The New Normal

Episode 3: TikTok is music’s newest hitmaker, but will it last?

Since its launch in 2016, TikTok has seen its reach and influence grow exponentially with each passing year. The short-form social media sensation has reached more than 1 billion active monthly users. In addition to that, last year it passed YouTube for average watch time and it dethroned Google as the most popular web domain in the world. Its meteoric rise to the top of the social media mountain has been, if nothing else, fascinating to watch.  One of the pillars of the platform’s success is its unique relationship with music. This episode features interviews with Rozzi, an established pop recording artist with millions of streams, Ben Lifson, a digital marketing manager at BMG and Grammy-winning gospel superstar Kirk Franklin. Created, hosted, and produced by Kai Grady. Theme song by smhlorenzo. Logo art by Chris Brown. Music credits (in order of appearance): "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X, "Stay" by The Kid LAROI, "good 4 u" by Olivia Rodrigo, "Kiss Me More" by Doja Cat feat. SZA, "Best Friend Song" by Rozzi, & "Revolution" by Kirk Franklin & The Family. Executive producers: Professor Willa Seidenberg, Dr. Taj Frazier, Professor Gabriel Kahn.

Episode 2: Netflix is taking its talents to…gaming?

What are the first platforms that come to mind when you think of video games? Xbox? Playstation? Nintendo? How about Netflix? Chances are you don't associate the veteran film and tv streamer with gaming.  However, that might change in the near future as Netflix makes its ambitious entrance into the video game industry. This episode features interviews with Todd Martens, game critic at the Los Angeles Times and David White, senior producer at Blind Squirrel Games and a professor in the USC games program. Created, hosted, and produced by Kai Grady. Theme song by smhlorenzo. Logo art by Chris Brown. Executive producers: Professor Willa Seidenberg, Dr. Taj Frazier, Professor Gabriel Kahn.

Episode 1: Virtual concerts — An essential step in the growing metaverse.

The pandemic severely disrupted concert-going in 2020. The music industry suffered a $30 billion loss in revenue forcing artists to find new ways to engage with their fans. Simultaneously, audiences were itching to reconnect with their favorite performers.  The solution? Online concerts. This episode features interviews with Ernest Lee, the Co-CEO of AmazeVR, Kassa Overall, a Grammy-nominated musician and John Petrocelli, the CEO and founder of Bulldog Digital Media. Created, hosted, and produced by Kai Grady. Theme song by smhlorenzo. Logo art by Chris Brown. Executive producers: Professor Willa Seidenberg, Dr. Taj Frazier, Professor Gabriel Kahn.