Behind the Icons

Behind the Icons: Podcast Recommendations

March 10, 2022

Photo by Ekaterina Belinskaya on Pexels.

Curator:

Andrea Asuaje

Why did you choose this theme? 

I am pop-culture obsessed, especially when it comes to movies and music, and I love when we get a chance to take a look behind-the-scenes and see how a film or an album was made. So of course, I have a soft spot for podcasts that give us a peek into the lives of celebrities and their work. Each of these episodes is well-reported, sounds beautiful, and uncovers another side of someone who we may have heard of, but haven’t considered as more than just a pretty face in a magazine, on an album cover, or on the silver screen.

PODCAST PICKS:Click on the podcast art to listen 👂

Finding RaffiSingable Songs for the Very YoungTo most of his fans, Raffi is the guy who sings “Baby Beluga” and “Bananaphone.” But in reality, his career in children’s music was more of a surprise than an actual plan. In this episode, we hear how Raffi started playing music for children as a struggling folk artist, how he decided to make a children’s album, and how that album — “Singable Songs For The Very Young” — made him a superstar to a pint-sized audience and their parents.

You're Wrong AboutPrincess Diana Part 1: The Courtship

One of EarBuds curator Andrea Asuaje's  earliest news-related memories is watching the coverage of the death of Princess Diana and her funeral. Andrea has been fascinated by the royal family for years, but Diana Spencer was always a mystery — a public figure with so much hidden behind beautiful clothes and tabloid fodder. This five-part series examines Diana’s life with care, honesty, and empathy, and never feels exploitative. It’s also great way to prepare before watching the movie “Spencer”!

The TurningMother

Mother Teresa is not only an icon — she’s literally a saint! Because of how she’s been portrayed — and because of the image she worked so hard to maintain — it’s hard to recognize who she really was: a woman striving for holiness through her work… and through pain. This whole series explores who Mother Teresa was through the eyes of the women who worked closely with her as religious sisters in her order, the Missionaries of Charity, allowing listeners to see the shades of gray in a woman who was once called a living saint.

Decoder RingGotta Get Down on FridayRebecca Black was a 13-year-old girl when her song and music video “Friday” came out on YouTube, and let’s just say that the reception wasn’t exactly loving and supportive. Rebecca was ridiculed, parodied and dunked on for years, just for being a teenager having fun with her friends. This episode, full of fun and also a lot of heart, tells us the story of Rebecca Black as she reflects on her song 10 years later.

Anything for SelenaBirth of a Symbol

Selena Quintanilla was so much more than just a beautiful, talented singer for the Latinx community. As Maria Garcia explains in this memoir-style investigative episode, Selena became a trendsetter and a symbol for many. The way Maria unravels Selena’s life and how our society has incorporated Selena’s image, music, and legacy into our world is engrossing and beautiful, and Maria’s vulnerability and authenticity is palpable throughout the series.

SPONSOR:

LWC Studios is launching a new show...

...and they need you! LWC Studios is interviewing Black and brown professionals about their triumphs — and where they sometimes still trip up. They want to speak with folks achieving new heights, either in their personal or professional lives, and who are looking for ways to keep leveling up.

If this is you, or someone you know, please contact producer Virginia Lora at [email protected] to talk about scheduling an interview.

Advertise your podcast or business here starting at $75/week.

FEEDBACK WITH EARBUDS:

This week on Feedback...Hear from this week's EarBuds curator, Andrea Asuaje, about her podcast picks, her interest in pop culture, and her podcast production work at Rococo Punch.PLUS: Hear about this week's Spotlight pick, 2 Bulls in a China Shop.Feedback with EarBuds drops on Tuesdays!

COMMUNITY:

📰Lauren Passell's 'Podcast The Newsletter': Philly Fighting Covid seemed like an admirable organization: its mission was to get the city of Philadelphia vaccinated. But at the helm was a 22-year-old with no health care experience who was hoping to make millions. We don’t know what was in his heart, but on Half Vaxxed, his story screams grifter vibes.🌇Ahead of the release of their fourth season, the Greater Boston audio fiction podcast is launching a crowdfunding campaign to support its growing production team. Greater Boston is a full-cast audio drama set in an alternate-reality version of Boston, with dozens of intersecting characters and storylines. Donate today.🥾Neon Hum Media, in partnership with Sony Music Global Podcasts, announced the selected participants and contributing instructors for its second annual Editors’ Bootcamp, created as a training bootcamp for aspiring podcast editors from underrepresented groups. The program was designed to provide an opportunity for Black and Indigenous storytellers, the LGBTQ, Latino, AAPI, people with disabilities and all communities of color, to help drive their rarely heard, yet critical, stories in podcasting.

✨Keep sending updates for us to include in our Community section: in-person events, Twitter spaces, paid courses, and more. Please submit your items via the above image (that'll take you to our form). 

CLASSIFIEDS:

💻The Opportunity Podcast will help you uncover tactics that veteran online business entrepreneurs have used to build, buy, flip, and sell their way towards personal wealth. In their recent episode, "Building a Million Dollar Business Portfolio by Age 24," Simon Treulle gives us insights into his entrepreneurial journey, including what inspired him to move from Denmark to Chaing Mai, the epicenter of SEO, when he was just 19.📱In the first episode of Offline with Jon Favreau's new standalone feed, New York Times journalist Kara Swisher and host Jon Favreau discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine — how it marks the first true conflict of the internet age, why Putin is losing the misinformation battle, and what makes Zelensky a compelling online hero.

Advertise your podcast or business here starting at $45/week.

PODCAST SPOTLIGHT:

2 Bulls in a China Shop

Have you ever ruined a lunch by talking non-stop about the stock market? 2 Bulls in a China Shop is an entertainment podcast about the stock market, business and economics, with hosts Kyle and Dan sharing their trading experience and lessons learned with honesty and humor. Each episode they look at market moving news, hot stocks to watch, and even a little crypto for good measure!

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