The longtime BBC Radio 1 host talks about the liberation of leaving broadcasting, her pivot to fiction writing and her party series, Before Midnight.
If you grew up in the UK, chances are you've heard Annie Mac on the radio. The Irish native started on the airwaves in 2004 when she was 26. She hosted a nightly programme called Future Sounds, before eventually moving to a Friday night dance music show, which catapulted her into the pop cultural zeitgeist.
Being at the BBC was a boon to her career, but as she reveals in this Exchange—her second appearance on the series—it also came with its limitations. She left the media giant in 2021 to spend more time with her family, and to pursue her own projects without the inhibition of BBC codes of conduct on matters around free speech. Since departing, she has been outspoken about politics and engaged in ongoing advocacy work and calls for change as an independent curator and podcast host.
Annie Mac also speaks to Exchange host Chloe Lula about the art of interviewing; her popular party series, Before Midnight; her pivot to writing; how getting older has shaped her view of success; and what it means to lead the "good life." She has also published two novels, both of which pull from loosely autobiographical topics: The Troubles in Ireland, the music industry in London and bigger thematic arcs such as navigating motherhood and grief. Listen to the episode in full.
All content for RA Exchange is the property of Resident Advisor and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
The longtime BBC Radio 1 host talks about the liberation of leaving broadcasting, her pivot to fiction writing and her party series, Before Midnight.
If you grew up in the UK, chances are you've heard Annie Mac on the radio. The Irish native started on the airwaves in 2004 when she was 26. She hosted a nightly programme called Future Sounds, before eventually moving to a Friday night dance music show, which catapulted her into the pop cultural zeitgeist.
Being at the BBC was a boon to her career, but as she reveals in this Exchange—her second appearance on the series—it also came with its limitations. She left the media giant in 2021 to spend more time with her family, and to pursue her own projects without the inhibition of BBC codes of conduct on matters around free speech. Since departing, she has been outspoken about politics and engaged in ongoing advocacy work and calls for change as an independent curator and podcast host.
Annie Mac also speaks to Exchange host Chloe Lula about the art of interviewing; her popular party series, Before Midnight; her pivot to writing; how getting older has shaped her view of success; and what it means to lead the "good life." She has also published two novels, both of which pull from loosely autobiographical topics: The Troubles in Ireland, the music industry in London and bigger thematic arcs such as navigating motherhood and grief. Listen to the episode in full.
"There's a lack of continuity for FLINTA* individuals." The Chilean artist talks about trans rights and the launch of her new sex party, ABOV.
What would genuine visibility, safety and solidarity look like for the trans community? This week's interview with Chilean artist Dominga Huidobro (AKA Föllakzoid) explores this topic in depth. Huidobro began her transition eight years ago. By then, Föllakzoid had already put out a number of releases on Sacred Bones. She's since gone on to totally reinvent the psych rock genre, working with hypnotic loops and percussion, and even crossing over into the world of techno with collaborations and remixes from Atom TM and DJ Nobu.
Huidobro opens up about how transitioning changed her artistic identity, and even fed directly into her standout album, V. But it also began to pose problems in her personal life. She was attacked at a queer party in Berlin last September, an incident that reflected an ongoing lack of safety and care for the trans community. Touring as a solo artist, she is still rarely provided safe, pre-arranged transportation to and from venues, and the constant trauma of crossing borders and being left to fend for herself in threatening situations led her to pause her live shows for the rest of this year.
In the meantime, Huidobro has started a FLINTA* party, ABOV, with her partner Ariana Paoletti (AKA Volvox). The two end the conversation with a meditation on what the FLINTA* mission means in 2025. Listen to the episode in full. -Chloe Lula
RA Exchange
The longtime BBC Radio 1 host talks about the liberation of leaving broadcasting, her pivot to fiction writing and her party series, Before Midnight.
If you grew up in the UK, chances are you've heard Annie Mac on the radio. The Irish native started on the airwaves in 2004 when she was 26. She hosted a nightly programme called Future Sounds, before eventually moving to a Friday night dance music show, which catapulted her into the pop cultural zeitgeist.
Being at the BBC was a boon to her career, but as she reveals in this Exchange—her second appearance on the series—it also came with its limitations. She left the media giant in 2021 to spend more time with her family, and to pursue her own projects without the inhibition of BBC codes of conduct on matters around free speech. Since departing, she has been outspoken about politics and engaged in ongoing advocacy work and calls for change as an independent curator and podcast host.
Annie Mac also speaks to Exchange host Chloe Lula about the art of interviewing; her popular party series, Before Midnight; her pivot to writing; how getting older has shaped her view of success; and what it means to lead the "good life." She has also published two novels, both of which pull from loosely autobiographical topics: The Troubles in Ireland, the music industry in London and bigger thematic arcs such as navigating motherhood and grief. Listen to the episode in full.
