Member podcasts to download in 2020

Three diverse women sitting in front of various cactus plants and trees.

Looking for a new podcast to tune into? We’ve got you covered, with 12 member series to have on your radar now

By the Soho House team   Wednesday 8 January, 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. 

The podcast for feminists: Call Your Girlfriend
 
They say:
‘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.’

We say:
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.’
 
Listen to Call Your Girlfriend here.
two hosts recording podcast
The podcast for banishing the January blues: Surviving Sundays 
 
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.’ 
 
We say: 
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.