Warner Music Group (WMG) has launched its own in-house podcast network, called Interval Presents.
WMG says that the new network will produce “multi-format, culture-forward audio content at the intersection of music, pop culture, and social impact”.
WMG’s Senior Vice President of Digital Strategy & Business Development, Allan Coye, will oversee Interval Presents in the role of General Manager.
The music company says that its labels and digital editorial brands will retain autonomy and continue to produce podcast content under their own banners, while also exploring opportunities to work alongside Interval Presents on projects and initiatives.
The first slate of podcasts from Interval Presents, which will roll out throughout the year, will include various formats, including talk shows and narrative-driven episodic shows.
Shows hosted by artists such as Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o, who will host a show centered on non-fiction cultural storytelling that explores the African diaspora.
Snap Judgment, the production company behind the long running podcast and radio show, Snap Judgment, will produce Nyong’o’s show as well as a slew of future content for Interval Presents.
Meanwhile, Grammy-nominated singer Jason Derulo, who is represented by UTA, will headline a podcast series produced by Clamor that uses vocal performances to tell what WMG calls “a fictional, noir-inflected romance story”.
Plus, Grammy-nominated songwriter and entrepreneur Billy Mann, will host a show featuring “some of the world’s biggest stars and their stories about confronting adversity”, according to WMG.
Additionally, Interval Presents has partnered with production company Awfully Nice, who developed Idris and Sabrina Elba’s podcast Coupledom and the Ambie-nominated series The Messenger; as well audio-first production company Double Elvis, the company behind the award-winning podcasts Disgraceland, About a Girl, Dear Young Rocker, Here Comes the Break, and many more.
WMG says that Awfully Nice will produce a docu-series for Interval Presents “that explores thought-provoking questions” with the first season, hosted by artist Xiuhtezcatl.
Double Elvis will also produce two shows launching later this year, a series about the history of media and the role communities of color played in the worlds of radio, print, and television we know today.
The other podcast franchise will tell stories of Warner Music artists who “defied expectations, defined major cultural moments, and redefined themselves at times when the stakes were highes”t
The first season will be based on the life of the legendary Aretha Franklin who is signed to WMG’s Atlantic Records.
“This is just the beginning and as we grow, we hope to stay true to our roots in music while also using audio artistry as a vehicle to explore new terrains of storytelling, and ultimately, connect deeply with our audience.”
Allan Coye
Coye said: “Interval Presents allows us to develop and share podcast content that propels fresh, engaging conversations around trending topics and issues that matter to diverse communities — all through a culture-forward lens.
“This is just the beginning and as we grow, we hope to stay true to our roots in music while also using audio artistry as a vehicle to explore new terrains of storytelling, and ultimately, connect deeply with our audience.”
“Interval Presents is a natural progression of Warner Music Group’s rich history of producing generation-defining music, supporting creatives and driving culture.”
Oana Ruxandra, WMG
Oana Ruxandra, WMG Chief Digital Officer & EVP of Business Development, said: “Interval Presents is a natural progression of Warner Music Group’s rich history of producing generation-defining music, supporting creatives and driving culture.
“There’s a hunger for more inclusive and authentic podcast content and, with Allan leading the charge, we’re thrilled to launch an audio platform that will connect with this growing audience and spotlight a breadth of voices and perspectives.”Music Business Worldwide
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