Clubs / Podcast
Milly on Air: ‘Stories are powerful’
As the weeks edge further away from the bombardment of posts and ads around the ‘new year, new you’, Bristol24/7 talked to creative entrepreneur, DJ, broadcaster, coach and founder of Bristol based Embody club night Milly on Air about her podcast Back 2 Life and her most loved podcasts that will see her through 2025.
Now mid-way through the third series, Back 2 Life presents an accessible and human approach to healing and recovery, set against the backdrop of clubbing and electronic music.
Milly invites electronic music artists and healing practitioners to share first hand experiences that explore how music and community play a role in addiction and mental health recovery.
Previous guests Eris Drew, Logic100 and Bushwaka have all sat down to share everything from mental health struggles, sobriety and sex, to rave and gender identity.
Back 2 Life is like a library of resources for listeners who are curious about therapy, healing and how to use music in recovery… How did it come about?
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“As someone who started DJing in recovery I found snippets of people in dance music talking about sobriety and healing, but I wanted to know more.
“I got into recovery through the 12 step programme, but on top of that I’ve taken from many different modalities and I’m always really interested to hear about other people’s experiences.
“I use podcasts as therapeutic learning tools, devouring pearls of wisdom from people like Esther Perel. Stories are powerful. They can transform and change our perception of the world. I’ve definitely had my perspective shifted from conversations on podcasts and I often seek out those particular kinds of podcasts. They’ve helped me.
“I think pre-pandemic talking about mental health and wellness in the dance music world felt a bit cringe. But since 2020 there’s been a tide shift and there’s more curiosity and space to talk about mental health and addiction.
“As uncertainty from the pandemic persisted, it became essential to talk and find resources to help, but a lot of the content out there didn’t really appeal to me, and probably my peers. I could really feel the power of relatable stories that existed within DIY communities, especially dance music.”
You’ve had some big names in dance music like Lauren Flax, Princess Superstar, Eris Drew, Logic100 and Bushwaka (to name but a few): testament that this type of discourse in dance music is needed…
“I’ve been surprised by how many ‘yeses’ I’ve received from guests. I think there aren’t that many podcasts doing this particular topic. People often don’t get that space to share; they might have an online DJ profile where they touch on aspects of their own mental health journey or experiences with substances or trauma, but to actually have an opportunity to talk candidly, is kind of rare.
“I think it’s driven by the potential that it can really help people going through something similar. Plus it’s cathartic and honest, and it’s almost the antithesis of a polished social media persona.”
What do you listen to – can you recommend three shows for readers to check out?
“I love Annie Mac. She is an amazing interviewer and has really interesting guests that are off the beaten track (not just the people who are just doing the rounds or have the biggest social following). She invites guests who have really rich stories and perspectives to share.”
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“Louisahhh is also in recovery and this podcast shines a light on kind of navigating your sexuality in sobriety, which is a really fascinating topic. Lousia and her guests talk about a huge variety of topics but they also always touch on sexuality and gender.”
Logic1000 & Heléna Star Present Therapy
“Logic1000 and Heléna Star talk to other DJs about navigating motherhood and the music industry. They approach the topic with a really lovely light touch and they’re super likable. As a mother and a DJ myself it’s really interesting to hear how you know other people have navigated that journey.”
Stream Back 2 Life on iTunes or Spotify. Catch Milly playing at the next Embody night with 131bpm on March 29 at The Red Church, St George, and at Bliss at Dare to Club on April 20.
Main image: Bloom Creative
Read next:
- BBY GOOSE: ‘As a woman, you get questioned constantly’
- International Women’s Day: Talks, performances and more
- Review: Sam Greenfield, Bristol Beacon – ‘Sheer originality, world class playing’
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