Be the main character

What’s Poppin Penny?

US Kids & Family alumni, Toni is currently producing a children’s podcast show called ‘What's Poppin' Penny?

This podcast is an educational show crafted to give 3-5-year-olds and their caregivers developmentally appropriate tools for working through complex emotions.

Are you a storyteller from the BIPOC community?

We’re looking to amplify voices from underrepresented backgrounds here in the USA.

Spotify launched Sound Up to find, train and develop the next generation of diverse creators. How it works is simple. You tell us your great idea for a podcast. We’ll supply you with the tools, training and connections to make it happen. There’s year-round support to help you build a career too.

Active events

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About the program

Launched in 2018, Sound Up has grown from a local initiative into a global program - reaching hundreds of aspiring creators around the world. Four years on and we’re still expanding and improving, continuously reshaping the program to suit the needs of storytellers in each new location.

What to expect

We invite up to ten aspiring creators to join each program event. Over five months, you’ll immerse yourself in the art of podcast creation through a mix of in-person training and virtual workshops. From ideation and storytelling to interviewing, editing and producing, our experts will share their knowledge on what it takes to make great content.

Who are we looking for?

Our program is open to storytellers who have historically not had access to the resources and opportunities present in the growing audio and podcasting space. If you’re an aspiring podcaster from an underrepresented background and you live in the US, we want to hear from you. Bring us your idea for a great podcast. And we’ll take it from there.

Meet the experts

Get to know the experts you'll be working with that partner with Sound Up.

Rekha Murthy

Rekha Murthy is a podcast expert with 20 years of experience in podcasting, public radio, and other digital media. She brings content strategy, editorial, distribution, and audience development to organizations and individuals for compelling, successful work.

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Dawn J. Fraser

Storyteller, speaker, and internationally known communications coach, she is the Host and Creator of the live storytelling show and upcoming podcast Barbershop Stories. She has developed programs that foster students' leadership potential and communication skills, ranging from business professionals to storytelling enthusiasts.

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