“It’s really quite grounding to hear someone who’s got such a huge profile and such a magical life talk about how they’re just not comfortable in their own skin.”

Higgins spoke for the first time about the breakdown of her marriage, while Pearce talked about the death of his father. It’s one thing to hear these stories on the radio but another entirely to see people as they relate those stories and how music affects them.

“I’ve seen people’s faces, and seeing how they react when they hear the songs and when they talk about the song, something shifts,” says Rowe. “And I don’t think most of the guests realise how vulnerable they’re going to feel. And how much hearing [those songs] and talking about them will open up something deep in the recesses of their memory that they hadn’t thought about for a long time.”

And, out of curiosity, is it compulsory that every show these days includes ABC News Breakfast’s sports presenter Tony Armstrong?

“I actually did Take Five with Tony for radio a couple of years ago. I did it because I thought this is a guy that everyone loves, but they don’t really know his story. And I knew he was a big music fan.

“And that’s the other thing — it’s not just interviewing anyone; everyone I interview needs to have some connection to music. They don’t need to be a musician, but they need to have some connection. And most people do. Everyone, regardless of what tastes you think you have, everyone has songs that matter to them.”

Rowe has been a music mainstay in Australia for the past 20 or so years, starting out on community radio in Melbourne before landing at Triple J in 2005. In 2018, she moved across to Double J, and in the past few years, she has also become a familiar face on ABC TV. Once a week, she pops up on News Breakfast to talk music and has co-hosted the station’s New Year’s Eve broadcast since 2017. This year she also put her talents towards hosting the ABC’s 90th birthday celebrations, alongside Armstrong and the ABC’s other Mr Everywhere, Craig Reucassel.

It does sound like Rowe’s dangerously close to becoming an ABC institution. She’s even been on Gardening Australia. “I don’t want to punish people,” she says, laughing. “I don’t want to be inescapable in some ways.”

That said, it is surprising it has taken this long for Rowe to land her own show. On Take 5, her skill as an empathetic interviewer comes through. She is a safe pair of hands — no gimmicks, no gotchas — and it’s why she has become one of Australia’s top music journalists. Not that she’ll admit it, but she is a classic quiet achiever.

“I think often it’s a case that people know me as a DJ,” she says. “And I’ve been doing bits and pieces over many, many years, but you don’t really know what someone’s capable of until they start doing it.

“I’ve certainly gotten better at doing TV stuff — 10-plus years of News Breakfast and then five years of hosting New Year’s Eve with Charlie Pickering. Look, I’m ready to take on the world and become inescapable — at the ABC and whoever else wants to have me.

“But yeah, I think there’s a lot of love for comedians hosting TV shows, and maybe it’s more about the fact that I’m not a comedian than a gender thing.”

Now she has wrapped up season one of Take 5, Rowe has been thinking of guests she’d like for season two. She’s already spoken to Paul McCartney for the radio version of Take 5 — and still has his manager’s contacts saved in her phone — what bigger name could there be?

“I have been trying to chase Harry Styles for a Take 5,” she says. “He’s got such charisma. I want to be in a room where he is. He’s got that ‘it’ factor. When people are pitching different guests, the first question is ‘would you care about their five songs?’ Well, I’d be very interested to know what his five songs are.”

He’s touring in February next year — there’s your chance.

“He has the same PR as Paul McCartney,” she replies.

You’ve got an in!

“Oh, we’re using that email address.”