OX Magazine: Recent Episodes
OX Magazine
The foundation of OX Magazine is based on its positioning as a cultural barometer for all things Oxfordshire and in this digital age, beyond. OX Magazine showcases the best of the county with culture, theatre, literature and music. It showcases where we eat, drink and socialise. It features those people that inspire us and influence the city, the county, the arts, the artisans and the incomparable history of our ancient city. It is a flagship for the people that make us so proud of our county in their myriad ways.
A half-Egyptian, half-Irish heritage is at the heart of every Shaefri song. Arabic beats meet harmonies that hark back to summers spent in Mayo and family singalongs. Girl, the London-raised singer and songwriter’s second EP, is the result of a two-year quest to capture her unique identity. Recorded between London, Paris and Montreal with the Canadian/Caribbean producer Traxx, its lead single ‘Girl’ was inspired by the #MeToo movement, dealing in the personal as much as the political, while planting one foot on the dancefloor. From her London home – where she’s been since February – she talks to Sam Bennett about her grandmother’s funeral and playing Bush Hall at the age of eight.
In 2017, the Roaring Girls – a feminist-driven theatre company – presented their project Beach Body Ready, an explorative show which seeks to spread body positivity and have fun doing it. To talk about the production, we caught up with Sarah Penney, one of the three actors involved, and discussed the motivation behind the creation of the show and the ways in which it has changed her own relationships with her body.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, much of the Roaring Girls’ Beach Body Ready UK tour is being cancelled or postponed. Keep up to date at theroaringgirls.co.uk
Entering the scene in the early 80s, English synth-pop band Blancmange return with a new album, Mindset, which will be the third album co-written and produced by Benge and Neil Arthur. We spoke to Neil upon the completion of this album, to discuss where Blancmange started and the influences that the group had. From using cutlery as drumsticks and pots and pans as drums, we learnt a little bit about how their creative process has, and hasn’t, changed.
Due to Covid-19, Blancmange’s Mindset tour dates have been rescheduled. Visit blancmange.co.uk for more details.