Few bands have left a mark on Australian music quite like The Temper Trap.

From their early days in Melbourne to the slow-burning rise of Sweet Disposition, the band became one of Australia’s most beloved exports.

In 2025, The Temper Trap returned with Giving Up Air, their first new music in nine years, marking the beginning of a long-awaited new chapter.

Recorded live on stage at Beyond the Valley, on the final day of 2025, this special episode sees the band reflect on their full journey: the years before the breakthrough, what Sweet Disposition changed overnight, life spent touring the globe, and the decision to step away. We talk about the hiatus, what time away gave them, and why now felt like the right moment to return.

They also look ahead to their forthcoming album, sharing insight into how this new era of The Temper Trap feels different.

I'm backkkk! Happy 2026!

Silly season has truly been silly, lots of food, lots of events, lots of gigs and rounding out the year at Beyond the Valley. Let's catch up!

Plus, I want to put you on to the act that has SZA talking, Maden Lane.

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Podcast setup brought to you by RØDE:

• RCDUO
• PodMic
• NTH-100
• PSA1+
• WS14

As part of the RØDE Affiliate Program, purchases made through ⁠⁠⁠https://brandstore.rode.com/ashmcgregor⁠⁠⁠ may earn me a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

Nashville pop artist Thomas Day has lived multiple versions of an artist’s dream.

After breaking through as a teenage heartthrob on America’s Got Talent, Thomas signed to a major label and was quickly positioned for pop perfection. But it wasn’t until he stepped away from polish and leaned into raw, imperfect recordings that his music truly connected; culminating in the breakout success of “She Got a Thing About Her.”

In this episode of Listen Up with Ash McGregor, Thomas reflects on the pressure of early success, and why embracing imperfection changed everything. He plays unfiltered audio recordings live in the studio, and takes us through the just-do-don't-think style of music creation he lives by.

This is a conversation about how unlearning expectations, trusting instinct, and discovering that authenticity is what makes music last.

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This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.

SIX60 are New Zealand’s biggest band, and their rise is anything but conventional.Formed while studying in Dunedin, the group slowly built a grassroots following before becoming a stadium-selling force across Aotearoa. Along the way, they’ve rewritten the rules of success for Australasian bands, including a period during COVID when they were one of the only bands in the world able to tour, selling out shows while the rest of the industry stood still.

In this episode of Listen Up with Ash McGregor, SIX60 reflect on the moments that shaped them: how close they came to breaking up, what nearly derailed the band, and the decisions that ultimately changed their trajectory. We talk about longevity, pressure, and what it takes to stay connected to each other after years at the top. They also tease their forthcoming album, revealing why this next chapter feels like a return to their roots.

We sit down the day of their new single 'We Made It', fresh off playing the Sydney Opera House forecourt. Get to know the band that has quietly become one of the most important musical exports in the Southern Hemisphere.

Australian producer CYRIL has become one of the country’s most unlikely success stories.

From growing up regionally, experiencing homelessness, and battling drug addiction; all while never letting go of his passion for producing. In just two years, he’s amassed over 1.8 billion streams and quickly became one of Australia's biggest exports.

In this episode of Listen Up with Ash McGregor, CYRIL opens up about the realities behind his rise: the years before anyone was watching, the video that unexpectedly changed everything, and what it’s like navigating global success after surviving rock bottom. We talk about perseverance, identity, and how music became both an escape and a lifeline.

CYRIL also teases his debut album, and it’s not what people expect.

Larissa Lambert is one of Australia’s brightest R&B stars with over 200 million streams to the name.

Her story has never been linear - it’s a series of sliding doors moments. In this episode, we trace the chain of chances that built her career: from her pizza shop boss who paid for her to attend a talent camp, to saying yes to an X-Factor girl group in 2014, to backing herself as a solo artist when the group dissolved and taking a chance on a flight to LA.

She talks openly about those early years, growing up in Ballarat posting YouTube covers to escape her household. And then the moment everything cracked open: posting a cover of SWV’s Weak a year before it exploded, catching the attention of Justin Bieber, SZA, and a whole new wave of fans.

This is Larissa in full: the voice built on community, taking risks and backing herself even when nobody else knew who she was yet.

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This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.

Florence Road are one of the most exciting new bands to erupt out of Ireland. They’ve gone from making noise in a backyard shed to catching fire online, selling out rooms, and landing on massive international festival lineups and tour supports.

In this episode, the band sits down with Ash McGregor for a proper introduction: their childhoods in Ireland, how they formed, and the moment a viral clip changed everything. They open up about gaining the attention of global industry players, touring with artists like Sombr, Olivia Rodrigo and Royel Otis and writing with some of the best.

Florence Road are fast becoming one of the most talked about rising acts of 2025. Get to know them here.

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This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.

It's gigs on gigs on gigs over here! Let me catch you up on what I've seen lately and why we need to support local emerging artists when internationals tour.

Plus you need to learn about Pamela., Sophian and this stunning collab between Joan & the Giants and Seb Szabo.

Listen to all the tracks here: ⁠⁠⁠The A-List⁠⁠⁠, updated every Friday.

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Podcast setup brought to you by RØDE:

• RCDUO
• PodMic
• NTH-100
• PSA1+
• WS14

As part of the RØDE Affiliate Program, purchases made through ⁠⁠https://brandstore.rode.com/ashmcgregor⁠⁠ may earn me a small commission, at no extra cost to you.