The Open Mic Room

Join us in this episode of the Open Mic Room as musician Jake Hawkes shares his journey through music, creativity, and the stories behind his songs. Discover how he started writing songs at a young age, influenced by his father's love for music, and hear about his unique approach to songwriting and live performances. Key takeaways:* Jake's early influences and how he began writing songs* T...

Matt welcomes Canadian musician Bill Nadeau to The Open Mic Room as we chat about his journey in music, the impact of AI on songwriting, and his unique approach to creating and performing. Discover how Bill blends genres and shares his experiences with original music and live performances. Key takeaways:* Bill's favorite song to summarize his artistry: "I Won't Be the One to Blame&quo...

Matt welcomes Bradley the Solo Shanty Man to The Open Mic Room. Uncover the surprisingly vibrant world of shanty singing — and how a former chef turned solo performer is bringing it to life in Devon and beyond. Bradley, aka "The Solo Shanty Man," reveals how he transitioned from a 15-year culinary career to capturing audiences with the raw energy of maritime folk music. Discover the stor...

Matt welcomes American artist Andy Robinson of The Art Street Boys to the Open Mic Room. Join us as we chat about his journey in music and the unique Mountain Dulcimer! Discover the story behind his song "In Your Own Backyard" and learn about the challenges and joys of being a musician today. Key takeaways:* Andy shares the inspiration behind his song "In Your Own Backyard."* Learn about the Mount...

Matt welcomes Gericho to The Open Mic Room. In this episode, we explore his journey as a musician, the inspiration behind his hit song "Unofficial Boyfriend," and the challenges of navigating the music scene in LA.Key takeaways:* Discover the story behind "Unofficial Boyfriend" and its relatable themes.* Learn how Gericho's diverse musical influences shape his sound.* Hear about the challenges of...

Join indie singer-songwriter Isaac Neilson as he embarks on an incredible journey of performing a gig every single day in 2026! Discover how this challenge aims to connect with audiences through community rather than algorithms. Key takeaways:* Isaac shares his motivation behind the challenge and the importance of persistence in the music industry.* Learn about the logistical hurdles he faces whil...

Matt welcomes Alexis Dimitriou to The Open Mic Room. Join us in this episode of the Open Mic Room as we chat with musician Alexis Dimitriou about his journey in music, influences, and upcoming projects! 🎶Key takeaways:* Discover how Alexis started his musical journey in Cyprus and his path to becoming a professional musician.* Learn about his experiences at the Academy of Contemporary Music in th...

Matt welcomes American artist Celina Rescott to The Open Mic Room. Join us for this insightful chat as Celina chats openly about the highs and lows of being a full time musician across the pond.

Matt welcomes Steve Dunbar to The Open Mic Room. Join us in this episode of The Open Mic Room as we chat with Steve Dunbar from the band Reillo! Discover the story behind their music, their influences, and the challenges of being an original band in today's music scene. 🎸Key takeaways:* Steve shares insights on their hit song "I Feel the Speed" and what makes it resonate with fans.* Learn about t...

Matt welcomes Scottish musician Rhuari Campbell to The Open Mic Room for this insightful chat as he shares his journey in music, the influence of his Scottish roots, and the challenges of being a full-time artist. Discover how his upbringing and experiences shape his songwriting and performances. Key takeaways:Rhuari's song "North" as a reflection of his identityThe impact of Scottis...

Matt welcomes American artist Tina Star to The Open Mic Room! 🌍🇺🇸The Open Mic Room has officially gone global as a podcast, with Tina becoming the first of many exciting American acts joining the show. In this honest and inspiring episode, Tina opens up about her journey into music, her huge ambitions, and the challenges she’s faced along the way. She talks candidly about starting out performing...

Matt welcomes singer-songwriter Kelly Cresswell to The Open Mic Room. Join us as she shares her journey into music and the stories behind her heartfelt songs. Discover how she found her voice and the courage to pursue her passion later in life. Key takeaways:Kelly's breakthrough song "Greenlight" and its significanceThe role of encouragement from friends in her musical journeyInsights into her son...

Matt welcomes the incredible Fraser Morgan to The Open Mic Room. Join us in this episode of the Open Mic Room as we chat with Fraser Morgan about his incredible journey in music! 🎶Fraser shares insights on his songwriting process, the importance of mental health in his music, and his experiences performing over 1,200 shows. Discover how he navigates the challenges of being a musician while stayin...

Matt welcomes Katie Brown to The Open Mic Room. Katie, a singer-songwriter, shares her journey and influences, highlighting the impact of Liverpool on her music. She discusses emotional songwriting, the pandemic's influence, and her plans for albums and EPs. The conversation also covers gig experiences, social media presence, and personal connections to Liverpool's music scene. Takeaways*...

Matt welcomes singer, guitarist and founder of two festivals Peter Tate to The Open Mic Room. The conversation with Peter Tate covers a range of topics, including the influence of personal experiences on music, supporting young musicians, and the impact of music on mental health. Peter shares personal stories that have shaped his music and discusses the future of his band, The Abandoners. Addition...

Matt welcomes singer, songwriter and pianist Rose Hart to The Open Mic Room. Rosie discusses her music journey, song inspirations, and future plans. She shares personal stories behind her songs and her experience with live streaming. The conversation also touches on her health challenges and her aspirations for the future. Taylor Swift also gets one or two mentions....Takeaways* Song inspirations...

Matt welcomes KingFast to The Open Mic Room. The conversation with Paul Walker, also known as Kingfast, covers a range of topics including his cultural background, musical influences, live performances, emotional impact of songs, music in public spaces, passion for music, artist name, message in music, dream venue, and future plans for music releases. Takeaways* Influences from different cultures*...

Matt welcomes Jake Hawkes to The Open Mic Room. The conversation delves into the significance of open mic nights as a platform for artist development and the therapeutic role of music in mental health. It also explores Jake Hawkes' music, the story behind his song 'Googly Eyes', and his identity and stage name, Dunce Cap Jack. The conversation delves into the songwriting process, inspiration, and...

Matt welcomes singer songwriter Chloe Bartlett to The Open Mic Room. The conversation covers Chloe Bartlett's experiences with open mic nights, her influences and inspirations, the process of songwriting and storytelling, and her music career and future plans. Takeaways* Open mic experiences* Influences and inspirations* Songwriting and storytelling* Music career and future plans

SummaryThe episode features a conversation with Den and Wayne from Remember Serenity, a UK-based acoustic rock band. The discussion covers their music, song inspirations, personal stories, and the meaning behind their songs. The band's deep friendship and the emotional depth of their music are highlighted throughout the conversation. The conversation covers a range of topics including songwriting...

Matt welcomes lead singer Vix Weaver of Vix and the Bleeding Hearts to the Open Mic Room. Some connectivity issues to start meant the recording needed to be done on another platform hence the static camera. Nonetheless we had a fantastic chat and Vix is such a vibe, bringing just as much energy to the podcast as she does her music.

The conversation with Richard Townend covers his prolific songwriting, challenges in the music industry, and his journey from Leeds College to rediscovering his love for music in Maldon, Essex. It also explores the influences on his band The Mighty Bosscats, hosting open mic nights, and the inspiration behind his tough subject matter songs. The discussion delves into the festivals and gigs that Ri...