Member podcasts to download in 2020

Podcasts are (still) having a moment. As we step into a new decade, the rise and rise of podcasting and its storytelling capabilities show no sign of waning. In 2019, podcast consumers listened to an average of seven podcast shows per week, with over 75 per cent listening to podcast episodes for more than seven hours each week. Global monthly podcast listener figures are forecast to grow more than sixfold, from 287 million in 2016 to 1.85 billion in 2023.  

 

Last year also saw the launch of our own podcast, Eat, Drink, Chat, where we spoke to creative disruptors including Tiffany Calver, Sam Taylor-Johnson and Kayvan Novak, with more episodes in store for 2020. 

 

Whether you’re working, commuting or relaxing, there are hundreds of thousands of episodes to get your daily dose of escapism. To cut through the noise, we’ve picked member-founded podcasts from around the world to suit any mood. 

 

‘Call Your Girlfriend is a podcast for long-distance besties everywhere co-hosted by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, and produced by Gina Delvac. Every week, Aminatou and Ann call each other to discuss the intricacies of pop culture and the latest in politics. Since launching in 2014, we’ve built an audience of hundreds of thousands of listeners per episode. We’re highbrow and lowbrow, fiercely opinionated, and not afraid to realtalk each other about everything from menstrual cycles and body shaming to the Cheeto in Chief and workplace drama. We highlight women who are agents, creators, movers, and shakers who have smart, interesting things to say. We also care deeply about the lived experiences of non-famous women who are just trying to get through the week. We’re here for every facet of women’s humanity.’

Fiercely feminist and always informative, ‘Call Your Girlfriend’ is your guide to everything from politics to sex, relationships to gender. Hosted by digital strategist, writer and DUMBO house member Aminatou Sow along with journalist Ann Friedman, the podcast exemplifies their philosophy that ‘women sharing their experiences with each other is a potentially life-changing act.’

 

 

They say: 

‘Surviving Sundays began as a personal journal when I hated Sundays, the day when I would feel more hopeless and alone than any other,’ says Emma Mainoo. ‘I wanted a place to express and document my personal growth, and as I opened up to people, I realised I wasn’t alone in suppressing my problems. Through frank conversation, to date we’ve explored how to find your purpose and how to survive Christmas, and in the months ahead, we’ll be exploring topics such as sobriety, authenticity, shame, toxic relationships and other issues that impact our mental health, with people who have some powerful stories to tell.’ 

 

Tales of self-love and survival are at the core of Emma Mainoo’s podcast, turning the anxiety induced by Sundays on its head to share honest accounts of everyday struggles. Launched in November off the back of her mental health platform of the same name, guests include psychotherapist Elizabeth Noble and meditation teacher Light Watkins – recorded at our very own studio in Soho Works White City. 

 

 

‘Katherine Leung cohosts this podcast with sex coach and educator Sara Tang, where they engage in frank, informative and light-hearted conversations to tackle taboos around sex.’ 

 

Tackling the far-reaching world of the bedroom, this Hong Kong-based podcast holds appeal for individuals on all ends of the sexual spectrum, exploring inventive topics from mindfulness in porn and female sexual wellness, to fringe interests like orgasmic meditation, in the process shedding new light on what goes on between the sheets. 

 

 

‘Note To Self is a self-development platform supporting creative women in business. I started producing events, including live podcasts for our community to interact and tell their stories mainly focusing on career journeys, and aiming to inspire through workshops, discussions and retreats that encourage young female entrepreneurs to connect. 

 

‘This year, we’ll be returning with 10 women who’ve been making real change in their sectors, aiming to inspire the next generation of business owners and freelancers as well as support our existing community and my peers.’ 

 

For the first episode of stylist and creative consultant Alizé Demange’s podcast series, fellow member and beauty and tech queen Sharmadean Reid discussed all things female entrepreneurship and work-life balance at Soho Works White City. Featuring key women in the creative sector, who Demange calls Boss Babes – women who have changed the world for the better, no matter how small or large her contribution – delving into self-development, confidence and other challenges faced in the workplace. 

 

 

‘Daddy Issues is a platform where the stories of the fatherless can finally be heard and recognised. Having felt that my fatherlessness had left me lost, foggy and drifting, I became incredibly interested in how someone could channel their trauma or grief into a sense of direction and purpose. I want my guests’ stories to not only resonate with listeners, creating a vocabulary with which to speak about the struggles and realities of fatherlessness, but also, to inspire them. Fatherlessness, as I have found, need not provide a ceiling to your success. Rather, it can be the motivation and provide the focus to propel you forward towards bigger and better things.’ 

 

Angharad George-Carey’s podcast is a vital listen. We all have a loved one who’s lost a father, and this podcast is a revelation, as conversations on the emotional impact of fatherlessness often remain unspoken. Carey’s series normalises these conversations and emphasises how these absences are processed and, eventually, overcome. Guests include Mark Malloch-Brown, the former deputy secretary-general of the United Nations, actor Jordan Waller and DJ Clara Amfo, plus British GQ editor Dylan Jones, who was beaten by his dad as a child, and model Simran Randhawa, who speaks on what it was like growing up with a dad in prison. 

 

 

‘Habits are something we can all incorporate into our lives – habits around health, sleep, de-stressing, productivity, movement, nutrition and relationships,’ says host Ashdin Doctor. ‘Each episode is bite-sized and less than five minutes, packed with fun facts and an easy-to-do habits. Awesome lives start with your awesome habits.’ 

 

In this wide-ranging self-improvement podcast, Mumbai member and life coach Ashdin Doctor helps listeners break out of whatever rut they find themselves in. Topics are oftentimes unexpected, though approachable and entertaining, with various episodes delving into the numerical connection to lunch, the benefits of tongue-scraping, and the relationship between good friendships and better health. 

 

 

‘Slavery not only stripped African-descended Americans of their freedom but of their native languages, families, religion and other vital information that shapes identity,’ says DUMBO House member Janina Jeff. ‘To fill this gap in knowledge, we aim to take listeners on a journey to understand the one per cent of the genome that makes up their individuality. 

 

‘Our overall goal is to build trust between the black community and the genetics community through exposure and education. We hope our podcast family develops a new sense of what identity really means through genetics and that it empowers them to be decision makers of their genetic information. After listening, we hope listeners begin to consider themselves scientists equipped with enough information to change their future and the future of others.’  

 

Hosted and executive produced by geneticist and member Janina Jeff, PhD, MS, In Those Genes launched recently with a pilot episode after winning $10,000 in funding from Spotify’s inaugural Sound Up Bootcamp for women of colour podcasters. Along with cohost Ashley Huderson, PhD, Dr Jeff uses genetics to explore the diversity of ancestral African-American identity and discuss the science’s implications on how we conceive race today. 

 

 

‘[The Breakdown] is a daily podcast from The North Star where Shaun King analyses and breaks down the most pressing news stories of the day. Every Monday through Friday, Shaun will not only unpack stories of injustice, racism and corruption, but will also tell you who’s fighting back and how we can support and join them.’ 

 

Writer and activist Shaun King examines the day’s biggest news while also highlighting the stories that, while important, may have been eclipsed by the mainstream press cycle. Instrumental in bringing attention to the case of death-row inmate Rodney Reed, King uses social media and podcasting not only to shine a light on injustice, but also to catalyse practical action and inspire change. 

 

 

‘I helped produce a live radio show that my wife created back in 2016 called Mom Life Yo,’ says A Tribe Called Dad’s Hapa Perdue. ‘The show was a cutting-edge voice for modern moms that we felt was definitely missing in media at that time. What began as a “dad corner” segment that I hosted on that show became the impetus for my current podcast, A Tribe Called Dad. We realized that there were even fewer resources for fathers, and particularly for “non-traditional” fathers. Men don’t often sit around talking about the trials and tribulations of fatherhood or how it’s sometimes a struggle to truly be there for your kids like you want to be while maintaining a career and providing for your family. We hope that our listener comes away feeling heard and a bit more understood, and maybe even equipped with a few more tools for the journey.’

For anyone curious about the particulars of fatherhood, A Tribe Called Dad is the podcast for you. Through interviews with other dads in the creative industries, DJs HAPA and Spider explore myriad approaches to parenthood, leaving room to both laugh when the going is good, and commiserate when it’s not. 

 

 

‘Digitally China is a biweekly podcast where we, together with experts, discuss the fascinating stories from the Chinese tech industry from a Chinese and global perspective. New trends and technology will change our world – Digitally China wants to deliver a fresh perspective on how tech will impact both our today and tomorrow.’ 

 

As China wields more power on the world stage, understanding the world’s largest single internet economy becomes more crucial than ever. Breaking down this monolithic topic into digestible bites, Shanghai member Tom Xiong tackles everything from buying fake followers on WeChat to the double-edged ‘wolf’ culture behind Huawei’s international success. 

 

 

‘As a travel and entertainment journalist, I felt there was a real gap in the podcast market to merge these two specialisms and interview famous faces about travel, and so The Travel Diaries was born. Think of it like a Desert Island Discs, for travel. 

 

‘From Sir Ranulph Fiennes’ dramatic travails climbing Mount Everest and crossing the Arctic, and Rick Stein’s culinary hidden gems, to Dev Patel’s most memorable Indian filming locations and top travel trends, tips and holiday recommendations from the editors of Conde Nast Traveller and Lonely Planet…. for listeners, each episode is wanderlust guaranteed.’ 

 

The Travel Diaries hosted by Holly Rubenstein explores the travel experiences that have shaped her guest’s lives and their adventures around the world. Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Rachel Khoo, Lucy Williams and more discuss the eight key chapters of their life’s travel diaries, from their earliest childhood travel memory and the first place they fell in love with to their all-time favourite destination, their hidden gem recommendation and what’s at the top of their bucket list. 

 

 

‘Listening to Wait, Hold Up is like listening to your homegirls have conversations with friends they truly admire,’ says co-host Jessica Molina. Yarel Ramos and I knew we wanted to start a podcast that would give us both a chance to dive deeper into the stories that mattered to us, while showcasing diverse voices which are underrepresented across all mediums, especially podcasts. We always hope that listeners walk away with a bit of motivation, encouragement, and an overall sense that they’re not alone with whatever it is they’re going through. WHU is a space for belonging, to get connected to new people with incredible stories, and to ultimately be reminded we’re capable of anything.’ 

Hosted by Spotify creative producer Jessica Molina and Univision anchor Yarel Ramos, Wait, Hold Up! features interviews with Latinx professionals and heart-to-heart conversations about everything from careers to self-image, and identity to wellness. When they record, Molina and Ramos create not only a podcast, but a community of encouragement – as they say in their intro, ‘we don’t have all the answers, but we’re down to figure it out together.’