Listen Up with Ash McGregor

Cavetown grew up uploading songs to YouTube at 14, building a global audience before he’d even finished school. What began as bedroom covers and self-produced tracks quietly turned into billions of streams and one of indie pop’s most devoted fanbases. But growing up online comes with its own challenges. In this episode, Cavetown reflects on evolving in public, from being known for the songs he wro...

Hazlett didn’t grow up chasing music, nor fame and fortune. He started his solo career at 26 after years of playing bass and a stint in advertising. In this episode, Hazlett reflects on what it really means to back yourself later than most, the leap that took him from Australia to Sweden, and the creative partnership with producer Freddy Alexander that helped shape the sound he’s now known for. We...

New Zealand brothers Balu Brigada have been building this for years. Writing everything themselves, producing everything themselves, no shortcuts. With their latest album Portal, that steady grind turned into real momentum. Nearly 5 million monthly listeners, global tours with Twenty One Pilots , and a fanbase that’s catching up. In this episode, we talk about the shift from early R&B influenc...

Before stepping on stage for one of his biggest Australian arena shows, YUNGBLUD sits down for a conversation about identity, ambition, and the weight of legacy. In this episode, we go deep into the creation of his third studio album 'Idols', an album born from pushing himself to the brink, questioning the persona he built, and rediscovering who he is. YUNGBLUD opens up about chasing something rea...

Good Neighbours didn’t expect this to work. After years of trying to make it in music, the duo started Good Neighbours as a one last chance. No expectations, no long-term plan. Then Home took off, and everything changed. In this episode they open up about the moment they almost quit music for good, how a project started on a whim became their breakthrough, and the full-circle reality of sitting in...

Few bands have left a mark on Australian music quite like The Temper Trap . From their early days in Melbourne to the slow-burning rise of Sweet Disposition , the band became one of Australia’s most beloved exports. In 2025, The Temper Trap returned with Giving Up Air , their first new music in nine years, marking the beginning of a long-awaited new chapter. Recorded live on stage at Beyond the Va...

I'm backkkk! Happy 2026! Silly season has truly been silly, lots of food, lots of events, lots of gigs and rounding out the year at Beyond the Valley. Let's catch up! Plus, I want to put you on to the act that has SZA talking, Maden Lane . ------ Podcast setup brought to you by RØDE: RCDUO PodMic NTH-100 PSA1+ WS14 As part of the RØDE Affiliate Program, purchases made through  ⁠⁠⁠https://brandstor...

Nashville pop artist Thomas Day has lived multiple versions of an artist’s dream. After breaking through as a teenage heartthrob on America’s Got Talent, Thomas signed to a major label and was quickly positioned for pop perfection. But it wasn’t until he stepped away from polish and leaned into raw, imperfect recordings that his music truly connected; culminating in the breakout success of “ She G...

SIX60 are New Zealand’s biggest band, and their rise is anything but conventional. Formed while studying in Dunedin, the group slowly built a grassroots following before becoming a stadium-selling force across Aotearoa. Along the way, they’ve rewritten the rules of success for Australasian bands, including a period during COVID when they were one of the only bands in the world able to tour, sellin...

Australian producer CYRIL has become one of the country’s most unlikely success stories. From growing up regionally, experiencing homelessness, and battling drug addiction; all while never letting go of his passion for producing. In just two years, he’s amassed over 1.8 billion streams and quickly became one of Australia's biggest exports. In this episode of Listen Up with Ash McGregor , CYRIL ope...

Larissa Lambert is one of Australia’s brightest R&B stars with over 200 million streams to the name.  Her story has never been linear - it’s a series of sliding doors moments. In this episode, we trace the chain of chances that built her career: from her pizza shop boss who paid for her to attend a talent camp, to saying yes to an X-Factor girl group in 2014, to backing herself as a solo artis...

Florence Road are one of the most exciting new bands to erupt out of Ireland. They’ve gone from making noise in a backyard shed to catching fire online, selling out rooms, and landing on massive international festival lineups and tour supports. In this episode, the band sits down with Ash McGregor for a proper introduction: their childhoods in Ireland, how they formed, and the moment a viral clip...

It's gigs on gigs on gigs over here! Let me catch you up on what I've seen lately and why we need to support local emerging artists when internationals tour. Plus you need to learn about Pamela. , Sophian and this stunning collab between Joan & the Giants and Seb Szabo . Listen to all the tracks here: ⁠⁠⁠The A-List⁠⁠⁠ , updated every Friday. ------ Podcast setup brought to you by RØDE: RCDUO P...

Royel Otis join Ash to reminisce on the last 5 years, from writing songs in Sydney sunrooms to accidentally blowing up and becoming a household name. Royel Otis are a Sydney-born indie duo (Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic) who formed in 2019. Their 2024 debut album PRATTS & PAIN broke into the ARIA top 10, and by the end of the year they’d sold out shows globally, played major festivals and qu...

We are in the middle of Aus Music Month, so let me put you on to three new aussie releases that can't go under the radar. Tune in to hear the stories behind FVNERAL x Ben Lee , Chris Lanzon and Ben Gerrans x PANIA . Check out ⁠⁠The A-List⁠⁠ , updated every Friday. ------ Podcast setup brought to you by RØDE: RCDUO PodMic NTH-100 PSA1+ WS14 As part of the RØDE Affiliate Program, purchases made thro...

Few artists define a nation’s soundtrack like Paul Kelly. With 30 albums, generations of fans, and songs woven into Australian culture, this is one of the country’s greatest storytellers reflecting on life, legacy, and his brand new record, Seventy. In this deeply personal conversation, Paul opens up about the making of Seventy, the follow-up to his beloved Christmas classic How To Make Gravy , an...

She blew up online and now she’s proving she’s the real deal. Lyric joins Ash McGregor to talk viral fame, songwriting, Like A Version, and the next wave of Australian pop. Gold Coast rising pop star Lyric has quickly become one of Australia’s most talked-about new artists. In this episode, Lyric sits down with Ash McGregor to unpack her whirlwind journey: from early viral traction and her first l...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Been a busy week in the world of Ash, so let me catch you up (I'm viral?! I hosted a 5SOS fan event?!). Plus I put you on to a debut single from Waist that I have been rinsing, and the next-gen Dijon: Jahson Paynter . Wanna know what else I'm loving? Check out ⁠The A-List⁠ , updated every Friday. ------ Podcast setup brought to you by RØDE: RCDUO PodMic NTH-100 PSA1+ WS14 As part...

YNG Martyr has lived a life like few others. The Wiradjuri rapper first broke out of Canberra’s underground scene with his viral hit Nike Ticks, turning gaming chats and meme culture into millions of streams - and a cult global following. But behind the fame was chaos. In this conversation, YNG Martyr opens up about growing up in Townsville, falling into drugs, and the trip that almost killed him...

Well well well, we are BACK in the bedroom and in honour of the BOY SODA episode that dropped this week, let me tell you three RnB artists I'm loving right now. Hear about them in the pod, but find their music here: Chelsea Jordan dawwn cikho Wanna know what else I'm loving? Check out The A-List , updated every Friday. ------ Podcast setup brought to you by RØDE: RCDUO PodMic NTH-100 PSA1+ WS14 As...

BOY SODA is one of Australia’s most exciting new R&B artists - and his rise is only getting started. Following the viral success of his hit Lil Obsession and the release of his debut album SOULSTAR , BOY SODA joins Ash for an in-depth interview about his journey so far. He opens up about his Samoan roots, his family life, and the creative community that shapes his sound. From the making of SOU...

Welcome to the first of the lowkey Friday episodes - bitesized thoughts on the music and artists I'm loving. It's the kinda gear you would know me from if you ever tuned into my radio show or on TikTok Live. Today I want to tell you about the impromptu set from Mel Blue and Manfredo Lament that blew my mind, PLUS I'm bringing back The A-List . ------ Podcast setup brought to you by RØDE: RCDUO Pod...

Calum Hood, best known as the bassist from 5 Seconds of Summer, jumps on Listen Up with Ash McGregor for a deep dive into his story - from growing up in Western Sydney to finding global fame with the band. Having launched his next chapter, Calum opens up about creating his debut solo album 'Order CHAOS Order', discovering his own sound, and redefining what artistry means to him. He also teases a f...

It's the beginning of a new era, Listen Up with Ash McGregor , and you are officially a Day One Fan ! Join me as we deep dive some of your favourite artists, hear from acts that are breaking globally and discover gems along the way. It's the music conversations you've been missing. --------- This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia,...