Bret. Brit? Britney? Oscar and Grammy-winning Flight of the Conchords star, composer, musician and actor Bret McKenzie is back with his new album Freak Out City, a lush, psychedelic trip of a record that takes its cues from The Beatles and ELO. In this episode, he regales Roisin with tales of his touring misadventures (heard the one about the tour manager who misplaced $5,000?), explains why bakeries are dangerous territory for a Conchord ("baguette?") and reveals how a mischievous Sir Ian McKellen got him scolded by Peter Jackson on the set of The Hobbit. He and Roisin also discuss the perils of dating in a small town, the weird briefs he gets while composing music for Hollywood blockbusters, and whether he and Jemaine Clement are working on a FOTC reunion...

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Professor Stephanie Burt is described by The New York Times as "one of the most influential poetry critics of [her] generation", and in 2024 made headlines around the world when she offered a class at Harvard University titled "Taylor Swift and Her World". Her new book, Taylor's Version, is inspired by that course and offers in-depth critical studies of Swift's body of work for a wider audience. As the pop star releases her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, Professor Burt tells Roisin about how she first became drawn to Swift's songwriting and why she believes it's possible to make comparisons between her work and the poetry of Alexander Pope or William Wordsworth. She also picks her favourite Swift songs (currently) and unpacks "the two sides" of Swift: the relatable and aspirational.

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Kojey Radical doesn't rush greatness. His debut album, 2022's Reasons to Smile, received a spot on the Mercury Prize shortlist and plenty of critical acclaim to boot. Three years later, he's back with an even better work, Don't Look Down, which develops its predecessor's themes of fatherhood, Blackness, co-parenting, love, success and self-doubt. Seven years since they first met, he opened up to Roisin about why he's struggled to make relationships work and why, despite his fantastic career, he's still hit by feelings of imposter syndrome. They also dived into the making of Don't Look Down, which features an astonishing who's-who of some of the most talented musicians working today.

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Musician, DJ, author and Drag Race UK star Bimini was a standout contestant on the 2025 series of Channel 4's Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, taking part in gruelling challenges alongside fellow celebrities such as musician Lucy Spraggan, dancer Louie Spence and former Love Island contestant Adam Collard. Bimini had plenty to reflect on after their time in the show, while also discussing their recent remix of Anastacia's "Left Outside Alone" and the poignant interpretation of it - plus their ADHD diagnosis, views on gender and non-binary identity, and whether they have plans to write another book. Also, the Shakespearean appeal of reality TV.

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Caity Baser is spearheading a new wave of brilliant, bratty Gen-Z pop, but it wasn't an easy journey to get here. Her 2025 EP There, I Said It shows her at her most vulnerable, confessional self, delving into themes of trauma, healing, betrayal and love. In this candid conversation, she opens up to Roisin about how she's perceived by the public... and the side they don't know so well.

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Tim Minchin is an Australian musician, composer, lyricist, actor, director, writer and comedian. He wrote the lyrics and music to the Tony and Olivier Award-winning stage musical Matilda, as well as for the 2022 film adaptation starring Emma Thompson and Stephen Graham. In 2019, he co-produced, wrote, directed and starred in the comedy drama series Upright with Milly Alcock, returning for a second season in 2022. His latest album, Time Machine, was released in July 2025 to critical praise and a No 11 spot in the UK charts. In this revealing conversation, Tim speaks with Roisin about his fascinating career to date, his opinions on social shaming, religion and celebrity, his conflicted views on arts criticism and how he's depicted by critics, and why he enjoyed the divided reactions to his 2020 single 'I'll Take Lonely Tonight', about choosing fidelity over the opportunity to have sex with someone else.

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In this special one-off episode filmed at Montreux Jazz Festival, pop star JADE sat down with Roisin to speak about her thriving solo career, the pop icons who have inspired some of her recent singles, the place of politics at music festivals, her first dates with boyfriend Jordan Stephens, and her upcoming debut solo album, That's Showbiz Baby.

Subscribe to The Independent's music newsletter, Hear This Now here, to get your weekly dose of the news, artists and features grabbing Roisin's attention.

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