5 podcasts to listen to this week

From a father and daughter duo, the joys of motherhood, the legacy of Nina Simone, and what life is truly like after prison, this week’s podcast picks offers a lot of perspectives on how we navigate our day-to-day life.

Best podcasts of the week

1. The Mama’s Den

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms

Genre: Society

With 11 kids between them, singer Melanie Fiona, entrepreneur and influencer Felicia La Tour, writer Ashley Chea, and CEO of Black Love, Inc. Codie Elaine Oliver, are friends going through the journey of motherhood together.

In their weekly podcast, The Mama’s Den, they bring laughs, tears, personal stories and, of course, parenting advice. But they don’t stop there, they also have honest conversations on everything from motherhood, race, sexuality, health, religion and dating.

The latest episode kicks off with the ladies talking about some of the weird things their children have inherited from them, including sucking thumbs and fingers and twisting their hair to fall asleep – which was really fascinating – and how to discipline children.

They also spoke about the latest season of Love is Blind, what they would tell their younger self about being a Black woman in the creative space and why it’s important to trust your voice and speak up.

“I am not nice, I am kind,” one of the hosts said. And I think that best encapsulates the collective strength and value they all share.

No topics are off-limits, so I understand why they make sure the kids are away.

(By Yolanthé Fawehinmi)

2. Terribly Famous

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms

Genre: Culture

If you’re remotely intrigued, fascinated or curious about celebrity culture – and love a podcast that feels like grown-up ‘story time’ – then Wondery’s Terribly Famous deserves a spot on your listen list.

Hosted by comedy double act Anna Leong Brophy and Emily Lloyd-Saini, it ventures into the realities of life behind the glossy photo shoots and glam lifestyles of some of the world’s most famous faces, revealing the struggles behind the scenes.

The scripted episodes draw on biographical research, bringing stories to life through scenes (obviously it’s not from the horse’s mouth!).

This week’s episode centres on the late singer George Michael, who on one hand was one of the best-selling musical artists of all time, but faced loneliness and deep personal struggles as a ‘closeted’ gay man rising to pop stardom during a time when homophobia was rife and, as the episode puts it, the tabloids were ‘gleefully outing people and tearing them apart’.

(By Abi Jackson)

3. Legacy: Nina Simone

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms

Genre: History

In Legacy, writer Afua Hirsch and historian Peter Frankopan take a look at ‘some of the most extraordinary men and women ever lived’.

They’ve previously covered Napoleon Bonaparte and Pablo Picasso, and for their latest season, they shine the spotlight on singer and civil rights activist, Nina Simone.

It’s clearly a topic deep to Hirsch’s heart, and some of the most powerful moments are when she shares anecdotes about how Simone’s music has played a role in her own life.

Hirsch and Frankopan do a good job of walking the listener through Simone’s life and putting her into context of history – particularly talking about the civil rights movement – but she was such a complex and multi-layered character that a handful of episodes almost doesn’t feel like enough to really do Simone justice.

Music is so central to Simone’s story – and while the podcast does have an accompanying playlist, it really does suffer by not having her songs interweaved throughout. It’s interesting and informative, but feels mostly like a good jumping off point to then find out more about this powerful and important figure.

(By Prudence Wade)

4. Harry’s Daughter

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms

Genre: Family

With three episodes down, Harry’s Daughter has done a great job delving into the joys and challenges of fatherhood, navigating life’s twists and turns, and everything in between.

In this week’s episode, host Natalie and her co-host Harry – also her father – are continuing a conversation they started last week about making the most of the beginning, middle and end of your 20s. In particular, if it’s truly fundamental for setting up your life.

The warm yet humorous relationship between the father-daughter duo also seems to shine through. In response to her short burst of panic that she’s approaching 30 – she’s currently 27 – her dad joked and said: “Age is coming girl.” But quickly reassured his daughter and added: “It’s not a bad thing. The man upstairs is looking after you.”

Hearing how different Harry’s life was at 27 – he moved out and bought his first home with the help of the bank of Mum and Dad – in comparison to Natalie was eye-opening and makes you really think about how much of a dire state the economy and housing market truly is in.

My biggest takeaway from the episode was when Harry spoke about how much he enjoyed life in his 20s. “Live for today and not for tomorrow.” I think more of us could do more of that. Don’t you?

I also really enjoyed the original intro and jingle music produced by Sampah and the edit by Uzo. It helps to set the heartfelt tone for the podcast.

(By Yolanthé Fawehinmi)

Spotlight on…

5. Life After Prison

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms

Genre: Society

What’s it really like to be in jail and how can you pick up the pieces of your life afterwards? The fifth series of this award-winning podcast, hosted by Zak Addae-Kodua and Jules Rowan, both former offenders who aim to support and inspire those who have gone through the UK prison system, explores the challenges of navigating life on the outside, including trying to progress with a career with a conviction, people’s judgements, as well as practical topics such as bank accounts and housing.

As well as sharing their own experiences, Addae-Kodua and Rowan interview ex-offenders who have successfully turned their lives around. Among them is producer and filmmaker David Navarro, who started a successful YouTube channel, Delinquent Nation, from prison. A promising athlete who qualified for the 2008 Olympics as a teenager and with a sports scholarship, the trajectory of his life took a very different turn after he turned his back on his sporting career and dropped out of college ‘to live a life on the road’. He made lots of money selling drugs and took part in robberies. He admits: ‘I felt that I didn’t need to do anything else, I didn’t want to do a nine to five… I got away with things as well, I felt lucky.’ So how does someone go from qualifying for the Olympics to selling drugs, ask Rowan and Addae-Kodua?

Giving yourself a false narrative is one reason, but Navarro’s first arrest, aged 20, led him to be in and out of jail for the best part of the next decade.

The myths about prison life are also dissected, as there’s an assumption that it’s easy – ‘a holiday camp’ – and all prisoners have PS5s and phones. But the reality is if you’re caught with a phone, you can get months added on to your sentence and on top of that, it’s extremely tough and lonely. The biggest punishment is losing your liability. There is support in prison, but it’s not that easy – you’ve got to find it in yourself first if you are to be rehabilitated.

Navarro was one of the lucky ones, and he finally shifted his mindset. Approaching 30, he recalls, ‘I didn’t want to be that old guy in prison, wasting his life, while your good friends come off the road and are getting on with life, I envied them.’ The strongest feeling is that you have to want to NOT go back.

And when you finally get your freedom, a very tough road still lies ahead, even if you are lucky enough to have a supportive network around you. Addae-Kodua, Rowan and Navarro discuss the feeling that you have ‘prisoner’ stamped across your forehead, and being harshly judged while you try and rebuild your life. Thought-provoking and fascinating, this podcast is invaluable not just for those who have lived the experience of prison, their families and friends, but for anyone interested in what it must be like to serve time.

(By Caroline Duggan)