Music 101 host Charlotte Ryan shares her ten favourite interviews of the year.
Music 101 Host Charlotte Ryan Photo: Calvin Samuel
Dolly Parton: 'Music always lifts you up'
"This interview was the most surreal of them all! Talking with the absolute legend Dolly Parton about her new ROCK album was incredible. Dolly was everything I imagined - sweet, generous, a wonderful storyteller. She had a great balance of cheekiness and humour" - Charlotte Ryan.
Space Waltz's Alastair Riddell: 'We sort of blew the socks off the country'
"I heard rumours for years the iconic NZ '70s glam-rock band Space Waltz were reuniting, so when their new album and NZ tour was announced to coincide with the band's 50th anniversary I had to interview frontman Alastair Riddell about his flamboyant style and gender-bending performance and... fame" - Charlotte Ryan
Alastair Riddell in a 1974 poster for the Space Waltz single 'Out on The Street' Photo: AudioCulture
Kathleen Hanna on music, feminism and notoriety
"Music 101 secured the first-ever RNZ interview with Bikini Kill frontperson and feminist icon Kathleen Hannah. She spoke about her musical career, politics, the 'riot grrl' movement and how she has used her feminist notoriety to raise money for charity through her business 'Tees4Togo. The gold in this interview is when I ask about a phrase that Kathleen used to say at all Bikini Kill shows - 'Girls To The Front' - and how that has not translated well throughout the years and intersectional feminism" - Charlotte Ryan
American musician Kathleen Hanna of the band Bikini Kill Photo: @mskathleenhanna
Dinah Lee: 'Once a mod, always a mod'
"Dinah Lee was an absolute treat to interview - she spoke about fashion, her iconic hair-do and dance moves. I'm so happy she has moved back to NZ and fingers crossed for another NZ tour soon" - Charlotte Ryan
New Zealand musician Dinah Lee Photo: Supplied
Lorde: 'If this is it tomorrow, I would've had a great, great run'
"Lorde joined me in studio and spoke honestly about her life, what touring is really like, and shared her favourite songs that get her in the zone for performing live" - Charlotte Ryan
Anohni: 'Gender variance is a beautiful aspect of humanity'
"It was an absolute honour to speak to Anohni (formally known as Antony and the Johnsons) about their new album - a tribute to legendary human rights activist Marsha P Johnson, whose striking photograph adorns the album cover. Anohni speaks about human rights and the state of the world" - Charlotte Ryan
Anohni Photo: YouTube screenshot
Idles' Joe Talbot: 'Grief is a malleable beast'
"Joe Talbot, the frontman of Idles, was such a different interview to what I expected. Compared to his music, he was calm and very chill. He spoke very openly about the trauma he experienced - and how he got through. Very inspiring. At the end of our chat, I asked him about a fan's party he attended last time he was in Auckland. He spoke about the party and his friend who took him to the party - Craig the firefighter who died early this year in Murawai" - Charlotte Ryan
Idles frontman Joe Talbot performing in Paris in July 2022. Photo: AFP/ Andrea Ripamonti
Rickie Lee Jones: 'ADHD is a very real thing'
"Rickie Lee Jones was such a wonderful person to interview - she was so generous with her answers, honest - and very blunt at times, especially talking about her ADHD and the lack of money she has these days. I asked her about that song 'Pink Fluffy Clouds' by The Orb who used her vocals, she confirmed, without permission" - Charlotte Ryan
Rickie Lee Jones Photo: Astor Morgan
Florence Welch: 'I just wanted something that I could cry-dance to'
"Speaking to the ethereal Florence Welsh felt very special, and listening to her speak in depth about her new album helped me understand her music and her personality so much more" - Charlotte Ryan
Florence Welch of Florence and The Machine Photo: Supplied
DLT on 'Chains': 'It was just heavenly stuff'
"The Godfather of NZ Hip Hop DLT spoke to me about his introduction to hip hop - from his beginnings with Upper Hutt Posse to writing the hit song 'Chains' featuring Che Fu. This interview took place around the time that DLT and Che Fu spoke about the song on [the RNZ video series] NZ Hip Hop Stand Up" - Charlotte Ryan
