Spotify and Chill: 5 Reasons to Get Excited about Podcasts Again in 2023

Access the Audio Read version of this article directly on Spotify for Podcasters.

"We’ve selected insightful, change-making, raw and honest podcasts that will give you a break from performative activism and pointless chitchat."

We know: everybody’s a podcaster now, and it’s impossible to find something good to listen to anymore. While the newsworthiness of podcasts has gone with the times, there are still ground-breaking programmes happening on audio platforms. We’ve selected some of the insightful, change-making, raw and honest podcasts we’ve been addicted to lately - ones that will give you a break from performative activism and pointless chitchat.

1. Climate Curious, by Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst

Climate Curious is for people who care about the world, but find the current conversation about climate change confusing, scary or boring – as per the words written on its official page on Spotify. In this podcast by TEDxLondon, co-hosts Maryam Pasha and Ben Hurst lift the lid on the climate emergency by speaking to the world’s leading and most relatable climate pioneers. You can find out why cities are key to the climate fight, why we need to tackle systemic problems (and not just plastic straws), why we’re all a bit crap at sustainability, and more. In its latest episode, the team, along with a neuroscientist specialising in polarisation, tackles why climate change is a wicked problem: an interdependent problem that can feel impossible to solve.

2. Girls that Invest, by Simran Kaur and Sonya Gupthan

In Girls that Invest, Simran Kaur and Sonya Gupthan, two millennial investors who are extremely passionate about all things investing and personal finance, break down the intimidating and not-so-well-taught world of investing and growing wealth, minus the jargon. This one is particularly good if you’re trying to understand how finance works and to even get started in investing. In the latest episode, Simran and Sonya debunk the biggest myths about investing in the stock market so that you can feel more informed and empowered towards your financial future.

3. The YIKES Podcast, by Mikaela Loach and Josephine Becker

Like the YIKES team explains, there’s a lot to make us ‘yikes’ in this world. From the climate crisis to racism, activism and resisting oppressive systems, it can all get a bit overwhelming. Instead of letting them get the best of us, YIKES leans into the ‘yikes’ of the world, breaking down the issues in an accessible, intersectional and nuanced way. Hosted by climate justice activists Mikaela Loach and Josephine Becker, YIKES guides us towards action together. The latest episode features Mikaela's live panel at COP27 on "Youth: From Resistance to Power" with Ayisha Siddiqa, Eric Njuguna, Mitzi Jonelle Tan and Re Cabrera, focusing on the different ways that youth are building power all over the world and how we can all be part of radical transformation.

4. The Motif Podcast, by Shanetta McDonald

In The Motif Podcast, host and Black creative Shanetta McDonald helps listeners feel connected to women of colour who are navigating the world just like the rest of us. Every week, Shanetta shares their highly relatable conversations, their fascinating stories and journeys throughout life, with an emphasis on improving our overall wellness in our mental, physical and spiritual health. Shanetta’s podcast allows women of colour to control their own narrative. In the Season 3 finale, she shares her insights into a quick personal story of surrender, and how we can all invite this shift and perspective into our lives.

5. Say Your Mind, by Kelechi Okafor

In Say Your Mind, actress, director and public speaker Kelechi Okafor shares her unique and hilarious take on Tarot, current events and pop culture - sprinkled with ‘bad language’ and an abundance of ‘straws’. Say Your Mind is unapologetically honest, calls it like it is, and doesn’t shy away from controversial topics. Host Kelechi generously shares her personal stories of highs and lows, and layered opinions on a variety of topics from love and mental health to F1, career, family, race, politics and fighting bullies on the internet. Guest interviews also offer a range from authors to content creators and actors - some you may know, others you will be delighted to discover. The cherry on top: Kelechi’s iconic song covers at the start of each episode, an opportunity not just for giggles but a reflection on the news of the world.