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
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
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. 
