Where are you based?
Whetstone in North London but I’m from Norwich originally.
Where do you work? What do you do?
I work at PRS Foundation – 3 days a week as UK Project Manager for Keychange and 2 days a week as Communications Coordinator. I have worked at PRS Foundation since 2016 and I feel very lucky to work with such a rad team who are both kind, smart, and totally committed to supporting diverse music creators.
What are you listening to?
I am obsessed with serpentwithfeet at the moment. His new album Deacon is hooky and chill and just so right. ‘Same Size Shoe’ is an ANTHEM. My wife and I ‘walked down the aisle’ to Lesley Gore’s ‘You Don’t Own Me’ back in 2018 and I so wish the serpentwithfeet cover was in existence then!
The new Joviale track is another banger, so is ‘Sink In’ by Tirzah, ‘If I Could’ by Charlotte Day Wilson, ‘enjoy the silence’ by Fousheé and WOW the Angel Olsen/Sharon Van Etten collab is just such an important moment in music. These two absolutely genius songwriters joining together and celebrating each other in such a beautiful way with the pure DRAMA that they both bring.
I have been obsessed with Beverley Glenn Copeland for about 2 years and loved the recent documentary – that’s my dinner soundtrack every night. My running playlist is basically Cardi B, Little Simz, Flohio and Self Esteem on repeat forever.
I’ve recently been revisiting Jessie Ware’s albums and also Moses Sumney’s græ too.
How do you discover new music?
I make the playlists at PRS Foundation – so I have direct access to the best new music in the UK and beyond which has been hand-picked by musical experts across all genres, regions and career levels. Our weekly playlist features new releases by people who have had our funding, and I highly recommend following it! I pay particular attention to Keychange new releases of course!
Radio is really important to me – Gilles Peterson, Jamz Supernova and Amy Lame are three of my faves on 6Music. The London in Stereo : Best New Music playlist is where I go first to find rad new releases that I might not have heard. In the last year, I have been lucky to receive some print magazines through the post – Loud & Quiet has been a really great resource and how I found out about BERWYN. DIY Magazine has helped me to get hyped about new Wolf Alice, new St Vincent and more. I regularly check out Pitchfork’s Best New Music section to hear new stuff.
Finally, my friends all know that I want recommendations all the time so a lot of what I listen to is from direct personal recommendations. My wife has amazing taste but doesn’t have much of an interest in ‘new music’.. But! Somehow she always stumbles across the best artists! She discovered leikeli47 and Princess Nokia waaay before I did.
What formats do you usually listen to? LP, CD, Cassette, Digital, Streaming Services? Why?
I listen to digital mostly – via Spotify, Apple Music and SoundCloud at the moment as my record player is a bit sad. I’m saving up to buy a buff new record player as vinyl is definitely my preference. IMO music is best experienced in an actual room, through speakers, so I try to quickly promote anything I love from my headphones to a record player.
Where do you do most of your music listening?
I listen through my (Bose) headphones when I’m working from home and when I’m not on Zoom calls. Mostly on Spotify. I’ve had to keep it this way as my wife has been working from home in the room next to me. But my preference would be out loud – we have a Sonos system for that which I use in the evenings and at weekend. Some of my most meaningful listening moments have been while running this year – I’ve really loved that full physical experience. I have digital radios in my bedroom and kitchen so basically, everywhere I am, I’m listening!
How do you find and listen to pre-release music?
I get sent quite a lot of pre-release music through my work with Keychange and PRS Foundation and it’s usually via a private link. I don’t search for pre-release music but I would like to!
What are your frustrations with listening to music digitally? Any benefits?
I love listening digitally – I have access to everything! The huge problem is feeling connected to, and compensating artists properly for that access. I have got very into buying merch. If I love something digitally, I buy as much as I can physically.
“If I love something digitally, I buy as much as I can physically.”
How do you keep track of everything you are listening to?
I follow artists however I can – on social media, on streaming platforms, newsletters. I make playlists and buy stuff. Once I love something, I remember!
Do you tip other people off to new music? How?
Always! Just constantly sending playlists, links, names via Whatsapp/email etc.
Anything you want to “promote”?
Check out the awesome Keychange participants here.
