight Up is sponsored by online spirits specialist Master of Malt, where you can buy a bottle of Cassandra's Moët. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Austin Daboh almost lost his very first job in music at the BBC, yet now he's one of the industry's most respected voices. Previously at Spotify, then Head of Editorial at Apple Music, and now Executive Vice President at Atlantic Records UK, Austin chatted to Straight Up all about his life changing career moves, what he has learned from failure along the way, and advice for all aspiring creatives.Over his favourite drink, a Hennessy and coke, Austin also spoke to Kathleen and Eleanor about how he created Spotify's game-changing Who We Be playlist, his thoughts on cancel culture and the controversial word 'urban', meeting JAY-Z, and his most surreal career moment to date. To listen to all the music discussed on Straight Up and the songs we've got on repeat, follow our Straight Up playlist on Spotify.Enjoyed this episode of Straight Up? Have any suggestions for our next episode? Are you a brand wanting to chat to us about sponsorship opportunities? We'd love to hear from you: hello@straightuppodcast.co.ukStraight Up's music and editing is by Marlon Percy: @marlonpercyStraight Up was recorded at club and co-working space The Ministry by Chris Bailey of The Boy in the Corner @cornerHQStraight Up is sponsored by online spirits specialist Master of Malt, where you can buy a bottle of Austin's Hennessy VS.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.