FOR THOSE OF you who may not be in the know, George Ezra has launched his own podcast.
And as the title suggests, the Budapest singer is using the platform to catch up with peers currently making their mark within the music industry.
Hoping to emulate the podcasts he tends to favour as a listener, George said he opted for candid conversations which make pitstops at all the most predictable topics; career highlights, career lowlights and the artist’s response to fame.
Anticipating being able to find musical equivalents to the comedic ones he enjoys, George told Acast users that he ultimately came up empty.
I began looking for musical equivalents: honest, long form conversations between two musicians, the unquestionable highs of creating and performing, alongside honesty regarding things they have struggled with along the way. At the time of digging, nothing jumped out at me.
So, what did he do?
I sat on the idea for some time before finally plucking up the courage to try and do it myself and went out and purchased the gear necessary for me to travel and record at the drop of a hat.
Although still in its infancy, George has already hosted, among others, Ed Sheeran, Rag n Bone Man, Hannah Reid of London Grammar and Ben Thatcher of Royal Blood.
And now for the important part; are they worth a listen?
Well, in a nutshell, yes.
George is a warm and empathetic host, and there’s no doubt his guests have readied themselves for a long and candid conversation, with the vast majority happily delivering.
And while the 24-year-old may now know these individuals on a personal, or at the very least, peer-to-peer level, the line of questioning is born of his initial interest as a fan.
Given his innate interest in their perception of the music industry, the episodes you find most compelling may not be with the artists you’re most familiar with.
We mean, we all know what Ed Sheeran thinks of, well, pretty much everything at this stage, but learning that Rag n Bone Man had worked as a special needs carer for much of his adult life and was, in fact, pushing 30 before he reached mainstream success makes for an interesting listen.
Indeed, George’s knack for illustrating the guest’s path to musical fame without it sounding like an extensive (and tedious) CV means you’re relatively invested in the musician as a person, long before we reach the pinnacle of the podcast – their success.
If, however, you’re hoping to hear guests get a good grilling and spill details they’ve sworn up until this point to keep silent, you’ve come to the wrong place.
This isn’t the type of podcast that seeks to expose anything, but given George’s ability to create an atmosphere characterised by a sense of mutual support, the guests are much more likely to chat uninhibitedly.
And for a podcast still findings its feet, that’s not bad going.
