Trina Smith, CEO of Electric Pineapple media, grew up between two cultures, never “looking” the part, and without anyone who looked like her to follow. Her journey through identity and music reveals what it means to find belonging on your own terms.

But through music, she carved a space that challenges bias, reclaims heritage, and asks whether culture is being diluted for clicks.

In this episode, we dive into:

• The struggle of identity invalidation (“you don’t look like a Smith…”)

• The beauty (and challenge) of being from an in-between culture

• Getting into music without role models who looked like her

• Bias, entitlement, and the hard truths of the music industry

• Has music lost its soul to TikTok virality?

• Why culture is being diluted in mainstream music and how to protect it

• Honorary mentions of Ed Sheeran, Arijit Singh, Sapphire, and Will Smith

👉 Full of raw honesty, cultural truths, and lessons on identity, this episode will resonate with anyone who’s ever felt “in-between.”

Growing up in a South Asian household meant reused yoghurt tubs, saving every bag, and never wasted food - but none of it was called sustainability. In the next instalment of the South Asian Heritage Month special, we explore how immigrant households accidentally became pioneers in climate-conscious living, and what we can learn from them today.

From finding an unexpected love for sustainability and nature, to pursuing a career that was never considered acceptable for South Asians, Ketan shares how racism in his upbringing and breaking cultural barriers shaped his journey and what the next generation can learn from it.

Expect to learn: – What Western sustainability can learn from our grandparents – What’s holding back young South Asians from choosing non-traditional careers – How Ketan teaches sustainability to his own children – What the environmental sector needs to do to stay relevant for the next generation

If you like real stories, bold perspectives, and a fresh take on what sustainability actually looks like beyond just a buzzword - this one's for you.

📺 As part of our special series with South Asian Heritage Month, every episode is also available as a full video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/M8eInb_iQmc

Don't miss the first episode of this series with Asifa Lahore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTkJxKLFtpc

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If you listen on Apple Podcasts, it'd be great if you could leave a review - the bigger the show gets, the bigger the guests get!

Have you ever felt like you never quite fit in with your faith, family or community? Can you still be accepted by your culture even if they say you can't?

Asifa Lahore is Britain Asian, and the UK's first out Muslim drag queen, but behind the headlines is a story of identity, rejection, courage, and deep cultural pride.

🎥 Prefer to watch? Catch the full video episode on YouTube from 4pm UK time on the day of release: https://youtu.be/dTkJxKLFtpc

Expect to hear:

• Lessons on embracing identity even when your community rejects i

• Why “being your authentic self” is harder than it sounds

• The cultural pressures of being the ‘good brown kid’

• What being a role model feels like when no ones walked your path

• Wearing a burka on stage at London Pride

• The price of not being true to yourself

A powerful conversation about culture, courage and redefining legacy.

Follow on socials: @ananddattanipodcast

This episode is part of a special 4-part series for South Asian Heritage Month — where we unpack culture, identity, and legacy in a modern world. Find out more: southasianheritage.org.uk