Who’s ready for some aural travelling? A murderous tale from the Mexican desert is among the places that this week’s new podcast releases will take listeners. Another will go back in time to Capitol Hill on Jan. 6, 2021. Another goes to spiritual camps where people try to speak with the dead. There’s also a literary trip with a “GMA” veteran. Plus a musical ‘sonic leap’ to 1985.
Here’s some of what’s new this week in podcasting –
Deliver Us From Ervil is a new podcast from iHeartMedia and the U.K. podcast studio Novel. In the investigative series, host Jesse Hyde descends into the Mexican desert to unearth a murderous tale of truly Biblical proportions as a Utopian safe haven turns into the birthplace of a cold-blooded cult. As he plunges into cartel country, Hyde reveals the story of Colonia LeBaron, a town that quickly spun from its vision of a utopian Mormon community into a brutal legacy of belief, familial betrayal, and cult-driven crime. Hyde collects extraordinary, never-before-heard accounts from former cult followers, alongside their victims and the cops, journalists, and prosecutors who tried to chase them down — including direct testimony from the cult’s most shocking assassin: leader Ervil LeBaron’s teenage wife.
Told through powerful first-person reporting from the 1950s to the present day, Deliver Us From Ervil places its host at the center of the story. Along the way, Hyde speaks directly to those carrying out these killings, the remaining LeBarons, the relatives of their many victims, and the law enforcement officers who’ve spent decades attempting to halt the decades-long cycle of violence passed down from Ervil to his children. As Hyde sifts out mythology from truth as he constructs an epic, winding narrative, building a tale that is highly stylistic and novelistic in approach.
Deliver Us From Ervil officially launches with its first two episodes on May 4, with new episodes dropping every Wednesday on iHeartRadio and all other platforms.
Will Be Wild is a new podcast from Pineapple Street Studios, Wondery and Amazon Music. Hosted by investigative journalists Andrea Bernstein and Ilya Marritz, who also helmed the Trump Inc podcast,. the series is a deep dive into the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The series takes its name from former President Trump’s infamous tweet—“Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there, will be wild!”—this series is the result of an in-depth investigation into how January 6 happened, told through the human stories of those who tried and failed to prevent the attack, those who carried it out, and those who became victims that day.
“These are the engrossing true stories of the people whose lives were transformed by the attack on the U.S. Capitol,” said Marritz.
Throughout their series, Bernstein and Marritz feature interviews with former Trump administration officials, families torn apart by radicalization, insurrectionists currently behind bars, and lawmakers serving on the official government committee investigating the attacks, seeking to understand how this happened – and where we go from here.
“When Ilya and I started working on this project, we did what we always do—pored over court records, government documents and congressional hearings, trying to piece together the narrative of what happened. And while the outlines of events did come from that research, the emotional heart of the story lay with the heartbreakingly honest accounts of the people. Those who saw what was coming and were thwarted when they tried to stop it. Those who were radicalized by a president actively trying to unravel democracy. Those who suffered, and are still suffering, the blows from that day.,” said Bernstein. “We think after you’ve listened to Will Be Wild, you’ll have a deep understanding not only of what happened, but what is happening in America today.”
New episodes drop every Monday.
Jenna Weiss-Berman and Max Linsky are the executive producers for Pineapple Street. From Wondery and Amazon Music, executive producers are Morgan Jones, Marshall Lewy, and Erin O’Flaherty. Will Be Wild the first of a four-project slate deal for Amazon Music and Wondery, with Pineapple Street Studios to co-produce original podcast content.
Ghost Church by Jamie Loftus is a new podcast from iHeartRadio. Loftus, an Emmy-nominated writer and comedian, investigates and interrogates American spiritualism, a century-old tradition of communing with the dead that takes place in camps full of mediums across the country. Jamie digs into top questions such as: who is drawn to these camps, how did the religion come together, and why are the tarot card readers and the seance-havers fighting? Ghost Church features on-site reporting and interviews with everyone from spiritualist psychics to Protestant pastors to a very lonely carnival employee. Loftus previously hosted the hit podcast series Aack Cast.
Not Lost is a new documentary-style travel podcast from Pushkin Industries, iHeartMedia and Topic Studios. The series is hosted by journalist and former public radio and podcast host Brendan Francis Newnam. On each episode, Newnam, with a friend in town, travels to a new town, sees the sights and tries to get invited to a stranger’s house for dinner. From Montréal to Mexico City, Newnam and his guests drink, dance and eat, learning as much about themselves as the places they visit. Not Lost is both a delightful travel escape and an insightful look at people – locals and visitors alike – trying to make sense of a constantly changing world through conversation and culture.
Newnam honed his wit and conversational skills for ten years as co-host of the public radio show and pioneering culture podcast The Dinner Party Download. Newnam brought the idea for Not Lost to Topic Studios, which helped creatively develop the concept and produce the initial season with Newnam before teaming up with Pushkin and iHeartMedia.
The first season of Not Lost will premiere on Wednesday May 4, and will feature eight documentary-style episodes and eight interview-focused episodes with travelers both famous and unknown about their unfiltered reminiscences and adventure tales.
Betrayal is a new true crime podcast from Glass Podcasts, a division of the award-winning Glass Entertainment Group and iHeartMedia. A real-life fairytale gone horribly wrong, Betrayal is the story of TV producer Jenifer Faison whose picture-perfect marriage completely shatters in the blink of an eye when she suddenly discovers that her college sweetheart-turned-doting husband is not the person she thought he was. After seven years of marriage, Faison came home from work one afternoon to find her house searched and her husband arrested for the continued sexual assault of a student. Hosted by Faison and Glass Podcast’s Head of Podcast Production and Development, Andrea Gunning.
The series is Executive Produced by Nancy Glass and Jenifer Faison with Carrie Hartman and Ben Fetterman producing for Glass Podcasts. Glass Podcasts is overseen by Gunning, and Ben Fetterman, who serves as Head of Podcast Strategy and Development. For iHeart, Ali Perry is Executive Producing the series and Jessica Krainchich is serving as Producer.
The eight-episode series will publish new episodes every Thursday.
The Book Case is a new podcast from ABC Audio and hosted by longtime ABC News journalist Charlie Gibson and his daughter Kate Gibson. Each week, the father-daughter duo will provide hand-selected recommendations and sit down with a prominent or up-and-coming author, book industry insider or literary influencer.
“Kate and I share a passion for books and that sparked Kate’s idea for this podcast. It features two generations and two different viewpoints, but we share a desire to find books we think are worthy of listeners’ time,” says Charlie Gibson. “It’s also a chance to work with my daughter and read lots of books. What could be better than that?”
Upcoming guests include popular authors John Irving, Azar Nafisi, Sue Miller, Niall Williams, as well as Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, who discusses her role as a steward of some of the country’s rarest and most historic books. Each episode will also feature a short audio postcard from an independent bookstore owner about the titles flying off the shelves in their region. The first episode, posting May 2, features a conversation with television icon Oprah Winfrey, who discusses the impact of her book club on American readership, her own reading habits and how she makes her picks.
“During the pandemic, I really missed spending time with my parents. Given how much we love talking about books, this seemed like an amazing way to combine father/daughter quality time with our favorite pastime,” says Kate Gibson. “Plus, I get to read everything I can get my hands on. It feels like I’m living a dream.”
The Book Case will post weekly on Thursdays beginning May 5. The Book Case also joins ABC Audio’s growing library of lifestyle, culture and entertainment on-demand audio content available for free on the GMA channel on Apple Podcasts.
ABC Audio produces The Book Case in conjunction with SureCAN TV. Liz Alesse is director and executive producer for ABC Audio.
Mood Ring is a new podcast from APM Studios. Hosted by author and journalist Anna Borges, Mood Ring takes an empathetic and realistic approach to self care. The podcast shares practical and creative ways to improve our lives, with each episode focusing on one new way we can cope with our feelings, our baggage, or the world around us.
Episodes will feature guests getting candid about their own mental health struggles and strategies. Guests include: Ayelet Fishbach, Ph.D., author of Get It Done: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation; Zachary Zane, sex columnist; Hannah and Charlie Lucas, creators of the notOK app; Jasmine Araujo, Southern Solidarity; Elisa Beagle, licensed professional counselor; and Jor-El Caraballo, licensed mental health counselor, among others.
“I have a love-hate relationship with self-care. People often prescribe it as this one-size-fits-all antidote, when in reality, taking care of our mental health is personal and complicated. Because of that, a lot of self-care advice can make us feel broken if it doesn’t work for us the way it’s ‘supposed’ to—and that’s if it’s even accessible to us in the first place,” said Borges. “We wanted to make a self-care show grounded in reality, full not only of actionable takeaways, but also honest conversations about the struggles, shortcomings, and privileges of self-care.”
Mood Ring will release new episodes every Thursday.
Being Trans is a new podcast from Lemonada Media. The six-part unscripted documentary-reality podcast series follows four transgender individuals living in Los Angeles. Over the course of three months, the crew — led by reality TV expert Kasey Barrett (MTV’s The Real World, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Born This Way) — recorded hundreds of hours of live conversations, experiences and intimate moments with cast members as they lived them, providing a uniquely unfiltered look at their daily lives.
Throughout the season, listeners will meet Jeffrey, a transgender man and standup comic navigating his career as well as his relationship with his partner, Emma. The will also meet Mariana, a trans woman from Guatemala who is tackling tough issues at a local LGBTQ center along with her coworker Kadence. There is also Chloe, who’s new to Los Angeles, and new to dating as a trans woman. And Sy, who’s figuring out their relationship and family dynamics with their husband Robert since coming out as trans non-binary. Issues including dating, parenting, doctor visits, career quandaries, and parties are all tackled on the series.
The production team for Being Trans includes: Kasey Barrett (She/Her), executive producer; Sele Leota (He/Him), co-executive producer; Myrriah Gossett (They/She), associate producer; Scott Hanlon (He/His), audio supervisor; Marz Mejia (They/Them), audio field recordist; Shar Jossell (She/Her), story consultant; and Greta Stromquist (She/Her), assistant producer.
Sonic Leap is a new music-focused podcast co-produced by Audio Up and SiriusXM. The series is based on the completely made-up backstory of real-life rock act Hero the Band – four Atlanta-based fraternal brothers who get sent back to 1985 to “change their future and the future of music.” The series was created and co-written by Audio Up CEO Jared Gutstadt and features original music from Gutstadt, Jeff Peters, and Hero the Band. Actor Anthony Anderson (Black-ish, Law & Order) makes his podcast acting debut in this nostalgic scripted musical series. Rap star Trippie Redd co-stars and contributes music. The series will also unlock the debut album from the Atlanta-based band, to be released on Audio Up Records. The album’s first single, “Might Find Love,” recently premiered on SiriusXM’s Alt Nation and is currently in regular rotation.
Words For The People is a new podcast from Louisville Public Media’s LPM Podcasts. Created and hosted by Kentucky Poet Laureate Crystal Wilkinson, each episode of Words For The People features interviews with two Kentucky writers — one established, and one emerging — woven together with writing submitted by LPM’s community of listeners. At the end of each episode, Wilkinson gives a writing prompt to inspire listeners to tap into their own creativity. On the show’s website, wordsforthepeople.org, listeners can submit what they create in response to the prompt, and Wilkinson will share them on future episodes and on her social media pages.
“Everyone has meaningful stories inside them, but we don’t always know how to set them loose into the world,” Wilkinson says. “We want to help you free the words that matter.
The first episode is available now in honor of Kentucky Writers Day. It features former Kentucky Poet Laureate Frank X Walker, who coined the term “Affrilachia” and co-founded the Affrilachian Poets. Episode one’s emerging writer is activist and poet Zakia Holland. Future episodes will be released on the fourth Tuesday of each month.
Laura Ellis, LPM’s director of podcasts and special projects, says she’s excited for readers and writers to hear the show. “I’m so proud Crystal has chosen LPM to help bring her podcast to life. Her mission couldn’t be more perfectly aligned with our own: empowering people to tell their own stories,” Ellis says.
Love Takes Action is a new podcast from New York Life and produced by FC Podcasts-Fashion Consort. Hosted by actor and writer Ellen Adair, the bi-weekly pilot series will deliver eight diverse stories of everyday people who have put their love into action in real life situations or during extraordinary events, sharing moments of love, strength, resiliency and humanity.
“No company more than New York Life understands that our lives are defined by key moments, those expected, and those sometimes unexpected. Our Love Takes Action podcast, season one, is inspired by the our recent advertising campaign, and directly reflects the values and mission of New York Life,” said New York Life Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Kevin Heine. “We hope listeners will connect to the moving stories that shape our lives, families and communities.”
The series will launch with an episode that explores a young man’s journey from poverty to prosperity, and the guidance he received that encouraged him to break cycles and build a better life, including graduating from college and later joining the military.
The Official We Own This City Podcast is a new show from HBO Max. The series is a companion podcast to the HBO limited series chronicling the rise and fall of the Baltimore Police Department’s Gun Trace Task Force. Hosted by D. Watkins, a bestselling author, and one of the show’s writers, the podcast recounts his experiences in and out of the writers’ room, featuring conversations with the people who brought the story to the screen. Episode one features actor Jon Bernthal (starring in the series as Sgt. Wayne Jenkins) as well as writers/producers George Pelecanos and David Simon (also collaborators on HBO’s iconic series The Wire), with other notable guests joining throughout the season like actors Jamie Hector, Wunmi Mosaku, and Josh Charles, director Reinaldo Marcus Green, and more. New episodes are available on Mondays, in alignment with the series schedule.
Cyber CEOs Decoded is a new podcast from the security analytics company Devo on the CyberWire Network. Hosted by Devo CEO Marc van Zadelhoff, the podcast features CEO-to-CEO conversations with the leaders of global security giants and up-and-coming disruptors. The podcast explores what makes cyber CEOs tick and the lessons they’ve learned from building cyber companies, as they share stories of successes and failures in an ever-evolving technology landscape. Van Zadelhoff and his guests offer insights on critical topics and key issues facing the industry and the challenges of bringing innovative new ideas and solutions to market.
“Cyber CEOs face a very unique challenge in running their companies, as they take on the added responsibility of protecting their customers from one of the greatest threats we face in the digital age,” said van Zadelhoff. “My hope is that in this new series we’ll be able to give audiences an unfiltered look at how these individuals got to where they are, what excites them about leading cyber companies, and even what keeps them up at night–while getting to know the person beyond the title along the way.”
In episode one, van Zadelhoff talks with Sonrai Security’s Brendan Hannigan, on how he went from being a security guard on a Jack Nicolson movie set, to cybersecurity CEO.
“Cyber CEOs Decoded gives listeners an insider’s view of how today’s cybersecurity entrepreneurs navigate business and technical obstacles, and develop the strategies that guide their companies in a complex and competitive industry. Their compelling conversations leave you wanting to hear more.” said Peter Kilpe, the CyberWire’s CEO and Executive Editor. “We’re extremely excited to be working with Devo and their team to bring this new show to our network.”
New episodes will be released monthly.
Floodlight is a new podcast from The Anti-Slavery Collective, which looks to raise awareness of modern slavery and explore how we can all help rid the world of this global epidemic. The series is hosted by charity’s co-founders, British Princess Eugenie and Julia de Boinville. Each week they will sit down with guests from all walks of life who are helping to combat modern slavery in a variety of ways. From lawmakers and company leaders to famous activists, survivors and journalists, Floodlight shows just how prominent slavery still is and that we can all do something about it.
Recession Remedies is a new podcast from the Brookings Institute. On each episode, expert guests join host David Wessel, director of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at Brookings, to evaluate a different aspect of the fiscal and monetary response. New episodes will be released every week starting on May 17. Recession Remedies podcast is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.
Everything Is Emo is a new podcast from BBC Sounds. It is hosted by rocker Hayley Williams, who previously was part of the band Paramore. In the series, Williams will chronicle the history of emo music.
“I’m really excited to have the opportunity to publicly nerd out about bands and songs that make my favorite subgenre feel like home to me. And while it will be fun to take some trips down memory lane, I’m just as excited, if not more, to play music from new artists I’m discovering all the time,” she said in the announcement. “Everything Is Emo is meant to feel like a conversation with other fans of the genre, young and (ahem) old. There’s going to be plenty of interaction, which I hope will feel somewhat reminiscent of the message boards and forums I used to frequent as a teenage scene kid.”
Undermine is releasing a third season. The Osiris Media music podcast this season will explore one of the most remarkable feats a band has ever done: Phish’s 13 consecutive shows at Madison Square Garden in July and August 2017. The season features interviews with Scott Bernstein (JamBase), Jesse Jarnow (WFMU, After Midnight), musicologist Dr. Jake Cohen, and a group of fans lucky enough to catch all 13 shows.
Beginning with a history of the importance of Madison Square Garden in American entertainment history, Undermine will dive deep into the shows, including a focus on set list crafting and improvisation, while keeping a keen eye tuned to the larger context of these features in rock history. It also examines the last five years of Phish, and consider how the run has extended the band’s career.
“The Baker’s Dozen was a major milestone in Phish history, which solidified their place in rock history—no repeats in 13 shows, moments of improvisation that will be remembered forever, and a banner that still hangs in the building to this day,” said Osiris CEO RJ Bee. “We’re so excited to give Phish fans, and music fans, a picture of how this historic run of 13 concerts came together, and how they were experienced and now remembered by many members of our community.”
Executive Producers are Tom Marshall, RJ Bee, Brain Brinkman, Matt Dwyer, and Benjy Eisen. Produced and edited by Brian Brinkman. Mixed and Mastered by Matt Dwyer. It is written by Benjy Eisen. Production assistance from Rob Mitchum, Matt Bavuso, Christina Collins and Nick Cejas. Original Music by Amar Sastry. Art by Mark Dowd.
Make It Up As We Go is releasing a second season of the country-themed music podcast coproduced by Audio Up and SiriusXM The new season continues the gripping story of ambitious young country singer Charlotte Sayles (portrayed by singer, songwriter, actor, and series co-creator Scarlett Burke), who has now made her way into Nashville’s male-dominated country hit factory to shake things up and make her fame. Burke and Audio Up CEO Jared Gutstadt, who co-created the series, both star in the show and provide original music along with acclaimed actor Garrett Hedlund, producer and recording artist Shooter Jennings, music icon Nile Rodgers, artist Elle King, songwriter Liz Rose, Kat and Alex, Breland, Abby Anderson, and Chord Overstreet. The second season also includes two new additions — Shooter Jennings and Elizabeth Cook — who both host shows on SiriusXM’s Outlaw Country channel. Jennings is also co-producing the show’s soundtrack with Audio Up’s Gutstadt. The new season debuts May 3.
The Restless Ones is launching a third season. Hosted by Jonathan Strickland, a tech enthusiast and former senior writer for the HowStuffWorks electronics and computer channels, the show digs into how business and industry leaders continue to thrive in a world of complex organizations and lightning-fast technology. Throughout the series, Strickland sits down with the world’s most unconventional thinkers to understand how these executives innovate and enable change, both inside and outside their companies, and what they are looking forward to tackling next. It is an iHeartRadio show.
Spit is launching a thirds season of the show from iHeartMedia and consumer genetics company 23andMe. The podcast looks at how genetics, DNA, health and how it all ties together. With 23 different guests, season three explores how specific information about your DNA can change your life and what if you learned that you possess specific DNA traits that could affect your health. Episode one of season three features special guest Minnie Driver, from the iHeart podcast Minnie Questions, who sits down with 23andMe CEO Anne Wojcicki to talk about the power of DNA and how to move through the fear of finding out health news.
Deep Dive is releasing a third season of the podcast that hails from SailGP, the global racing championship. The series takes racing fans behind the behind the scenes of every aspect of its upcoming racing season. The podcast is hosted by SailGP’s international broadcast commentators and Stevie Morrison and David ‘Freddie’ Carr. As professional sailors, they bring a unique insight and knowledge of the sport and its stars, having raced alongside and against many of SailGP’s world-class athletes. Morrison competed at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympic Games and Carr has taken part in six America’s Cup challenges over the last 20 years.
“We can’t wait to take fans behind the scenes of the most exciting racing on water, analyzing every aspect of what looks like the most thrilling season of SailGP yet,” said Morrison. “We can promise our listeners exclusive insight into the sport’s best athletes with a really exciting lineup of guests in the season ahead.”
The first episode drops in the lead-up to the season opener in Bermuda and Morrison and Carr bring fans comprehensive coverage of the SailGP pre-season. Part two will cover last season’s finalists and two-time SailGP Champion Tom Slingsby’s Australia team and is set for release on May 6 – one week out from the season start. From there, each episode will recap the preceding Grand Prix weekend in full, and deliver predictions and news for the next event. The hosts will interview SailGP drivers to unpack the pivotal moments on the water that shaped the outcome of each event – as well as the drama off-water – plus add their own insight on how events unfolded.
“For SailGP Season 3, we want to make SailGP more accessible to our fans and bring them unique news and insights. To do that, we have increased the content offering and the platforms where our fans can go to truly get under the skin of SailGP and creating a dedicated podcast for our league was the next logical step,” said Jose Garnes, Head of Content at SailGP said. “Having Stevie and Freddie as our hosts is incredibly exciting, I know they will bring the perfect combination of knowledge and banter to allow our listeners to deep dive into every Grand Prix.”
Deep Dive is produced in partnership with Cue Podcasts, a U.K.-based production company specializing in branded podcasts.
“When we first spoke to the SailGP team, we were incredibly excited to create a podcast that not only supports one of the fastest growing sports out there, but also connects with sailing fans all over the world,” said Niall Killeney-Taylor, Head of Production at Cue Podcasts. “Producing a show that travels across several continents in a single championship is a challenge, but it’s one we can’t wait to deliver to listeners.”
Hide and Seek is releasing a third season of the true crime podcast. The new season will focus on the mystery behind a Michigan woman who went missing in 2018. The James Baysinger-hosted podcast will look into the disappearance of Brittany Shank, 23, who was last seen on the night of Nov. 30, 2018. Baysinger says he investigated the case for a year, and spoke with Shank’s friends and family. He also received an unexpected phone call from Shank’s husband.
Come In, Let’s Talk is a new podcast from Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. The series features candid, groundbreaking conversations with senior women executives who discuss their personal experiences climbing the corporate ranks and offer inspiration and specific guidance for anyone aspiring to a senior leadership position.
“These conversations felt personal and surprising,” said host Stacie Hoffmeister, who is Morgan Stanley Wealth Management’s Head of Home Office Talent and Diversity. “Even though I know these women, I realized quickly I only knew part of their stories. In our conversations, they share candidly and generously. We talk about business topics – like building teams and using your influence – but the talks are deep and honest. These conversations are valid and valuable, especially to the next generation of women leaders.”
All eight episodes of the first season were released at once.
Self Smarter is a new podcast from DMA Solutions, a marketing agency serving the food and floral industries. The conversation-centric podcast equips listeners with resources and tools to be more effective leaders inside or outside of the office. The podcast, which airs new episodes each Monday, is co-hosted by DMA Solutions CEO Dan’l Mackey Almy and President Megan Zweig. While the two hosts are well-known in the food and floral industries for their marketing counsel over the past 18 years, this podcast focuses instead on their journey of personal and professional growth as leaders.
“We believe everyone has the opportunity to be a leader but that it’s a choice to do so,” said Mackey Almy. “Whether you choose to be a leader in the workplace, at home, or in your community, we know the most effective leaders are equipped to not only be self-starters but self smarter. Each week we’ll be sharing what we’ve studied and applied throughout our leadership journey to help others navigate theirs.”
On the show, Almy and Zweig cover topics from team culture and trust to resources like the Enneagram and The Ideal Team Player.
