Headliner Radio

Nigerian-British virtuoso jazz drummer and bandleader Jon Onabowu has become a key figure in the London jazz scene, and 2026 is the year he steps out and releases his debut album, Now’s The Time. He discusses blending modern UK jazz with funk, hip-hop, gospel, being the founder of the Cosmic Fusion residency at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London, and helping to shape a new generation of live-focused, groove-led jazz in the city.

US country music rising star Alexandra Kay joins Headliner while in the UK for her performance at BST Hyde Park. She discusses turning viral social media success into a loyal global fanbase, the momentum behind her album Second Wind, life on the road, and her rapid rise in country music.

AS Fanning is an Irish singer-songwriter based in Berlin, formerly of the band The Last Tycoons. After releasing three critically acclaimed albums and being named Far Out’s Songwriter of the Year, Fanning is back with his fourth album, Take Me Back to Nowhere. He chats to Headliner about getting up at 4am to write lyrics with a broken wrist, recording the album in Sweden, and his upcoming EU and UK tour.

After globe-trotting and touring as the keyboardist and producer of Bring Me The Horizon, Reading-born Jordan Fish is now working as a full-time producer for artists including Poppy, Architects, BABYMETAL, and Good Charlotte. He discusses his breakthrough projects with Poppy, his shared history with Amy Lee, how she opened up to co-writing with him after she wasn’t taken seriously as a songwriter in her early years of the band, and the VSTs, plugins, and DAW techniques he used to help create the sound of Evanescene’s new record, Sanctuary. 

Toronto-born WHIPPED CREAM has always moved between worlds, from competitive figure skating to becoming one of electronic music’s most distinctive and emotionally driven producers, vocalists and DJs. She talks about her journey from the ice rink to the DJ booth, the making of her debut album, HOME WAS ALWAYS ME, writing her most personal songs yet, and the life lessons that shaped it all.

North London emcee and Top Boy actor Scorcher has been one of grime’s pioneers since the early ’00s, and had his talents and contributions recognised as Best Grime Act at the 2025 MOBO awards. His huge music resurgence from recent years continues with new single Comfy ft. K-Trap, followed by his new album, ADMD. He talks about always moving forwards and not getting too nostalgic for the early days of grime, working with the likes of Giggs on recent singles, and his new LP.

In this world of short form TikTok content and AI-generated videos, Glaswegian band Conscious Pilot are a straight-up post-punk/indie rock act committed to recording songs to tape and shooting music videos on 16mm cameras. Frontman Joe Laycock talks about the band’s debut album, Human Poultry, a collection of songs about the grim world of employment, warehouse jobs, and fictional, chaotic film directors.

After a five year wait, chart-topping, Grammy-winning alternative rockers Evanescence return with Sanctuary, their sixth studio album. Following the blistering single Who Will You Follow, the new LP features some of the band’s best work to date. Singer, songwriter, and founding member Amy Lee talks about Who Will You Follow’s blockbuster music video, working with producer Jordan Fish and their shared Bring Me The Horizon history, the album’s title track, and the band’s gargantuan 2026 world tour.

Jenny Hollingsworth is best known as one half of the acclaimed experimental pop duo Let’s Eat Grandma, with three albums and a Netflix score released so far. She discusses Jenny On Holiday, her new solo project which sees her take time away from the band, and her debut solo album Quicksand Heart, a joyous and uplifting collection of alt-pop songs.

If you amalgamate the names Kate and Lloyd, plus several genres of music, the end result is Kloyd, one of the UK’s most exciting up-and-coming talents making electronic music in the vein of Four Tet, Bonobo, and Sofia Kourtesis. While on tour supporting Art School Girlfriend, she talks to Headliner about her upcoming mixtape, New Love, her London release show and Green Man performances on the horizon, and how she creates her unique, organic sound.

Nigerian music mogul Dapper has conquered the business side of the music industry as founder and CEO of the Dapper Group, which owns an eight per cent market share of the industry across the entire African continent. Fresh from earning a Guinness World Record with Dapper Live for staging the largest-ever orchestral Afrobeats concert, he is now taking on a new challenge: stepping into the spotlight as a solo artist with the release of his third single, My Type.

Singer, songwriter, DJ and producer John Newman began his journey in 2012 when he lent his vocals to Rudimental’s UK Number One hit, Feel the Love. However, the real turning point came with the smash hit, Love Me Again. Debuting at number one on the UK Official Chart, the single soared into the top 10 in over 30 countries and has amassed 1.6 billion streams. Newman reflects on the enduring popularity of the song – which is having a second life on TikTok – and discusses his new remix EP, Love Me Again (Again), new single, Merry Go, and what to expect from his new album.

Anglo-Nordic band Girl Group introduce ‘brat-punk’to the world – a unique blend of hyperpop, electronic and indie sounds. After their hit performances at Reading and Leeds Festivals and gaining support from Elton John and BBC 6 Music, Girl Group spoke to Headliner about new songs, Rage Song and SuperDrug, from their new EP Little Sticky Pictures, and why only female acts ever get accused of being ‘industry plants.’

BAFTA Award-winning, Emmy and Ivor Novello–nominated composer Paul Leonard-Morgan discusses scoring his most recent projects, Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere, and Pretty Lethal, starring Uma Therman.

Composer Jesse Zuretti dives into his metal-influenced score for Riot Games’ 2XKO – a fighting game set in the League of Legends Runeterra universe. Zuretti talks all things metal, working with Polyphia on the game’s main theme, continuing the League of Legends legacy, fans’ reactions to his soundtrack, misconceptions about heavy metal, creating the score in Cubase in his studio, and what to expect from him for the next iteration of the game. 

After the huge success of Promising Young Woman and Saltburn, director Emerald Fennel called upon British-born, L.A.-based composer Anthony Willis to work with her a third time for her adaptation of Wuthering Heights, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. Willis speaks to Headliner about how he worked on the score alongside the Charli XCX album of new songs for the film, how he and Fennel approached this new adaptation, and *that* viral Sophie Ellis-Bextor moment in Saltburn.

Icelandic composer Hildur Guðnadóttir went from releasing indie-classical solo cello albums, to becoming an awards-magnet film composer, with BAFTAs, GRAMMYs, and an Academy Award for her score to the Joaquin Phoenix-starring Joker to her name. She calls 2026 her ‘monster’ year, which has seen her score 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple and the Maggie Gyllenhaal-directed The Bride. She chats to Headliner about working on these idiosyncratic films back to back, her long-awaited upcoming return to the stage this year, and why Cubase is key to her work.

Born in South Africa, Lucy Kruger relocated to Berlin to pursue her ambitions for her band, The Lost Boys, an indie art-pop outfit that is lavished with guitar feedback, violas, sparse arrangements, and haunting melodies. Releasing music since 2014, she chats to Headliner about new album Pale Bloom.

After a musical upbringing that was staunchly classical, Benjamin Wallfisch has married his Bach-influenced skillset with a love of music technology to become one of Hollywood’s go-to composers. After a huge breakthrough working on Blade Runner: 2049 alongside a certain Hans Zimmer, huge jobs kept rolling in, including Shazam!, It and It Chapter Two, Twisters, and Alien: Romulus. The composer discusses scoring Welcome to Derry and Predator Badlands, and pivoting from pursuing orchestral conducting to making music for movies.

Moody Joody’s new single, OOPS!, is the perfect soundtrack to your next wild night out – and next morning hangxiety. The Nashville trio discuss writing OOPS!, what to expect from their forthcoming debut album, alternative band names, and why the new record will shock people from their hometown.

South-East London based, award-winning, British-Nigerian singer-songwriter and musician Ego Ella May opens up on being an introvert in the music industry, forging a path as an independent artist, and delves into the making of her second album, Good Intentions.

German producer Nicolas Rebscher discusses producing and co-writing Louis Tomlinson’s no.1 album, How Did I Get Here?, including a behind the scene look at how hit singles, Lemonade and Imposter came together. He discusses making the record in Costa Rica, how the singer has carved out his own indie sonic identity after One Direction, why this is a lighter record than Tomlinson’s previous efforts, and how he used Steinberg’s Cubase to make the record.

Renee de la Motte and Thomas Eagleton are the duo behind Salarymen, a band making nostalgia-inducing indie songs combining an array of rock, psych, and dream pop influences. Having supported the likes of Royal Otis and touring the States, Japan, and their native Australia, the duo reveal the process behind their debut album, Take It Or Leave It.

JP Cooper talks about keeping his head down growing up as an 'artsy type' in Manchester, duetting with Gabrielle on new single, Sad Song, and making music for connection rather than charts on his new album, Just A Few Folk.

S!RENE is a Dutch-Nigerian music artist, saxophonist, DJ and producer who has built a following with his music that fuses Afro Beats, Amapiano, jazz, African funk, and more. Following performances alongside Ezra Collective and at London’s Jazz Café, he speaks to Headliner about his stunning debut album, Silence Gives Life - his latest work that fuses a plethora of genres and sounds, and speaks to the relationship between silence, music, and life.

Producer, songwriter, artist and musician Mike Sabath, who has collaborated with RAYE, Shawn Mendes, Lizzo, Sabrina Carpenter and JADE, delves into the making of his emotionally-charged and natured-infused full-length record Album II: The Land Of The Twisted Tree, including how he produced it on the road in an RV. He also breaks down how he co-wrote and produced RAYE’s no.1 single WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! 

Shao Hao is a singer-songwriter who has gone from being an unconfident music student who left China for studies in the UK, to having no.1 hit songs across South East Asia and on Netflix and anime shows. He chats to Headliner about how being a resident artist at London’s Roundhouse helped him sign his life changing publishing deals, and the latest single from his Brit pop meets K-pop solo project, Where Is My Home.

Fifteen years after the release of his dance banger, Turn The Lights Off, Danish DJ and producer Kato’s life has taken an unexpected turn. And it’s all thanks to a Jon Hamm meme. He reacts to the song going viral and breaks down the key studio production gear he used to make the track.

Polish composer Hania Rani discusses her ambitious new work, Non Fiction, a piano concerto, which was both released as an album and premiered at the Barbican Hall in London, and her score for Sentimental Value, winner of the Grand Prix award at the Cannes Film Festival – starring Renate Reinsveh and Stellan Skarsgård. 

Composer Henry Jackman (whose previous work includes Captain America: The Winter Soldier, its sequel Civil War, and Captain Phillips), discusses turning his hand to a huge gaming franchise with Battlefield 6. He talks about some of the similarities and differences between the two mediums, still having plenty of budget to work with, including orchestral sessions, and how nu-metal legend Fred Durst became involved in proceedings.

Japanese-born, US-based producer and DJ, Qrion delves into the making of her new album, We Are Always Under The Same Sky, and shares how her music production has progressed – going from experimenting with making music on her phone in high school, to mastering the intricate possibilities of Cubase. She also reflects on how overcoming personal struggles has shaped her music, and shares a glimpse of her plans for 2026. 

Justin Gray, a Juno award-winning bassist, composer, engineer, producer, and educator based in Canada discusses his Grammy award-nominated project for Best Immersive Audio Album, his approach to mixing and mastering in Sony 360 Reality Audio in his Sony approved Genelec-equipped studio, and explains how the format differs from Dolby Atmos.

Rising country-pop sensation Chanel Yates opens up about making it as a UK country singer, the viral success of her single, Big Girl Boots, doing it all as an independent artist, the real stories that inspire her music, writing her brand new single, Colourblind, and what’s next for her.

Ava and Conan, twin lead singers from rising Bristol indie band, Kodachrome, discuss the band’s musical influences, building up a fan base with no industry connections, and playing sell out shows in their hometown, to UK festivals and beyond. The band delves into how they’re redefining what rock bands can look and sound like by representing the queer, trans, and neurodiverse communities, why they’ll never tire of asking Yungblud to let them play at Bludfest, and share what to expect from their debut EP. 

Berlin-born composer Sascha Dikiciyan, aka Sonic Mayhem, shares the story behind his Quake II breakthrough, the philosophy of rebellion driving the music behind new game Metal Eden, and how Cubase keeps him at the cutting edge of game music composition.

UK singer-songwriter Ella Eyre opens up about her long-awaited new album, everything, in time, and why she’s finally writing the music she's always wanted to. She reflects on getting out of the major label system, taking her songs with her, and reveals how she’s breaking away from being typecast as a dance feature vocalist. 

Annie Mahtani, electroacoustic composer, sound artist, performer and Lecturer in Music at The University of Birmingham, reveals all about BEAST, the concert sound system of the University of Birmingham’s Electroacoustic Music Studios. Also co-director of BEAST, Mahtani explains how BEAST has become one of the leading systems for the presentation of electronic music in the world thanks to its setups of 100 loudspeakers. She reveals how Genelec monitors play a crucial role, and how the system goes far beyond the capabilities of cinema surround sound systems.

Cameron Richardson, an internationally sought-after vocal teacher who is renowned for his work with clients in lead roles on Broadway, London’s West End and in TV and film, discusses his approach to vocal coaching, how he helps West End stars reach their potential, and delves into pivoting into creating his own music with his debut single, The Other Side Of Blue.

Coyle Girelli, who, after finding success in previous bands Your Vegas and The Chevin, and co-writing for the likes of BTS and Westlife, has now stepped out as a solo artist with a classic songwriting sound. He chats about his new album, Out Of This Town, a long-awaited collection of songs co-written with Elvis Presley collaborator Mac Davies, featuring duets with KT Tunstall and Cassandra Lewis.

Chelsea and Grace, aka debdepan, are a female duo from Margate who make genre-blurring alternative music, influenced by dark pop, dance and grunge. The duo talk about their musical influences and their new EP, Lovers & Others – a collection that chronicles the complexities of love, identity, and friendship through the duo’s dramatised lens.

Few tracks capture the timeless groove of The Brand New Heavies quite like You Are the Universe. Released in 1997 as part of the band’s platinum-certified album Shelter, the song’s uplifting lyrics and irresistible funk-soul groove have made it a fan favourite across the globe, cementing the band’s place as pioneers of acid jazz. Andrew Levy, who’s been The Brand New Heavies’ bassist since the group formed in the late ‘80s, reflects on the group's enduring appeal, why they never go out of style, touring almost 40 years on, and reveals new music plans.

Fresh off his headline tour across Asia, L.A.-based pop artist and producer, elijah woods discusses the misunderstandings that come with having a very similar name to a certain The Lord of the Rings actor, talks about his new single, Slicked Back Hair, and reveals what to expect from his debut album, Can We Talk?.

Before Earthworks Audio was founded in ‘95, there was dbx, the company that put David Blackmer’s name in the pro audio hall of fame. Now his son, Dan Blackmer, is carrying the torch. Dan reflects on growing up surrounded by audio ingenuity, carrying the Blackmer mantle, and steering a company where every product is as much a tool as it is a testament to a family’s lifelong pursuit of sonic excellence.

UK singer Mae Stephens talks about her new single, Tiny Voice, which is a tongue-in-cheek exploration of her intrusive thoughts. She also reflects on how ADHD has shaped her life and songwriting, and the viral success of If We Ever Broke Up.

After leaving her deeply religious home state of Florida in order to flourish as an artist, Gatlin found herself as an alternative pop and Americana artist when relocating to Nashville and then Los Angeles. She reflects on this, and delves into her debut album, The Eldest Daughter, which deals with coming out, depression, and finding herself away from her religious upbringing.

Andrei Irimia is a Romanian pianist and composer on a mission to bring his cutting-edge contemporary sounds from Bucharest to the wider world. His third album is on the way, as well as a European tour – Light and Shadows – coming in September with stops in Berlin, Barcelona, and Paris. He chats to Headliner about the resistance he had to overcome with people on the more traditional side of the Romanian classical music scene, and his new singles, including the sprawling epic track, Obsidian.

Guvna B is a musician and rapper from Newham, London, growing up in the same area as the likes of Kano, Ghetts, and Dizzee Rascal. Despite limited music opportunities growing up, he’s become a leading voice in the UK’s rap and hip-hop scene, and also works as a football pundit for Sky Sports. He chats to Headliner about his work as co-chair of Youth Music and helping some of the underrepresented voices in the UK, who could be the next Stormzy or Little Simz.

American singer, songwriter, record producer, and co-founder and frontman of the pop rock band One Republic, Ryan Tedder talks about music that ties him to a specific time in his life, his opinions on how modern songwriting has changed, writing for today’s music consumers with TikTok attention spans, and One Republic’s brand new album, OneRepublic: The Collection, which assembles almost 20 years of hits.

Paris-born, London-based artist Tanis talks about how her multicultural upbringing shapes her sound, and she delves into the inspiration behind her new single, Kid,  which is about the complexities of adult life and the longing to relive her childhood and to go back to a simpler time. 

Filipe Messeder delves into his role as sound designer and sound effects editor on the no.1 box office horror film, Weapons, the new movie from Barbarian director and writer Zach Cregger. He discusses how he terrorised audiences with his sound design in Dolby Atmos, reveals his favourite sonic moments in some key scenes (including *that* ending) and he explains how he developed a device nicknamed ‘the Rumbler’ for the film’s unsettling soundscape.