In this episode of The Every Muse Podcast, Anushi sits down with author and former music industry executive Delphine Seddon to explore her path from furiously shy teenager to entertainment lawyer, music executive and finally novelist.

Drawing on more than two decades in the music business—including senior roles working with artists such as Dua Lipa, Muse, Foals and Biffy Clyro—Delphine discusses the realities of life behind the scenes of the music industry and how those experiences informed her incredible debut novel, Darkening Song (which is being adapted for television!).

Together, they delve into the novel's themes of ambition, friendship, power, fame, and the ways young women are often failed by the industries that profit from them. They discuss the complexity of human nature, the psychological cost of sudden success, and why no one is ever quite who they seem. Delphine also reflects on the importance of questioning the stories we tell ourselves, the seductive nature of achievement, and why the journey matters more than the destination.

The conversation also explores Delphine's decision to leave a successful corporate career to become a full-time writer, the challenge of separating identity from professional status, and why creativity is an essential part of what connects us as human beings. She shares practical advice for aspiring writers, including how to silence the inner critic, embrace writing as play, and committing to the simple act of showing up at the page.

Insightful, honest and deeply thoughtful, this episode is a conversation about creativity, ambition, reinvention, and finding the courage to write your own story.

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Read Delphine's debut novel Darkening Song! It's out now and available wherever you get your books!

Highly recommend you also read Delphine's Substack: Driving Blindly Into The Mist.

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If you enjoy this episode, please follow and leave a review! Thank you for listening.

What happens when one of the most emotional journeys a woman can take meets one of the most powerful technologies of our time?

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Cristina Hickman, embryologist, scientist, and founder of Avenues, a clinic reimagining fertility care through the integration of artificial intelligence. With over two decades of experience shaping IVF laboratories around the world, Cristina is now focused on a singular question: how do we move beyond guesswork in reproductive medicine, while continuing to honour the human experience?

Dr Cristina’s path into fertility care is anything but traditional. Beginning in marine biology and oceanography, her early fascination with how life begins, and how it can be predicted, led her into molecular biology and embryology, where she trained on pioneering techniques at the very forefront of the field. What followed was a global career spent building labs, advising clinics, and quietly influencing the systems that underpin modern fertility treatment today.

Fertility is deeply personal to Dr Cristina and this is reflected by the philosophy of 'omotenashi' which underpins the patient experience at Avenues: a clinic designed to feel calm and human, anticipate every need/preference, give patients access to their own data in real time, and provide care that treats emotional wellbeing as essential, not secondary.

At the heart of the episode is a powerful reframe of what AI can actually do in medicine. Rather than replacing clinicians, Cristina describes it as a tool that enhances human judgement, bringing clarity to a process historically shaped by subjectivity and inconsistency. With embryos generating billions of data points, AI offers a way to see patterns the human eye simply cannot, helping to personalise treatment and improve outcomes.

We also explore the bigger picture: Dr Cristina speaks candidly about why trust, explanation, and human oversight must remain central as the technology evolves, and the urgent need for more equitable, transparent care.

This is a conversation about innovation, but also about responsibility. About building systems that are not only smarter, but kinder. And ultimately, it’s a reminder that even in the most advanced corners of medicine, this work is, and always will be, deeply, profoundly human.

If you enjoy this episode, please follow and leave a rating and review. Thank you for listening!

To learn more about Avenues, visit the website here.

What if new mothers were treated with the same level of attention, expertise, and reverence as their newborns?

In this powerful season-finale conversation, I sit down with Hiba Siddiqui, founder of The Tenth—a groundbreaking postpartum wellness service redefining what support can (and should) look like for new mothers. Women can either check into The Tenth's retreat at London’s Mandarin Oriental or receive postpartum care in the comfort of their home, The Tenth delivers deeply personalised, round-the-clock care during the most vulnerable early days after birth.

Inspired by Eastern traditions that honour the first 40 days postpartum, The Tenth places the mother at the centre, combining 24/7 baby care, expert-led parenting guidance, wellness therapies, emotional and mental health support, and meaningful community connection. It’s a model that asks an important question: why have we ever expected women to do this alone?

In this episode, we explore:

• The reality of motherhood, and why it isn’t always instinctive or easy
• Why so many women struggle silently in the postpartum period
• How structured, compassionate support can be truly transformative
• Hiba’s own journey of becoming a mother and how it sparked The Tenth...and so much more!

If you’ve ever wondered how postpartum care could be better, or wanted to feel seen in the realities of early motherhood, this episode is for you.

If you enjoy listening, I’d be so grateful if you followed the show or left a rating or review.

Thank you for being here and thank you for listening!

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LINKS

The Tenth website

The Tenth on Instagram