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.

-------

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.

-------

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.

------

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.

Royel Otis join Ash to reminisce on the last 5 years, from writing songs in Sydney sunrooms to accidentally blowing up and becoming a household name.

Royel Otis are a Sydney-born indie duo (Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic) who formed in 2019. Their 2024 debut album PRATTS & PAIN broke into the ARIA top 10, and by the end of the year they’d sold out shows globally, played major festivals and quickly became one of Australia’s biggest international exports.

In this conversation, Roy and Otis open up about the early days, the tiny gigs, and the moment everything shifted. We get into the chaos behind their viral covers, performing with Sophie Ellis-Bextor, going global, navigating a fanbase that suddenly doubled overnight, and the pressure that comes with momentum.

They talk touring burnout, writing on the move, nearly losing an eye on the road, advice from Chris Martin and Ed Sheeran blasting their new album hickey.

If you’re a Royel Otis fan, or you’re still trying to understand how two guys from Sydney became one of the most in-demand indie bands on the planet, this is the one.

-------

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

We are in the middle of Aus Music Month, so let me put you on to three new aussie releases that can't go under the radar.

Tune in to hear the stories behind FVNERAL x Ben Lee, Chris Lanzon and Ben Gerrans x PANIA.

Check out ⁠⁠The A-List⁠⁠, updated every Friday.

------

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.

Few artists define a nation’s soundtrack like Paul Kelly. With 30 albums, generations of fans, and songs woven into Australian culture, this is one of the country’s greatest storytellers reflecting on life, legacy, and his brand new record, Seventy.

In this deeply personal conversation, Paul opens up about the making of Seventy, the follow-up to his beloved Christmas classic How To Make Gravy, and what legacy means to him now. He shares intimate reflections on his children and grandchildren, the role of family in his writing, and the timeless art of storytelling that’s defined his music for more than four decades.

It’s a rare and moving portrait of one of Australia’s greatest living artists, arriving at a deeply poignant moment in his career.