Why have one northern city when you can have two? Sharan, our latest Artist of the Month, was born in Leeds and is now based in Liverpool.
Giving herself the titles of DJ, workshop facilitator and community advocate while also balancing life as a cardiac physiologist – is there anything Sharan can’t do?
This multi-talented music maker has played sets for Crop Radio, supported Sammy Virji, Barry Can’t Swim, SBTRKT and even soundtracked Liverpool FC’s official store ahead of a new kit launch.
Her sets cover all different music genres, meaning she can fit and curate any vibe, including UK funk, Amapiano, house and more.
Images: Press shots
An interview with Sharan – Audio North’s Artist of the Month
Now, the Leeds-born DJ takes a break from the decks, community programmes and medical assistance to chat about being Audio North‘s latest Artist of the Month.
What music did you grow up listening to?
I’ve always been around music. My Dad brought me up on Queen and then when I got to school my best friend listened to Bassline, UK Funky and I downloaded all these songs onto my Blackberry.
Annie Mac and Hannah Wants were real inspirations for me growing up and seeing female DJs in the media is great.
Tell us about the work you do in the DJ community?
I’m originally from Leeds but moved to Liverpool for work four years ago and I’ve become quite heavily involved in the DJ community. I do workshops through ‘Decks in the City‘; I’m a DJ Programmer for Dishoom and I play gigs across the North too.
Why do you want to give back to the DJ scene?
I joined a charity called Getaway Girls, who I still am with today, and I joined a music group through them and I remember decks being in the corner of the room and being intrigued. Then, at 14 I started going to their music workshops.
They’re the reason I got into music and inspired me to want to make the music industry a fairer place for women as well as advocating for women in music.
I love teaching women how to get into music or giving them the opportunity they wouldn’t necessarily have.
What do you hope to achieve through your DJ workshops?
I believe everyone should have the chance to try out being a DJ, or more broadly just have a go at learning a new skill in relation to music.
I want to give everyone a fair and equal chance to learn how to DJ and that’s why the courses I do are accessible and affordable.
As a South Asian DJ who’s also a woman, I want to encourage women and anyone from underrepresented communities to get involved.
In the long run, I’d love to improve festival line-ups and make the distribution of live music opportunities fairer.
What have been some of your favourite experiences as a DJ so far?
Alongside my community work, I’ve played at Leeds Festival for JD Sports and supported some big acts including Barry Can’t Swim, Virji, SBTRKT and Girls Don’t Sync.
What’s one fun fact about you?
I’m not just a DJ, I’m also a cardiac physiologist. It’s a really big part of my life aside from being a DJ. I balance the two together, I’m passionate about both.
How does your heritage influence your work?
I’m South Asian and I remember the Bend It Like Beckham soundtrack so vividly growing up. It fused British pop with Bhangra and Bollywood, it was revolutionary.
Even the storyline of the film itself resonates with me, watching the girl pursuing football against her parents wishes, something I’m doing by going against ‘the norm’ through following my dream of being a DJ.
I love this film and soundtrack so much that I wrote an article about this which explores the soundtrack and its impact on British Asian Youth.
Featured Images – The Manc Group/Press Shots (supplied via Liam Heeley)
Audio
Wakefield indie legends The Cribs announce special hometown show
Wakefield heroes The Cribs have announced a special hometown show to celebrate 20 years of their critically acclaimed album.
After two decades and nine albums as one of Britain’s iconic indie bands; Gary, Ryan and Ross Jarman are back celebrating their album, Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever, at Wakefield's historically significant venue Tileyard North.
They'll be coming to the city on Friday 20 August, acting as the first headliner revealed for next summer’s Live at Tileyard North series.
Now living in Portland, Oregon, New York and the band’s native Wakefield respectively; the trio’s 9th full length release, 2025’s Selling a Vibe, found the brothers proving themselves once again as a leading band in the indie scene.
Returning to Wakefield to celebrate the milestone album’s 20th anniversary, which is widely regarded as their best record, they'll be by playing it in full on the same site where the Jarman brothers wrote and rehearsed in the early 2000’s.
Joining The Cribs in Wakefield will be cult Yorkshire art rock heroes ¡Forward, Russia!, who are celebrating 20 years of their inimitable debut album Give Me A Wall.
Image: Supplied
Toby Womack, Promoter - Futuresound Events said: “I am so pleased to be able to bring back our Live at Tileyard North Series for 2027. After such a warm reception in 2026, it’s encouraging to know we have Wakefield's stamp of approval to keep it going for years to come.
"We couldn’t think of a better way to launch our second edition than with The Cribs' first hometown show in over 10 years, this will be incredibly special!”
Liam Duffy, Tileyard North said: “The launch of Live at Tileyard North was a triumph, so we couldn’t be happier about its return next year. We’re all super excited to collaborate with the Futuresound team again, who brought so much consideration and care to the venue, and together bring even more exceptional live music to the people of Wakefield.
"With local legends The Cribs leading the first announcement, next year's shows are guaranteed to be even bigger and better.”
The Wakefield Postcode Pre-sale will allow early access to tickets for Wakefield residents, and will open 10am on Wednesday 21 October here whilst general sale will open at 10am on Friday 23 October here.
A Pulp pop-up pub is coming to Sheffield, taking over a beloved local boozer
Daisy Jackson
A Pulp pop-up pub is heading to Sheffield later this month, following unbelievable success over in Manchester.
The Sheffield icons will be taking charge of beloved local boozer and grassroots gig venue The Hallamshire Hotel.
The news was announced this afternoon by Rough Trade Records, along with Pulp themselves.
While they're keeping the exact details under wraps for now, we've got a pretty good idea of what we might be able to expect, based on their pop-up pub in Manchester in August.
There, there was a jukebox programmed by Jarvis Cocker himself, along with merch literally plastered on every wall and even the ceilings.
The previous Pulp pop-up pub had loads of merch for sale, from tees and totes to records and stickers.
The walls were turned into a shrine for the band, showcasing posters and photography from throughout their illustrious career.
And the crowds came through in a big way, queueing halfway down the street for a chance to be totally immersed in all things Pulp.
So much so, The Rat & Pigeon (who hosted the Manchester edition) have warned on social media: "Note to @hallamshire_hotel - you WILL be 10x busier than you expect - even if it’s pissing it down. Enjoy!"
For their Sheffield pop-up, all we know for sure is the location (The Hallamshire Hotel) and the date (30 October).
Thomas Melia -
10th April 2026 
