Maddie Ashman

Suzie Explores is a podcast series focussing on the nature of creativity and curiosity. Bringing her unique perspective of the world of music and beyond, Suzie joins forces with a host of luminaries in the creative field to explore what it means to be an inspired human being in this world.Today, my guest is the exceptionally inspiring conductor Stephanie Childress. We’ve been lucky enough to get to know each other over the past year, and when the moment felt right, we decided to record one of our conversations as a podcast.We meet the day after a groundbreaking concert that Stephanie conducted, which I was lucky enough to attend.

Suzie Explores is a podcast series focussing on the nature of creativity and curiosity. Bringing her unique perspective of the world of music and beyond, Suzie joins forces with a host of luminaries in the creative field to explore what it means to be an inspired human being in this world.Today, my guest is the artist Samuel Mead, who shares his inspiring philosophy on creativity, life and work with countless people around the globe, including his many followers on social media.He is a rare and distinctive voice in today’s world, and it was a privilege not only to sit and talk with him, but to draw, paint and create alongside him as our conversation unfolded.You may hear the gentle sounds of pencils, brushes and paper accompanying our thoughts. It made for a truly special moment in time.

Suzie Explores is a podcast series focussing on the nature of creativity and curiosity. Bringing her unique perspective of the world of music and beyond, Suzie joins forces with a host of luminaries in the creative field to explore what it means to be an inspired human being in this world.Today, my guest is the effervescent, brilliantly microtonal singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and creative ray of sunshine, Maddie Ashman. We talk about confidence, fame, image, and so much more… but first, we start with a fresh musical idea!

Suzie Explores is a podcast series focussing on the nature of creativity and curiosity. Bringing her unique perspective of the world of music and beyond, Suzie joins forces with a host of luminaries in the creative field to explore what it means to be an inspired human being in this world.My special guest is the incredible, genre-defying composer, producer, and performer Anna Meredith. I first discovered Anna when a dear friend introduced me to her epic piece ‘Nautilus,’ and I just couldn’t stop listening. Earlier this year, I had the absolute joy of conducting it with the Britten Sinfonia. In this conversation, Anna takes us deep into her creative world of sound, rhythm, and space, and we begin with the moment we met for the very first time.

Suzie Explores is a podcast series focussing on the nature of creativity and curiosity. Bringing her unique perspective of the world of music and beyond, Suzie joins forces with a host of luminaries in the creative field to explore what it means to be an inspired human being in this world.In this conversation, Suzie is joined by TwoSet Violin, aka Brett Yang and Eddy Chen. These two amazing musicians make the classical music world a better place, inspiring millions with their joy, humour, insight and unique style. With Suzie, they dig into the inner workings of the music industry, touching on the challenges and rewards of sustaining both mental and physical well-being in such a demanding field.

Suzie Explores is a podcast series focussing on the nature of creativity and curiosity. Bringing her unique perspective of the world of music and beyond, Suzie joins forces with a host of luminaries in the creative field to explore what it means to be an inspired human being in this world.Today I’m joined by the phenomenal rapper Token, also known as Ben Goldberg. Ben speaks with striking honesty about his childhood, his creative process, and how he found liberation through words and music.We talk about the struggles, the breakthroughs, and the moments that shaped his iconic voice…and near the end, he shares a journal entry that is absolutely extraordinary!

Suzie Explores is a podcast series focussing on the nature of creativity and curiosity. Bringing her unique perspective of the world of music and beyond, Suzie joins forces with a host of luminaries in the creative field to explore what it means to be an inspired human being in this world.My guest today is the imaginative and sonically adventurous composer Ben Nobuto. You may have encountered Ben’s work at the Proms with his genre-defying Hallelujah Sim, or experienced the vivid palette of his collaborations with the Manchester Collective.In this episode, we dive into the craft of composing…but with a twist. At one point, I ask Ben to imagine a hypothetical idea for a new piece, and he suggests writing about a gecko! From there, we explore what it might mean to turn that tiny creature’s call into a composition—through rhythm, texture, character, and above all, curiosity.At the end of our convo, you’ll hear and see Ben’s short and playful Gecko piece, imagined just for this podcast.

Suzie Explores is a podcast series focussing on the nature of creativity and curiosity. Bringing her unique perspective of the world of music and beyond, Suzie joins forces with a host of luminaries in the creative field to explore what it means to be an inspired human being in this world.Today I’m joined by the wonderful singer-songwriter, Emily King.Emily’s exceptional musical talent is matched only by her depth as a human being -she’s compassionate, generous, and endlessly inspiring. I honestly feel lucky to be sharing the planet with her right now. In our conversation we talk about her journey to becoming the musician she is today, about education, love and hopes for the future. We begin with Emily reminiscing about touring with Jacob last summer.

Suzie Explores is a podcast series focussing on the nature of creativity and curiosity. Bringing her unique perspective of the world of music and beyond, Suzie joins forces with a host of luminaries in the creative field to explore what it means to be an inspired human being in this world.In this episode, I’m joined by the beautiful soul and luminous artist Lau Noah — a singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose music feels like poetry woven through melody. Lau has a truly unique voice, not just in her songs, but in the way she moves through life: thoughtful, wise, and deeply attuned to the world around her.We talk about what it means to reflect and to dream, to be grounded in the present while wandering through the world, and we explore the nature of home and the creative path — how it shapes, surprises and challenges us.

Suzie Explores is a podcast series focussing on the nature of creativity and curiosity. Bringing her unique perspective of the world of music and beyond, Suzie joins forces with a host of luminaries in the creative field to explore what it means to be an inspired human being in this world.Today, my special guest is the inspirational singer, comedian and all ‘round joy-bringer, Stevie Webb. If you know Stevie on Instagram, I am certain that he has made you smile and indeed laugh out loud. If you saw him, as I did, in The History Boys and The Book of Mormon, or in countless other shows and productions, you will have witnessed some of his extraordinary magic. However, in this conversation, not only do we explore the essence of creativity and how to manage the highs and lows of social media, but we also delve deeply into alcohol addiction. On this day 5 years ago, Stevie became sober, and I can’t think of a more perfect moment to have this conversation.