Country music aficionado and veteran DJ Bob Harris, bhangra stars Punjabi Hit Squad and classical organist Anna Lapwood will guest as ABRSM launches a new podcast series, Start Here. The ten-part series, hosted by ABRSM Artistic Director Alexis Ffrench, will focus on different music styles each week, inspiring new listeners to expand their playlists by helping them ‘unlock’ genres as diverse as Afrobeats, musical theatre and stadium rock.
Other Start Here episodes will feature jazz, hip hop and K-pop, with episodes exploring the origins of grime music with author Jeffrey Boakye and the direction of classical music with organist Anna Lapwood. Future episodes will feature Christian Adofo, Vivian Yoon, Shanay Holmes, Yazz Ahmed, Shaad D’Souza and DJ Semtex.
ABRSM Deputy Chief Executive, Penny Milsom, said:
Start Here is about showing our love for music of all kinds, exploring different types of music and hearing from some real experts about their own journeys through the genres. We’re really excited about the series. It’s an opportunity for us all to hear from people passionate in their own fields, and to open our ears and hearts to different music.
Classical-soul pioneer, Sony Music Artist, pianist, composer, record producer and host, Alexis Ffrench said: “We all know what it’s like to feel somewhat on the fringes of certain types of music or cultural movements that we feel disconnected from but are nevertheless keen to better understand and even embrace – Well, Start Here is about changing all that, and leading listeners to a place of ‘knowingness’. We’ve got fantastic guests and great discussions lined up and I’m really looking forward to helping listeners discover the incredibly rich variety of music featured over the series. We’re starting our journey with grime, and I know Jeffrey Boakye will be a brilliant guest to guide us.”
Start Here is released every Wednesday and is available wherever you get your podcasts and from Start Here Podcast.
