This episode is part one of The Soul of Music—Overheard’s four-part series focusing on music, exploration, and Black history. Our guest this week is two-time Grammy award winner Rhiannon Giddens, a singer, songwriter, and banjo and fiddle player. A self-described “armchair historian,” Rhiannon chats with Nat Geo Explorer and spoken-word poet Alyea Pierce abo ... Show More
Jul 2023
Trapped in the icy waters of the Northwest Passage
For centuries, the Northwest Passage, the long-sought sea route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through northern Canada, was a holy grail of Arctic exploration. Even now, sailing through it isn’t guaranteed. Mark Synnott, a National Geographic Explorer, writer, and adv ... Show More
34m 16s
Jul 2023
Playback: Modern Lives, Ancient Caves
There’s a lost continent waiting to be explored, and it’s right below our feet. We’ll dig into the deep human relationship to the underground—and why we understand it from an instinctive point of view, but not so much from a physical one. (Hint: We’re afraid of the dark.) In an e ... Show More
28m 39s
Jun 2023
Playback: This Indigenous Practice Fights Fire with Fire
For decades, the U.S. government evangelized fire suppression, most famously through Smokey Bear’s wildfire prevention campaign. But as climate change continues to exacerbate wildfire seasons and a growing body of scientific research supports using fire to fight fire, Indigenous ... Show More
29m 8s
Jul 2024
Banjos Pt. 1: From Gourds to Grammys
Today’s episode has a lot of pluck! It’s all about the banjo. For over 100 years, the banjo has been associated with country and bluegrass music, two genres that over-index with white musicians. But, with the help of Rhiannon Giddens, we find out that this uniquely American instr ... Show More
26m 25s
Jul 2024
Banjos Pt. 2: Bluegrass, Beyoncé and Beyond
We’re back with part two of our string-tastic story of the banjo! In the last episode, musician Rhiannon Giddens helped tell the origin story of the banjo, an instrument many think of as American. But it actually comes from Africa. Today, we’re focusing on how the banjo went from ... Show More
27m 15s
Sep 2025
Ballads of Love and Death
In this enchanting episode, Dr. Eleanor Janega dissolves the boundaries between history, folklore, and music to explore the haunting world of medieval ballads. Joined by author Amy Jeffs, illustrator Gwen Burns and composer/singer Natalie Brice, Eleanor uncovers the timeless stor ... Show More
1h 1m
Feb 2022
Remembering Betty Davis, a Futuristic Funk Force
A conversation about her unique music, her short career and the path that led to her rediscovery. Guests: Jon Pareles, Maureen Mahon and Oliver Wang. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app her ... Show More
49m 1s
Aug 2022
The Robust Return of Beyoncé
A deep dive on “Renaissance,” her relationship to queer music communities and her framing of authorship. Guests: Joe Coscarelli, Wesley Morris, Jon Pareles and Salamishah Tillet. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via ... Show More
56m 28s
May 2024
16 | America Has A Problem | For Real, For Real
Black culture is a pivotal pillar of broader American culture. From fashion, to language, to being the sonic foundation to much of American music. In this special episode, our hosts do a deep dive into country music and how its roots are grounded in Black music. Using Beyoncé’s l ... Show More
33m 50s
Nov 2022
Thinking of taxes while performing with Alela Diane, Rhiannon Giddens, Mariee Siou and Uwade
Folk musicians Alela Diane, Rhiannon Giddens, Mariee Siou and Uwade discuss that spark of electricity you get when songwriting goes well, how moments of personal growth and transition affect the music, going a whole year without writing a song, thinking of taxes while performing, ... Show More
34m 38s