Sidetracked with Annie and Nick

It’s the moment they’ve been waiting for since November 2025: Rosalía bringing LUX to London’s O2 Arena. Annie and Nick report back on what might be the best live show they’ve ever experienced. Elsewhere, Madonna’s released a new single with Sabrina Carpenter and it hasn’t totally lived up to their expectations of Confessions II; but will everything make sense when the album comes out? Plus, the Pussycat Dolls have cancelled their North American tour dates and instead of making up an excuse, they’ve chosen honesty – should more artists take note?
Also discussed in the episode: Kid Cudi has fired M.I.A from his tour after fans’ complaints, Zara Larsson is having a moment, and Annie and Nick reminisce about their chat with Rod Stewart after Shakira’s concert on Copacabana Beach.
Get in touch with Annie and Nick! You can send a WhatsApp to 07970082700 or email [email protected]
And you can also stay in touch via our Instagram Channel, which you can find in the BBC Sounds Instagram bio.
HOMEWORK: Listen to the end of this episode to find out the next pick for the Sidetracked Album Club.

SONGS
Shy One and George Riley – I Can Tell
TYSON – CHAOS
Rosalía – Magnolia
Rosalía - Mio Cristo
Pigeon – Miami
Pigeon – Black James Dean
Genesis Owusu – Life Keeps Going
Genesis Owusu – Stampede
Tara Clerkin Trio – Somewhere Good
Nia Archives – Boys in Blue
GENER8ION – STORM
Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter – Bring Your Love
Madonna – Hung Up
Madonna and Britney Spears – Me Against the Music
The Pussycat Dolls – Club Song
The Pussycat Dolls – Don’t Cha
M.I.A. – Illygal

ALBUMS
Rosalía – Motomami
Rosalía – Lux
Shy One – Mali
Pigeon – OUTTANATIONAL
Robyn – Sexistential
Zara Larsson – Midnight Sun: Girls Trip
Madonna – Confessions on a Dance Floor
Madonna – Ray of Light
Madonna – Confessions II
LCD Soundsystem – LCD Soundsystem
Nia Archives – Emotional Junglist
PJ Harvey – Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea
CMAT – If My Wife New I’d Be Dead
Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
Jeff Buckley – Grace
Frank Ocean – Blonde
The Strokes – Is This It
Sinéad O’Connor – The Lion and the Cobra
Laura Marling – Once I Was an Eagle
Various Artists – Mamma Mia! (The Movie Soundtrack)
The Streets – A Grand Don’t Come for Free
The xx – xx

Kacey Musgraves is one of the best-known Country singers in the world, having won 8 Grammy Awards for her consistently stand out records. On the eve of releasing her 6th studio album, she joins Annie and Nick to discuss the making of the record, and how her approach to writing music has evolved since her debut album.
Country is the fastest growing genre in the UK; Kacey has some thoughts on why and some more vital Country intel for Sidetracked listeners.
Plus, secrets the Middle of Nowhere tour, Kacey delivers an ode to Ireland, and she reveals how artists like Dashboard Confessional, NSYNC and the Spice Girls influenced her as an artist.
Kacey’s album Middle of Nowhere will be available from 1st May 2026.
Get in touch with Annie and Nick! You can send a WhatsApp to 07970082700 or email [email protected]
And you can also stay in touch via our Instagram Channel, which you can find in the BBC Sounds Instagram bio.

SONGS
Kacey Musgraves – Merry Go ‘Round
Kacey Musgraves – Dry Spell
Loretta Lynn – You Ain’t Woman Enough
Kacey Musgraves – Oh, What a World
Kacey Musgraves – Slow Burn
Kacey Musgraves & Miranda Lambert – Horses and Divorces
Kacey Musgraves – Mexico Honey

ALBUMS
Kacey Musgraves – Same Trailer Different Park
Kacey Musgraves – Pageant Material
Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour
Kacey Musgraves – Star‑Crossed
Kacey Musgraves – Deeper Well
Kacey Musgraves – Middle of Nowhere

Annie and Nick discuss the most Madonna week in music – the album announcement, the new song, the Coachella performance, and the theft. Sidetracked fans will know how much Madonna means to Nick...so why does he have beef with her this week?
Elsewhere, Justin Bieber and Billie Eilish showed us what they’re worth at Coachella Weekend 2, Olivia Rodrigo has a brilliant new song, and Annie has some thoughts on the link between bad fathers and great music artists. Plus, Charli XCX has declared the dancefloor dead, but was she being serious?
Get in touch with Annie and Nick! You can send a WhatsApp to 07970082700 or email [email protected]
And you can also stay in touch via our Instagram Channel, which you can find in the BBC Sounds Instagram bio.

SONGS
Lil Louis – French Kiss
Madonna – Vogue
Madonna – Like a Prayer
Madonna – I Feel So Free
Madonna – Justify My Love
Madonna – Hung Up
Empire of the Sun – Walking on a Dream
Olivia Rodrigo – Drop Dead

ALBUMS
Peaches – Teacher of Peaches
Madonna – Confessions II

Madonna – Confessions on a Dance Floor
Madonna – Ray of Light
Madonna – Music
Madonna – Madame X
Madonna – Hard Candy
Charli XCX – brat
Warchild Records – Help(2)
Olivia Rodrigo – You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love

Annie is back after a fortnight away and there’s a lot to catch up on. First on the agenda, Annie and Nick discuss the fallout from Wireless booking Kanye West as a headliner, and the subsequent cancellation of the entire festival. Plus, in other live music news, LIDO festival has had to cancel their planned June weekend due to environmental concerns, and CMAT fans are devastated.
And of course, after the first weekend of Coachella 2026, everyone is analysing the Justin Bieber set – and Annie and Nick hear from someone who was actually there in the field. Were the critical headlines about his YouTube use fair? Or has he just made history for one of the most special live shows in the festival’s history?
Get in touch with Annie and Nick! You can send a WhatsApp to 07970082700 or email [email protected]
And you can also stay in touch via our Instagram Channel, which you can find in the BBC Sounds Instagram bio.
With thanks to Sam Murphy (@popsamcam), who provided much needed intel from Coachella.
SONGS
Justin Bieber – Baby
Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj – Beauty and a Beat
Ne-Yo – So Sick

ALBUMS
Arlo Parks – Ambiguous Desire
Elmiene – sounds for someone
Justin Bieber – Swag
Justin Bieber – Swag II

This week Nick is joined by a very special co-host, Arlo Parks, following the release of her third album, Ambiguous Desire. They discuss how songs come to her, being a sensitive child, accepting a Mercury prize from Annie, trusting yourself as an artist, and how LA inspires her music. Plus, what does an ideal night out look like for Arlo and which does she prefer: Coachella or Glastonbury?
Elsewhere, Slayyyter gets a lot of love, Mitski settles into a residency in a hyper-intimate venue where “you can cry,” and the band Angine de Poitrine do something never been done in music before.

We’re still open to our next Album Club recommendation, with Arlo suggesting a few in this week’s episode. Send your thoughts in to Annie and Nick! You can send a WhatsApp to 07970082700 or email [email protected]
And you can also stay in touch via our Instagram Channel, which you can find in the BBC Sounds Instagram bio.
HOMEWORK: Listen to Arlo Park’s new album, Ambiguous Desire.
SONGS
The Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams
Elmiene - Golden

ALBUMS
The xx - xx
Angine de Poitrine - Vol.II
Charli XCX - Brat
Slayyyter - WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA
Massive Attack - debut album
Mazzy Star - debut album
Sexistential - Robyn
The King of Limbs remix album – Radiohead

CLUBS + DANCE FLOORS
Nowadays - New York
Midnight Lovers - LA
Corsica - London
Venue MOT/Unit 18
Palais - Peckham