Joss Stone Shares Her A Cuppa Happy Podcast

On The Table Read, “the best entertainment magazine in the UK“, Joss Stone talks about her podcast, A Cuppa Happy, and some of her favourite guests to talk to.

Written by JJ Barnes

www.jjbarnes.co.uk

I interviewed Joss Stone about what inspired her to start her podcast, A Cuppa Happy, her favourite guests to talk to, and how she hopes to bring her listeners comfort and happiness.

You’ve had an extensive career in the music industry, what was it about podcasts that inspired you to launch your own?

Well, if I’m honest, I didn’t really listen to many podcasts before. My brother had suggested a few for me, and it was kind of a random thing that popped in and out my life. I just thought it was kind of nice. I like talk radio so to me it’s the same thing and when the pandemic hit and I lost my tool to make people smile, which is singing live and bringing people together, I thought, oh what a lovely thing to do. Let’s focus on the most important thing in the world, our mental health.

After doing the Total World Tour and interviewing hundreds of people regarding their charities, which we did in every country in the world, I got into asking millions of questions and getting some really interesting answers. I found it like almost the best part of my job. So, I thought hey why not, let’s do a podcast.

How did you come up with the name Cuppa Happy?

So, for me tea is a massive part of my life. I drink a lot of tea, apart from when I’m pregnant because I can’t stand the taste of it, but for the most part I’m a ten cups a day chick. Tea, or any hot drink, can make you feel better, can make you feel happy.

We actually had a guy on the podcast, Meik Wiking, who is the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Denmark and he talked about Hygge. It turns out that a hot drink does make you happier. Anything like a, something hot, it has to be warm – it could be hot chocolate, it could be just hot water, but it does make you feel better.

I remember when I was a little girl, something really awful happened to my friend, to all of us really, her brother died. We were about 12 and it was the most shocking thing. My Mum sat me down after I got off the phone with my friend and she said I’m going to make you a cup of tea, I’m going to put one sugar in it, and it will help you to feel calm and it will help you get over the shock. I never have sugar in my tea unless something bad happens or I need that extra little comfort. So that in mind, I just want the podcast to have an effect on people that’s good and helps them to feel better to whatever way possible. What better than a cup of tea? So we called it Cuppa Happy. That’s why, it’s comfort.

The story behind the creation of the podcast is really inspirational. Can you tell us about the people you met during the tour who made you want to start conversations about what it is that makes us happy.

The interviews that I did on the road were interviews with people that run charities. I did a collaboration, a musical collaboration, a concert and a charity visit in every country. When I did the concert, it was just standard, you go there you sing for people, it’s something we’ve been doing for years. Of course, it was different everywhere. When we did the collaboration, we just talked about music, if we could understand each other obviously. If we couldn’t understand each other, we just sang together. But the charity was much more in depth, and I realised as I was going round the world talking to these people, asking them what do you do here? What’s the problem you’re trying to fix?

I realised that I was meeting the most positive and inspiring, problem fixing people on the planet. That was the biggest and best part of the tour for me personally because I learnt so much, and I hope that we were able to help some of them in their mission, but really, they’re already doing it. So, these people are, anybody who works in charities really, certainly anybody that runs one, they’re facing problems every day. That’s the reason why the charity has to exist, but they’re not put off by those problems, they have solutions.

My Dad came out for a few gigs on the Total World Tour, and he said I can’t go with you to any of the kids’ ones, it’s too emotional, so difficult and I don’t know how you do it. I thought oh gosh, yeah, it could come across that way and it’s so depressing you know, but actually it was quite the opposite because of the reality in front of me. These people are faced with problems that some of us wouldn’t even be able to imagine, and they’re dealing with it. They’re walking forward and coming up with ideas and they’re inspiring each other, standing next to each other, helping each other and smiling through it all. They’re living almost a better life because of their attitude. So that is a bit of an eye opener as to how you approach life.

We’ve had people on the podcast that have studied happiness, data and brains – Drs and Psychologists and often their suggestions to be happier in the moment is to have good quality relationships. People who work in charities work in teams, so they have that, and to also help others.

So, to get yourself out of thinking about you, kind of out of this self-obsession in a way. Because when you’re sad, you’re completely overtaken by your sadness, by your personal feelings. So, if you can look to someone else and say how can I help them today, your brain immediately starts thinking about someone else, so you’re not depressed in that moment. You’re problem solving and you’re thinking about another person’s issue and where you can be a positive addition to their world. That’s a great little tactic to being happier and I saw that in action.

Who has been your favourite guest? What is it that made the conversation special?

I’ve had a few favourites for different reasons. Some have been really fun, like the one with Wim Hof was absolutely hilarious. I laughed so much. His energy is just amazing. I don’t know what it was like to listen to but talking to him was brilliantly entertaining for me.

But I do think that one of my favourite conversations was with Daren Brown. I wonder if it’s because it’s the very first one we did, and I didn’t really know what it would become. It’s always magical to have a beginning isn’t it, and I have read his book already just out of choice, nothing to do with the podcast. I just think he’s a brilliant mind and a lovely character. He has a loveliness about him that’s just…he seems very kind, very thoughtful, very studied and I just think he’s lush. A lush person. It always nice to chat to people who are way more intelligent than yourself. I really enjoyed that conversation – I didn’t feel worried about asking him silly questions. He made me feel very comfortable, which I think is part of his job. He’s good at that, ha ha. 

And also, Laura Berman, was one of my favourite people we’ve had on the podcast because she’s such an inspiring person. She’s very inspiring on lots of different levels, and we’ve done two podcasts with her. Two very different podcasts we did together, two different episodes, but both times very inspirational and a great sense of humour. Just lovely to talk to.

You’re in your 3^rd season now, is there anything you would change if you were to start it again?

You know, no. I really like how it’s all going. I think it’s been really eye opening for me and people have got something good from it. It’s a lovely thing to receive messages from people saying this really helped me, this really helped my day, helped me look at things differently. If that’s happening, if it’s doing that for even one person then it’s doing its job. I never really had high hopes for it, I just wanted to give something good to those that want to receive it. And that can be ten people, it can be ten thousand, it can be 10 million who knows. I think it’s a very positive thing, so I feel really good about it.

The one thing I’d love to add; I’d love to play music on it, like have it as a little radio, but I don’t know if that’s what podcast listeners really want to hear. It’s probably most of the talk radio thing, but it would be nice to play some songs, get some music in there. I don’t often interview musicians, I’ve had a few musicians on but the subject is not music, the subject is the brain and health – but I think music is very much part of that, or am I just being biased…?

What are your favourite podcasts to listen to?

I don’t really listen; I haven’t got time. It’s a pretty bad answer isn’t it. Although I do really like the ones that tell stories.

What’s something you never expected about podcasting? What have you learnt that surprised you?

I think it’s quite surprising how much goes into making it sound good, you know, it’s so important. Obviously, I work in sound, so I know how important it is things sounds good. But you know, you think it’s just two people chatting, it’s not. There’s a load of people involved, and the mix is really important and recording it properly is really important and if that’s not done properly then that can be the difference between someone listening and someone not listening.

Me personally, if I was to turn on a podcast and the sound was all crackly and horrid, I just wouldn’t listen to it, I couldn’t stand it. I think that’s something people don’t realise.

What is the first piece of advice you’d give anyone inspired to start new podcasting?

I say if you’re inspired to do something, just do it. Podcasting or not, but if it’s podcasting then go ahead. Make sure that you get a nice microphone and that make sure it doesn’t go into the red – when the red light is on its distorting. Yeah, keep it in the green and yellow and you’ll be good. That’s it. Just chat away, do your thing. Whatever it is you’re inspired to do, put one foot in front of the other and begin. That’s my advice to anyone.

Are you proud of what you’re accomplishing with your podcast? Is it worth the effort?

Yes, I think its 100% worth the effort. I love that it’s something I’m doing that is purely for the listeners. Like, completely. So, with music, often at times, it can be you need to do it. Like you have to do it to feel OK, to feel whole. Yes of course, I’m making music for people who want to hear it. But because it can be such an emotional thing, it’s almost like a therapy session for yourself every time you make music.

So it’s like, some days it’s for you, and the podcast thing, although of course yes I enjoy it, I enjoy it mainly because I know people will get so much out of it and it’s like a learning thing. It’s almost like school for me in a way. I get a real kick out of knowing that people are going to listen to this, and a lightbulb might go off and it might just help them in their world, it’s not about me  – that to me is one of my favourite things about it – it’s not about me, it’s about the guy or girl that I’m interviewing and how brilliant they are, and it’s about the listener. I’m just facilitating it and that’s really my favourite bit.

Find more from Joss Stone now:

Twitter: @JossStone

Insta: jossstone

TikTok: @jossstone

YouTube: JossStoneOfficial

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