Launched this month on BBC Sounds, Welsh singer-songwriter, Charlotte Church, turns her hand to podcasting: with a brand-new offering, called Kicking Back with the Cardiffians.
Charlotte hosts her very first podcast with a series of funny and frank conversations on belonging, working class identity and the unbreakable bonds of family. Guests include her parents, her aunt, her bampy (grandad), best friends, dance teacher, and even the local pub landlord. Their candid, and often profound stories paint a vivid portrait of Cardiff, the city where Charlotte has lived all her life.
Together, they discuss life lessons learned and moments that are still being processed. Topics span from the secrets to sustaining a long, loving marriage, to how to rebuild yourself in the face of adversity. Expect mindful moments, laughter, and a few tales of teens sneaking into clubs, as Charlotte captures the root and branch stories of her family and her chosen family.
The ambient tones of the podcast’s original music, composed by Church and her singer, songwriter and producer husband, Jonathan Powell, evoke the podcast’s temporal setting of Cardiff. With fifteen total episodes of the series – episodes one and two werre published on 4th April, with subsequent episodes dropping weekly.
A really personal project for Charlotte, she says of the podcast:
“I grew up in a working-class household in Cardiff, and I feel fortunate to feel grounded in this city. There’s so much wisdom and beauty in my family’s stories, and I really wanted to explore where we feel like we most belong. It’s been a joy to begin capturing the stories of my favourite humans and I can’t wait to share the bits that are fit for broadcast.”
Rhian Roberts, BBC Commissioner Podcasts, Formats and Digital., says:
“Listening to Charlotte and her family chat is a proper insight into the way life is lived and stories are told – with grace and plenty of hwyl, that’s Welsh for a sort of heartfelt energy. It’s a seat at a particularly special table and one which has been in the works for a while now so it’s fantastic to bring it to listeners on BBC Sounds.”
Episode one sees Charlotte joined by her indomitable ‘dada’, James Church, who came into her life when she was 3. James details his upbringing in Cardiff, his profound take on what it means to lead a ‘good life’ – plus how he has survived sepsis seven times, and how Charlotte responded to his terminal diagnosis of AL amyloidosis, a rare disease which affects the internal organs. Charlotte admits she was “absolutely in grief” when James first received his diagnosis but James encouraged her with levity to just enjoy every day, instead of “wailing or talking about my funeral or death plans.”
In the second episode of the series, Charlotte is joined by one of her oldest friends and ‘chosen family’, Kyla Scott, and shares stories about the ebb and flow of their friendship over the years. Charlotte talks about her experience of becoming a mother in her early 20s, and in her teen years having to wear disguises to conceal her identity to avoid paparazzi.
Kicking Back with the Cardiffians is available weekly on BBC Sounds.
