MUSES: An Ampersand Podcast was a collaboration between academic Dr Emma Nagouse and artist Dan Smith (Bastille) which spanned history, music, art and culture. It featured as “Best Audio Pick” in The Radio Times and in The Guardian.

In each funny and fascinating episode, friends and collaborators Emma and Dan unpacked a different song from Dan’s chart-topping album “&”, uncovering not only Dan’s songwriting process, but the mythology, history and pop culture that surrounds each track. Topics included Emily Dickinson, Narcissus, pirate queen Zheng Yi Sao and Leonard Cohen.

MUSES also featured appearances and conversations with exciting guests, including writer and creator of Netflix’s KAOS, Charlie Covell, documentary filmmaker Nick Broomfield, and poet Lemm Sissay, as well as expert academics and musicians. 

At the end of every episode, Emma set Dan homework around a new historical figure or theme that she’s been reading about, with Dan challenged to write a brand new song on that topic. Updates on Dan’s songwriting progress are peppered throughout the series. 

MUSES: an ampersand podcast also had a sell-out live show with special guest singer and songwriter BIM at Bush Hall, London.