Like the cool side of the pillow, a new podcast could give your pounding brain a little relief.
by Kaylen Ralph
Yesterday, season 1 of Serial came to an (inconclusive?) end. With funding for a second season secured, but no start date in sight, it could be awhile before we can sink our teeth into another Sarah Koenig spun mystery. And maybe that’s ok. Serial was heavy stuff, and there’s something to be said for being proactive about not letting the darkness overtake you via your chosen media consumption habits. My solution? Subscribe to one of these five other lady-led podcasts, all available for free in the iTunes store. With no Serial for the foreseeable future, you can’t be relying on Ryan Seacrest for the long commute home.
Hosts: Ann Friedman and Aminatou Sow
New episodes released: every other Friday
Friedman and Sow are each other’s BFFs IRL and ours on the Internetz. From Taylor Swift to how “white people will not shut up about the booty,” the hosts’ candor and comfort level with each other make this podcast a good alternative to brunching with our own girlfriends when we can’t ~deal~.
Hosts: Cheryl Strayed and Steve Almond
New episodes released: weekly, starting in January
Cheryl Strayed is so hot right now, thanks to the release of Wild‘s movie adaptation (starring Reese Witherspoon). But before she was wild(ly popular), she was Dear Sugar, an anonymous voice of advice and reason beloved by The Rumpus’ audiences. In 2012, Strayed published Tiny Beautiful Things, a book collection of her best columns as well as additional advice. The column’s transition to a podcast format is an exciting move, and one we’re anticipating in the new year.
Host: Grace Helbig
New episodes released: every Friday
Host: Grace Helbig
A well-known comedian, Helbig’s jump to podcasts is just the most recent in a long list of her successfully conquered platforms. She vlogs, tweets and writes. The podcast is the antidote to the in-depth or overly serious celebrity interview show, hence the name. Get it?
Hosts: Fatima, Ramou, Alesia, Aurelia
New episodes released: two-three times monthly
I love this podcast for the same reasons I love Call Your Girlfriend. The format is structured but organic; it centers around the kind of conversations you and your friends have on a good day, when everyone’s feeling inspired and culturally aware/relevant. Black Girls Talking focuses on pop culture and representation of black women in pop culture. It’s feminist (duh) and thought-provoking.
5. Death, Sex & Money
Host: Anna Sale
New episodes released: every other Wednesday
I’ve been a Death, Sex & Money fan since its launch in May of this year. Check out my interview with Anna Sale from June about her reason for starting the podcast, the subtopics that the show’s content breeds, and what it’s like to be a woman in the podcasting world.
[hr style=”striped”]
Kaylen is one of The Riveter’s co-founders and the EIC. She moved to Minneapolis, MN after graduating from the Missouri School of Journalism in August 2013. In addition to her editorial duties at The Riveter, Kaylen also works as a freelance researcher for The Sager Group. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @kaylenralph.
