Mic in One Hand, CV in the Other: Making Space for Art in Real Life

Mic in One Hand, CV in the Other: Making Space for Art in Real Life

In this episode, we sit down with Melis — a Turkish musician who moved to Prague four years ago and has been carving her own path in the local music scene. From studying public and social policy at Charles University to finding her place through jam sessions and community, her story is one of resilience, creativity, and speaking up through art. Melis opens up about the challenges of breaking into the industry as a foreigner, the joy of performing and creating, and what it’s like to suddenly go viral with politically charged content. We also touch on how AI is reshaping music, and why community matters more than ever. 🎙 Topics we explore: – Moving from Turkey to Prague – Discovering and building a music community – The highs and lows of going viral – Speaking through art and political expression – Balancing passion with a full-time job – AI’s impact on the music world 🎵 Follow Melis: Instagram (personal): https://www.instagram.com/melis.music/ [https://www.instagram.com/melis.music/] Instagram (BNV Cast): https://www.instagram.com/bnvcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/bnvcast/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aysuvemelis?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc 📸 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shenanigans.cz/ [https://www.instagram.com/shenanigans.cz/]⁠Discover more on Shenanigans: https://shenanigans.cz/ [https://shenanigans.cz/]

Off the Grid, On the Grind: Life Beyond the Prague Bubble

In this episode, we sit down with Will Aldis — a British entrepreneur who traded the UK for life in Mladá Boleslav, just outside the Prague bubble. From odd jobs to running his own language school, Will’s story is about persistence, cultural adaptation, and building something that lasts. He shares what it’s like to start a business in a foreign country, the lessons he’s learned about professionalism and reputation, and how life outside Prague offers its own unique challenges and rewards. 🎙 Topics we explore: – Moving from the UK to Czechia– Founding and growing an English teaching business– High standards, self-critique, and burnout– What it means to integrate outside Prague– Balancing ambition, family, and identity 📚 Learn more about Will’s work:East Anglian Languages: https://ea-english.cz/home/ [https://ea-english.cz/home/?utm_source=chatgpt.com]Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eaenglishcz/ [https://www.instagram.com/eaenglishcz/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 📸 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shenanigans.cz/ [https://www.instagram.com/shenanigans.cz/?utm_source=chatgpt.com]Discover more on Shenanigans: https://shenanigans.cz/ [https://shenanigans.cz/?utm_source=chatgpt.com]

Nomad in Prague: Music, Identity & Letting It All Out

In this episode, we sit down with Oleg Govorukha — a Russian expat in Prague balancing two worlds: software development and music. By day, he works in tech. By night, he’s a singer-songwriter, sound producer, and frontman of the band Nomad Disco. Oleg shares how he moved to Prague four years ago, what it takes to build a life and creative career in a new country, and how speaking six languages has shaped his sense of identity. We talk about finding balance between stability and creativity, building community, and what drives him to keep making music alongside a full-time job. 🎙 Topics we explore: – Moving from Russia to Prague– Life split between tech and music– The reality of sustaining creative projects while working full-time– Speaking six languages and living between cultures– Building connections in a new city 🎵 Listen to Oleg’s work: Nomad Disco: https://open.spotify.com/artist/009HciBF31J1j1FQVCblR8?si=MFxSVZw5QwuCehFAB_D1CA [https://open.spotify.com/artist/009HciBF31J1j1FQVCblR8?si=MFxSVZw5QwuCehFAB_D1CA] Praha: https://open.spotify.com/track/7pnIQXMde9fmoUw5v0dLIF?si=b6e4ee57c4654c75 [https://open.spotify.com/track/7pnIQXMde9fmoUw5v0dLIF?si=b6e4ee57c4654c75] 📸 Follow Oleg on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oleg.govorukha?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=Z2M4MGlxb3UzZzN1 [https://www.instagram.com/oleg.govorukha?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=Z2M4MGlxb3UzZzN1] Discover more on Shenanigans: https://shenanigans.cz/ [https://shenanigans.cz/]

Breaking Doors Down: Henry Hodge’s Path from LA to Prague

In this episode, we sit down with Henry Hodge, a British-American filmmaker who landed in Prague and started building from scratch. What began as a leap into the unknown eventually became Spectre Films — a production company known for both commercial work and narrative storytelling, all built off persistence, collaboration, and learning by doing. Henry opens up about what it really takes to start something without permission, why Prague became the place he could finally grow roots, and the tension between doing the work you love and making it sustainable. 🎙 Topics we explore: – What filmmaking looks like without film school– The realities of building creative community from scratch– Moving through imposter syndrome– Creating opportunities instead of waiting for them– Why transparency in the creative world still feels rare 🎥 You can check out Henry’s work at spectrefilms.eu [https://www.spectrefilms.eu] Henry's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/henryhodgefilm/ [ https://www.instagram.com/henryhodgefilm/] Actors in Prague: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1748567125329844/ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1748567125329844/] Discover more on Shenanigans [https://shenanigans.cz/]

You Don’t Have to Break in Silence

When Nae first reached out, he didn’t try to frame his story with careful words. He told me directly: “Either I move to Prague, or I kill myself in France.” This episode starts there — not in metaphor, not in hindsight — but with the blunt reality of what it means to be done. Done pretending, done staying silent, done trying to meet the idea of what a man is supposed to carry. Nae speaks openly about living with bipolar disorder, how for years people only saw him as “high-functioning,” and the pressure that builds when you're told that being a man means shutting up and pushing through. He shares what it felt like to stand on the edge — and what helped him take a step back. Prague wasn’t just a city he moved to. It became a space where he could finally stop performing strength and start rebuilding from something real. Not healing overnight, not magically fixing everything — but choosing to stay. And speak. 📊 Globally, men account for nearly 75% of all suicides.(Source: WHO, World Mental Health Report 2022) 🎙 Topics we explore: * The moment everything nearly ended * The weight of silence, especially for men * What it’s like living with bipolar disorder while being “high-functioning” * How music helped * Why Prague offered more than a home — it offered time ⚠️ Content warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide and mental health struggles. If you are in crisis or need support, please reach out to a mental health professional or a local crisis service. You are not alone. 📍 Support in the Czech Republic: * Linka Bezpečí (children & youth): 116 111 * Centrum krizové intervence: +420 284 016 666 * NÚDZ Mental Health Center: https://nudz.cz [https://nudz.cz] 📍 Europe-wide: * 112 (emergency services) * Mental Health Europe: https://www.mentalhealtheurope.org [https://www.mentalhealtheurope.org] * Samaritans/Befrienders Worldwide: 116 123 (EU-wide emotional support helpline) Shenanigans [https://shenanigans.cz/] ❤️