Listen Up with Ash McGregor

Ash McGregor
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Listen up! It's your new favourite music hub. From big names to the next-gen, Ash McGregor brings you unmissable conversations with artists shaping the sound of now. Each week, hear career-spanning stories from your favourites and discover the musicians about to take over. You'll hear it here first. Keep up to date: ⭐️ @listenupwithash ⭐️ @ash_mcgregor ------ We'd like to acknowledge and pay our respects to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation where this show is filmed.

  1. HAZLETT: Starting Music At 26 With No Plan B

    1D AGO

    HAZLETT: Starting Music At 26 With No Plan B

    Hazlett didn’t grow up chasing music, nor fame and fortune. He started his solo career at 26 after years of playing bass and a stint in advertising. In this episode, Hazlett reflects on what it really means to back yourself later than most, the leap that took him from Australia to Sweden, and the creative partnership with producer Freddy Alexander that helped shape the sound he’s now known for. We talk about going from pub gigs to touring internationally, writing songs that feel quietly devastating, and the making of his new album Last Night You Said You Missed Me. -------This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.

    45 min
  2. BALU BRIGADA: The NZ Brothers with Global Momentum

    6D AGO

    BALU BRIGADA: The NZ Brothers with Global Momentum

    New Zealand brothers Balu Brigada have been building this for years. Writing everything themselves, producing everything themselves, no shortcuts. With their latest album Portal, that steady grind turned into real momentum. Nearly 5 million monthly listeners, global tours with Twenty One Pilots, and a fanbase that’s catching up. In this episode, we talk about the shift from early R&B influences to the alt-pop sound they’ve carved out, how moving to New York reshaped their creativity, and why they’re interested in world-building rather than chasing singles. -------This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.

    32 min
  3. YUNGBLUD: The Making of a Modern Rock Legacy

    JAN 30

    YUNGBLUD: The Making of a Modern Rock Legacy

    Before stepping on stage for one of his biggest Australian arena shows, YUNGBLUD sits down for a conversation about identity, ambition, and the weight of legacy. In this episode, we go deep into the creation of his third studio album 'Idols', an album born from pushing himself to the brink, questioning the persona he built, and rediscovering who he is. YUNGBLUD opens up about chasing something real, and what it means to stand for something in a world that constantly tries to package artists into neat boxes. We talk about the state of rock music right now, why it still matters, and how his fanbase has grown into something closer to a movement than a following. This is a conversation about becoming a legacy act in real time and refusing to lose yourself along the way. -------This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.

    16 min
  4. GOOD NEIGHBOURS: The 'One Last Chance' That Worked Out

    JAN 22

    GOOD NEIGHBOURS: The 'One Last Chance' That Worked Out

    Good Neighbours didn’t expect this to work. After years of trying to make it in music, the duo started Good Neighbours as a one last chance. No expectations, no long-term plan. Then Home took off, and everything changed. In this episode they open up about the moment they almost quit music for good, how a project started on a whim became their breakthrough, and the full-circle reality of sitting in label meetings with people who once passed on them as solo artists. We talk about the pressure that comes with sudden momentum, what Blue Sky Mentality represents at this stage of their journey, and what the future of the project looks like. ------- This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.

    35 min
  5. THE TEMPER TRAP: The 9 Year Hiatus is Over - Live at Beyond the Valley

    JAN 13

    THE TEMPER TRAP: The 9 Year Hiatus is Over - Live at Beyond the Valley

    Few bands have left a mark on Australian music quite like The Temper Trap. From their early days in Melbourne to the slow-burning rise of Sweet Disposition, the band became one of Australia’s most beloved exports. In 2025, The Temper Trap returned with Giving Up Air, their first new music in nine years, marking the beginning of a long-awaited new chapter. Recorded live on stage at Beyond the Valley, on the final day of 2025, this special episode sees the band reflect on their full journey: the years before the breakthrough, what Sweet Disposition changed overnight, life spent touring the globe, and the decision to step away. We talk about the hiatus, what time away gave them, and why now felt like the right moment to return. They also look ahead to their forthcoming album, sharing insight into how this new era of The Temper Trap feels different.

    41 min
  6. The Aussie Act SZA is Backing + BTV Catch Up

    JAN 8

    The Aussie Act SZA is Backing + BTV Catch Up

    I'm backkkk! Happy 2026! Silly season has truly been silly, lots of food, lots of events, lots of gigs and rounding out the year at Beyond the Valley. Let's catch up! Plus, I want to put you on to the act that has SZA talking, Maden Lane. ------ Podcast setup brought to you by RØDE: RCDUOPodMicNTH-100PSA1+WS14As part of the RØDE Affiliate Program, purchases made through ⁠⁠⁠https://brandstore.rode.com/ashmcgregor⁠⁠⁠ may earn me a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

    9 min
  7. THOMAS DAY: Finding Beauty in the Unfinished

    JAN 6

    THOMAS DAY: Finding Beauty in the Unfinished

    Nashville pop artist Thomas Day has lived multiple versions of an artist’s dream. After breaking through as a teenage heartthrob on America’s Got Talent, Thomas signed to a major label and was quickly positioned for pop perfection. But it wasn’t until he stepped away from polish and leaned into raw, imperfect recordings that his music truly connected; culminating in the breakout success of “She Got a Thing About Her.” In this episode of Listen Up with Ash McGregor, Thomas reflects on the pressure of early success, and why embracing imperfection changed everything. He plays unfiltered audio recordings live in the studio, and takes us through the just-do-don't-think style of music creation he lives by. This is a conversation about how unlearning expectations, trusting instinct, and discovering that authenticity is what makes music last. ------- This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.

    44 min
  8. SIX60: From Students to Stadiums, How New Zealand’s Biggest Band Did It

    12/23/2025

    SIX60: From Students to Stadiums, How New Zealand’s Biggest Band Did It

    SIX60 are New Zealand’s biggest band, and their rise is anything but conventional.Formed while studying in Dunedin, the group slowly built a grassroots following before becoming a stadium-selling force across Aotearoa. Along the way, they’ve rewritten the rules of success for Australasian bands, including a period during COVID when they were one of the only bands in the world able to tour, selling out shows while the rest of the industry stood still. In this episode of Listen Up with Ash McGregor, SIX60 reflect on the moments that shaped them: how close they came to breaking up, what nearly derailed the band, and the decisions that ultimately changed their trajectory. We talk about longevity, pressure, and what it takes to stay connected to each other after years at the top. They also tease their forthcoming album, revealing why this next chapter feels like a return to their roots. We sit down the day of their new single 'We Made It', fresh off playing the Sydney Opera House forecourt. Get to know the band that has quietly become one of the most important musical exports in the Southern Hemisphere.

    41 min
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About

Listen up! It's your new favourite music hub. From big names to the next-gen, Ash McGregor brings you unmissable conversations with artists shaping the sound of now. Each week, hear career-spanning stories from your favourites and discover the musicians about to take over. You'll hear it here first. Keep up to date: ⭐️ @listenupwithash ⭐️ @ash_mcgregor ------ We'd like to acknowledge and pay our respects to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation where this show is filmed.

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