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
Audio North’s Artist of the Month – The Wranglers | November 2026
It’s time to bring a whole lot of country music to the North.
Country music might traditionally have you thinking of Nashville, cowboy boots, and American highways, but there's a new generation of artists proving you don't have to cross the Atlantic to find a good country tune.
Meet The Wranglers - a Leeds-based band who are bringing a whole lot of country to the North's music scene, with big vocals, infectious energy, and a sound that feels just as at home in a packed festival field as it does in a Nashville honky-tonk.
Formed in April 2024, the independent band have wasted little time making their mark on the UK's growing country music scene. The Wranglers have been championing the sort of live performances that are about more than simply playing a setlist, inviting audiences into a world of storytelling, freedom, heart and a little bit of country-rock chaos.
Their sound takes inspiration from some of music's biggest names (think Bruce Springsteen, Journey, and Foreigner) while bringing in the more modern country influences of Luke Combs, The Shires, and Lady A.
It's this combination of classic rock influences and contemporary country that gives the band their own identity. Whether it's a summer anthem, a power ballad, or something exploring darker themes of lust and betrayal, their songwriting is rooted in storytelling and the ability to make people feel something.
And if there's one thing The Wranglers want you to know, it's that their music is best experienced live.
Credit: SuppliedCredit: Supplied
With lead vocalists Milly Ballington and Leo Hicks at the front, alongside Dylan Wilson on lead guitar, Sian Keates on drums, and Sean Robinson on bass, the five-piece put showmanship at the heart of everything they do. Expect plenty of audience participation, powerful vocals, and the kind of stage presence that makes it difficult to stand still.
Since forming, they've already found themselves performing at some of the UK's most exciting country music destinations, including The Long Road Festival and Lil' Nashville in London, while continuing to build a dedicated following back home in Leeds.
Their debut single, 'Rewind', arrived in 2025, giving listeners an introduction to their original sound. They've since continued to build on that momentum with 'Freedom in the Rain', released in August 2026, and their latest single 'Ghost', showing there's plenty more to come from the band.
It's not just about getting their music out there, either. With a headline show at Leeds' Oporto among their recent milestones, The Wranglers are continuing to put their hometown firmly on the map as they take their country sound further afield.
For a band that only came together in 2024, there's already plenty to shout about. But with new music, live performances and a growing audience behind them, it feels like they're only just getting started.
So, if you've been looking for your next country music obsession, it might be time to give The Wranglers a listen. After all, you don't need to be in Nashville to have a little bit of country in your life.
Featured Image - Supplied
Audio
Courteeners are returning to Sheffield to headline Rock N Roll Circus 2027
Clementine Hall
The Manchester indie heroes are making a triumphant return to Sheffield.
Following an absolutely belting headline set at Tramlines this year, it seems the Courteeners just can't get enough of the Steel City as they're announced as a headliner for next year's Rock N Roll Circus.
Fresh from a new album and nationwide tour, they'll be bringing their set of singalong indie anthems to Don Valley Bowl on Saturday 28 August 2027.
And they're in good company too, with The Vaccines and The Lathums joining the line-up alongside a brilliant mix of both established and up-and-coming talent.
Also joining the bill are The Guest List, Girl In The Year Above, Little Grandad, Cowboy Hunters, Cherryholt, Saint Clair, Ist Ist and Yorkshire’s Slates and south coast band Crystal Tides.
This is just the first wave of acts to be announced, with three more headliners expected to take to the stage over the bank holiday weekend.
Now entering its fifth year in Sheffield, Rock N Roll Circus has established itself as a big hitter in the UK's festival calendar.
Ali O'Reilly, Festival Director of Rock N Roll Circus, said: "Anyone who saw Courteeners at Tramlines last year knows exactly what Sheffield means to this band. They absolutely blew the doors off the place, and there's something about the connection between Liam and a Sheffield crowd that makes every show feel like a homecoming.
"To have The Vaccines and The Lathums joining them is a huge statement, but we're just as excited about the artists coming through on Stage 2. Bands like Cherryholt, Cowboy Hunters and Ist Ist are exactly why we love putting these line-ups together. There's something brilliant about watching a new band in an intimate setting and then heading into the Big Top for one of the biggest acts in the country.
"2027 marks our fifth year in Sheffield, which is a real milestone for us. We've grown with the city, the audiences have been incredible and we're proud of what Rock N Roll Circus has become."
Rock N Roll Circus returns to Sheffield's Don Valley Bowl from Thursday 26 to Sunday 29 August 2027, with Courteeners headlining on Saturday 28 August.
Tickets go on sale this Friday 6 November, find out more here.
Thomas Melia -
10th April 2026 
