Tag: Sound Up US

Six New and Returning Shows From Spotify Sound Up Alums

April 29, 2022

6 podcast covers from shows that have come out of Spotify's Sound up program on a yellow background

Four years ago, Spotify originated a program called Sound Up to amplify women-of-color podcasters in the U.K. and arm them with the skills to create their own podcasts. That program transformed into an annual opportunity with a presence in 12 markets—Japan, Italy, the U.S., U.S. LatinX, India, Mexico, Australia, Sweden, the U.K., Germany, Brazil, and Argentina—and even prompted a new U.S. iteration geared toward creating high-quality content and co-listening experiences for kids and families.

Over the course of each four-week immersive experience (some in person, some virtual), the participants hone their storytelling skills, get more experience in audio production, and enjoy the chance to workshop their ideas. They walk away with educational resources, technical support, and pivotal relationships with fellow podcasters. Plus, after the session ends, the participants continue to receive year-round support from Spotify as they create professional pilots of their ideas, which have a chance to become a Spotify Original. 

Ever since, Sound Up alumni have brought new, innovative shows to Spotify—Dope Labs, Search Engine Sex, and FOGO: Fear of Going Outside are just a few that have entertained and informed listeners. Get to know the four newest shows—and two returning podcasts—from Sound Up alumni. 

The Newest Sound Up Shows

Lyssna Tjejer — Roba Kadhem (Sound Up Sweden 2020)

Directly from Malmö, Sweden, Roba Kadhem and her friends invite us to a fast-paced podcast with the craziest gossip from Pink Room, Scandinavia’s largest Facebook group for young women. In Lyssna Tjejer (Listen Girls) they discuss current topics, delve into crazy Facebook threads, test things, and learn things—while saying exactly what they think of it all! A filterless, entertaining, and engaging podcast for all women, you won’t want to miss Lyssna Tjejer. 

Kärleks Haverier — Aida Paridad (Sound Up Sweden 2020)

Like an odyssey dedicated to everything that can and has gone really bad in relationships, Kärleks Haverier, or “Love Crashes,” dives deep into the equally fantastic and terrible subject of love. With the help of research and popular culture, Aida Paridad analyzes her friends’ misfortunes to understand how society, history, and the present affect Stockholmers in their relationship building. Let yourself be guided by a safe and slightly manic hand into the jungle of dating, relationships, and . . . love affairs! 

Välkommen till Ön — Fatima Hellgren Camara (Sound Up Sweden 2020)

People exhibit disgusting habits, sick behaviors, and worthless personalities all the time. But is that reason enough to send them to a desert island? Fatima Hellgren Camara says yes.

In the podcast Välkommen till Ön, or “Welcome to the Island,” hear host Fatima, a happy cynic, and her sidekick, Olle, talk about troubling people and their habits and who ultimately deserves a place on a desert island, far away from the rest of us. Välkommen till Ön is a safe haven for anyone who bites their lip when people say “I really love true crime” and those who have clenched their fists in their pockets when someone on the bus has talked on the phone on speaker! Those looking for beautiful contempt can find it here. 

Looking for Esther — Esther Robertson (Sound Up UK 2019)

Looking for Esther is a Spotify Original podcast that follows Esther Robertson’s journey to piece together her past and her identity. Esther was adopted at birth and had three different names before she turned three, and this podcast is a powerful and personal memoir of her real-time search for answers, memories, and her birth mother. You can read the full For the Record interview with Esther here. 

Beloved Shows With New Seasons 

Masala Podcast — Sangeeta Pillai (Sound Up UK 2018)

Season four of the fiercely feminist Masala Podcast returns with Sangeeta Pillai chatting with international comedian and TikTok star Zarna Garg. Zarna describes herself as an Indian immigrant wife, mom, lawyer, screenwriter, producer, stand-up comedian, and overbearing Indian auntie. In this episode, the hosts explore how womxn need to be valued (and paid!) for their time and efforts. They also discuss how South Asian women can really own their own voices. Masala Podcast is a Spotify Original podcast and was the winner of the British Podcast Awards for 2020 and 2021. 

You Heard Me Write — Kacie Willis (Sound Up US 2019)

Treat your ears to 30 original pieces of prose, music, and sound design never heard before. Season 2 of You Heard Me Write features artists collaborating on a multimedia group project without having any knowledge about the identities of their counterparts. Only after the project’s completion are the artists introduced to one another in a salon-style roundtable discussion. There they explore the roles of creativity and anonymity and the power of connection among people from different walks of life. It’s hosted by Sound Up alum Kacie Willis, and you can read the full For the Record interview with Kacie from the launch of season 1 here. 

Like what you hear? Stay tuned—there’s always new Sound Up shows coming to Spotify.

Spotify’s Sound Up Program Seeks Aspiring Podcasters To Create Shows Geared Toward Kids and Families

March 8, 2022

Since 2018, Spotify’s Sound Up program has worked with underrepresented creators to help them develop their podcasting skills and grow audiences. To date, Sound Up has launched in 12 markets—including Japan, Italy, the U.S., U.S. LatinX, India, Mexico, Australia, Sweden, the U.K., Germany, Brazil, and Argentina—and has offered participants educational resources, technical support, and opportunities to build relationships with fellow podcasters. 

Along the way, Sound Up alumni have gone on to create award-winning shows while Dope Labs, FOGO, Search Engine Sex, and You Heard Me Write have all ranked on Spotify’s podcast charts. 

For its latest iteration, Sound Up will be working with 10 up-and-coming podcasters in the U.S. who create high-quality content geared toward kids, families, and co-listening experiences. With the U.S. population growing ever more diverse, family content from underrepresented creators is needed now more than ever. Sound Up is on a mission to discover and elevate those voices.

So what can you expect from Sound Up Us: Kids & Family 2022 edition? Check out these four fast facts:  

1. Up to 10 underrepresented creators will be part of the program for five months

Those selected for the program will go through a three-phase immersive experience where they will hone their storytelling, get more experience in audio production, and workshop their ideas around creating high-quality content for families. Along the way, they’ll receive support and guidance through in-person training and virtual workshops while also having access to all of the technology and tools needed to succeed. 

2. This is the first family-focused iteration of Sound Up

After launching a sports-focused program in the U.K. earlier this year, Sound Up is now turning its attention to families. Why? Simply put, co-listening is an increasingly great way for kids and their families to spend quality time together while enjoying content that is educational and entertaining. Sound Up wants to continue to support this trend by allowing underrepresented creators with fresh perspectives to deliver more content to listeners in this space.

“We are so excited to launch our very first genre-specific programs this year. We are always adapting the program to reflect the changes in the medium and with our focus internally on Kids & Family it just made sense to expand our curriculum,” said Natalie Tulloch, Global Lead of Sound Up at Spotify.

3. Creators will work with top professionals

Sound Up’s longtime partner and collaborator Rekha Murthy, an independent podcast strategist, along with Dawn J. Fraser, a professional storyteller and communications coach, will be facilitating this program, giving participants the chance to collaborate closely with some of the best in the industry. 

“Our hope is that we will be able to bring experts from the field of childhood development in conjunction with our amazing facilitators and podcast experts into the classroom to help participants tell stories that connect with their audience,” Natalie explained.  

4. Participants will create their own pilot episodes 

In order for participants to put what they’ve learned about the art and strategy of podcast creation and development to the test, they will create their own fiction or nonfiction pilot episode that accounts for kids’ intellectual and emotional well-being, and allows families to listen together.

Sound Up is accepting applications for this program now through April 8. On March 24 at 3 p.m. EST, Dawn, along with Spotify Head of Kids Audio Content Verdell Walker, will host a Q&A session on Spotify Greenroom to answer any questions applicants may have. For more on application requirements, be sure to click here.

For more information on Sound Up, and to check out the incredible podcasts that Sound Up alumni have created so far, check out the official Sound Up website.

Get to Know the 10 Female Podcasters of Color Heading to Phase Two of Spotify’s Sound Up U.S. Program

November 20, 2020

Anyone has the ability to think of a great podcast idea—but not everyone has the means, knowledge, or connections to bring it to life. That’s where Spotify’s Sound Up podcast education program comes in: Our goal is to empower the next generation of podcasters through education, workshops, and support, as well as create a space for new voices, stories, and perspectives in podcasting. And it’s already making an impact: By the end of 2020, Sound Up will have served 160 participants in six countries. 

Back in June, we announced the addition of Brazilian and Swedish programs, in addition to offerings for the U.S., U.K. and Ireland, Australia, and Germany. We also opened up applications for the third cohort of women of color in the U.S. who want to gain the skills and connections to bring their great podcasting ideas to life.

This year, Sound Up U.S. was conducted over a four-week virtual course in which 20 outstanding participants who were selected from a competitive batch of applications learned podcast engineering skills, tips for pitching their ideas, and more. Their ideas ran the gamut from historical fiction and fantasy, to innovative music shows, motherhood, women’s sexual health, musicals, and social justice. The program was facilitated by Rekha Murthy, a podcast strategist and our long-term partner on the program; and Maria Murriel, cofounder of Pizza Shark Productions.

All 20 participants had eight weeks to deliver a trailer and podcast pitch to a panel of judges for review. Now, going into phase two, 10 participants (and their ideas) have been chosen for a one-week intensive program in 2021. However, the full class will continue to have the support of the Sound Up community for their projects going forward, as well as access to ongoing opportunities for education, classes, and networking. 

The second phase of the program will be even more focused, with more one-to-one workshop support. After the week comes to an end, each participant will have two months to complete a 20- to 30-minute pilot episode, and potentially see their idea come to life. 

Get to know the 10 participants who will be moving forward into the next phase of Sound Up U.S.

Krystal Cruz

 

“Programs like Spotify’s Sound Up are essential to making a change in terms of minority representation in media. Spotify uses their platform to hold up the creatives needing a boost and inspire them to make content unapologetically. It is no longer enough for vessels of media to only call for a change, but instead they need to actually feed the change to happen. Fueling the agents of change is exactly what Sound Up does. Programs like Sound Up make it possible to give the tools to communities to tell their stories and confidently take up space in the podcasting landscape. Opportunities like these reassure aspiring writers, producers, and hosts that they belong in any space where media is being created.”

Nicole Bassolino

 

“Technical editing skills aside, Sound Up has taught me how to refine a podcast idea. When I applied to Sound Up, my pitch was fairly general—I had a vague idea of what I wanted the show to be about, but beyond that, not much. I didn’t have a brief memorable sentence, an elevator pitch, or an image of who my listeners might be. From generating pseudo profiles of my ideal audience to thinking about content strategy and answering important questions like ‘Why this podcast? Why now? Why me?’ I’ve come out of the Sound Up program with a much stronger sense of direction and show identity.”

Shayla B. Coleman

 

“The power of community cannot be understated. Being around and interacting with others who are doing all they can to breathe life into the things they care about alongside you, and who want to see you succeed, is so uniquely energizing. Knowing you’re only a message/email/phone call/video chat away from someone who’s gone through it, going through it, rooting for you, willing to remind you you’re not crazy, is that extra hidden fuel reserve you can tap into when you’re running on E.”

Winnie Kemp

 

“Creating and writing my own fiction podcast always felt like a goal that was far out of reach because of external circumstances (job, kids, etc.) and internal blocks (lack of confidence, feeling like I did not know enough about the podcast industry). Sound Up gave me the structure, the knowledge, and the community to become a more confident creator and invest in myself. I’m 100% sure I would be sitting at home, still stuck in the idea phase, without this program.”

Caroline Selia

 

“From learning how to develop my show’s main thesis to learning the intricacies of sound design, Sound Up has taught me so much. I feel like I learned how to be an audio engineer, content creator, and podcast host in a way I didn’t even know was possible. Every workshop and session brought so much detail and insight into a process that felt so mysterious. And it felt even more meaningful to gain most of this insight from some of the most amazing women in the business. I will always thank Spotify’s Sound Up for making me a microphone snob to spot any sound inconsistency in any podcast I listen to for the rest of my life!”

Rene Rawls

 

“Programs like Spotify’s Sound Up are important because they give creative artists like myself the ‘YES . . . AND’ we need. YES . . . we hear and honor your unique voice. AND . . . we’re going to give you the resources needed to support your vision. Programs like this set artists up for success.” 

Rowena Chang

 

“I am so grateful for this program for helping me discover my voice. Although there is a lot of chatter in the world, we all still have stories worth sharing! The tools, guidance, and encouragement provided by the entire Sound Up team and program empowered me to take the mic—literally—and speak up.” 

Olayinka Sarayi

 

“I learned how to go from ideation to creation, how to structure a show, and how to really think about my audience and reaching them in a meaningful way. Beyond that, the program helped me gain confidence in myself. Sound Up taught me how to put myself out there, to take a chance on myself, and to believe in myself. I got to meet many talented women who were all there to learn and lift one another up. This program has literally been the highlight of my 2020.”

Pratima Mani

 

“I came into this knowing how to break down an idea in terms of narrative and character but now I have a much stronger sense of how to discuss content-strategy—for example, how to get not just other writers and artists, but also producers and partners, excited about an idea.”

Alexis Johnson

 

“Being chosen as a Sound Up participant was beyond my wildest dreams. For years, I have had my podcast concept on the horizon. But without direction on how to approach the beginnings of my idea or many of the resources necessary to produce the podcast, I never pushed myself to get it off the ground. Sound Up has given me the opportunity to take my passion project to a well-rounded program focused on developing industry-standard quality content that was both challenging and informative. More importantly, Sound Up brought together a group of women that will forever be connected. It brought light to us in a year of uncertainty.”

 

Check out In Those Genes, a podcast by previous Sound Up U.S. winner Dr. Janina Jeff that uses genetics to decode the lost histories and futures of African-descended Americans through the lens of Black culture.