On the recent HYPE THEM show with kaoti and sher, our hosting duo welcomed guest FEAR OF MARKO to the airwaves. The Manchester alt-pop artist performed some exclusive live renditions of his tracks. He also joined kaoti and sher for their bi-monthly discussions of LGBTQIA+ news and culture. Catch up on the full show now.
Watch the full live session on Youtube here.
We wanted to get to know the Northern rising artist better and find out more about his influences and journey. Read our full interview with MARKO below.
Please can you introduce your name, pronouns, and star sign.
I’m MARKO (aka. FEAR OF MARKO), my pronouns are he/they, and I’m a Sagittarius.
If you had to describe your music in three words to someone who had never heard it before, how would you describe it?
Nostalgic, futuristic and iconic.
Where did your journey with music begin?
It started for me as a teenager, writing songs over beats I found on Soundcloud. I was very inspired by Tumblr and growing up online. After putting a couple of demos on the Internet, I started to meet other like-minded artists and producers to collaborate that way. Soon after this, I found management and began playing shows.
Have there been any important figures/role models in your musical journey or any that have inspired your sound/aesthetic?
I listened to a lot of music when I was a kid. I grew up in the late 2010s so, for me, it was a lot of The Black Eyed Peas, The Ting Tings, and Gorillaz.
Also, growing up as a teenager on the internet, I was definitely inspired by a lot of Tumblr wave artists too, such as Lana Del Rey, Sky Ferreira, The Weeknd, and Halsey. I remember seeing those artists growing up and loving how they created a world outside of music.
It wasn’t until I heard the early PC music that I really felt really inspired to make my own stuff. Hearing what a lot of artists on that label (GFOTY, EASYFUN, and Danny L Harle) were doing, alongside with Charli XCX and SOPHIE pushing it more in the mainstream, really made me want to break the boundaries and experiment more with my own sound.
The greats inspire me too; like David Bowie, Bjork, Kate Bush, Nirvana, and Britney Spears.
Where do you find inspiration for your creativity?
I’m very inspired by my life and what’s going on in it at the time. A lot of my songs just happen and I don’t think too much about it during the process; it’s usually afterwards that I realise what they’re about. I’m very inspired by collaborating and my best work comes from collaborating with other people.
It’s super exciting to have you on the HYPE THEM show following the release of your latest single, ‘TEETH’. Can you tell us a bit more about what the track is about and how the release has gone?
‘TEETH’ came about from a writing session I had arranged at the end of Summer last year. I was in a weird place where I wasn’t sure what I was going to do moving forward. I had loads of new music but everything kept getting stalled. Initially, I planned to write songs for other artists but ‘TEETH’ came about. After sitting on it for a couple of months, it just felt right to release it. It feels really good to be able to share new music with my supporters again.
Who is your queer icon?
David Bowie.
How does your music writing process look?:
Usually quite messy. I just throw melodies and harmonies down and come up with a rough top line and just go from there. Most of the time I just use my notes app on my phone.
What does being queer mean to you?
Being queer is super important to me. Growing up, I always felt like an outcast and it wasn’t until I found my community and people who felt the same as me that I felt like I finally fit in somewhere.
Can you give us three emerging artists we should be listening to at the moment (preferably from Manchester/North West, but anywhere is fine)?:
Olivia Browse, SAMXEMMA, and Kit Major.
What do you see for the future of FEAR OF MARKO? Do you have any particular goals you’d like to achieve with your creative journey?:
I feel like I’m in a better place than I’ve ever been and I have a good team of people around me now. I think I’d just like to take it as far as I can and see where it takes us.
Where’s the best place for people to find you on social media and to find your music?
You can find me as @fearofmarko on all social media and you can check out my music here.
Throughout June we hosted a new bunch of participants here at Reform Radio for another round of our DJ Sessions. Funded by MAES, attendees were led through the likes of mixing, beat-matching and self-promotion. This cohort also received masterclasses from the likes of Not Bad For A Girl, Genre Music and GigPig. To close the course, our new DJs took to the decks at Revolution Manchester to play a 10 minute set, showcasing all they’d been working on.
We were lucky enough to catch up with two of our participants, Caylee and Cookie, about what they got up to and where they plan to take their new DJing skills. Check it out below.
The recent group of participants on our DJ Sessions
Introduce your name, pronouns, and what you get up to in your free time.
Cookie: My name is Cookie (they/them). I’m a multi-disciplinary artist. I do design, illustration, mural work, poetry, and spoken word. I’m also a vocalist in a punk band and a creative producer for The Untold Orchestra.
Caylee: I’m Caylee, my pronouns are she/her. I don’t really do much in my free time. I used to bartend at events. I’ve quit that now to live life and focus on where I’m going next.
What prompted you to get involved with the DJ Sessions?
Cookie: I bumped into a friend who was on the last DJ course when she was on her way to Reform. She just had a different energy about her. We both had said we were going to learn to DJ this year. She said I had to get on this course so that we can do a B2B we’d been planning for years. I could just tell from her energy that it was a good thing. I immediately signed up.
Caylee: Well, I heard about this through my friend and also through the Job Centre. I signed up as soon as my friend told me about it and then the Job Centre helped me to get onto the register. I have a few DJ friends. One of my friends, he’s a very accomplished DJ and producer. I used to always go to his events in Sweden. I just love the way that he gets the crowd moving. He’s constantly in the zone and I just admire his craftsmanship. I was wondering how he does it so I decided to give DJing a go.
What do you love most about DJing?
Cookie: I’ve really enjoyed learning about the equipment. I do ad-hoc stage managing and I’ve wanted to know what all the names of all the equipment are. Because I work on live shows, there’s no time to be asking questions. So it’s been nice to be around people who are willing to help you learn at your pace. It’s been really encouraging.
Caylee: The creativity of it all. I’m enjoying just getting behind the decks, freestyling and having fun. It’s just constant excitement. Once you learn something and then you can apply it yourself and it actually sounds good, it’s the best feeling.
Cookie: I completely agree. Sometimes I forget I’m not in the crowd dancing and then I come back into the room and remember I’m the one in control of the music.
Caylee: Me too. I’m in the practice rooms raving to my own mixes. It’s the best serotonin hit.
Cookie, a participant on our DJ Sessions
Did you have much experience in DJing before? What’s one stand out thing you’ve learnt at Reform?
Cookie: I didn’t have any experience in DJing so it’s amazing being able to just understand all the different operations on the decks. Doing hot queues; I’m obsessed with the fact that I can do all these new things. I feel like I’ve got a higher knowledge of the music now.
Caylee: I think just knowing how to make it sound good. I’ve enjoyed playing with the tunes, taking out certain aspects of a song to help another song and even having two songs playing at the same time. It’s the best feeling when it’s sounding good together.
How would you describe a DJ set of yours in three words?
Cookie: High energy, intense and eclectic.
Caylee: I would say fun, light-hearted and different.
Do you have any role models in the music scene that inspire your DJing practice and why?
Cookie: Jaguar, as a DJ. I met them a few years ago when I was doing body painting at The Warehouse Project. It was when they were just starting off. They were telling me what they were going to do in terms of doing a diversity rider, so that when they get booked, it ensures that they have other marginalised genders, races and identities at the same events. I was saying they were going to change the game with that and they really have. Now, they’ve got their BBC Introducing residency and it has actually changed the way that most DJs are booked.
I also love Metrodome. He’s been DJing since he was four years old and he is such a varied DJ. I love watching him and seeing his same childlike energy now and the faces he does when he has excited himself. He’s the only person I’ve seen that can turn up to a gig, realise he’s left his USB back at home, borrow someone else’s, and play the tunes better than them. Adele, one of our Reform mentors, has also inspired me too. I was blown away by her DJing.
Caylee: Me too. Adele just had so much energy in her when she was playing for us. Again, my friend Eric is a huge inspiration to me. If it wasn’t for him, I would have never even thought about being a DJ. I’m from a very musically inclined family but I can’t sing or play any instruments. Now I’ve got into DJing, it all makes sense; this is what I’m supposed to be doing.
From left: Adele (Reform Mentor), Naomi & Les (creative practicioners)
Let’s throw it back to your first day at Reform versus now, tell me a bit about your first impressions/feelings/emotions in comparison to how you feel now. What has changed?
Cookie: I feel really comfortable in the space now. I’ve been to Reform for a couple of other things in the past and I was always worried being around such expensive equipment. I would always think ‘Cookie, don’t touch anything, don’t knock into anything’. Now I know what everything is and what it does. I feel much more comfortable here and very knowledgeable. I feel like I’ve learned so much in these past few days, but in a manageable away.
Caylee: I feel very much more confident in myself, even just in general, and also optimistic about my future. I used to be so scared of the future and thought I would have to do a boring 9 to 5 job. Now I know I can take other routes and still live my life happily.
If you could DJ at any festival, event, or place in the world, where would it be and why?
Cookie: Definitely We Out Here Festival. It’s the most comfortable I’ve ever felt at a festival. It’s very well mixed in terms of diversity and race and gender. There’s a lot of opportunities to DJ in the different spaces there. For example, they have a roller rink you can DJ at. Last year, on another stage, they had breakdancing in the background and DJs on stage. I would love to have that mix of creativity going on around me.
Caylee: If I was going to choose a festival, it would be Boomtown. It’s such a colourful festival. Venue wise, the Avicii Arena is my favourite. You know when you have a really personal connection to a certain place that you can’t explain to someone else? It’s just my place.
What will you take from the DJ course moving forward & what are your plans from here onwards?
Cookie: The course has given me a space to be inquisitive which is nice. It’s a welcomed inquisition rather than making you just get on with things without asking questions. There is space to ask more and it is welcomed to do so.
Caylee: It’s given me lots of knowledge and skills, and the confidence to actually put myself out there. I’m obviously sad that I’m not coming to Reform anymore, but I’m excited to actually get out there and see what I can do with my new skills in the world.
If you want to find out more about our future courses, drop our Engagement team an email on projects@reformradio.co.uk.
Join Our Free Weekly Workshops – Create, Write And Perform With Us.
Creating Connections is our weekly writing and performance workshops for young people facilitated by established poets; providing professional mentoring, writing, dramaturgy and performance classes. We are calling all aspiring writers, poets and spoken-word artists aged 13-25. If you’d like to attend, register below.
Do you want to work in the Creative & Cultural Sector?
We are delighted to share that Reform Radio are bringing you two brand new Skills Bootcamps in Video Production and Video Podcast Production. Both projects are free for new learners to access and travel and refreshments are provided. This training has been made possible thanks to Greater Manchester Combined Authority securing funding to deliver Skills Bootcamps, which form part of the Government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee, helping everyone gain skills for life.
Both programmes take a hands-on approach, responding to real creative briefs and producing a piece of exciting content. You will see these content projects through from development, pitching and production, to post-production and a closing showcase. You’ll have access to masterclasses from industry experts and be fully supported by our team to use contemporary video and audio equipment. By the end of the programme, you will have developed a bespoke piece of content to add to your portfolio.
To take part in this project you must be:
19 – 30 years old
Working or living in Greater Manchester
Are currently one of the following:
Unemployed
Freelance/ Self Employed
Employed but looking for new work in the creative and cultural sector
Have the right to live and work in the UK
No prior experience needed
If you work within the sector and are looking to upskill and stay in your current role, please get in touch with mike@reformradio.co.uk for more information on how to get involved
To find out more about the individual courses and how to get involved, click on their specific pages below.
In this exclusive online session, Mike Burgess will be joining us to discuss all things surrounding music rights. For those of you that don’t know Mike, Mike has worked in the music industry for over 15 years. His career has been far-reaching, from him originally being a successful DJ himself, to then managing signed and upcoming artists. He also worked as an assistant producer with 6 Music, and led BIMM Manchester’s BA (Hons) Music Business course. Now, he is an independent music rights advisor.
From copyrighting to royalties, this session is the perfect introduction to understanding how you can protect your music and learn about profit splits. It is for anyone aged 18+ who is ideally already releasing their own music.
Join us on the 26th of June, from 7PM until 8.30PM.
This workshop is limited to 25 spaces so act fast to reserve your spot here.
Join us at our Podcasting Course, in partnership with One Manchester and Gorton Central. Learn the ropes of script-writing and audio production, and bring your podcast idea to life. This is the perfect start to gaining experience in designing, recording, producing and editing a podcast. To bring the project to a close you will be part of creating a live radioshow on the Reform Radio airwaves.
If you’re aged 18 to 30 years old and not currently in work then this one is for you. Lunch and travel is provided.
Check the flyer below for the full details on how you can get involved.
Mica has been taking the pulse of the dance floor by putting her own spin on deep tech and house music. With mixes that temperate, calculated, and precise, she has crafted a musical imprint that seamlessly connects the dots of her journey, from the Northwestern coast of England to take centre stage at events across Asia.
From intimate gatherings and residencies, to playing abroad and at renowned festivals like Blue Dot & Manchester International Festival, Ailsa McLaggan has built her reputation on her eclectic vinyl collection and filling floors. With a ten year presenter tenure at Reform Radio, to supporting artists such as Romare in 2024, as well as (wo)manning the counter at one of the city’s longest running record shops, Ailsa is also an Assistant Producer at BBC 6Music. Expect a mixed record bag of sample-centric soul, rare groove, deep cuts, leftfield disco, hip hop & global beats.
As an esteemed party thrower and DJ in Bristol and Leeds (Bazuka, Turned Out Nice), Taygo is known for his deep cuts, from broken beat and house, to baile funk and an array of other global bass flavours. Here he brings us a formidable 2 hour mix.
Some of you may know Boa through hosting the Wob Deep show on Reform Radio. However, outside of the studio, she is an acclaimed rapper, singer, and MC. Since her debut single release in 2021, Boa has developed a sound rooted in a delicious combination of hip-hop, rock, dubstep and 140bpm. She recently joined forces with composer and producer ALTOSOUNDS to create her debut album, ‘Bodacious‘. Since its release, tracks on ‘Bodacious’ have been featured on the likes of BBC 1Xtra and BBC Introducing, coining Boa as one to watch, not only in the local scene, but on the wider dubstep scene, too. To celebrate her debut record, we caught up with the artist for an exclusive interview in which she shares her honest journey, from writer to rapper, and dives deeper into the messages behind her music.
Introduce your name, pronouns and a little bit about yourself.
I go by the name of Boa and my pronouns are she/her. I’m a self-taught MC, rapper, DJ and recording artist born in Manchester and raised in Cheshire. I generally DJ and vocalise to 140 and dubstep music, but I often dabble in hip hop. My style is old school and heavily influenced by the East coast underground. However, I’m mostly known for my passionate and aggy MCing over dubstep and grime in various venues or on radio shows. I pride myself on my ability to make music uniquely across a plethora of genres. I believe in remaining true and authentic, whilst creating to align with the plans for my musical legacy.
Describe your music in three words to someone who’s never heard it before.
Unique, skilful, and high attention to detail.
Where did your journey with music begin?
I used to be a bit of a festival rat and I was offered the opportunity to spit bars with Akil from Jurassic 5, but at the time, I only had poetry under my belt – no bars. After that night, I started writing bars at the festival campsite. I was inspired by Manchester artists like T-man and Strategy. When I was on nights out I used to think ‘I can do that’.
I originally MCed with the mighty Union Sound System around 5 or 6 years ago. The sound had just started, but the lads were so encouraging of me on the mic. They were the family I needed. We played warehouses and house parties, and eventually made it into venues. I formed an alliance with MC Contra & DJ Waxi, named ‘Wob Deep’. The lads have now moved onto new things, so I run Wob Deep solo and host its rising show on Reform.
During my journey, I was searching to network with new people and stumbled upon Reform Radio’s call out for female rappers. We formed HERchester with OneDa and it was here that I met people I am still close with to this day. Growing up in the countryside around animals and few people, this was very new to me. Reform showed me kindness from people of all walks of life. It was mind-opening and I’ll always go hard to represent the station.
After supporting an amazing performance from one of my favourites, Renee Stormz, with HERchester’s Queen Tamika in Manchester, I met ALTOSOUNDS. I thought the production on his song ‘Manny’ was mega. Following this, we both got to work. We joined Soundcamp at Reform, which got interrupted by the Covid-19 lockdown. Still, we managed to drop a few bangers like ‘Astrals’, ‘Windpipe’ & ‘Breach’. Now, we have a gorgeous album together with music videos and a whole aesthetic. I’m so proud of my work, considering I’ve battled with mental and physical health problems most of my life. I can’t wait to make more music.
Tell us about your debut album ‘Bodacious’ – how did it come about and what inspired its creation?
‘Bodacious’ was already written in my subconscious. The hard part was putting it into something digestible visually and sonically. When I closed my eyes, I could see it. Luckily ALTO saw the vision too, and helped me bring it to life. He spent a lot of time showing me beats or making new ones with me, and recording or filming music videos I had written and planned. We definitely were making some magic and I’m forever grateful for that help.
The cover art reflects a race against nature, through the difficulty of self expression, but to remain as a peaceful competitor to the system so things have room to breath. The album is playful, unique, and a great listen for all types of people. It conceptualises the motivation to chase your muse, uplift with lyrical meaning and shock with wordplay and tone. Most of all, I love how the album gives space for your inner child to be nourished. I personally feel it’s in a league of its own and summarises Boa breaking out of her chains.
You collaborated with numerous creatives to make ‘Bodacious’, did you enjoy this process and is collaboration important to you in your creative process?
During the making of ‘Bodacious’ I learnt more than I ever have about music and my voice. I feel so lucky to have collaborated with some of the fiercest artists in the North. I must mention the gruelling hours ALTOSOUNDS and I spent perfecting every harmony, intro, outro, backing and instruments. It wasn’t easy; blood, sweat and tears went into this project, especially with the music videos and the heartbreaking loss of our friend who was involved, Mauro Camal (rest in power king, we’ve dedicated this album to you). It took us time to get all these moving pieces right before we knew it was ready, but I believe we have something special in our hands because of that extra time we took tending to the smaller details.
Sahala is one of my favourite singers. Her voice is something else! It was an honour for my first female collaboration to be with such a special soul. There were many others that played a part in moulding these pieces, offering an ear or just generally supporting us. I am grateful for the transferrable skills I learnt with this group of artists – love to them all.
Where do you find inspiration for your musical practice and aesthetic?
Honestly, ALTO’s beats are an inspiration in their own right, but my stage presence and writing skills are definitely passed down from my Dad. He is still in his band, Theives 40 Theives. They used to rock up and down the country and I know their music word for word. His legacy and music is truly epic. My bravery comes from my adoring Mum. She taught me so much about happiness and letting go. Also, she helped me get more comfortable later in life when I opened up to her about my mental health. Shout out to the original creators.
My big brother, a badass bass player, got me into prog metal which is 2 strokes away from dubstep, in my opinion. The first time I heard ‘Rubber Chicken’ by Caspa or ‘Go Ask Alice’ by The Widdler I knew dubstep was my genre. Dubstep as a UK movement was glorious. I loved the sound systems, the wobbles and the partying. I spent many evenings with DJ Waxi as he taught me how to mix vinyl with his endless selection of 140. My love for DJing deepened because of him, but I’m more of a digital DJ now.
I also loved the voices of Jamakabi, Irah and Killa P – so deep and fiery – and I definitely lowered my voice when MCing because of these legends. I then discovered grime dons like D Double E, JME, Bugsey and drill’s Unknown T that helped with my wordplay. When I was growing up, all I heard was dad rock and ABBA, so I got well stuck into new genres.
The reason why I’m so diverse is because of the amount of different sounding artists that inspire me, including Renee Stormz, Levelz, The Mouse Outfit, Lin Que, Das EFX, Call O’ Da Wild, and more.
What’s one track from the album you’d recommend us to listen to?
This is a hard one because I think most of them slap. However, you have got to give ‘Wavedtime’ a go. It’s got groove and finesse. Mine and Sahala’s vocals together are like bread and butter. Meanwhile, mine and ALTO’s production brings horns and sax, elevating the levels majorly. I flow on it like a rip curl to a surf boarder, and there’s plenty of room to dance with the track’s wordplay. I’ve also got to recommend ‘Windpipe’ and ‘Renegade’ simply for their creativity and originality alone. You’ve got to big up your own music!
How did you know the album was finally finished and ready to put out there?
After various people had a go mixing it, ALTOSOUNDS took the reigns and did an amazing job mastering it too. It finally sounded right. I ran a tight ship on how particular I was about everything on the album. We recorded it in a loft room; no big studio and no professional team behind us. This speaks volumes for myself and ALTO’s listening abilities. The cover art, the concept and the music videos all came together naturally.
Where can we find you and where can we listen to ‘Bodacious’ ?
