Following its launch in 2020, the acclaimed BMW Play Next podcast returned for 2022, with many of the artists appearing on the podcast, also performing on the Play Next stage over the weekend at the All Points East Festival in Victoria Park, London. 

Hosted again by TV and Radio broadcaster Edith Bowman, the podcast featured  pioneering artistry and ground-breaking music; “I’ve been overwhelmed by the positive feedback. Especially right now when it’s tougher than ever for new talent to breakthrough. I am hugely excited for the return of the BMW Play Next podcast which really gets under the skin of the issues facing the industry and offers a platform for emerging talent."  
 
With the help of some fantastic artists, the podcast also investigated various personal experiences of breaking into the music industry, top tips for new acts, and how they go about discovering music that excites them.

ONLINE AND ON STAGE.

Since 22 June, bi-weekly episodes have followed key players from the music world – this year included Glastonbury co-organiser Emily Eavis and Everything Everything frontman Jonathan Higgs (seen above).  
 
Throughout the podcast, Edith has selected five songs released each week to play in full.  Three artists from the podcast then took to the BMW Play Next stage at All Points East, which ran across two weekends at Victoria Park, from 19-28 August 2022. Bowman says, "With the festival now running across two weekends, it means even more opportunity to shine a spotlight on the industry’s fast rising talent and help them on their journey.”
 

INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIP.

Reflecting the innovative spirit and shared passion for creativity, the collaboration between BMW and All Points East saw a diverse selection of artists on stage. Furthermore, BMW also supported the festival and its sustainability strategy with a fleet of all-electric BMW iX vehicles that transported artists and VIPs.