Eva Sheldrake, 2025 © Alia Thomas - do you use without permission.

UNMUTED: A Conversation with Eva Sheldrake

Alia Smallwood Thomas October 15, 2025

Eva Sheldrake is the lead singer, and female powerhouse of Brighton-based band, Eville. The trio have made quite a noise in the metal and alternative music scene over the last year with their self-proclaimed ‘brat metal’ sounds, and with their upcoming EP out on Friday, it’s clear they won’t be quietening down anytime soon. I caught up with Eva to talk about everything from the workings of an independant band, to her loud support for needing more women in metal, let alone the music industry. Her fearless nature to not shy away from speaking out on what’s important, and advocating for women to dress how they want to on stage is honourable, and a great portrayal of what the next generation of artists are bringing to the table.

Lucy Rachel, 2025 © Alia Thomas, please do not use without permission.

UNMUTED: A Conversation with Lucy Rachel

Alia Smallwood Thomas September 29, 2025

Community is incredibly important for the human race, and no-one knows that better than Lucy Rachel from Southampton, who has based her career around creating community through music. She’s not only a talented singer-songwriter, but she’s also a music facilitator by profession, and the founder of Southampton jam night, The Dewdropper Jam. The connection throughout all of her work is using music as a tool for helping others, and bringing people together with it. We talk a lot about the importance of community, and the use of music as a tool, for improving mental health as well as communication for those who need additional help.

© All images copyright of Alia Thomas, 2025 | www.aliathomas.com - please do not use without permission.

UNMUTED: A Conversation with Ugly Ozo

Alia Smallwood Thomas May 1, 2025

It’s been a little while since I’ve shared a conversation from this project, but I’m so happy to be able to come back and share this next one with you. Last month I spoke with Jess Baker, also known as Ugly Ozo - a young and exciting up-and-coming artist from the Isle of Wight. Jess is a session musician and artist in her own right. I met Jess last year at Isle of Wight Festival and have worked with her a few times since, and having seen her tour as far as Australia already by the prime age of 24, she’s experienced things that some would only dream of. We speak quite a bit about touring, but also about the struggles of peformance anxiety and self-doubt, and how she’s pushed past these fears and become the artist you see here today.

© Alia Thomas | www.aliathomas.com - please do not use without permission

UNMUTED: A Conversation with Sam and Rachel of Memory Palace

Alia Smallwood Thomas July 10, 2024

When I started this project at the beginning of the year, I wasn’t sure how it would go. I wasn’t even sure I’d get anyone interested in being involved, but it’s been such a positive thing for me to do and I’ve loved it all, not only being able to do more of what I love, but it’s enabled me to meet and chat with some incredible humans who have some really important things to say. This week, I’m very pleased to share my conversation with Sam and Rach from Memory Palace, a band hailing from South Wales and Bristol.

UNMUTED: A Conversation with Josie Haskins

Alia Smallwood Thomas March 25, 2024

For my second conversation of this project, I spoke with Josie Haskins, a young singer and songwriter from Hampshire in the midst of the startup of her solo music career. We spoke about the importance and power of community, and what beauty there is in those relationships with family and friends that have helped her to become the artist that she is today.

UNMUTED: A Conversation with Charlie Draper

Alia Smallwood Thomas January 29, 2024

The music industry has been incredibly male-dominated for so long now. Slowly, we’re starting to see more and more female, trans, and non-binary artists on lineups, but there’s still a noticeable unbalance. A big topic of conversation in the news currently is looking also at the sexism and misogyny in the industry that is so harmful to women. So why is all of this still happening? As a female in the industry on the other side of it all, I wonder how it can be that we’re still not getting it right, so I’m creating a series where I speak to (and celebrate!) some incredible women in the music industry, from all varying genres, ranging from singers to guitarists, to drummers, from solo artists, girl bands, and the only female in the band, to get an insight into their experiences within music. To get insights and perspectives that may not be realised by a lot of us. To give them a voice. This is the first. So grab a cuppa and your favourite snack, and have a read.