In the final episode of Season One of The MP3.WAV Podcast, Seán sits down with Nicholas Sonuga, co-founder of Qube, one of London’s most influential creative studio platforms.

Nicholas reflects on his musical origins, taking us from his early years immersed in UK underground scenes as a DJ and producer, through studying music technology and renting studios, to eventually co-founding Qube alongside Amin Hamzianpour, an ex-banker and fellow producer who shared the same frustrations with the traditional studio model.

Together, they unpack how Qube evolved from a single basement studio into a multi-site creative ecosystem, including its upcoming location, set to launch next year.

This conversation is a deep dive into creativity, resilience, culture, and scale, touching on risk-taking, community-building, navigating COVID, and what it means to stay creator-first while growing a serious business.

🎧 Listen for lessons on betting on yourself, building for creators, and protecting culture as you scale.

This week Seán chats to Phonk producer and Purple Posse co-founder Backwhen for a deep dive into his journey from discovering wave music all the way to watching phonk explode into a global movement.

The two revisit some of the questions they covered from their B2B last year for Stay Cool #081 including his early origins, moving from Indiana to Denver and so on, before discussing more recent topics like DJ Smokey’s hosting of Skrillex’s mixtape earlier this year, and crucially, the state of Phonk given Drift Phonk’s continually drowning out of Phonk and it’s roots.

If you’re into wave, phonk, underground culture or just love hearing artists get candid about their craft, this one’s for you.

- Seán

♬ Intro & Outro by BACKWHEN

In this episode, Seán sits down with content creator and East London’s finest gamesmaster Leoni Joyce for a deep dive into her journey as one of the UK’s most creative digital storytellers. From her early YouTube vlogging days to her currently presenting style, Leoni breaks down how she shaped her craft, found her voice and built a career rooted in creativity and cultural pride.

They cover everything from the Ugandan and Congolese music she grew up on, to the impact of the MOBO Awards on her career, her evolving editing style and even why she hopes to return to songwriting. The pair also play the podcasts’s first ever games, revisiting her chaotic old “Vogue” interview and guessing outrageous celebrity tweets.

Leoni shares her love of Disneyland, gives honest thoughts on the current state of Afrobeats, and even shares whether her classic vlogs might return.

Funny, thoughtful and packed with nostalgia, culture and creative insight — this is Leoni Joyce like you’ve never seen her before.

In this episode of The MP3.WAV Podcast, Sam Wills joins us to discuss his Grammy-winning journey and the creative evolution that led to his new album Speak. He dives into the inspiration behind the record, the stories that shaped it, and how his approach to music has developed over the years.

Sam also takes us into the immersive world of Traingazing, sharing how he experiments with sound, atmosphere, and texture to create something unique. He reflects on his early days, key influences, and the collaborations that helped define his signature style, giving listeners a behind-the-scenes look at his artistic process.

From studio insights to stage experiences, Sam opens up about the highs and challenges of being an award-winning artist. This episode is a deep dive into his journey, his music, and the passion that drives him to continually push creative boundaries.

Stay connected: instagram.com/@seangran | instagram.com/@themp3wav | https://youtube.com/@staycoolfam

♫ Intro & Outro by Sam Wills

In this episode of The MP3.WAV Podcast, Seán sits down with Nat Maddix (founder) and Harrsn (musical director) of House Gospel Choir, the groundbreaking collective blending gospel, soul and UK dance culture in a way that has transformed stages and festivals across the country.

Together they dive into the choir’s origins and their unforgettable breakthrough moment at Glastonbury, the evolution of their sound between albums, and the role that diversity plays at the heart of everything they do. They also speak about working with icons including Nile Rodgers, Roy Davis Jr., Wookie and Janice Robinson, as well as how social media carried them through lockdown and brought their message to an even wider audience.

The conversation touches on the making of Rechoired during the pandemic, their tour with Stephen Bartlett, and what fans can expect from the next chapter of House Gospel Choir. From their most meaningful memories and bucket-list ambitions, to the people behind the scenes who helped shape their journey, this episode shines a light on the spirit, faith and community that make HGC such a powerful force in modern music.

Stay connected: instagram.com/@seangran | instagram.com/@themp3wav | https://youtube.com/@staycoolfam

♫ Intro by House Gospel Choir & Jack Mudd • Outro by House Gospel Choir & Melle Brown

In this episode, Seán sits down with producer, singer-songwriter, and artist Ruby Francis to talk about her latest album Pages of Philosophy, the growth of the UK R&B scene, and her journey through music over the past decade.

They explore the challenges female artists and producers still face in the industry, the creative process behind her debut album Archives (made during lockdown), and how Ruby’s sound and style have evolved since her debut EP, 2017’s Night Time Therapy.

Ruby also opens up about her musical roots, her love for production and DJing, her connection to Iceland and teases a potential self-produced beat tape in the works.

PS: This episode features TWO exclusive beats from Ruby as the intro and outro, so enjoy the vibes and take them maybe as a preview of what’s to come.

Discover more:

instagram.com/@seangran | instagram.com/@themp3wav | https://youtube.com/@staycoolfam

In this episode Seán talks to producer, DJ, radio host and Mellody Agency founder Melle Brown for a deep dive into her journey in the UK music scene across various roles and angles. From growing up in Camden and having the Roundhouse as her second home (which is where Melle and Seán met some 13 years ago), to attending the BRIT School, DJing at Glasto and collaborating with Annie Mac and Toddla T, Melle opens up about creativity, community and how she rediscovered her passion for music.

Tune in to learn more about balancing artistry and industry from two people who’ve worn many hats in the Music industry.

Discover more:

instagram.com/@seangran | instagram.com/@themp3wav | https://youtube.com/@staycoolfam

♫ Intro & Outro by Melle Brown

This week Seán talks to Joe Armon-Jones, composer, producer and member of Ezra Collective, the British Jazz quintet that are making global waves, having won the Mercury Prize in 2023 and Best Group at this year’s BRIT Awards.

In their third interview and first since 2017, the two discuss whether Jazz has gone mainstream, the importance of community, good musical movies, his recent double album All the Quiet, how convenience is diluting skill and a whole lot more. Seán also brings questions from their 2016 conversation to showcase just how far both Joe, and the South East London Jazz scene as a whole, have come.

Discover more:

instagram.com/@seangran | instagram.com/@themp3wav | https://youtube.com/@staycoolfam

Intro by SumoChief & Handbook / Outro by SumoChief & 2LATE