On the Record with Poppy Reid

Jacob Banks makes music that feels ancient and futuristic all at once. His baritone carries the weight of gospel fire, while his production moves between West African rhythms, UK garage, blues grit, and cinematic soul. Born in Nigeria, raised in the UK, andoriginally trained as a civil engineer, Jacob didn’t pursue music seriously until 21 — but every chapter of his life has shaped the artist he is today.

In this episode, we will visit Village, the 2018 debut album that explored identity, survival, heartbreak, and belonging. A record that has now crossed 300M+ streams world wide, Village marked Jacob’s rise from early SoundCloud uploads tosold-out international tours, FIFA soundtracks, major sync placements in Lucifer, Suits, and Netflix dramas, and a reputation as one of the most distinctive storytellers of his generation.
Across two albums, an EP, and a three-part anthology, Jacob has continued reinventing his sound — but today, we go deep into the creation of Village : the emotional palette,the risks he took, the stories behind the songs, and why the album still resonates seven years later.
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If you love songwriting, pop history, creativity, or personal reinvention, this episode is for you

Shelly Peiken is a two-time Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum songwriter whose music has shaped the soundtrack of pop culture. She’s written some of the most iconic songs of the last 30 years including “Bitch” (Meredith Brooks), “What a Girl Wants” (Christina Aguilera), “Almost Doesn’t Count” (Brandy), and countless others recorded by Britney Spears, Celine Dion, Ed Sheeran, Miley Cyrus, and more.
In this episode, Shelly opens up about:– Her 10-year struggle before her first hit– The unexpected moment that inspired “Bitch”– Writing hits in an era before social media– The shock of hearing her song on the radio for the first time– Why modern pop has become a “wordplay competition”– How streaming destroyed songwriter income– The fight for songwriter rights and transparency– The rise of AI in music and why originality is more important than ever– Her creative shift into writing musicals--------Follow Poppy :Instagram.com/itspoppyreid/Follow Shelly PeikenIntsagram.com/shellypeikenFollow Curious MediaInstagram.com/itscuriousmedia/--------
If you love songwriting, pop history, creativity, or personal reinvention, this episode is for you.

Nothing but respect for Ocean Alley for this.....#OceanAlley #FiredTheProducer #BehindTheMusic #CreativeDifferences#MusicIndustryTruths #BandDecisions #ArtistJourney

#OceanAlley #ChasingTrends #StayAuthentic #TheTruth#MusicIntegrity #ArtistMindset #CreativeFreedom

Ocean Alley: The Story Behind Chiaroscuro | On The Record
We dive deep into Chiaroscuro, the breakthrough second album that transformed Sydney’s Ocean Alley from local cult favourites into global sensations. Released in 2018, this record gave the world “Confidence”, the swagger-filled anthem that topped Triple J’s Hottest 100 (2019) and later blew up again on TikTok, re-entering both the ARIA and Billboard TikTok Top 50 charts.But Chiaroscuro was much more than one viral hit; it was a full-blown artistic statement. With four tracks in the Hottest 100, the album defined a generation of Aussie indie rock lovers.In this episode, Angus Goodwin and Mitch Galbraith join us to unpack how this album came to life; from share house jam sessions to global festival stages. Hear the untold stories, including the first-ever reveal of the original stems, that made Chiaroscuro a modern classic.---------------Follow Poppy :https://www.instagram.com/itspoppyreid/Follow Ocean Alley :https://www.instagram.com/oceanalleyband/Follow On The Record :https://www.instagram.com/ontherecord.po/Follow Curious Media :https://www.instagram.com/itscuriousmedia/--------------If you love Ocean Alley, Triple J classics, and stories behind Australia’s biggest albums — this one’s for you.#curiousmedia OceanAlley #Chiaroscuro #Confidence #OnTheRecord #AustralianMusic #TripleJ #Podcast #MusicPodcast #RockMusic #BehindTheMusic #Billboard #TikTokMusic #ARIA #IndieRock