In February, Spotify hosted The Free Studio, a four-day residency that brought nine Black musicians and creators together under the same roof. Part of the Frequency initiative to amplify Black voices, The Free Studio not only provided access to studio spaces and production resources, but also allowed these artists to connect and collaborate with one another.
The residency included creators like artist Doechii and producer Sango, in addition to Vic Mensa, Indigo Mateo, and Richie Reseda from the podcast Abolition X. One of the many talented creators asked to participate was Mike Brown, host of the podcast The Art of Letting Go. Mike started the show on a whim to talk through his own life experiences, but the series expanded and now serves as a platform for Mike and his guests to explore the idea of Black male vulnerability and their path to personal growth.
After five years of juggling his work on the podcast with his responsibilities as a teacher, Mike is stepping away from the classroom to work on his podcast full-time. For the Record caught up with Mike to talk about his experience taking part in the Free Studio residency, the evolution of his podcast, and his personal journey along the way.
In what ways has The Art of Letting Go evolved since it first started? Was there anything new that you tried during your residency? I remember I used to do a lot of editing . . . chopping up what I wanted in the podcast and what I didn't; putting music in and taking music out. But fast-forward to now, and I like to keep the conversation in the rawest form because I want listeners to feel like they're in the conversation with me.
But recording at The Free Studio opened me up to some of the ideas that I've wanted to try out because I had the space and the time to consider them. Sometimes when I'm recording or working on something at home, I'll get distracted by all the other stuff I need to do. Just being there in that space allowed me to completely focus on the podcast, record some freestyles and some raps. I asked a friend who wasn't able to come by to send me some meditations and I created a segment for people to ask me questions. And I was like, Wow, like I could have been doing all of this.
What was it like taking part in the Free Studio residency? It still has a lingering effect on me. I'm thinking about it right now and it almost felt like a psychedelic trip. I feel like I went into my real life and came back into this fantasy world because it felt like what I was supposed to be doing. It felt very natural. Starting this podcast, I was just trying to just get my feelings out. The Free Studio showed me that I can really do this. Frequency created this space that felt safe enough to be and do whatever I wanted.
What was the spirit of collaboration like within the studio? Not to be corny, but I think we were all on the same frequency. But seriously, there was just a level of safety. I really connected with the group that works on Abolition X. Everybody was friendly, everybody just felt like they were there on some really positive vibrations. It felt natural to ask somebody like, Hey, you know we're working in this space together, would you want to work together? I'm actually supposed to be connecting with Indigo from Abolition X this weekend and possibly recording something for my show. But yeah, it was really dope.
Having spent the last five years working on The Art of Letting Go, did the Free Studio opportunity change, challenge, or help you expand your role as a podcaster? I would say going into it, that impostor syndrome kind of came up. And that was the challenge to get over. Like, Am I supposed to be here? Then actually being in the space and connecting with people, the answer was, Yes, I'm supposed to be here.
It made me comfortable asking people to collaborate. I've always been hypercritical of creating and art in general, and sometimes it didn't feel safe to tell someone I want to work with you. But being there just made me think, Let's just see what we could do, what we can make happen. The last day right before the closing party I asked Anthony Prince Leslie, the director of the Free Studio documentary, if he wanted to record an episode for my podcast. And he was like, Absolutely, let's record. And we ended up with a really beautiful episode. So that was a challenge I feel like I ultimately overcame.
You've spoken previously about how one of the core topics of The Art of Letting Go is the idea of Black male vulnerability. Can you speak a little on the ways that this podcast has helped you explore that aspect of yourself? Yeah, it's definitely made me almost, like, hyper self-aware and just more compassionate toward myself. Because I feel my growth in sharing my experience, and even on those days where I am kind of down on myself, there's always somebody to remind me of how my journey is affecting them. So you know, it's definitely taught me to be kinder to myself to really feel safe within my own body, to communicate and express my feelings and just understand. Like the result of my authenticity is beyond my control. But as long as I'm being authentic, that's all that matters.
Is there anything about Frequency's approach that caught your eye prior to starting your residency? Is there anything that you've come to appreciate after the experience? Coming into it, I really had only known Frequency for music. But being on the creator side of it and seeing how much the Frequency team poured into me, you know, like not only just giving me this opportunity to create, but really just showing me that they really were in support of what I'm doing. It just felt like people were genuine about really wanting to build up my voice. I guess that could be Black voices, but also my voice, f
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
28/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/01/2026
28 01 2026 - Media release Screen Australia refreshes Market & Audience approach...
28/01/2026
Boston Conservatory Orchestra Premieres a New Piano Concerto by Peter and Leonar...
27/01/2026
Click for Japanese version
Tokyo, Japan - January 27, 2026 - Akamai Technolo...
27/01/2026
L-R: Jonathan Cuchacovich, Sonia Kennebeck, Alan Fischer, Daeil Kim, Andrew Sta...
27/01/2026
Today, Spotify is proud to support our partner Backline, an industry-leading men...
27/01/2026
With nearly 29 million monthly listeners and clear momentum on Spotify, Net n Ve...
27/01/2026
January 14, 2026
We are proud to share that 25 Ontario, First Gulf's commercial project located just two minutes from our head office, has been recognized ...
27/01/2026
January 22, 2026
First Gulf is excited to share that a full-building lease has been secured at 625 Bronte Rd in Oakville, part of Bronte Station Business Park,...
27/01/2026
January 23, 2026
First Gulf continues to demonstrate its commitment to high-performance, sustainable real estate with 351 King Street East achieving BOMA BEST ...
27/01/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
27/01/2026
Nielsen will continue to drive growth and provide local audience measurement
in...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Amagi Media Labs Limited, the only cloud-native SaaS provider offering end-to-end solutions across live production, content preparation, distribution, and monet...
27/01/2026
Miri Technologies Inc. today unveiled its V410 live 4K video encoder/decoder for streaming, IP-based production workflows and AV-over-IP distribution. Designed ...
27/01/2026
The Paul E. Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell in Massachusetts has chosen Ikegami cameras for incorporation into its broadcast-quality television production facili...
27/01/2026
SipRadius, specialists in secure, low latency media transport, will show the pro AV community its end-to-end solution for high quality content distribution and ...
27/01/2026
Hiltron will highlight the fruits of its 45-plus years of experience in satellite communications system integration and product development at the annual GovSat...
27/01/2026
Klvr will demonstrate how its Charger Pro solution is delivering cost reduction and performance benefits for live entertainment and pro AV markets at ISE 2026 (...
27/01/2026
Amino, a global media technology leader in enterprise video and digital signage, today announced that its Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2026 booth (4N700) wil...
27/01/2026
ANI, India's leading news agency and a major content provider across the Asia Pacific region, today announced a significant expansion of its long standing p...
27/01/2026
Independent analysis confirms faster encoding, lower CPU usage, and improved perceptual quality compared to CBR and CRF
VisualOn, a leader in multimedia playba...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
27/01/2026
New agreement for uninterrupted UHF connectivity for Australian Defence Force through 2033, With Options Extending to 2041
Luxembourg, January 13, 2026 - Satel...
27/01/2026
Tuesday 27 January 2026
SNL UK creative team expands as Pauli Lovejoy, Annie Ha...
27/01/2026
Back to All News
When It Feels Real, Is It Still a Lie? The Art of Sarah' ...
27/01/2026
Back to All News
That Night premiering on Netflix March 13
Entertainment
27 January 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
DOWNLOAD THE KEY ART
DOWNLO...
27/01/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Revealed the Future of Mexican Stories Coming in 2026
Entertainment
27 January 2026
GlobalMexico
Link copied to clipboard
Among t...
27/01/2026
Back to All News
Four New Japan Titles Announced for 2026: Viral Hit', On...
27/01/2026
Back to All News
What's Next on Netflix from Japan: Expanding the Possibili...
27/01/2026
AI, graphics and virtual software power new production capabilities...
27/01/2026
RT Supporting the Arts is delighted to support a dynamic programme of cultural events taking place across Ireland this February. From visual art, film, music, ...
26/01/2026
Music videos play a huge part in how fans connect with their favorite songs, but...
26/01/2026
NAIDOC launches 2026 theme 50 Years of Deadly , marks major milestone
25 January, 2026
Media releases
The National NAIDOC Committee has today unveiled its...
26/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
26/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
26/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
26/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Pinterest
Bluesky
Email...
In February, Spotify hosted The Free Studio, a four-day residency that brought nine Black musicians and creators together under the same roof. Part of the Frequency initiative to amplify Black voices, The Free Studio not only provided access to studio spaces and production resources, but also allowed these artists to connect and collaborate with one another.
