They have set the world of UK Blues, Folk and Rock music alive in the last few years and they're not stopping any time soon; Aaron from When Rivers Meet is joining Jake on the podcast today to talk all about their meteoric rise from the pandemic to now, thanks to a loyal fanbase that love their classy, vocal-led and gritty guitar rock sound they've been perfecting over the years.

Grace and Aaron Bond are the husband and wife duo that make up When Rivers Meet, writing music at their home studio that infused 1970's rock with modern-day Blues and soul. They carved out a real name for themself during the COVID pandemic, when they consistently live-streamed to new fans all over the world, performing requests and originals which helped build their online following, attracting thousands of views every time and subsequently led to amazing opportunities and exposure once they started touring again. Now into 2026, they are about to release their fifth studio album called 'Rhythm Rust & Static' and further building the catalogue of their releases.

In this conversation, Aaron talks about becoming a Dad for the first time with Grace alongside the music, how they were embraced by the folk and Blues scenes in the UK and the time they supported the legendary Blue Öyster Cult at London's Palladium, amongst many other subjects on the pod - you'll enjoy this one!

NOTE: This episode contains occasional strong language.

FIND WHEN RIVERS MEET

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@whenriversmeet

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/whenriversmeet/?hl=en

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE SHOW

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Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/breakthrough_music.pod/?hl=en

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@breakthroughmusicpod

WANT AN ARTIST ON THE PODCAST/SEND YOUR MUSIC TO US?

Email - breakthroughmusicpod@gmail.com

======================================

Thanks so much for listening and keep helping us work towards our goal of when we can start to give back to grassroots music charities!

Recorded at Chinnerys, Southend - one of the most respected music venues in the UK.

In this episode of the podcast, Jake welcomes introspective, soulful and free-spirit Gabriela Eva, fresh off a run of UK tour dates! Gabriela has been doing her thing for many years, sculpted by the sounds of Nina Simone, Hiatus Kaiyote & Alanis Morisette, making her music in and around Colchester, Essex.

She's enjoyed some amazing milestones on the way, including her 2021 hit Feng Shui surpassing 1 million streams and capturing people all over the world with her indie, jazz-fulled and singer/songwriter inspired sounds. Gabriela has also championed neurodiversity in her music and writing as a dyslexic and the challenges that can come from that, spreading awareness of both those things in her music. There have also been countless moments in the grassroots of her local scene and community that have been pivotal for her journey.

They talk about enjoying the success of your biggest songs, how she announced a tour without a band ready to go and making it happen with total strangers and how exciting a chapter it feels to be finding her place once again, in the latest chapter of her life and music.

NOTE: This episode contains occasional strong language.

FIND GABRIELA

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@gabrielaevasounds

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gabrielaevasounds/?hl=en-gb

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE SHOW

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@breakthroughmusicpod

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/breakthrough_music.pod/?hl=en

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@breakthroughmusicpod

WANT AN ARTIST ON THE PODCAST/SEND YOUR MUSIC TO US?

Email - breakthroughmusicpod@gmail.com

======================================

Thanks so much for listening and keep helping us work towards our goal of when we can start to give back to grassroots music charities!

Recorded at Chinnerys, Southend - one of the most respected music venues in the UK.

In this episode, Jake chats to jazz-inspired singer/songwriter George Bone, who's becoming one of the most exciting and unique voices in the East Of England. This podcast is an awesome insight into the melting pot of influences and sounds that George has intertwined into his songwriting and music, which has classical and theatrical notes, earning him new fans all the time.

George's musical journey has been built on a diet of country artists like Dan & Shay, Chris Stapleton and Darius Rucker which he had exposed to him on long car journeys as a kid with his family; mix this with influences of classical music he absorbed at Durham University and gaming soundtracks like Sonic The Hedgehog, and you'll get something like the music George is creating now, blending his life experiences and love for piano all into one.

In 2026, George is loving the continued growth and development as an artist, releasing two singles already in 2026, with more to come in the near future. He's very much enjoying the path that his music is taking him on and it's going to be so exciting to see how George develops in the years to come - some idea of which you can get a glimpse of in this episode.

NOTE: This episode contains occasional strong language.

FIND GEORGE

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@georgebonemusician

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/georgebonemusic/

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE SHOW

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@breakthroughmusicpod

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/breakthrough_music.pod/?hl=en

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@breakthroughmusicpod

WANT AN ARTIST ON THE PODCAST/SEND YOUR MUSIC TO US?

Email - breakthroughmusicpod@gmail.com

======================================

Thanks so much for listening and keep helping us work towards our goal of when we can start to give back to grassroots music charities!

Recorded at Chinnerys, Southend - one of the most respected music venues in the UK.

Back for a brand new series, Jake sits welcomes cheeky-chappy singer/songwriter James Smith, in an exciting time for him as he releases his second album Golden Age! This conversation is a great one as they chat all about James' early beginnings performing in working men's clubs and British Legions as a teenager, before stealing the hearts of the UK on Britain's Got Talent.

James grew up in the East End of London, surrounded by all different kinds of characters and moulded his sociable upbringing with his Mum encouraging him to pursue music, acting and performing and playing gigs for £20 here and there. It led to him developing his voice and talent, learning to play piano and guitar before sharing his talents with the nation. After Britain's Got Talent, he used the show as a springboard to build a fanbase and make connections in the music industry, getting to write for some of the biggest artists in the world, but also supporting smaller grassroots artists on the first steps of their journey.

Right now, James is in the most comfortable and best place of his career, with an appetite for more albums into the future and possibly even to twenty in his career - and feels this is the most open and vulnerable he's ever been with his music so far.

NOTE: This episode contains occasional strong language.

FIND JAMES

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jamessmithvocal

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jamessmithvocal/

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE SHOW

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@breakthroughmusicpod

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/breakthrough_music.pod/?hl=en

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@breakthroughmusicpod

WANT AN ARTIST ON THE PODCAST/SEND YOUR MUSIC TO US?

Email - breakthroughmusicpod@gmail.com

======================================

Thanks so much for listening and keep helping us work towards our goal of when we can start to give back to grassroots music charities!

Recorded at Chinnerys, Southend - one of the most respected music venues in the UK.

In this episode of the podcast, Jake welcomes hip-hop and rap artist JNR Choi onto the podcast, speaking to us all the way from Miami. However, his journey started back in the grassroots of the U.K., before one of his breakthrough songs changed his life and enabled him to travel the world with his music and his passion for creating.

JNR was born in London, spending his childhood living in Essex and the capital. Then one day working in his retail job at Topman, an invite into the world of modelling propelled him into the right places and was encouraged to give music a try because 'he looked like an artist'. The rest was history, emerging as one of the most viral and sought-after exports from the UK, with his hit rework, 'To The Moon', which has amassed more than 300 million Spotify streams.

Building on this success and knack for 'right place, right time', JNR has become a respected name worldwide and worked with some of the biggest artists in music, including featuring on Busta Rhymes' new album, collaborating with American rapper Quavo and singer/songwriter JVKE with his songs and reworks. But it's not been smooth sailing to get to where is right now and now being independent after label life, he doesn't like to sit still; it goes without saying this is a great episode!

#musicpodcast #podcast #jnrchoi #bustarhymes #quavo #tothemoon

FIND JNR CHOI

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jnrchoi?lang=en

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jnrchoi/?hl=en

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE SHOW

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@breakthroughmusicpod

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/breakthrough_music.pod/?hl=en

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@breakthroughmusicpod

WANT AN ARTIST ON THE PODCAST/SEND YOUR MUSIC TO US?

Email - breakthroughmusicpod@gmail.com

======================================

Thanks so much for listening and keep helping us work towards our goal of when we can start to give back to grassroots music charities! This is our last episode of the series, but we'll be back in the new year with Series 2!

Our podcast is supported by our friends at the Arts Council England.

Recorded at Chinnerys, Southend - one of the most respected music venues in the UK.

In this episode of the podcast, Jake hops on with punk-DIY artist Bridget.!, who has become a force to be reckoned with in her local scene, and has got her noticed to land slots at Glastonbury and support her idols in Skunk Anansie and The Smashing Pumpkins in her hometown! Her journey so far has been one of determination, passion and grit to have an impact with her music.

Bridget has built up her loyal cult following from the north of Essex, creating a pulverising and heavy sound, which she has established and grown in her hometown scene of Colchester. Alongside being a gardener, she balanced starting to write and record her own songs and record her first music video, before starting to collaborate and work with more producers and musicians in the area.

Fast forward to now, she has grinded and built a strong reputation for always putting on a good show, which has led to her securing slots at the hallowed Glastonbury Festival and being asked to support Skunk Anansie & The Smashing Pumpkins in the summer of 2025... of course she said yes! Bridget is now looking forward to riding the wave she has created for herself and releasing a brand new EP in 2026.

#musicpodcast #podcast #skunkanansie #smashingpumpkins #grassroots

NOTE: This episode contains occasional strong language.

FIND BRIDGET

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@iambridgetofficial

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/briiiiidgget/?hl=en

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE SHOW

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@breakthroughmusicpod

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/breakthrough_music.pod/?hl=en

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@breakthroughmusicpod

WANT AN ARTIST ON THE PODCAST/SEND YOUR MUSIC TO US?

Email - breakthroughmusicpod@gmail.com

======================================

Thanks so much for listening and keep helping us work towards our goal of when we can start to give back to grassroots music charities!

Our podcast is supported by our friends at the Arts Council England.

Recorded at Chinnerys, Southend - one of the most respected music venues in the UK.

In this episode of the podcast, Jake sits down with pop-rock bilingual artist Cristina Hart, who has an incredible career story to tell. Having just supported Louis Tomlinson on his European Tour and American singer/songwriter Brooke Alex, Cristina's career is going from strength to strength after years of hard graft to get here.

Talking of getting here, Cristina is originally from Switzerland and took a leap of faith to move to the UK, to chase her dream of pursuing music and build her platform here. Cristina is half Spanish and half Brazilian and proud of her roots and champions them whenever she can; she's a self-confessed pop-rock girlie, with her songs attracting the attention of major radio shows such as BBC Radio 1 & BBC Introducing and is starting to become a staple in the scene.

Launching into her first gigs when she landed in the UK, she embraced the grassroots music scene and it embraced her back, playing shows on the circuit in London, Essex & Brighton. She talks about building up her network from scratch to get noticed, collaborate with other artists & producers and acclimatising to a whole new country and music industry that was once alien to her. We hope you enjoy getting to know Cristina and delving deeper behind the scenes of her story!

NOTE: This episode contains occasional strong language.

FIND CRISTINA

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@iamcristinahart

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/iamcristinahart/?hl=en

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE SHOW

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@breakthroughmusicpod

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/breakthrough_music.pod/?hl=en

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@breakthroughmusicpod

WANT AN ARTIST ON THE PODCAST/SEND YOUR MUSIC TO US?

Email - breakthroughmusicpod@gmail.com

======================================

Thanks so much for listening and keep helping us work towards our goal of when we can start to give back to grassroots music charities!

Our podcast is supported by our friends at the Arts Council England.

Recorded at Chinnerys, Southend - one of the most respected music venues in the UK.

In this episode of the podcast, Jake welcomes folk, punk singer/songwriter Fraser Morgan! Having discovered a love for music, writing with his guitar and performing in hundreds of venues up and down the UK, Fraser has carved out a trusted and loyal following, championing mental health and unity at the core of his music; although he jokingly says his live shows are like a mixture of stand-up comedy and music!

Fraser is from Colchester in Essex and started his musical journey young, writing poems in his bedroom, performing at secondary school and sharing raps with his Mum; only for her to send him to his room (they must have been good 😂). He was studying to become a banker at his sixth form college, only for him to realise that he kind of liked the music thing a bit more.

Since launching into his first gigs, making a point of counting how many he plays and supporting artists like Tom Walker and The Levellers, above all Fraser's music champions mental health at it's core. He's created a loyal fanbase and community through connecting with his songs, live energy and infectious passion for helping people through their struggles and tough times up and down the country. Coming off the back of performing at Latitude Festival in 2025 and winning prestigious awards, Fraser is excited for the year ahead looking to extend his impact far and wide. We're so grateful to have him on the podcast!

NOTE: This episode contains occasional strong language.

FIND FRASER

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@frasermorganuk

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/frasermorganuk/?hl=en

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE SHOW

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@breakthroughmusicpod

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/breakthrough_music.pod/?hl=en

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@breakthroughmusicpod

WANT AN ARTIST ON THE PODCAST/SEND YOUR MUSIC TO US?

Email - breakthroughmusicpod@gmail.com

======================================

Thanks so much for listening and keep helping us work towards our goal of when we can start to give back to grassroots music charities!

Our podcast is supported by our friends at the Arts Council England.

Recorded at Chinnerys, Southend - one of the most respected music venues in the UK.