SCARED TO DANCE

Welcome to the Scared To Dance Podcast, a weekly show where host Paul Richards sits down for hour-long, in-depth conversations with musicians, writers and cultural figures about their musical passions past and present – from formative influences and the stories behind their best-known work, to songwriting, touring and what they’re working on now.

This season he will be talking to guests including Nation of Language, Jon Ronson, Mark Jenkin, Matilda Mann, The Tubs, Nish Kumar, Julia Jacklin, The Cardigans, Lime Garden, Buck Meek, Mary in the Junkyard and more.

In episode 1, host Paul Richards talks to Ian Devaney and Aidan Noell from Nation of Language. They discuss their European tour, their latest album Dance Called Memory and the band’s beginnings. They also cover writing through depression, embracing unpredictability in the studio, the influence of Kraftwerk and Brian Eno and what it means to be a band navigating social media and creative pressure in 2026.

In episode 2, host Paul Richards talks to author and journalist Jon Ronson about his new book The Castle. They discuss DJing at Scared To Dance, growing up in Cardiff and finding his way into writing. They also cover how music helped shape his identity and outsider perspective growing up, his time playing in Frank Sidebottom’s band and adapting his book The Men Who Stare at Goats for the big screen.

In episode 3, host Paul Richards talks to filmmaker Mark Jenkin about his latest film Rose of Nevada. They discuss working with George MacKay and Callum Turner, shooting in Cornwall, and how Mark came to score the film himself, and why music matters so much to his work. They also cover his path into directing, the 17-year journey to make his first feature Bait, and the challenges of staying independent as a filmmaker.

In episode 4, host Paul Richards talks to singer-songwriter Matilda Mann about growing up in Shepherd’s Bush, attending the BRIT School, and the rise that followed – from viral moments on TikTok to a Glastonbury Emerging Talent runner-up spot and support slots with Arlo Parks, Tom Odell and Wallows. They discuss her new album Kismet, self-released on her own label and written from a place of hard-won peace, drawing on the sounds of Al Green, Carole King and The Carpenters.

You can listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. Catch up on season 1 of the Scared To Dance Podcast.