Riddim Life Podcasts

New episode of the Riddim Life podcast is out! In this episode Ella is talking to a rapper from South London, JMac. He started making music in 2018 and immediately earned the attention of London fans.

On this episode Ella is talking to a multi-talented London artist, BrokenPen. He’s been writing poetry and lyrics since the age of 18 and words always played an important part in his songs. He can rap in 3 languages and often talks about his multicultural background and inspirations. In 2021 BrokenPen reached the semi-finals on The Voice UK and gave an impressive performance together with Will.I.Am from Black Eyed Peas. Check out his story now!

On this episode Ella talks to Cilla Raie, an R&B singer and songwriter based in London. In her bold and empowering songs she often talks about the importance of self-love and confidence. During the pandemic she focused on releasing new music and dominated radio airwaves across the country. Check out her story now!

In this episode Ella is talking to Sam Jalloh - an author, motivational speaker and tennis coach. Born in Sierra Leone in the early 80s, Sam grew up in poverty and witnessed horrors of civil war. After seeing his best friend killed in front of him, it was tennis that gave him a way out from the dangerous life on the streets of his home town. After achieving great success in tennis, Sam decided to dedicate his life to coaching and motivating younger generations to never give up. On the podcast he talks about his journey from playing tennis using just his bare hands to travelling the world, playing for the national team, giving a TED talks, writing books and winning 2020 BBC Inspirations Awards. Check out his amazing story now!

In this episode of Music Is My Medicine Ella speaks to a writer and spoken word artist, Miss Yankey. Her energy is unmistakable and words carefully crafted. Her performances have captivated audiences from London and Paris, to New York and Melbourne. After having spent most of the lockdown in the studio, she released her first EP a few months ago and has plenty more to come!

On this episode of The New Creative Age podcast Ella will be talking to an emerging UK talent, EZYBLK and his creative team. His music is a dynamic mix of sounds, inspired by his dual Congolese and British heritage. By fusing UK rap with rhythmic Afrobeats, EZYBLK creates a unique soundscape that reflects his diverse background.

Welcome back to The New Creative Age. In this episode Ella will be talking to a blogger and podcaster, Blackman Da Traveller. He spent his childhood in East London areas known for problems with knife crime and poverty. After meeting his partner in 2014, he decided to leave the London streets and start travelling. That moment completely changed his perspective on life.

In this episode Ella is joined by Untold Poet, a rapper and songwriter from Essex who was named the ‘SOUND OF 2021’ Artist on BBC Essex Introducing. . His music is a mixture of RnB, rap and poetic rhythm with forward-thinking wit and unexpected, honest emotion.

Norly Joy (Music Is My Medicine) by Riddim Life

On this episode Ella talks to Andreww, a German-born and London-based artist, who has begun his career in music, after achieving a huge success in the fashion industry. Having worked as a runway and fashion model for Louis Vuitton, Dior, Versace and Valentino (just to name a few), Andreww has acquired a unique talent for integrating different elements, themes and emotions. He used his eclectic taste to create his own wholly unique musical universe.

This episode features an inspiring photographer, Jimmy Lee. Jimmy didn’t get into photography through University or expensive classes but through hard work, passion and dedication. For majority of his life Jimmy worked in construction. After suffering from multiple injuries, he was laid off work and had to undergo a complicated surgery. Then, lying in bed for weeks in recovery, he taught himself how to take pictures. Soon photography became Jimmy's passion for life and a new occupation. Listen to this amazing story now and get inspired!

On this episode Ella talks to an extremely talented, award-winning designer, Solomia Zoumaras. Solomia's brand is acclaimed for re-designing, re-shaping, and re-thinking objects for the modern world. Her work combines craft and technology, led by a depth of understanding of manufacturing processes. Solomia's products have been featured in famous magazines, like Elle Decorations and Financial Times. On the podcast she talks about how our approach to design changed in 2020 and why sustainability is the way forward.

This episode features Vicktesha Cunnigham, the Founder of Vtessia Cosmetics. After giving birth to her daughter, Vicktesha started experiencing severe postpartum alopecia. The hair loss problem caused her a lot of stress and mental discomfort. When she tried all available products without getting any results, she decided to create her own natural treatment that finally worked. Today, apart from running a successful haircare business, Vicktesha inspiring other women to embrace their natural beauty with confidence.

On this episode Ella is talking to a singer and songwriter from London, Alice Callari. Apart from pursuing her career in music, Alice is also supporting fellow artists through her work as an activist and vlogger.

On this podcast Ella talks to two visionary creatives, Duncan Nicholls (Photographer/Director) and filmmaker Tobias James. They have founded a production company called Good Planets and took on a mission to inspire positive change through their work. They have also committed to making creative production more sustainable and campaign for environmental, social and economic justice. Listen to the interview now and get inspired!

This episode features two super-interesting guests, Robert and Ken. They formed a rap duo, called KXR, and were about to release their first album when the lockdown happened. Despite challenges, they decided not to disappoint their supporters and kept making music. They also committed to using their creativity as a tool to comment on the life-changing events that happened in 2020.

Tim Harkness is a leading psychologist and world class sports scientist. Having grown up in South Africa during Apartheid and then working with top athletes for years, he noticed that sometimes during difficult conversations people are shouting, but not listening. This inspired him to write a book called ‘10 Rules for Talking’.  In the age of coronavirus, Brexit and protests against racial injustice we could surely benefit from the ability to move discussions forward. But how to achieve that? Listen to the podcast now and find out.

Paul Robinson is the editor and creator of Electric Music Magazine. He’s been running the magazine for almost 9 years and reached audiences in 62 countries around the world! Paul has interviewed hundreds of up-and-coming artists and many well-known musicians. He promotes new talents and helps them to grow their careers. On the podcast we talk about how the music industry is changing and how it is going to be like in the future.  

My first guest on the show is a New York based independent filmmaker and television producer, Xackery Irving. His award-winning film, The American Chain Gang, examines the use of forced labor programs to punish criminals. Recently, a new extended version of his film sparked a lot of conversations about the subject. Since 2020 is bringing people’s attention to social issues, we'll explore if there’s also a chance to open a conversation about chain gangs. On the podcast we also talk about how COVID19 changed life in New York, and what are the positive and negative things people experienced during the lockdown.

Hello! This is my welcome message to all of you. Hope you'll enjoy the show.

On this podcast Ella talks to is Aiko, a Moscow born and Czech republic raised artist based in London. Her career started with an appearance on a TV talent show “Superstar”. From that moment she actively pursued her career in music, released an album and played concerts in many European countries. Her sound is a unique blend of cultures, influences and electronic music. She often explores subjects such as solitude, love and understanding of self.

This podcast features an extremely creative rapper, producer, musician, singer and songwriter from South West London. A month ago he released a new single, Trials of Babylon, featuring a hip hop legend, Rodney P. The song questions what it means to consume black culture and explores ideas at the very heart of the ‘race’ debate. On the podcast we are also playing his new track, God Please, that will be released next week. Tune in now for an early listen!

Maella is an extremely talented singer and songwriter born in Prague. A few years ago she won the best new song category at national music competition in Czech Republic. Then, after relocating to London, she formed her own music band and hasn’t stopped creating songs since. Her music is a blend of rock, pop and electronic sound, which she mixes with her beautiful silky voice. Today she’s joined us to share her story.

Jack Mercer, aka VC Pines, is an alternative soul artist who mixes up punk and poetry with a unique eclectic sound. With his latest EP, Skully, he garnered praise from BBC Radio 1 and 6, as well as Daily Star, Spindle, DIY Magazine and many others. At a very young age, Jack found out he suffered from epilepsy. Instead of surrendering to the illness, he decided to use it as a tool in his creative process. Through his deep and meaningful songs, he talks about modern life’s challenges, self doubt, loneliness and being true to yourself. Listen to his story now and get inspired!

Juanita Euka is a LUKAS award-winning singer-songwriter. She was born in Congo, grew up in Buenos Aires and moved to the UK when she was 14. Her charismatic and magnetic voice opened doors to numerous collaborations with Afro-Latin, Funk and Jazz bands. Recently her solo track ‘Alma Seca’, led to a live appearance in the BBC blockbuster series ‘Killing Eve’. On the podcast Juanita talks about her international background, music influences, concerts at Ronnie Scott’s and artistic advice she received from none other than Paloma Faith. Juanita also opens up about the difficulty of being from a multicultural background, social inequalities and the process of building her own identity. JUANITA: Music can always bring people together. Music, what it does is magic. (...) It brings you an emotion and it also inspires you. To me, music always has been a refuge of positivity, clarity, discipline, joy - so many things that make me who I am today. FEATURED SONGS: ‘Alma Seca’ - Juanita Euka; ‘Tiempo’ - WARA; ‘Power To The Women’ - London Afrobeat Collective

This episode presents not one but two guests. The first one is an alternative RnB singer Chrissy Day. She joins the podcast with her agent and creative collaborator, Jason AKA Agent Soulman. The two not only work together but also support each other as friends. On the podcast they talk about how 2020 is changing the world and the importance of diversity. Chrissy and Jason also open up about their recent losses of parents that they had to face in the lockdown.  CHRISSY: When you lose someone, it’s fine to feel the pain. It’s not a thing of neglecting it or convincing yourself that you’re not in pain. I went through that motion, I went through the crying stage, I went through the breakdown and heartbreak. But I think it’s about moving through that, not just staying in that. Moving through the pain and transmitting the pain into something else.  JASON: That’s the beauty of what has just happened. It made me appreciate every single moment and every single day. And the fact that I get to wake up and I get to breathe... FEATURED SONGS: 'Addict' - Chrissy Day; 'Gotham' - Boy Nash, Kammy Slime, Parris Wright, Ko-Jo Cue, Chrissy Day; 'Something I Need' - Chrissy Day.

Brook Baili is a super-talented singer and songwriter, based in London. She attended the world-famous Brit school (the same institution that formed talents like Adele and Loyle Carner) and worked with an extensive list of UK grime artists and producers such as The Arcade (Iggy Azaelia, Maroon 5, Kendrick Lamar) and Luke Reid (Drake, Tinie Tempah). Brook’s music is a blend of pop and R&B, coupled with powerful storytelling and a very distinctive sound. Although her songs are positive, empowering and healing, Brook had to overcome personal challenges tragedy at a very young age. She tragically lost her sister to cancer just 5 days before turning sixteen. Overwhelmed with grief Brook turned to her music, using it as her therapy and finding solace. BROOK: I don’t think that trauma can ever vanish. It’s always gonna be there in some ways. But once you’ve learnt your triggers and how to manage yourself when you’re feeling a bit stressed out, I think it’s fine. For me, my main thing is to take responsibility for my feelings and to make sure that I’m not reacting because of something that I’m not dealing with. I don’t ever want to project my issues onto other people. So I’m always doing the groundwork. Always. Even when I’m feeling good. You just need to make sure you’re always doing it. When it becomes a problem, it is when you don't deal with things step by step. FEATURED SONGS: 'Cycles' - Brook Baili; 'Louder' - Brook Baili; 'Self Love' - Shocka ft. Brook Baili; 'Summertime High' - Brook Baili

KdotMelody is a songwriter and rapper from North London. With his clever, poetic and often hard-hitting lyrics, he wants to challenge his listeners to reflect. In the past couple of years he released two successful albums, Spectrum and Late shft, and played concerts in the UK and America. K DOT MELODY: I started making music a long time ago. I think it was my 16th birthday when my parents got me a really small studio setup. And it was at a crazy time in London when a lot of people were getting in lots of trouble or getting hurt. They were seeing that I was having interest, but thanks to mum and dad it really worked out. (...) I wasn’t even aware of the fact that it was keeping me away from anything else, I just knew it was something really cool to do. FEATURED SONGS: 'Rough round the edges' - KdotMelody; 'Starry Eyed' - KdotMelody; 'If all fails' - KdotMelody.

Lemzi is a hip-hop artist from East London who abandoned plans to become a lawyer to focus on making meaningful music. Apart from writing positive, soothing and motivating songs, he also comments on social problems in his community, like knife crime. His music has been featured on Sky News, BBC One, London Live and many British radio stations. LEMZI: Musical therapy is a real thing! It’s actually something that I was looking into where I’ve gone through bouts of, if it’s not depression, then it’s deep repression. (...) Typically finding and discovering new music that I actually enjoy is a huge factor of taking me out of that zone. When I get to the point that I discover something new that really resonates, I start feeling better. I’m pretty sure that everyone in this day and age has a playlist (...). If everyone sat down and said - what is it all about these songs that actually makes me feel good? - there would definitely be a common component within all the songs. I don’t know what it is, because it’s different for everyone, but once you know what that is, then you will be like ‘oh I’ve got this! I should be feeling good all the time!’. Music is always there as a tool (...), it can always adapt our frequency. Because everything about the sound is about vibrations. So if you’re vibrating on a lower frequency, music can take you out of it. FEATURED SONGS: 'Curious Kids' - Lemzi; 'W.O.D.A.T.' - Lemzi; 'B.O.T.S.' - Lemzi.

Shocka has already seen a huge success in music. A few years ago he was playing with famous artists like Skepta, and touring the country with his rap trio Marvell. Then he had it all taken away and that led him to a breakdown and mental health hospital. After a long recovery, Shocka came back to music and released a very honest and positive song called “Self Love”. The song has been viewed by millions and shared on social media by many artists, including Snoop Dogg. Now he’s with us to share his story of "the rise, the fall and the come back". SHOCKA: When I was in hospital, I could have ended it all. I shouldn’t be here today. I know what I went through, going through hospital three times. I saw so many traumatic things that I should not be here. But, I thought, if I’m going to stay here, it’s so important that people see that. Because they may want to end it and they could see me and say: oh look what he’s achieved by staying here and sticking it out, maybe I should continue? FEATURED SONGS: 'Self Love' - Shocka ft. Brook Baili; 'Vent' - Shocka; 'Single Mothers' - Shocka ft. Dun D; 'Warn Me' - Shocka ft. Dun D.

Amelia is a spoken word artist and singer from East London. A few years ago she reached the lowest point in her life, but thanks to her creativity she found a way to deal with problems. AMELIA: Up until that moment of my life, situations didn't just happen to me but they owned me. Every negative thing that happened to me was like a piece of baggage that I had to carry around, that I had to be ashamed of or couldn't speak about. Now I'm taking ownership on it and I'm going to turn it into something productive and positive. And I'm also going to air it out and let people know that's it's ok to speak about this things, it's ok to be vulnerable sometimes, it's ok to be upset. If we spoke about this more, we would have a healthier culture dealing with mental health issues. FEATURED SONGS: 'Just Beautiful' - Amelia Poamz; 'The Realest Shit I Ever Wrote" - Amelia Poamz.

This is the first pilot episode of Music Is My Medicine podcast. Ella is interviewing Tray Avlon - an incredibly talented hip hop artist from East London, whose personal and deep lyrics challenge male stereotypes and inspire open conversation about human emotions. As a child, Tray never heard the words 'I love you' from his own mum, although he saw her parental love expressed in other ways. Later on, Tray decided to explore how his childhood has effected his ability to love as an adult man. TRAY: I didn't realise that anything was missing until I had my own relationships. Because I had no teacher to teach me how to love, I didn't have a good model how to love anyone else. I thought I understood what I was doing, but I didn't. (...) When I really dug deeper I understood I couldn't have know how to nourish relationships outside myself because of my bad, I guess, relationship with my mum. FEATURED SONGS: 'From Me To You' - Tray Avlon; 'Opposites Attract' - Tray Avlon; 'You Already Know' - Tray Avlon ft. El'tee.

The Dirty Urban Show - COVID 19 by Riddim Life