The Pop Pod

Epizodai

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  The Asha Banks Interview: Sad Music, 'Your Fault' Music and Perfect Pop Songs 17.09.2026 43min

  Asha Banks is the latest guest on The Pop Pod. Banks is one of the most talented slashies around. She's known for her roles on the screen like 'My Fault' and 'Your Fault' but she's also amassing a following for her own music.She's gearing up to release a new EP 'Bottled Up' on 1 October. We talk about what got her to this moment from writing music for her own movies to collaborating with Holly Humberstone. We also talk about her own favourites including Bon Iver, Ryan Beatty, The 1975 and so much more.
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  Responding To Your Controversial Pop Opinions: Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and More 15.09.2026 1val 15min

  I asked for controversial pop opinions and you really did deliver. On this episode, we go through some of the best (and worst) ones that we received touching on everything from Ariana Grande being the last big-voiced pop star to Miley Cyrus’ reluctance to go full pop star mode. We also talked about companion albums, imperfect debut albums and the parasocial relationships fans have with artists.Follow The Pop Pod on Instagram.
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  The Shygirl Interview: Radical Positivity, Madonna and A New Album ‘Swallow!’ 10.09.2026 58min

  Shygirl has announced her second album, 'Swallow!'. It's a positive, uplifting and sometimes menacing record that balances desire and contentment. She's dug into UK dance references but also blended it with her love for indie music - a sound that I think will surprise and excite fans.I sat down with Shygirl to discuss the new album at large but also dig into some of the references from The Prodigy to U2. Of course, we also had to get into the pop side of things too and chat Madonna and Britney Spears, amongst others. Follow The Pop Pod on Instagram.
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  Ranking The 10 Best Dua Lipa Songs + Discussing What's Next For Her 01.09.2026 1val 7min

  Dua Lipa is back on the charts with ‘Training Season’ getting an unexpected second life which has us thinking about all things Dua. Jono & I decided it was the perfect time to talk about what we expect from her fourth album and revisit whether ‘Radical Optimism’ was a successful era for her.We also ranked the top 10 Dua Lipa songs, discussing everything from her euphoric breakout ‘Be The One’ to an unexpected deep cut from ‘Radical Optimism’ that has stayed with us.What are you expecting from this forthcoming Dua era?Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram for more.
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  The Hemlocke Springs Interview: Her Boundary-Breaking Debut Album, Prince & 'Gnarly' Pop 26.08.2026 40min

  Hemlocke Springs is the latest guest on The Pop Pod. When I put together a list of artists that I wanted to speak to this week, Hemlocke was top of my mind. Her debut album 'the apple tree under the sea' is one of the projects that made me truly excited this year. It's an oddball pop record, that chews up so many different inspirations and spits it out in Hemlocke's technicolor vision.We sat down to speak about the album and turning a viral moment into something long-lasting. We also discussed plenty of pop classics from Prince, to Katseye's 'Gnarly' to Beyonce & Rihanna. Make sure you follow The Pop Pod on Instagram for all the updates.
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  Bop Or Flop: The #1 Singles Of 2010 (Kesha, Rihanna, Katy Perry & More) 24.08.2026 51min

  A bonus throwback episode for you today. Jono and I went through all the US number one singles of 2010 and bop'd or flop'd them.As it turns out, 2010 was a pretty groundbreaking year for pop. It was a the debut of Kesha, Katy Perry's golden era and a shapeshifting year for Rihanna. On top of that, it was a gloriously silly year for pop music, driven by songs like 'Like A G6'.
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  The Natasha Bedingfield Interview: Writing Pop Classics, The Song That Was Banned By Radio & 'Dot Dot Dot' 19.08.2026 53min

  A maker of several pop classics joins The Pop Pod. Natasha Bedingfield is behind some of the biggest pop songs of this millennium including 'These Words' and 'Unwritten'. These songs continue to have comebacks and, acting as millennial anthems but they have also now seeped into the psyche of a Gen Z as well - now the generation that listen to her most.On the pod, we discuss the undying success of her early classics, the 'Unwritten' follow-up that was banned by radio and her new chapter as an independent artist with 'Dot Dot Dot'.Follow The Pop Pod on Instagram.
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  The Ravyn Lenae Interview: Following Up 'Love Me Not', Nelly Furtado & Her Most Out Of The Box Album Yet 12.08.2026 51min

  At the top of last year, I interviewed Ravyn Lenae briefly right as 'Love Me Not' was beginning to bubble. 1.3 billion streams later, it's a rare ubiquitous hit. Now, she joins me on The Pop Pod with another album in the bag.'Blue Island' shows that she had no interest in trying to imitate the sound of 'Love Me Not'. It's a wild ride that showcases an artist following her creative impulses in a daring and captivating way. She spoke to me about whether she felt the pressure on this record and what inspired it from Nelly Furtado to Gwen Stefani.Follow The Pop Pod on Instagram.
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  The Flo Interview: Girl Groups, Hangovers, Music Videos & Perfect Pop Songs 05.08.2026 58min

  Flo are, in my opinion, the best girl group on the planet right now. I got to sit down with them in London ahead of the release of their second album 'Therapy At The Club' to talk about taking control, music videos, hangover and pop classics. Their second album really sees them step into their own. It's ambitious, charismatic and loud. You'll hear all about it in this chat plus lots more. Follow The Pop Pod on Instagram and don't forget to subscribe!
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  Reviewing Ariana Grande 'Petal' Track-By-Track 03.08.2026 53min

  Ariana Grande's new album 'Petal' is good because Ariana is too good to make a bad album. There are, however, some frustrations about how polite it is at times.Jono and I have gone through the album track-by-track to make sense of one of her most divisive albums yet.Follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠.
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  The Rose Gray Interview: Madonna, Robyn & Making Pop Classics Of Her Own 29.07.2026 50min

  Rose Gray is the next princess of pop. Taking inspiration from the legends like Kylie and Madonna as well as underground dance music, she’s forged a new path off the back of her debut album Louder, Please. That album helped her pick up a whole new audience and now she’s headed towards album number two with ‘Club To Your Arms’ and its experimental sister ‘Bodies’.She joined The Pop Pod to talk about working with pop mastermind Justin Tranter on new music, update us on the progress of the next album and chat Madonna, Lily Allen, Robyn and more.Follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠.
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  The Best & Worst Of 2026 So Far: Olivia Rodrigo, Madonna, Charli XCX & More 27.07.2026 59min

  It's been a while since Jono and I have checked in on the pod so we though we'd give you an episode on the best and worst of 2026 so far. We talked about what's worked this year and what hasn't as well as listed our top 3 songs and album of the year so far.
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  The Sekou Interview: Justin Bieber, Olivia Dean & Making It As A New Artist 22.07.2026 49min

  Sekou is my favourite new male popstar. He's got the tunes, he's got the look and he's got a superstar mindset. He's just released his debut mixtape 'In A World We Don't Belong' which features 'Catching Bodies' his breakout single. In the past year, he's also featured on Justin Bieber's 'Swag' finding a musical kingship with Biebs.I had the best chat with him touching on the Bieber of it all but also generally what it takes to make it as a new artist in an increasingly frustrating industry.
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  The Charli XCX Interview: Music Fashion Film, Pop Classics & Following Creative Impulses 15.07.2026 38min

  Well, this is a dream. Charli XCX is the latest guest on The Pop Pod. We met up in London to discuss the new album Music Fashion Film and how she got to this point, once again making a creative pivot in the sort of way only Charli knows how.
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  Talking Pop Classics With Bebe Rexha 18.06.2026 41min

  It is my pleasure to welcome to the podcast Bebe Rexha - a pop music titan who is responsible for some of the biggest hits of the last decade. Freshly independent and with a new record 'Dirty Blonde' in the bag, we talked about her journey to this point and her most cohesive album to date.As always, we also talked pop classics touching on everything from dancefloor bangers to Miley Cyrus.Follow The Pop Pod on Instagram for more.
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  Going Track-By-Track On Olivia Rodrigo's 'you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love' 17.06.2026 49min

  Olivia Rodrigo released her third album 'you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love' to AOTY allegations last week. I had to get Jono on the line to discuss. We went track-by-track through the songs and reviewed it along the way.
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  Talking Pop Classics With Madeon: Lady Gaga, Slayyyter, Porter Robinson and More 03.06.2026 47min

  Madeon has long been one of the most exciting producers in the game. He broke through as a teenager with a pop music mash-up and turned that into a consistently evolving career. He’s collaborated with Porter Robinson, Lady Gaga and more recently Slayyyter and so he feels like the perfect person to join us to chat Pop Classics.This was such a pleasure for me personally. I’ve been a longtime fan of Madeon and always admired how he’s been able to show great admiration for the producers that came before him while also being a trailblazer. We had a great conversation talking about his work with Lady Gaga and Slayyyter and also his forthcoming album ‘Victory’.Follow The Pop Pod on Instagram.
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  Pop Classics With HorsegiirL: Kylie, Pop Maximalism and 'Nature Is Healing' 27.05.2026 46min

  HorsegiirL is the first horse to ever appear on The Pop Pod but also one of the most fascinating. The German producer and DJ has transcended her meme-ish origins to become one of the most important figures in electronic music right now.In this episode, we talked about pop classics from Kylie to Usher but also what makes pop so fascinating. The ability to make the complex universally snackable.HorsegiirL's debut album 'Nature Is Healing' is out next week.
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  Ranking Ariana Grande Albums From 'Yours Truly' To 'Eternal Sunshine' 20.05.2026 42min

  In July, Ariana Grande will release her eighth album ‘Petal’ so we thought it was the opportune time to roll out the definitive ranking of Ariana albums. From ‘Yours Truly’ to ‘Eternal Sunshine’, Ariana has one of the most interesting and personal discographies in pop music tracking personal triumphs and tragedies. We can update this ranking in July when ‘Petal’ finally arrives but for now, join PopSamCam for the current Ariana Grande albums ranking.What’s your ranking?Follow us on Instagram.
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  Ranking The 10 Best Charli XCX Songs 13.05.2026 1val

  It's time for another rankinig episode and this time we're turning our attention to Charli XCX who just returned with 'Rock Music'. For the past decade plus Charli has been a pop visionary, always operating ahead of the game and churning out some of the most thought-provoking pop music along the way. She's amassed an impressive discography that actually proved quite difficult to rank. That being said, there were 4 songs that really stood out. On this episode of The Pop Pod, Sam & Jono rank the best Charli XCX songs.Follow The Pop Pod on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.poppod/