Monocle 24: The Big Interview

Jen Easterly led the agency keeping the US safe from cyber attacks for four years. She’s worried about where things have gone over the past few months. Emma Nelson discusses her life of service.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a career spanning almost six decades, US fashion icon Norma Kamali is still reinventing herself. After immersing herself in the London fashion scene in the 1960s and establishing a New York boutique at the end of the decade, Kamali quickly rose to prominence. Her designs could be found on the star-studded dance floors of Studio 54, on an iconic 1976 Farrah Fawcett poster and on Whitney Houston’s first album cover. She joins Monocle’s Emma Nelson to tell us about her approach to design, her dedication to wellness and how Donald Trump’s tariffs are affecting her business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An icon of US alternative rock, Bob Mould was a member of influential Minneapolis band Hüsker Dü, which combined screaming guitars with sweet pop melodies in the 1980s and inspired later acts such as Nirvana. Mould’s subsequent band Sugar recorded three acclaimed albums in the mid-1990s. He has since built up a solo catalogue that has included several stylistic deviations but keeps circling back to the power-trio format. Mould’s latest solo album is ‘Here We Go Crazy’. He sits down with Andrew Mueller to play a couple of songs and talk about the legacy of Hüsker Dü, being outed as a gay man in the 1990s and Donald Trump’s WWE-style politics. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The films of screenwriter Bill Broyles have time and again cemented themselves as classics of American cinema. Following his debut with the acclaimed series ‘China Beach’, came films including ‘Apollo 13’, ‘Cast Away’ and ‘Jarhead’. Broyles’ writing for the screen has been informed at least in part by an eventful personal life. As a young man, he was a US Marine Corps platoon commander in the Vietnam War, an experience he recalls in the Apple TV+ series ‘Vietnam: The War That Changed America’. He was subsequently a journalist, launching ‘Texas Monthly’ and editing ‘Newsweek’ before heading to Hollywood. Broyles sits down with Andrew Mueller for a contemplative look back on his successes and failures, as well as reflecting on the best and worst aspects of American culture. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Wright is the acclaimed film director known for single-take shots, redefining cinematic genres and updating classic narratives. He first appeared on the global stage with his feature directorial debut, ‘Pride & Prejudice’, starring Keira Knightley, followed by a string of celebrated releases that include the seven-time Academy Award-nominated drama ‘Atonement’, the action-packed thriller ‘Hanna’ and the biographical drama ‘Darkest Hour’. As one of the more technically adventurous and unpredictable directors of his generation, Wright’s latest project might be his most ambitious: a new eight-part series documenting the rise of a dictator, ‘Mussolini: Son Of The Century’. It has already stirred debate across Europe and beyond since its release, and is regarded by many critics as the best show of 2025 so far. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ludovico Einaudi is an Italian pianist and composer known for his unique blend of classical, folk and modern influences. His iconic albums, film scores and record-breaking concerts have made him one of the world’s most influential living composers. His new 13-track album, ‘The Summer Portraits’, is now available and Einaudi is also gearing up for a five-night residency at the Royal Albert Hall in London – the longest continuous headline run by a pianist at the historic venue. Sitting down with Monocle’s Laura Kramer, Einaudi speaks about his inspirations, his love of photography and paintings, and how he balances modern digital convenience with the beauty of analog technology in his creative process.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Damian Woetzel is a former principal dancer at the New York City Ballet and the current president of the world’s most prestigious performing arts conservatory, The Juilliard School. After an illustrious career as one of the world’s foremost male dancers, Woetzel went on to earn a degree from Harvard, serve on Barack Obama’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, and direct a series of major arts programmes, including at The Aspen Institute. As president of Juilliard since 2018, he hopes to one day make the school tuition-free. Woetzel spoke with Monocle’s Emma Nelson about discovering his passion young, his jeté-like rise in ballet and the role of art as a public good.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brandon Scott has been Baltimore’s mayor since 2020 and was re-elected in 2024. He is the youngest mayor in the city’s history and the first to be re-elected in 20 years, the latter achievement likely owed in no small part to his unprecedented success in reducing Baltimore’s notoriously high rates of crime, violence and homicide. A new documentary, ‘The Body Politic’, explores how he has managed to turn the city around. Mayor Scott sat down with Monocle’s Andrew Mueller to discuss his strategies, how he deals with political crises and the looming presidency of Donald Trump.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former journalist and editor at ‘The Wall Street Journal', now president and CEO of The Atlantic Council, Fred Kempe's life and career spans from the end of the Cold War and the fall of the Berlin Wall to the ongoing war in Ukraine and other geopolitical threats. A passionate advocate for American engagement in the world, Kempe sat down with Monocle's Chris Cermak in Washington ahead of a US presidential election that could send the superpower in two very different directions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Back in 2013, American singer and songwriter Jason Isbell released the album ‘Southeastern', which tracked his life as an enthusiastic-if-reckless archetype of the dissolute southern rocker. It was an overwhelming critical and commercial success. Five more studio albums followed, turning Grammy-winning Isbell into a chart-topper and – as of Martin Scorsese's ‘Killers Of The Flower Moon' – a movie star. Here he sits down with Andrew Mueller for a candid chat about his life and music, his viral ‘feral hogs' tweet and his acting debut alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gherardo Felloni, creative director of Parisian luxury-accessories house Roger Vivier, joins Monocle's associate editor Grace Charlton to discuss the brand's spring-summer 2025 collection. Felloni tells us about his vision for the brand, reissuing some of the most iconic buckled shoes to have walked this earth and updating house codes for the modern woman.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Widely considered to be one of the most influential figures in fashion and retail, the ad interim CEO and president of the Yoox Net-a-Porter Group, Alison Loehnis, has been a leading force at the pioneering online retailer for more than a decade. Here, she joins Monocle's fashion director Natalie Theodosi for a sprawling conversation about leadership, balancing creativity and business, nurturing young brands and entering a new chapter in the industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than a decade after reaching worldwide acclaim with his six-volume autobiographical novel ‘My Struggle', the Norwegian author Karl Ove Knausgaard has returned to the fictional form in ‘The Morning Star' series. Knausgaard sat down with Gunnar Gronlid to talk about the latest entry ‘The Third Realm', embodying new perspectives and his fixation with death, family and freedom. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

British comedy veteran of ‘The Young Ones' and ‘Bottom' fame Adrian Edmondson sits down with Andrew Mueller to talk about his memoir ‘Berserker!', his often violent skits with late collaborator Rik Mayall and using humour to deal with trauma.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former FBI director-turned-crime-fiction-author James Comey speaks with Andrew Mueller about his new novel, ‘Westport', the dangers of a new Donald Trump presidency and whether he regrets reopening the Hillary Clinton investigation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Award-winning artist, photographer and filmmaker Alison Jackson sits down with Georgina Godwin to speak about her staged and satiric photographs of celebrity lookalikes, her time as a politician and her planned Donald Trump feature film.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Science broadcaster and author Ziya Tong sits down with Andrew Mueller to discuss her new documentary film, ‘Plastic People: The Hidden Crisis of Microplastics', her stint as one of Canada's top encyclopaedia salespeople and the struggle to communicate important science issues to the public. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Swinging sixties fashion icon Penelope Tree sits down with Georgina Godwin to discuss her debut novel, ‘Piece of My Heart', and her rise to fame at Truman Capote's Black and White Ball. Plus: her relationship with photographer David Bailey, the skin condition that ended her modelling career and her spiritual awakening.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

London and New York-based street photographer Joel Meyerowtiz sits down with Monocle's photography director, Matthew Beaman, to discuss quitting his job after working with Robert Frank, finding “decisive moments”, how smartphones changed the world, his love of Leica and large-format cameras and how time has affected his photographs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The minister of foreign affairs of Lithuania sits down with Andrew Mueller to discuss the importance of military preparedness, diplomatic efforts and being able to explain and justify your arguments to the electorate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The six-time Grammy award-winning musician sits down with Robert Bound to discuss the release of the fourth and final instalment of his ‘Djesse' album series, his creative process, the influence of his mother and how he transforms his audiences into choirs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The British astronaut sits down with Andrew Mueller to discuss his remarkable career, the future of space exploration and his new book ‘Space: The Human Story'.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The culinary legend and actress sits down with Robert Bound to discuss her cookbooks, which span the flavours of India, and how she unintentionally became a household name for anyone with a taste for South Asian cuisine.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell sits down with Georgina Godwin to discuss his life, career and gripping podcast series, ‘Revisionist History'.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The former Australian senator sits down with Andrew Mueller to reflect on the highlights of his political career and how he became leader of the world's first Green party.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The celebrated Canadian historian sits down with Andrew Mueller to discuss her bestselling books, the history of warfare and the challenge that Vladimir Putin poses to the world order. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chinese dissident artist Badiucao sits down with Georgina Godwin to discuss his life in self-imposed exile and how he uses his art to challenge censorship and human-rights abuses in China.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Grammy award-winning American singer sits down with Andrew Mueller to discuss her remarkable career and mission to highlight the untold stories of people who have contributed to musical history in the US.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve Earle, one of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of his generation, joins Andrew Mueller to discuss his new tour, play and why his enduring hit ‘Copperhead Road' is the newest state song of Tennessee, where marijuana remains illegal.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The former prime minister of Norway sits down with Andrew Mueller to discuss her political career and the future of Europe's relationship with Russia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Mueller sits down with the ground-breaking hip-hop pioneer and revolutionary activist to discuss his extraordinary career and his new illustrated memoir, ‘Livin' Loud: ARTitation'.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Journalist Jason Rezaian of ‘The Washington Post' discusses his 544 days in an Iranian prison, what it took to get him out and what he believes should be done to help other journalists who have been wrongfully detained.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first African American and female Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, joins Christopher Cermak to discuss the role of libraries as a cornerstone of democracy and her efforts to spread the word about their wonders.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Five-time Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo joins Emma Searle to discuss her unstoppable career and genre-defying repertoire.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The former chief of counterintelligence for the CIA, looks back on his 30-year career with the agency and discusses how he coped with the moral dilemmas of spying.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trailblazing pro-democracy activist Nathan Law joins Andrew Mueller to discuss his new memoir and how he went from being Hong Kong's youngest legislator to living in political exile in the UK. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former counterterrorism operative Mubin Shaikh joins Andrew Mueller to explain how he went from being a supporter of Islamist extremism to working undercover for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service inside the “Toronto 18” terrorist group.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Veteran journalist Hella Pick reflects on her remarkable life, from arriving in the UK on a Kindertransport in 1938 to becoming a trailblazer for women in journalism. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hedge-fund manager and political activist Bill Browder shares his insights on Russia's war in Ukraine and how he became Vladimir Putin's enemy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The former US congresswoman, Emmy award-winning journalist and women's-rights activist sits down with Christopher Cermak to discuss motherhood and the arc of her remarkable career in politics.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ukraine's minister of foreign affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, speaks to Carlota Rebelo about his country's fight for freedom and how he manages to keep hope alive.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The painter and restaurateur discusses his remarkable life and new London show with Robert Bound.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.