Talk Talk - Series Two

Episode One
Kicking off season two, Finlay Macdonald is joined by singer songwriter Bic Runga, who discusses motherhood and approaching her difficult fourth album, Belle. She then plays a new song 'Real and Imagined' live in the studio. Next up, actor and winemaker Sam Neill joins Finlay for a chat about his "advanced stage" career (which is moving from father roles to grandfather roles), and his Central Otago vineyard Two Paddocks. 

Episode Two
Christchurch-born rapper Scribe is Finlay Macdonald's first guest this week; their wide-ranging chat touches on overnight success, family relationships and working with Wyclef Jean. Next up, the 16-strong Jubilation Choir perform 'Learn to Forgive' and writer Kapka Kassabova discusses her memoir Street with No Name, about her childhood in Soviet-era Bulgaria. 

Episode Three
Finlay Macdonald interviews Murray Crane from men's fashion brand The Crane Brothers, about their "lo-fi" and bespoke attitude towards suit-making. The Bads perform new song 'So Alive' in the studio before Macdonald's second interview, with Paula Morris. Morris is a music industry executive turned writer, who describes her experiences in the United States, the music industry and various writer's residencies. 

Episode Four 
Finlay Macdonald's first guest is Murray Grindlay, who thrilled 60s New Zealand as lead singer of rockers The Underdogs, before transitioning into a successful jingle composer, writing music for many iconic campaigns. Grindlay also performs his song 'The Last Sunday of the Year'. The second interview is with Samoan Japanese performance artist Shigeyuki Kihara, whose work examines the position of 'third gender' fa'afafine people in a post-colonial context.

Episode Five
Finlay MacDonald opens the episode interviewing painter Nigel Brown, whose work draws on New Zealand's rural history and landscapes. Brown discusses living and working in Southland and why he uses text and historical figures in his work. Musician Dudley Benson gives a live performance of 'Audrey H' from his album The Awakening. Denniston Rose author Jenny Pattrick is Macdonald's second guest. She talks about her multi-faceted working life and her very successful transition into writing.

Episode Six
Joining Finlay MacDonald is multimedia artist John Reynolds, whose work spans painting photography and performance. Reynolds discusses working with other creatives on his new collaborative art book Certain Words Drawn. Country-rock band The Calico Brothers, made up of three brothers, one cousin and a friend, perform ‘Blown up Heart’ from their album ‘God Left Town’. Poet Laureate Jenny Bornholdt talks about brining the domestic and the mundane into her poetry.

Episode Seven
Photographer Peter Peryer, whose work is in the collections of many major new zealand art galleries, talks with Finlay MacDonald about how landscape and environment features in his photography. Then, Bulgarian violinist Bella Hristova brings a moving performance of Bach’s first violin partita, Allemanda & Double. Multimedia artist Lisa Reihana discusses playing diffferent materials and incorporating technology into her artworks.

Episode Eight
Finlay MacDonald first speaks to jazz singer Whirimako Black, who discusses promoting and te reo Māori through music, and the synergy between te reo and jazz. Black then takes the stage to sing alongside her jazz trio, with a version of Duke Ellington’s classic ‘Sophisticated Lady’. The second interview is with leading New Zealand architect David Mitchell, who has designed everything from private homes to art galleries, offices and universities.

Episode Nine
Musician Shayne Carter of Dimmer and Straitjacket Fits, talks about his musical inspirations and his Dunedin origins. Then, an energetic performance by The Naked And Famous of ‘Serenade’, from their debut EP This Machine. After that Finlay MacDonald gets to the bottom of what makes a good restaurant with high profile Auckland restauranteur Judith Tabron. 

Episode Ten
Finlay MacDonald’s first guest is Kirsten Morrell, the singer and songwriter from band Goldenhorse, who talks about stepping out solo as a performer. The Sami Sisters trio, Madeline Sami, Anji Sami and Priya Sami, give a performance of their song “Not in Love”.  Roger Hall, possibly New Zealand’s best-known playwright, is Finlay Macdonald's second guest, discussing how he draws inspiration from observing the people around him.

Episode Eleven
New Zealand Samoan hip-hop artist Ladi6 (aka Karoline Tamati) talks to Finlay MacDonald about spending time growing up in Africa before starting her first music group Sheelaroc back in Christchurch. Then she takes the stage as Ladi6 to preform 'Walk Right Up' from her debut album Time is Not Too Much. The second interview is with painter Karl Maughan, known for his signature jewel-toned manicured floral garden paintings, who recounts a life well travelled along with a recent health scare. 

Episode Twelve 
First up, Finlay Macdonald interviews Poet Laureate Michele Leggott, who discusses how her worsening eyesight has affected her craft. After a live performance of 'Calling Card' by The Broken Heartbreakers, landscape painter Grahame Sydney joins Macdonald in the studio. Their wide-ranging chat covers Sydney's ventures into filmmaking, thoughts on contemporary art and his campaign against wind farms in Central Otago.   

Episode Thirteen 
For the final episode of season two, Finlay Macdonald is joined by dancer and choreographer Raewyn Hill. At 36-years-old, Hill is two years into her retirement as a dancer, and about to embark on a choreography residency in Paris, France. Next up, rock band Luck, fronted by Exponents frontman Jordan Luck, perform their single 'Johnnie's Coin'. Finally Duncan Sarkies (Scarfies), discusses his new book Two Little Boys, which years later would go on to become a feature film.