Outside Voice S2 continues with two new playlists from audio-focused creatives

Misha Euceph is a Pakistani-American writer, podcast host, and producer who believes it is “a special kind of joy to create stuff.” She’s the founder and CEO of Dustlight Productions, a podcast production company that focuses on creating boundary-pushing shows. One of those shows is Tell Them, I Am, which Euceph hosts through conversations with a wide-ranging lineup of Muslim guests, sharing thought-provoking stories about defining moments in their lives. Euceph also recently worked as an Executive Producer on the Spotify Original podcasts Renegades: Born in the USA (hosted by President Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen) and The Michelle Obama Podcast, both in collaboration with Higher Ground Audio and Spotify.

In her annotations, Euceph shares her own stories and insights — unpacking her generation’s fight to change inequitable systems, and being candid about how frustrating that work can feel. In her work to create change, she has a firm belief in the importance of audio storytelling as a platform for connection: “As somebody who chose a career in audio, I’ve realized how significant of a sense hearing is,” she says. “It allows us to connect with somebody in a physical way before we even see what they look like. When you visually perceive someone, there’s a set of biases that come with that. Music and audio allow us to connect with those barriers removed, which is really beautiful.”

Modi Oyewole is the Senior Director of Marketing at Capitol Records, and the co-founder of Washington D.C.’s Trillectro Music Festival. His work specializes in the intersection of lifestyle and culture and has spanned across brands like Red Bull, Nike, Complex, and Def Jam. In his annotations, he talks about how he’s often perceived as a Black man in America — and how he works to challenge those perceptions.

“When people see me... they’re going to think I have certain views,” he says. “People have preconceived notions. I really enjoy showing various people that you can’t just have one idea of what a Black man in America looks like.”

Oyewole’s work is also driven by a love and passion for music, and an understanding of the power of music as a force for connection. He talks about his musical upbringing in a Nigerian household, listening to Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon alongside Fela Kuti and King Sunny Adé, and discovering even more new sounds when his dad brought home Bone Thugs-N-Harmony or Mariah Carey samplers from Tower Records. “Music is at the center of everything I do and love,” he says. “It’s how I connect with people and it’s been the one constant in my life.”

Like Oyewole, Euceph shares a passion for giving creators control over their stories. She hopes to build a more equitable future where podcasters, musicians, creatives, and artists have true ownership over their ideas. “It's one thing to have creators of color in front of the camera or the microphone,” she says. “It's another for us to have ownership over our ideas and to see monetary gain from that. I want to be at the forefront of creating that world.”

Keep your ears open for more episodes of Outside Voice in the coming months. We hope they continue to inspire, educate, and shed light on stories that need to be told.

Want to check out other episodes of Outside Voice? Listen at the links below:

• Nwaka Onwusa, Vice President and Chief Curator, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
• Mike Shum, award-winning documentary filmmaker
• Juan Reyes, Brand Narrative Director at Nike
• Alyza Enriquez, Video Producer + Writer at VICE Media
• Seyi Alawode, founder of agency CHL
• Aaron Taylor, art director at Leo Burnett agency
• Samantha Almeida, head of Twitter Next Brazil
• Raymond McKay, CCO and co-founder of RUN