The Black Circle

This week on The Black Circle Podcast, I'm joined by British-Nigerian Afrofusion artist Princess Wonda, who's proving that you don't have to choose between your passions. With over 15 million career streams, international performances and music featured in hit shows including Harlem and Young Love, Princess is making her mark in the music industry. But away from the stage, she's al...

In this episode of The Black Circle, I'm joined by Tope Chiedozie, better known as Icie The Host, founder of The Sit Down, a platform dedicated to bringing people together through the power of conversation. From an audience of just 23 people at his first event to interviewing some of Britain's most recognisable names, including Mo Gilligan, Paul Brunson, Dean Forbes, Jamelia and Candice Br...

We get into the changing landscape of Black British television, why our stories were never limited to UK audiences, creative ownership and the importance of building infrastructure around the culture we create. Sebastian also takes us inside Dope Black Art, the global platform he founded to champion Black artists, and talks about directing episodes of Fightland, the new boxing crime drama executiv...

From the sound systems of Shepherd’s Bush to becoming a Grammy-winning producer and one of the most recognised voices in dancehall and reggae broadcasting, Seani B has spent decades championing Caribbean music and culture. In this episode of The Black Circle Podcast, Seani takes us back to where it all began, DJing alongside his brothers, turning his bedroom windowsill into a stage and eventually...

Allyson Williams MBE arrived in Britain from Trinidad in 1969 to train as a nurse. She would go on to spend 35 years in the NHS, rising to Deputy Head of Midwifery, while experiencing racism from some of the very patients she was there to care for. But Allyson's contribution to Britain extends far beyond the NHS.Alongside her late husband Vernon "Fellows" Williams, a founding member...

What does it really take to break into the world of luxury? This week, I sit down with watch dial designer, creative director and entrepreneur Manny Mangno to talk about building a career in one of the world's most exclusive industries. From designing bespoke pieces for ultra-high-net-worth collectors to creating SWRISS, an affordable watch brand built for the 99%, Manny has experienced both ends...

What does it really take to build stronger communities? This week on The Black Circle, I'm joined by Sayce Holmes-Lewis, founder and CEO of Mentivity, an award-winning organisation supporting more than 27,000 young people through mentoring, education and community-led initiatives. Growing up on South London's Aylesbury Estate shaped Sayce's mission to create the spaces and opportunitie...

What happens when we stop telling our stories? In this episode of The Black Circle, I sit down with Que Wolfe, founder of Dope Readers Club, to explore why reading is making a comeback and why books are about so much more than what's on the page. Since launching Dope Readers Club in 2020, Que has built a thriving community dedicated to celebrating Black and diverse authors through book clubs,...

In 2014, long before conversations around representation became mainstream, Tobi Oredein saw a gap in British media and decided to build what didn't exist. As the founder of Black Ballad, she's spent the last decade creating a platform dedicated to telling the stories of Black women in Britain with the nuance, honesty and care they deserve. What began as a digital publication has since gro...

Nigerian visual artist and storyteller Anthony Azekwoh joins The Black Circle Podcast for a conversation about art, mythology, memory and cultural preservation. Known for his viral series The Wedding and his striking visual interpretations of African folklore, Anthony has built a global reputation for creating work that sits at the intersection of contemporary culture, history and imagination. In...

In this episode of The Black Circle Podcast, Zoe Cornibert sits down with BAFTA-winning writer, poet and storyteller Dean Atta. Best known for The Black Flamingo and the award-winning short film Two Black Boys in Paradise, Dean has built a body of work that explores identity, belonging, race, masculinity and queerness with honesty, tenderness and depth. Together, they discuss growing up as a mixed...

What does it mean to build a beauty brand that truly understands Black women? This week, Zoe sits down with Jamelia Donaldson, founder of TreasureTress, Europe’s first and largest natural hair product discovery platform, for a conversation that goes far beyond haircare. From growing up in a world where textured hair was often framed negatively, to building a platform rooted in representation, sist...

From the early days of grime and pirate radio to building globally recognised brands like Crep Protect and HYPHNT, Jason Black aka J2K joins me for a conversation on culture, entrepreneurship, sneaker/trainer culture, community and building with real intention. We also get into SOLE INTENT, his upcoming initiative supporting hurricane relief efforts in Jamaica through creativity, community and act...

Can you really say anything anymore… or are there lines you just don’t cross? This week, I’m joined by comedian Dane Baptiste for a conversation that goes beyond the stage. From starting out in comedy to building a career across TV, live shows and podcasting, Dane shares what it actually takes to last in the industry. We get into the reality behind the laughs, whether the industry has truly moved...

What does it really take to build a career in media when the doors aren’t opening for you? This week on The Black Circle, I’m joined by Remel London, presenter, producer and founder of The Mainstream, a platform creating real access for the next generation of creatives in TV, film and media. Hosting major red carpets and becoming the only UK press at ESSENCE Fest, Remel’s journey is a masterclass...

Property is often sold as the end goal. But in reality, it’s just the vehicle. In this episode, I sit down with Kazy, a developer with over a decade in the game, to break down what it actually takes to build something that lasts. We talk about why cash flow is everything, how credibility is built over time, and why the industry is less forgiving than it used to be. The shortcuts don’t work anymore...

In this episode of the podcast, Zoe sits down with multidisciplinary creative Jade Pearl to explore the deeper meaning behind creativity, colour and wearable art. Drawing from colour psychology, intuition and lived experience, she creates pieces designed to shift how people feel when they wear them. The conversation explores creativity as identity, the power of recommendation in creative industrie...

In this episode of The Black Circle, we’re joined by financial educator and founder of The Savvy Wallet, Ato Jay. Known for breaking down money in a way that is practical, relatable, and actionable, Ato has built a platform that empowers people to think differently about wealth, ownership, and long term security.

Season 3 of The Black Circle starts here. In this episode, TV presenter and founder Ria Hebden shares how she built her career in television without waiting for permission, including getting herself onto BBC One and ITV without an agent. We talk about backing yourself before anyone else does, shaping representation from within the industry, why playing it safe is the real risk, and what it truly m...

What happens when we stop whispering about sex and start learning through play? In this season two finale, Zoe sits down with Kangwa Saili designer, storyteller and co-founder of Clits, Tits & Other Bits (CTOB) the bold card game turning taboo topics into open, empowering conversations. Kangwa shares how she’s using creativity to reframe sex education, close the pleasure gap and push for femal...

When Christina Okorocha co-founded VAMP back in 2017, she and her partners set out to change an industry that had overlooked Black digital talent for too long. Nearly eight years later, their agency has redefined how brands like Disney, Netflix, and Spotify engage with culture. In this episode of The Black Circle Podcast, Christina sits down with Zoe to talk about building VAMP from the ground up,...

From a pencil and sketchbook in Uganda to creating Disney’s first African sci-fi series, Hamid Ibrahim’s journey is nothing short of remarkable. In this episode of The Black Circle Podcast, I sit down with Hamid Emmy-nominated filmmaker, CEO of Kugali, and one of the leading voices in African storytelling. We talk about his early years in Uganda and Kenya, the culture shock of moving to the UK, br...

This episode is close to my heart. ❤️I sit down with my stepdad, Chris Peckings Price co-owner of Peckings Records, One of London’s oldest reggae record shop, and son of the legendary George Peckings Price. We talk about 60+ years of legacy, culture and community, from Studio One in Jamaica to Shepherd’s Bush in West London, from sound systems to Notting Hill Carnival, and how reggae has shaped Br...

Black women are often called the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs but what’s the truth behind that stat? In this episode, we sit down with Jo Wong, CEO and Founder of Let’s GROW Black Female Founders (BFF), to unpack the realities of Black women in business and why building spaces designed by us and for us is essential. Jo shares her journey as a neurodivergent, Black, mother and expat, and...

At 23, Shannie Mears co-founded The Elephant Room and flipped the advertising industry on its head. From Birmingham to global brands, she’s built space for Black creatives, launched The Blacklist & Guestlist, and is rewriting the rules on culture, community and ownership. In this episode we dive into DEI in 2025, building a creative agency from scratch, and balancing leadership with motherhood...