What's it like to be an artist right now? And what does the future of music look like? Will it be AI-generated slop or a joyful return to community and creativity?
In this episode of the Drowned in Sound Podcast, Sean Adams speaks to Becky Hawley from the art-pop trio Stealing Sheep.
From the launch of their new label G-IRL (Girl In Real Life) to their reflections on DIY culture, Liverpool’s music scene, and 15 years of creative evolution, this episode is full of inspiring insights about building something real in a digital world. Expect discussion of Daft Punk, community over algorithms, mechanical bulls, offline joy, and what it really means to be a band in 2025.
📌 Key Timestamps:
- 00:00 – Intro & New Album Campaign
- 01:56 – What Will Music Be Like in 2050?
- 04:54 – Joy, Fears, and Creative Challenges
- 07:19 – The Sound of Stealing Sheep: Riding the Bull of Tech
- 10:37 – G-IRL: Launching Their Own Record Label
- 20:33 – Liverpool as Inspiration & Music City
- 25:23 – Album Campaign Concepts & Offline Joy
- 29:18 – Let’s Go! New Single & Album Themes
- 30:59 – Artistic Identity, Collaborations & Creative Growth
- 33:50 – Lessons Learned from 15 Years in Music
- 38:05 – Building Community, Offline Spaces, & Human Connection
- 42:57 – Supporting Grassroots Scenes
- 49:01 – AI, Future Tech & Music’s Utopian Possibilities
- 52:21 – Final Reflections: What Artists Need to Unlearn
Links
Join the Conversation:
- 🗣 Drowned in Sound Community
- 📩 Email Sean → sean@drownedinsound.org
- 🔵 Follow on Bluesky
About the Guest:
Becky Hawley is one-third of Stealing Sheep, a Liverpool-based band known for their innovative, genre-defying sound. The trio recently launched their own record label, G-IRL (Girl In Real Life), to support their own work and that of other boundary-pushing creatives.
About the Host:
Sean Adams is the founder of Drowned in Sound, a pioneering music webzine launched in 2000. He also manages artists like Charlotte Church and The Anchoress, and works across campaigns that support independent and ethical approaches to music and media.
Popular Podcasts
Boysober
Have you ever wondered what life might be like if you stopped worrying about being wanted, and focused on understanding what you actually want? That was the question Hope Woodard asked herself after a string of situationships inspired her to take a break from sex and dating. She went "boysober," a personal concept that sparked a global movement among women looking to prioritize themselves over men. Now, Hope is looking to expand the ways we explore our relationship to relationships. Taking a bold, unfiltered look into modern love, romance, and self-discovery, Boysober will dive into messy stories about dating, sex, love, friendship, and breaking generational patterns—all with humor, vulnerability, and a fresh perspective.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com