Tag: Music

My Favourite Podcasts

Trust us, they’ll really speak to you…

Aerial shot of my Dad’s record room…considering creating a similar podcast snug for the new house!

If you haven’t got into the world of Podcasts…where have you been? They’re the perfect combination of radio and audiobook. L likes to have them on while cooking and running. E loves them on a long car journey. However you take yours, there’s a whole host of genres and styles to delve into. So, in true de-la-Haye Girls style, we thought we’d round up our current ear-worms in a handy little list!

  • If you loved Making A Murderer, then you’ll love Serial. Season 1 is our personal favourite, following the tragic murder of high school student, Hae Min Lee. This is the podcast that got us into podcasts! For further listening we recommend; Undisclosed, My Favourite Murder and Casefile.
  • If you love a horror movie, then Spooked will be music to your ears. The audio mixing on these non-fiction scary stories will have those hairs on the back of your neck quivering. I wouldn’t listen to this one before bed, though. Lore and The Battersea Poltergeist are also thrilling, thought not quite as terrifying.
  • If you’re missing your gal pals, then for your essential listening it has to be The High Low with Pandora Sykes and Dolly Alderton. This weekly conversation between these two, long-time friends covers both the high brow, (the arts, book recommendations, political movements) and the low brow, (pop culture and celebrity gossip). Already binged it? Give these three a try: Table Manners, The Guilty Feminist and Delicious Ways to Feel Better.
  • If you love to learn, try the fantastic Stuff You Missed In History Class. These factual episodes cover a range of topics from historical figures – the episode about Princess Alexandra of Bavaria is fascinating – to disaster stories (the recently solved Dyatlov Pass Incident is the stuff of nightmares). I’m also a big fan of This Podcast Will Kill You especially during this pandemic and Food For Thought with Rhiannon Lambert debunking wellbeing and nutritional myths.
  • If you wanna be an actor, The 98% is the podcast for you. Actors Katie and Alexa lift the curtain on those artists who don’t make up the top 2% of earners in our workforce. Those of us who are still hustling and working hard to make moves. It’s hilarious, honest and heart breaking. Actor’s Aesthetic is another enjoyable listen and there are plenty of actors sharing insights into their lives over on the ever-popular, and E’s favourite, Desert Island Discs.

During this week, I was lucky enough to be asked to join host and CEO, Anna Brailsford, on the Code First Girls Podcast sharing my thoughts on Imposter Syndrome. It was fascinating to be able to share my experiences as an actress and educator through this platform that aims to help woman in the competitive world of tech. The episode goes live in a couple of weeks, so why not catch up on the other brilliant guests of the series beforehand? Happy listening, gang. ~L.

What have you been listening to this month? Drop us your recommendations in the comments or reach out on our socials.

Singalong-a-Christmas

Why music plays such a big part of our Christmas celebrations.

Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you with complete conviction, my favourite parts of Christmas are as follows; the decorations, the food and the music. E and I have both spoken of our love of “getting the decs up” before and food remains a passion of mine all year round, but few things bring me more joy than hearing Christmas music on the radio.

Christmas jumpers on the big day in 2015

I was lucky enough to grow up in musical household. My Dad is like a magpie, listening to every and any genre of music in his man cave of floor to ceiling vinyl. E and her mother are Welsh and therefore have music flowing through their veins, happiest when potching about the house, humming a tune to themselves.

One of my earliest memories is Christmas ’93 and hearing Slade’s Merry Christmas Everybody being played on repeat, my lovely, mad (and loud) family shouting over it.

Taken on my Polaroid camera, which I received as a present that year.

Growing up, I honed my singing skills in the local church choir and was often asked to sing the Once In Royal David’s City solo. A few years ago this got me into terrible trouble with my brother. We had decided to chaperone my Nan to midnight Mass, who knows what trouble she’d get into on her own! I was delighted when the opening to John Rutter’s Star Carol echoed round the abbey and I really went for it. About halfway through my rendition, I received an elbow in the ribs from Will, who chided me through gritted teeth; “shut up and stop showing off”. Not wanting to spoil the evening for my Nanny Val and being in a church, I resolved to sing the descant up the octave and add even more warbling.

I can’t be held accountable when Rutter is on the playlist

I love Christmas music so much that in the early noughties, my Dad created my brother and I a “mixed tape” of all our favourites to play in the car in the run up to the holidays. But this wasn’t your average playlist, oh no. Tracks included: South Park’s Eric Cartman singing Oh Holy Night with all the wrong lyrics, Rusty Chevrolet, a spoof on Jingle Bells and a prog rock version of Hark The Herald Angels Sing. The CD only came out for December each year but it’s arrival never failed to get me right in the festive feels. E tells me this CD still exists and she had the pleasure of listen to the eclectic compilation of delights earlier this week.

Christmas music is still a key feature of my home as an adult. A couple of weeks ago, after a couple of Peronis, me and Vince decided to play DJ on Spotify, streaming endless Christmas songs through the TV. Our very own living room disco. We took it in turns selecting our favourites, Vince opting for Crosby and Bowie’s Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy and the King’s Blue Christmas, whereas I’m partial to Kelly Clarkson, The Jackson 5 and The Ronettes.

Christmas Wrapping

If, like us, you had tickets to productions and live music events that have now been cancelled thanks to our patchwork Tier system, I can’t recommend enough seeing if the production is streaming online. You can often exchange tickets for streaming passes and it will really help to lift your spirits. Door-to-door Christmas carolling is permitted in all Tiers this year and is a fantastic way to get out and spread some joy in your neighbourhood. We were lucky enough to watch some from our upstairs bedroom window this week and it was magical.

I’ve also linked my Ultimate Xmas Playlist in case you want a home disco of your own! Happy listening. ~L.