Advertise on podcast: On the Irregular with Java Bere

In this episode, I talk to the singer songwriter, Josephine Oniyama. Born and bred in Manchester, Jo grew up listening to her mum’s record collection, never knowing a time when music and writing weren’t her focus. Starting gigging in her teens, her career took off very quickly, leading her to touring and working with huge names in the industry and eventually recording the widely applauded album ‘Portrait’. We talk about what it was like to start her career at such a young age, the support she received from teachers and family, the fickle nature of the music industry, why she chose to step away from performing for a few years and where she’s going from here. Plus, Josephine will be performing at the live event of ‘On the Irregular’ at HOME, Manchester in September. Welcome to this special bonus episode, with the immense talent, utterly lovely Josephine Oniyama. Josephine’s new single ‘Tears Will Never be Mine’  from her upcoming album ‘Kindred’ was released on June 3rd through Sound of Solar Records. You can find Josephine on Instagram @josephineoniyama and on twitter @thisisjosephine.  Shownotes: New Single: 'Tears Will Never Be Mine' Josephine on Bandcamp Josephine on Soundcloud Lady Smith Black Mambazo Guy Garvey PostProduction and Jingle: Jon Tipler Support the show

This week I chat to Deborah Eydmann Beau, writer, model, life long creative. In this inspiring and at points, tear inducing chat, Deborah tells me about coming into her own  at 55, her childhood in Yorkshire and how this formed her, a lifelong passion for drama, her life in France with her three children, successful careers in translation and blogging the three years she spent walking to find herself again, the cabin in the woods where she lived off grid for a year, her current life by the sea, the transformative power of stopping dying her hair in her 40’s, and what her future holds. Welcome to episode 12 and the rather exceptional, Deborah Eydeman. You can find Debora on instagram @plumesandfeathers and on the account she shares with her partner @tonyandbabs Thank you so much for listening to ‘On the Irregular’, please make sure you review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us! Shownotes: Kick can and conkers blog London Grammar Lorde The Foraged Home Table Magazine Handmade Charlotte Support the show

This week I am chatting to baker, artist and empress of cushion embroidery Sharon Nagadya. Born in Uganda, Sharon moved to the UK age 11. After initially pursuing a career as a nurse/hairdresser, Sharon couldn’t ignore the fact that her passion was in the creative fields.  We talk about family and cultural expectations, what she now considers to be the markers of success, her time caring for her fabulous mother in her early twenties, reclaiming the word ‘Immigrant’, how she wants to be perceived, her pivot from the world of retail to baking at the cosiest of bakeries Longbois Bakehouse in South Manchester. Sharon also manages to compare herself to Beyonce at least twice with complete justification.  May I introduce to you episode 11 of On the Irregular and the wondrous artist Sharon Nagadya. A gentle warning, this episode contains expletives. You can find Sharon on instagram @snagadya and at via the bakery website @longboisbakes.  Thank you so much for listening to ‘On the Irregular’, please make sure you review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us! Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/javabere)

This week I’m chatting to Grower & Florist Hattie Shackleton of Honour Farm Folk. In our conversation we touch upon Hattie’s experience of working in branding agencies and being a woman in the graphic design industry, then opening up her own shop ‘Maud’s House’ in the old market town of Skipton. We talk about what it’s like to have several skills and to allow yourself to hone in what you love, the impact of her dad’s passing and the elitism of the horticulture industry. And most excitingly, we talk about the unusual property Hattie and her family are moving to where she will expand her flower business and passion for opening up the farm in the future to help make growing more accessible for the local community. Welcome to episode ten with the endlessly stylish yet permanently down to earth Hattie. You can find Hattie on instagram @honourfarmfolk or you can head to her website commondaisy.co.uk. On the date of publishing this episode, the site is currently under maintenance, but the site explains how you can get in touch with Hattie for wedding bookings. Thank you so much for listening to ‘On the Irregular’, please make sure you review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us! Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/javabere)

This week I’m chatting to writer and life coach, Nadia Karim. Nadia’s rich journey includes a passion for photography, social justice, an ongoing theme of storytelling and being one half of Edinburgh based shop Century General Store. We had a long chat about empathy, acknowledging the depths of our differences, the value of being quiet, her journey as a writer and story teller, interrogating the attitude of ‘one size fits all’ to wellbeing and her gentle approach to coaching. For more details on how Nadia works and how you can join her online community, please refer to the show notes. You can find Nadia online at everydaywrites.com and join her Radiant Folk online community by subscribing via her website. All of Nadia's coaching is one-to-one, online. Nadia also sent me a breakdown of who might find her coaching useful: You have ideas for a creative project but don't know where to begin and are feeling overwhelmed which is stopping you from starting, you want to be clear on what to do first.You have sensory needs that affect how you navigate the world and want to put in place consistent wellbeing habits.You want to tell your story or your creativity as a person from a marginalised identity, with someone who understands and celebrates their lived experience and the bigger picture of how they navigate the worldYou've recently had an autism / ADHD / neurodiversity diagnosis and are exploring what this means for the way you approach your life, wellbeing or work moving forwardsYou want to make a big leap towards something you've always dreamed You want to create healthy boundaries with family members or in any aspect of your lifeYou want to know where best to focus your energy and to show up consistently instead of feeling drainedWelcome to episode nine with the gentle, soothing and wise Nadia Karim. Thank you so much for listening to ‘On the Irregular’, please make sure you review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us! Shownotes: Quiet by Susan Cain Tender by Penny Wincer Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/javabere)

This week I’m chatting to TV Camera Operator and photographer Lyndsey Harris. As a camera op, Lyndsey has worked on productions such as Coronation Street, Wimbledon and, in my opinion, the most exciting of all, Stars in Their Eyes.  When she’s not filming, Lyndsey captures the world around her with her camera and a sharp documentary eye, honing in on the moments we often miss. We talk about growing up as a mixed race child on an all white council estate in Birmingham, the film that was the catalyst for her pursuing a career in visuals, and being a woman in an industry historically dominated by white men. A large theme was the internal battle between her drive and passion and her, often debilitating, anxiety and imposter syndrome. Welcome to episode eight. May I introduce you to my dear friend, talented photographer and one of the oddaprents to our children, Lyndsey Harris, You can find Lyndsey’s photography work on instagram @allfromthelefteye. Thank you so much for listening to ‘On the Irregular’, please make sure you review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us! Shownotes: Martin Parr Ava DuVernay Lynne Ramsay Steve McQueen Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/javabere)

This week I’m chatting to visual artist, community builder and photographer Jo Melia. Jo and I chatted about growing up and living with her mum’s alcoholism and the impact this had on her creative dreams, parenting and being part of a neuro-divergent family, her experience of art school, her years working full time in a bank, setting up a make-up business on her own with two young children, the value of community and the unique skills each of us have to offer.  Since we recorded this episode in early January, Jo has continued further down her personal creative path and is currently absorbed in working with paint on canvas. These creative shifts are also something we touch upon. Welcome to episode seven with the thoughtful soul and queen of earthy colour palettes, Jo Melia. You can find Jo on instagram @jomeliaart and @themelias.co and you can also find the photography workshops she co-runs with her partner james online themelias.co. Please refer ot the shownotes for links. Thank you so much for listening to ‘On the Irregular’, please make sure you review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us! Shownotes: The Lost Daughter - Netflix Maid - Netflix Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/javabere)

This week I’m chatting to artist, adventurer, writer and marine conservationist Katie Tunn.  Katie lives her life in companionship with the waters: waking up to the sound of waves on the Isle of Skye, creating stunning art work inspired by the Hebridean seas, collecting litter and rescuing injured seals along the coastline and, later this year, visiting all 82 of Britain’s largest islands. In our chat, we touch upon Katie’s relationship with her environment, the pros and cons of social media, spontaneity in creativity, the value of sometimes saying no and her experience on the channel 4 reality series Eden, where she and 22 other participants lived for a year in a remote part of Scotland and attempted to build a self-sufficient community. Welcome to episode six with the delightful and, rather magical, Katie Tunn. You can find more about Katie’s varied work online at katietunn.com and on instagram @katietunn and @katietunnart. Please refer to the shownotes for links. Thank you so much for listening to ‘On the Irregular’, please make sure you review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us! Show notes: Elizabeth Gilbert - Big Magic - Creative Living Beyond Fear Alastair Humphries Eden: Paradise Lost on Channel 4 Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/javabere)

This week I’m chatting to creative powerhouse, Instagram influencer, kitchen dancer, style icon… the one and only Sophia Cook. Growing up, Sophia loved the performing arts, leading onto studying and later working in theatre and costume design. We cover her journey from working as a wardrobe mistress in London theatres to overseeing builds of new schools with all the twists and turns in between. We talk about where she finds herself now, living and working in the stunning home that her and Cookie refurbished, also featuring in George Clarke’s Old House New Home on Channel 4. We talk about the reality of having to choose jobs that pay the bills over pursuing your creative desires, the racism she has experienced in every single organization she has worked for, her process of unpacking and unlearning the limiting words of others that she has carried with her, the life her and Cookie are building for themselves and the future of their children, having someone to lean on for the first time and how she’s still figuring out what it is she wants to be when she grows up. And of course, so much more. Welcome to episode five of season two with the glorious, vibrant, inimitable Sophia Cook. A gentle warning, this episode contains expletives. You can find Sophia’s joyful and vibrant style on instagram @sophiarcook. Please refer to the shownotes for links. Thank you so much for listening to ‘On the Irregular’, please make sure you review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us! It truly does make such a difference. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/javabere)

This week I’m chatting to sensory designer, brand consultant and passionate foodie Lauren Davies. Lauren approaches her work as both an alchemist and detective, using design and her passion for innovation as a way to tell her own stories and those of her clients. For the first half hour we talk about Lauren’s focus on sustainability  and wellbeing in design, the pivotal experiences that led her on the path she is on now, her passion for discovery, the challenges of being a multidisciplinary artist and what lights up her soul. For the second half hour, we run through all the reasons we love food, cooking, food rituals and food books.  Welcome to episode four of season 2, and the absolutely fascinating Lauren Davies, who I am desperate to spend a day cooking and eating with. You can find Lauren’s work on her website heka.london and on instagram @heka_london.  Thank you so much for listening to ‘On the Irregular’, please make sure you review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us! It truly does make such a difference. Shownotes: Essence and alchemy - Mandy Aftel Eating to extinction - Dan Saladino The Way We Eat Now - Bee Wilson How to Eat Your Christmas tree - Julia Georgallis Taste: My Life Through Food - Stanley Tucci Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/javabere)

This week I’m chatting to photographer, graphic designer, story teller and creator of magic, Mirlah Richardson. Mirlah is a multi-hyphen, multi-talented stream of cool water, adapting to whichever way her life has led her. In this conversation we touch upon (amongst many other things) the value of being a master (or mistress) of all trades, adjusting to life with her partner’s MS diagnosis, carving out time for her work and creativity, letting go of what no longer fits, allowing ourselves to feel our truth instead of feeling we need to cling onto the positive, the idea of whether everything happens for a reason and the impact the pandemic has had on us all.  Welcome to episode three of On the Irregular with the gentle, thoughtful and oh so lovely Mirlah Richardson. (On a side note, you may hear the sound of smashing glass as, unfortunately,  we recorded this episode on my street’s recycling day. ) You can find Mirlah’s photography and branding work online at mirland.co or on instagram @heymirlah and @mirland.co.  Thank you so much for listening to ‘On the Irregular’, please make sure you review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us! Shownotes: Emma Gannon : The Multi-Hyphen Method Laura Adams Photography Course Music Composition and Final Edit: Jon Tipler - Loaded for Bear Audio Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/javabere)

In this episode I talk to the journalist and author, Amy Liptrot. Amy grew up on Orkney before moving to London in her twenties to pursue a career as a music journalist. Her memoir The Outrun is an account of her alcoholism during this time, her recovery and the pull between the island and the city. The book won her the PEN Ackerley prize, the Wainwright prize, has been translated into fifteen languages, is a Sunday Times Bestseller, and is currently being made into a film starring Saoirsa Ronan.  But it wasn’t easy getting here. We talk about Amy’s initial career expectations, her writing process and her forthcoming book, The Instant, published on March 3rd 2022. We of course also manage to fit in talking about swimming outdoors and the full moon. Amy is a friend and lives locally, so for our chat we decided to go on a walk through the fields to Amy’s favorite tree, accompanied by her youngest child, strapped to her back.  Welcome to episode two of On the Irregular, with lovely Amy’s dulcet tones against the backdrop of the West Yorkshire fields. The Outrun is available to buy from all good bookshops, and The Instant is available for pre-order wherever you buy your books and will be published on the 3rd of March. You can also find Amy on instagram and twitter @amymayyyy.  Thank you so much for listening to ‘On the Irregular’, please make sure you review and subscribe as it helps other listeners find us! Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/javabere)