Listen up: a podcast for everyone
By Lisa Nicklanovich
The number of podcast listeners has more than doubled in the past five years, which is not surprising considering there are millions of podcasts to choose from, covering an almost unfathomable range of topics. Whether you are already a podcast listener or are new to the podcast world, we hope you will try our recommendation each month, and share your favorites with us too.
While interview-based or journalistic podcasts are most popular right now, I found the podcast “Imagined Life” from Wondery like reading a fantastic book with a surprise ending. I was so immersed in each story that I was reluctant to stop listening when I had to. The average length was 40-45 minutes and it was like listening to an audiobook but without the long-term commitment.
Listeners are taken on a journey through the experiences that shaped a world-famous person’s life before they were famous. The heartbreaks, the triumphs, the surprising moments are all intriguing, and the clues to “your” identity along the way keep you guessing who “you” are. At the end, you learn who the famous person is and you can’t help but have a whole new perspective and understanding about how they came to be who they are.
While the identity of the person is a mystery, there is much inspiration in the challenges and unexpected twists and turns “you” take. Listeners feel like they are part of the story through the talent of the hosts, Oscar nominated Virginia Madsen and celebrated voice actor Robbie Daymond. The storytelling aspect is engaging with background noises and atmosphere-creating tricks that make the listener feel like they are there.
There is great variety in who the famous people are; some you may admire and some you may not, but in each story, you will have walked in their shoes and appreciated the road they took before they became known to the world.
Listen to Imagined Life on Apple podcasts or Spotify. For more information, visit https://wondery.com/shows/imagined-life/.
