Cereal Music Talks x ŽIVA

ŽIVA (Lucija Ivsic)
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Real conversations about sound, creativity, and the journeys that shape them. Join me (ŽIVA aka Lucija Ivsic), a Croatian-Australian musician and new media artist, as I explore the complexities of music careers with emerging fellow musicians and sound artists. Through honest discussions, I dig deeper into the challenges of navigating new scenes, forging unique paths, and finding success in niche genres.  To stay updated and get access to exclusive content, subscribe to my monthly newsletter. You can also connect with me on Instagram for more updates.

Episodes

  1. Trusting the Process

    FEB 24

    Trusting the Process

    Nū is an Ethiopian-Australian sound artist, vocalist and live coder* whose work blends non-Western musical traditions, improvisation and Afrofuturism. Using the live coding program Sonic Pi and her vocals, she creates immersive sonic worlds, weaving elements from ambient, jazz, R&B and electronic music.  On an overcast Tuesday morning in Collingwood, Nū and I met at Trainscendence - a venue tucked away in a laneway just off Easey St that is a living, breathing hub for artists, makers, dreamers, and doers. We talked about the path towards doing art full time, negotiating artists fees and just trusting the process (instead of trying to control everything). Music: ŽIVA - Idle Heart, NŪ - Tezetaye About the guest: https://nu-nu.bandcamp.com/ About the venue: https://www.trainscendence.com.au/ To stay updated and get access to exclusive content, subscribe to my monthly newsletter. You can also connect with me on Instagram for more updates.

    1h 10m
  2. Building your Own Scene (When you Don’t Fit Anywhere Else) feat. Rita Bass

    JAN 27

    Building your Own Scene (When you Don’t Fit Anywhere Else) feat. Rita Bass

    In this very first episode of 2026, I sit with producer and DJ Rita Bass at Russian House venue in Fitzroy to hear more about what stand behind her drive (and burnout), and the search for home, being raised in Melbourne by Russian-Armenian parents. Our conversations moves from to-do lists and routines to the deeper pull of identity, language, and authenticity in sound. From EP milestones to staging theatre-meets-electronic nights, Rita shows how to make the space you wish existed.  Music: ŽIVA - Idle Heart, Rita Bass - Earwave To stay updated and get access to exclusive content, subscribe to my monthly newsletter. You can also connect with me on Instagram for more updates.

    48 min
  3. Eat, Play, Listen, Repeat w/ Zoltan Fecso

    10/28/2025

    Eat, Play, Listen, Repeat w/ Zoltan Fecso

    In this episode, I sit down with Zoltan Fecso, a Hungarian, Melbourne-based composer and artist whose work explores the many perceptual possibilities of listening through prepared instruments, field recordings, and electronics. We talk about the challenge of balancing an active creative life; touring, rehearsing, and new projects, while maintaining grounding routines like meditation and journaling. Zoltan reflects on the role of space and place in his music, his connection to landscapes across the world, and how field recordings evolve in his sonic practice. We also discuss What Artists Eat, the podcast he co-hosts with his partner Claire, and how cooking, food, and mindful eating can nourish creativity and mental health. To stay updated and get access to exclusive content, subscribe to my monthly newsletter. You can also connect with me on Instagram for more updates.

    1h 7m
  4. Departing, Returning, Traveling w/ Ex Ponto

    09/30/2025

    Departing, Returning, Traveling w/ Ex Ponto

    Ivan Masic is a Melbourne-based artist working at the intersection of sound design, projection, and the moving image under the alias Ex Ponto. His practice explores the insoluble intimacy between music, light, and place through immersive, site-responsive works. I visited Ivan in his studio Twomb, to talk about capturing stories through sound, the freedom of instinctive music-making, and how his migrant journey shapes his creative practice. We touched on the importance of letting go of pressure, resisting fads, and creating work that is deeply tied to place and community. To stay updated and get access to exclusive content, subscribe to my monthly newsletter. You can also connect with me on Instagram for more updates.

    54 min
  5. Don't be afraid to be sh*t w/ Kai Cult

    08/26/2025

    Don't be afraid to be sh*t w/ Kai Cult

    KAI CULT is the cutting edge Techno Punk project of Louis Fuji, combining diverse influences from Asia with the trendy underground sounds of Punk Rock, Post- Punk, Hardcore, Hyperpop and Techno. Inspired by his roots in Punk and Metal, KAI CULT delivers an explosive and energetic live show. He's built a social media system that works for him so I sat down to find out more about his approaches to content and music making.  To stay updated and get access to exclusive content, subscribe to my monthly newsletter. You can also connect with me on Instagram for more updates.

    1h 5m
  6. A Career in Film Composition with Chiara Kickdrum

    07/29/2025

    A Career in Film Composition with Chiara Kickdrum

    In this episode, I chat with Chiara Costanza aka Chiara Kickdrum, Italian-Australian film composer and electronic music producer. Her recent screen credits include the global Netflix hit Heartbreak High, the feature film Panopticon (KVIFF) and Inside, starring Guy Pearce and Cosmo Jarvis, which screened at Tribeca in 2025. She also composed the score for Mixtape (BBC/Foxtel), which premiered at SXSW this year, alongside previous work on Totally Completely Fine (STAN), Australia’s Open (MIFF/ABC), and the Palme d’Or–winning short All These Creatures (Cannes, 2018). We talk about her journey towards working full-time in film composition, the importance of networking and taking risks.  To stay updated and get access to exclusive content, subscribe to my monthly newsletter. You can also connect with me on Instagram for more updates.

    1 hr
  7. Write first, Edit later w/ Gregor

    06/24/2025

    Write first, Edit later w/ Gregor

    Today on Cereal Music Talks, I’m joined by Gregor - a Bosnian-Australian multi-instrumentalist and songwriter who’s been writing and producing music since 2010. His work spans a wide range of achievements: from Cillian Murphy playing his track on BBC radio, to sold-out shows across Melbourne, and nominations for Best Album and Best Solo Artist at the Music Victoria Awards. Despite arriving at his beautiful St Kilda East home studio with a long list of prepared questions, the conversation takes on a life of its own. We dive into songwriting, the relationship between language and perception, and of course, the question I ask all my guests: how’s the hustle going? To stay updated and get access to exclusive content, subscribe to my monthly newsletter. You can also connect with me on Instagram for more updates.

    46 min
  8. Building through Experimentation w/ Xenosine

    05/27/2025

    Building through Experimentation w/ Xenosine

    In this episode, I chat with Vijay Thillaimuthu also known as Xenosine, a Tamil-Australian audio-visual and laser artist whose work is rooted in curiosity, feedback systems, and exploration of electromagnetic phenomena. We dig into the process behind his latest and most ambitious work, Oblation, a massive audio-visual piece that took five years to realise. Vijay shares how his creative practice is guided by experimentation, constantly chasing how one element affects another - whether through voltage, sound, or light. But we also talk about the hidden toll of large-scale projects: the emotional weight, the unseen labour, and the fine line between deep focus and burnout. It’s a conversation about staying curious, navigating timelines, and finding meaning in the act of making. To stay updated and get access to exclusive content, subscribe to my monthly newsletter. You can also connect with me on Instagram for more updates.

    44 min
  9. Finding clarity as a Solo Musician with Punko

    04/29/2025

    Finding clarity as a Solo Musician with Punko

    In this episode, I chat with Liv Jansz, the creative mind behind Punko, an electronic solo project from Melbourne that blends pop, ambient, and post-punk influences to create dreamy soundscapes. We discuss the transition from being in a band to going solo and how to find clarity in the process. A big part of that is managing decision fatigue - the challenge of handling every aspect of a project on your own. We also dive into the struggles of self-promotion on social media, promoting gigs, and dealing with the pressure of doing it all by yourself. It’s a conversation about the highs and lows of going solo and staying true to oneself when you’re in charge of everything. To stay updated and get access to exclusive content, subscribe to my monthly newsletter. You can also connect with me on Instagram for more updates.

    41 min
  10. Practice makes Perfect with Mia Salsjö

    03/25/2025

    Practice makes Perfect with Mia Salsjö

    In this episode, I sit with Mia Salsjö, a Melbourne-based interdisciplinary artist whose work exists at the intersection of drawing, music composition, text, and performance. The conversation immediately hits off with a discussion of organised chaos and the role discipline plays in her life and work. With degrees in music improvisation, visual art, and one from the Kundalini Research Institute, Mia's relentless drive is embodied in almost every aspect of her life and work. We deep-dive into what makes up that routine and how she started making connections between architecture and sound. To stay updated and get access to exclusive content, subscribe to my monthly newsletter. You can also connect with me on Instagram for more updates.

    47 min
  11. Building a career in Sound Art with Monica Lim

    02/25/2025

    Building a career in Sound Art with Monica Lim

    The double life is a familiar concept for many musicians and interdisciplinary artists. By day, one thing; by night, another. But what does it take to turn that passion into a full-time career? Monica Lim, a Malaysian-Australian sound artist and composer, traded a conventional path of a tax accountant for the creative highs of fashion design, and ultimately, sound art. Her work now spans installations, performance art, contemporary dance, and new-instrument-making. I caught up with her while she was developing 'Opera for the Dead', which premiered at Melbourne's AsiaTOPA Festival. We dove into what drives her, the impact of AI on music, how Project Eleven—which she co-founded with her partner—supports experimental artists across Melbourne, and her experiences navigating sound art as a mum and PhD student. To stay updated and get access to exclusive content, subscribe to my monthly newsletter. You can also connect with me on Instagram for more updates.

    37 min
  12. Sound Design with evolsleep/evolsound

    01/28/2025

    Sound Design with evolsleep/evolsound

    For this very first episode of 2025, I sat down with evolsleep, a Russian-born, Melbourne-based sound designer and music producer, to discuss his journey of moving to Melbourne and building a successful music business, evolsound. With clients like Adidas, Champion, Sennheiser and Volvo, you've probably heard his work already. Shortly after his latest release 'Kinda regards', over coffee in Fitzroy, I dug deeper to find out how he started his audio branding business, how he avoids writer's block, and how he balances music business vs his own music. If you ever wondered how one becomes a sound designer or lands a gig to do sound fx for movies, listen this episode! To stay updated and get access to exclusive content, subscribe to my monthly newsletter. You can also connect with me on Instagram for more updates.

    35 min
  • 12 Episodes

About

Real conversations about sound, creativity, and the journeys that shape them. Join me (ŽIVA aka Lucija Ivsic), a Croatian-Australian musician and new media artist, as I explore the complexities of music careers with emerging fellow musicians and sound artists. Through honest discussions, I dig deeper into the challenges of navigating new scenes, forging unique paths, and finding success in niche genres.  To stay updated and get access to exclusive content, subscribe to my monthly newsletter. You can also connect with me on Instagram for more updates.

Information

  • Creator
    ŽIVA (Lucija Ivsic)
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Cereal Music Talks x ŽIVA
  • Show Website
    Cereal Music Talks x ŽIVA