S4. Ep4. Mercury Prize–nominated artist Emma-Jean Thackray opens up about her struggles with sleep

S4. Ep4. Mercury Prize–nominated artist Emma-Jean Thackray opens up about her struggles with sleep

From Sleep On by The Sleep Charity

November 4, 2025 · 50 min · Episode 17

About this episode

Emma-Jean Thackray discusses her experiences with sleep and mental health as a touring artist.

Mercury Prize–nominated musician, DJ, producer, and bandleader Emma-Jean Thackray joins Dr. Sophie Bostock to explore sleep from the perspective of a life lived on the road, under stage lights, and in constant creation through a neurodivergent lens. As one of the UK’s most exciting experimental artists, blending jazz, electronica, and club culture, Emma-Jean brings a distinctive perspective on how sleep affects emotional regulation, creativity, and mental health. Years of touring, navigating time-zone shifts, post-show adrenaline crashes, and late-night bursts of inspiration have given her firsthand insight into how rest and recovery shape both wellbeing and artistic output. In this episode, she reflects on how her career, ADHD, autism, and OCD influence her nights, sharing candid experiences and practical strategies for finding rest in a high-energy, creative life. We even have a sneak peak into her Mercury award nominated album ‘Weirdo’. Find out more about Emma-Jean and her work at: https://www.emmajeanthackray.com Sleep On Series 4 is brought to you by the Sleep Charity and sponsored by Nytol.

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Sophie Bostock

Guest: Emma-Jean Thackray

Topics covered

  • sleep
  • mental health
  • creativity
  • neurodiversity
  • music
  • wellbeing

Keywords

  • sleep
  • ADHD
  • autism
  • OCD
  • creativity
  • mental health
  • music
  • wellbeing

Sponsors

Nytol

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Sleep Charity

Books & works: Weirdo

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