New Zealand songstress, Aly Cook, Australian Rock Music legend Buzz Bidstrup and Lyricist Kay Bidstrup are the co-writers for the single We Hold Up Half The Sky a song based on the book Half the Sky by Nicholas D Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn – Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. We talk about the song, the book and how women navigate their way through the world and look at the dynamics between the sexes in a brand new way. https://aheadofthecurves.tv/2020/11/25/we-hold-up-half-the-sky-with-buzz-and-kay-bidstrup/

Aly and Nicki catch up with John Wright MBE former International Cricketer who represented and captained New Zealand. He then coached the Indian National Cricket Team 2000 – 2005 and then the New Zealand team 2010 to 2012. From 2013, John was worked as the head coach for Mumbai Indians. John wrote and recorded an album during lockdown and he talks to us about his thoughts on how lockdowns impacted sport worldwide. https://aheadofthecurves.tv/2020/12/17/e14-cricketing-legend-john-wright-releases-his-album/

Aly and Nicki chat with Kristie West, an international Grief Coach based in New Zealand. We talk about something that has driven fear throughout the world in 2020 – DEATH. We have a conversation about the value of death and how different people and cultures include it in their life. We look at the many benefits that COVID has brought to the world in the middle of this global fear of death and address how the pandemic has created an opportunity in so many ways for us to really look at our perception of death. Check out Kristie’s blogs especially “Grace and Death in 2020.” https://aheadofthecurves.tv/2020/12/15/e-13-kristie-west/

Nicki chatted with Global Thought Leader Mike Clark of Dent Global to offer a fresh perspective outside of the traditional music market blueprint. Mike explores ways to transfer skills, pivot, adapt, leverage and position yourself in your music business as part of a community wide roadmap to recovery. Mike also talks about the macro economic opportunity that faces us in the next decade. Make sure you check out his website and follow him on Social Media as Dent offers some great free workshops which will truly inspire you as you rebuild your music business. And kudos to him, this was a zoom interview where, like so many parents, Mike just deals with it with incredible grace and humility.  https://aheadofthecurves.tv/2020/12/15/e-12-michael-clark/

We really wanted to include this exceptional fellow on our podcast channel. Nicki chats with Internationally acclaimed New York Times Best Selling Author and Global Thought Leader Randy Gage. Randy has written 13 books since 2001 so as a Literary Artist who writes, speaks and tours the world working with people to find creative solutions in their business, this was a brilliant interview where Randy takes us through strategies in how to pivot and leverage the opportunities now available as a result of this pandemic. Make sure you check out the Power Prosperity Podcast. https://aheadofthecurves.tv/2020/12/15/randy-gage/

Nicki chats with Dr Russell Kennedy, Neuroscientist, Medical Doctor, Speaker, Comedian and Author who has recently published his book Anxiety Rx. We talk about the COVID crazy in Victoria BC in Canada right now and then explore Russ’s work with Anxiety. Russ speaks from his experience as a music artist and comedian and addresses some of the psychological drivers for live performers and musicians and offers high level strategies to assist Arts Workers as they face the most challenging time in history. https://aheadofthecurves.tv/2020/12/15/dr-russell-kennedy/

Nichola Burton interviewed Bec Scott on the Music Real E133 We were  so impressed by Bec, the co-founder & CEO of STREAT, Bec Scott that we wanted to feature her interview here on Ahead of the Curves. Truly inspiring interview where Bec shares her thoughts on pathways for business to move more into social enterprise. We hear about her enterprises and collaborations like STREAT, MOVING FEAST and CRATEFUL developed by her young son. https://aheadofthecurves.tv/2020/11/03/e8-bec-scott-streat/

The Ahead of the Curves podcast is all about the Extraordinary Humans around the globe whose courage, vision and passion will contribute to humanity’s ability to not only recover but reimagine. Hosted by New Zealander Aly Cook, Music Artist, Publicist and host of Aly’s Self Sufficient podcast and Aussie, Nichola Burton, Author, Music Business specialist and Host of The Music Real podcast, the Ahead of the Curves podcasts take us on a journey out of the uncertainty and into recovery and reimagination.

This interview was featured In the Music Real E135, Nichola Burton chats with dancer, author and Australian Arts Thought Leader, Kate Histon who recently celebrated 20 years in Dance Dynamics in Byron Bay. We talk about what it was like to move dance classes online during lockdown and the very real emotion and anger of a long-term Arts business being interrupted. Kate shares her vision for her students, discusses her Elevate Dynamics workshops and gives us a sneak preview for her Women in Business workshops. We wanted to feature Kate in Ahead of the Curves for her insightful dedication to her vision for her students! Just another incredible human totally ahead of the curves!! https://aheadofthecurves.tv/2020/11/03/e7-kate-histon-20-years-and-covid/

Tina Harris has made such a contribution to the Australian Music Industry with her work with young children in her TV series and her live shows. We really wanted to feature her the Music Real E91  where Nichola Burton talks with her about Business On Demand and  Lah Lah Productions. Tina’s Business background spans over a decade of running national live touring and executive producing television and events. She works extensively as a teacher and performer and has a strong background in marketing and working with women in business. Tina is one of the most popular music artists (albeit with a much younger than usual audience) in Australia thanks to her work as Lah Lah. We hear from Tina about the challenges of cancelling a scheduled Lah Lah tour thanks to lockdown. She also shared about her mentoring work with entrepreneurs where she teaches creative strategies. Right now, thanks to lockdown, where so many businesses need a digital platform, Tina and her team are delivering training to cover everything you need to know about video production.  And of course, our very special guest host, Lah Lah’s biggest fan, Master Archie Dickson, asked the most important question of all. Big thanks to Tina for talking to us today! https://aheadofthecurves.tv/2020/08/11/tina-harris-lah-lah-productions/

This was such a great interview on the Music Real E120, that we wanted to share it. Nichola Burton chats with Award winning Author and Cartoonist Amy Kurzweil. Amy is the author of the graphic memoir Flying Couch named a 2016 New York Times Editor’s Choice and a Kirkus Best Memoir of 2016. Her comics appear regularly in the New Yorker. Amy’s cartoon – No Money For The Arts – was published in the New Yorker on 8 July perfectly articulated the very real challenge that now face millions of people around the world who work in the Arts with its headline: “I’m sorry. Now that everyone’s home reading, watching movies, educating themselves, and reflecting on the meaning of life, there’s just no money for the arts.” We talk about her Lockdown experience in the US, the evolution of art as a virtual expression and expression post COVID, possible survival tips from her Grandmother’s story in her book the Flying Couch and review the possibilities for the US in the next few months. https://aheadofthecurves.tv/2020/11/01/amy-kurzweil-new-yorker-cartoonist/

We really wanted to feature this Music Real interview that Nicki did with American Celebration Artist, Jeanne Fleming who is the Artistic and Producing Director of the Village Halloween Parade in New York. This year would have been the 47th annual parade. We talk about all the aspects of the parade that have made it such an iconic event worldwide. We also hear about how New York is going right now post COVID. Jeanne has created memories for millions of New Yorkers and tourists over the past few years and like so many Festivals and Public Events across the globe, not being able to deliver the parade in 2020 is almost unthinkable however in the true tradition of the parade, Jeanne and the organisers have quite a few surprises up their sleeves so stay tuned. https://aheadofthecurves.tv/2020/08/11/using-nature-to-recharge-your-creativity/

We wanted to feature Nichola Burton’s interview with eading world renowned specialist in human Behaviour, Dr John Demartini in the Music Real E57, John has travelled to over 151 countries and presented in over 50 countries per year, where he shares his research and findings across the globe. His primary signature program The Breakthrough Experience® has been presented over 1100 times in 65 countries. He is the author of over 50 books, published in 36 different languages. He has produced over 70 CDs and DVDs covering subjects such as human development, achievement, leadership, business, wealth, education, and human relations. He has created over 76 different courses. I reached out to John because thanks to the COVID lockdowns, millions of live music artists around the globe lost their income in one day. I wanted to share a voice that is outside of our industry narrative to get a more universal perspective of how to navigate our way through the rage and anger at losing livelihoods while identifying the blessings and opportunities that the lockdown has presented. If there is one man who can take us into gratitude for an event like this, it is John. Listen all the way through. This interview is a gold mine for Live Music Artists and anyone wanting to know how to move through anger to gratitude and creativity. Also please make sure you visit his website, details below. It is a treasure trove of resources to help facilitate you into a space to reimagine the music industry. https://aheadofthecurves.tv/2020/10/30/dr-john-demartini/

This was such an important interview about Mental Health, we wanted to feature it in Ahead of the Curves. In the Music Real E48, Chiropractor and Transitional Anxiety Mentor/Teacher, Dr Nima Rahmany, from Vancouver, British Columbia has dedicated his life to studying and teaching principles of healing in the mind and body and overcoming stress began a virtual program called Trigger Proof: How to Regulate Stress + Strengthen Immunity during a Crisis in March to support people around the world while going through lockdown. And due to the importance of Mental Health in the Music Industry, especially now at a time of great uncertainty in our market, its important to have a chat with Nima about how Music and Mental health are inextricably connected. https://aheadofthecurves.tv/2020/08/11/dr-nima-rahmany-healing-through-lockdown/

Gardening will be a big topic for us. Nichola Burton catches up with Queensland Premier DJ, Manager of Boutique DJ Management Company, Our House Productions and Music Programming Manager for The Pushworth Group – Mark Colvin. Mark shares with us how lockdown allowed him to explore his passion for gardening as well as keep him mentally fit and healthy as a result. We talk about how the garden is teaching him about business and life giving him a purpose and keeping him grounded at a time in history where the music actually stopped. So many music artists began to garden when lockdown hit so its so great to hear Mark’s story of how the garden really helped him throughout lockdown.