Two weeks ago, the last episode of season one of the former First Lady’s podcast came out. She was the last to join an ever-growing group of celebrities and public figures who host their own podcast. Topics were disparate and overarching, but there were a couple of files rouges that linked all of them. Before going on, while this isn’t a politics podcast, Mrs. Obama’s and her hosts’ views are quite transparent. So, be aware that political discussion will emerge from time to time in every episode.
The podcast’s concept in itself isn’t new. It revolves around a famous person who meets other people and chats with them. However, this is much more personal than your average talk show. Michelle Obama brings to the table people that she knows in real life and with whom she has personal relationships. Thus making the listener feel like they’re getting included in these people’s private conversations.
From a production point of view, this podcast is excellent. It came as a Spotify original, produced for the company by Higher Ground Audio in collaboration with Das Light Production. So, the team was already promising, and it delivered on that. The whole production is of very high quality, but two elements are particularly worth noting: the editing and the music.
The editing is masterful. The editors make a great job of letting the listeners feel part of the conversation by cutting what’s necessary, while at the same time leaving those elements that make a conversation feel natural rather than scripted or overly edited. So, you’ll hear people interrupting each other, interjecting, emphatically agreeing or disagreeing, and everything you would expect from a group of friends chatting together. The most intriguing things, though, are the silences. There are bits of silence here and there, which may look unusual as they typically don’t make the editor’s cut. However, the editing team here is well aware of the content of the podcast and realizes that silences are relevant to a conversation. So, they make the cut. And rightfully so. Without them, the conversation would not only feel unnatural, but it would also lose the gravity that usually characterizes it on these occasions.
The music is another highlight of this podcast. Some tracks were purposefully made for the show, others weren’t, and the team just licensed them. Either way, it was an essential element to the show’s vibes. The introductory episodes feature a constant background of jazzy music. In itself, it already speaks loads to an attentive listener. First, jazz is a genre traditionally was pioneered by the black American population, and Michelle Obama has been the first African-American First Lady in US history. Besides, there are a lot of connotations to this genre. Someone may perceive it as somehow classy, others as chill and relaxing. It often depends on the context. Finally, it is a kind of music that can be both very happy but also a bit melancholy and sober. Altogether, this already gives you a sense of how the episodes are going to look. Michelle Obama is welcoming you, the listener, to her home. She is inviting you to join her and her friends or family as they chat about the times we’re experiencing. As you accept the invite, you are made aware that this an inclusive environment. Also, you sense that the conversation will be light sometimes, but it will also become deep and engaged.
The music plays a role also across the episode’s structure to sort of point out this last element. The segues and transitions across topics are usually through short tunes. This musical bits sound happy and go lucky, when the subject they’re transitioning to is light and quite disengaged. But, when the discussion is going to be profound, political, or social and potentially graver, so becomes the musical transition in a way that is just on point.
As I mentioned, the topics and the content of this podcast are several and varied. What’s sure is that this is a perfect complement to Mrs. Obama’s recent memoir Becoming (also a great read). So, if you’ve read the book, the chances are that you’ll find some of the same stories and anecdotes in the podcast. However, this adds to the value of both the book and the podcast. In the latter’s episodes, the former First Lady discusses these anecdotes with the other people involved. Meaning that we receive their perspective as well, and this both adds to the appeal and makes the listening more fun.
As a white European man, this podcast has been hugely informative, and I believe I have learned a lot from the people who were on the show. They discussed the pandemic from a lot of different perspectives, many of which I’d rarely have the occasion to hear. More importantly, many issues faced by women, black women, and black people were highlighted and discussed. It was very stimulating to listen to them and to learn what people who experience these issues first hand have to say. So, I would encourage all readers not to jump to early conclusions and listen through, even if you feel not to belong to the target audience. You do. And, the feeling of unease you may experience is positive and necessary for you to learn more about what they’re discussing.
To sum up, this podcast is a must-listen. It is informative and fun at the same time and can really help you to learn something more about topics that you may think not to concern you or questions that you were too afraid to ask. So, put your headphones on and join Michelle Obama’s and her friends’ conversation!
HeadphonesOn! 