03 October 2022 - 0 Comments

Eastern Sound Collective in partnership with Radio Active.FM are thrilled to release “Eastern Sound Stories''. The seven-part series sees Radio Active DJ Namnita Kumar; respected MC, champion of Pōneke’s sound-system culture & DJ on the iconic Homebass radio show, shed light on various musicians and their processes.

Artists like Alisa Xayalith, front-person of internationally acclaimed kiwi band The Naked & Famous and acclaimed solo artist; Umar Zakaria, Recorded Music NZ’s 2018 Jazz Artist Of The Year; self-managed popstar ASHY, one of Going Global’s featured artists of 2022; Sujai, one of Pōneke’s favourite local ambient producers; Nikita 雅涵 Tu-Bryant, a multi-hyphenate with credits in a multitude of acclaimed projects, including Wellington favourites KITA; Carawei, one-third of The Venom Dolls & darling of the Tāmaki Makaurau electronic scene; and Scalper, internationally acclaimed trip-hop, breakbeat & hardcore MC.

Featuring some of Aotearoa’s foremost creative talent, the podcast gives each musician an opportunity to discuss the parts of music making that mean most to them and their story as Asian artists living in Aotearoa.

The chat is centered around a particular song of theirs that speaks to them, as an artist of Asian heritage. Each episode explores the inspiration and intentions behind making their chosen piece of music, offering a fascinating dive into the song's creation.

Host Namnita Kumar says "the podcast gives a deeper insight into artist's lives and how this is showcased in their music. Love the behind-the-scenes stories that reflect each artist's Asian roots!"

The technical production was completed by ESC member and Years Gone By alum Karnan Saba, known most recently for his work on Avantdale Bowling Club’s critically-acclaimed, self-titled album. This beautiful collaboration of people comes together to create a discussion on creativity, led by and made for kiwis of Asian descent.

The podcast will be premiering on Radio Active.FM's Tuesday Drive show from the 4th of October.

Nadia Freeman, chair of Eastern Sound Collective, is: "Excited to hear the different contexts, motivations and methods behind the creation of music. Every song has a story and it is clear from this series that the story of a song is strongly linked to the artist and their identity and experience.”

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