Karen Gabay

Karen Gabay is an award-winning filmmaker, radio broadcaster, and radio, TV & podcast producer.

She has been a radio presenter and producer for the BBC for over 2 decades, specialising in black music, arts, and international social affairs. Karen presents one of the BBC’s longest-running shows, The People, and has interviewed many artists and film/video directors at the start of their careers including Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu, and Ryan Coogler, recorded sessions with artists that include Amp Fiddler, Amy Winehouse, as well as recording in-depth interviews with Maxwell, St Paul Petersen, Ava DuVernay & Steve McQueen. She has also worked as a consultant for BBC network radio including working on a gospel and inspirational series with Deniece Williams.

Karen has produced landmark TV programmes for UK television including Prince: A Purple Reign, When Bob Marley Came to Britain, The Nation’s Favourite Motown Song, and Roots Remembered (a celebration of the mini-series Roots).

She has produced music content programming encouraging children to embrace music, working with leading musicians including Nile Rodgers, Gregory Porter, and Daniel Pemberton.

Karen regularly lectures on race and portrayal on-screen and in music, on social histories of migrants in communities including for the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, Royal Holloway University, and international conferences.

Karen is on the boards of Manchester District Music Archive and Band on The Wall, one of the oldest and most well-known music venues in the UK, specialising in jazz, reggae, and world music and music education.

Karen is a champion of music storytelling through inter-generational community & research engagement, women in music, and also in music and education for young people.