Just a chat

Every now and again, you come across a band that you wish you'd known your entire life.

For me, that band is the Cork-based funk band Shookrah. Minutes before I sat down to chat with frontwoman Senita Appiakorang, the band announced that they were calling it a day. We discuss the difficulties that Irish musicians face in general and during a pandemic. We also talk about her move from South Africa to a Direct Provision centre in Kerry and the musical education that came with that.

Connie Keane is a producer, singer, DJ and electronic musician who works under the pseudonym Fears. Featured recently on the Virgin Media documentary Darkness Into Light, Connie is extremely open about the mental breakdown she experienced a few years ago and she puts her experiences into her songs. 

In this episode, we speak over Zoom about the process of putting so much of yourself into your music and how we need to have better conversations around mental health. Trigger warnings: depression, self-harm and suicide.

See more at roguecollective.ie

In light of the findings of the gender disparity in Irish radio report released this week, Louise Bruton talks to Irish artist CMAT and others about sexism in the music industry…

In the first of a new podcast series, Just a Chat, Louise Bruton meets singer Loah. Loah chats to Louise about growing up between Ireland and West Africa, merging influences to create her sound and the rise of the super pop star.