Podcast Studio Makeover Winners Announced

Los Angeles, CA (October 14, 2020)—Focusrite and other audio brands have announced the three competition winners of a podcast studio makeover valued at $2,300 in gear and services.

The winners include Matthew and Sarah Bivens, hosts of the Doing It at Home podcast; Jarika Johnson, host of the Blackpacking podcast; and Melanie Scroggins, host of the Creator Speak Podcast. The winners have received a Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 3rd gen audio interface; their choice of a Heil Sound microphone and boom arm; a set of ADAM Audio SP-5 studio headphones; a Namba Gear Lil Namba Remix backpack; a design session and $500 store credit with Audimute for a custom sound treatment solution; Journalist Pro from Hindenburg; 50% off a SquadCast annual plan; and a discount on podcast hosting from Simplecast.

Intended to remove barriers to creativity for the recipients, each makeover also includes an hour of podcast coaching from Harry Duran, host of Podcast Junkies and founder of FullCast. The winners will also be featured in podcast specific projects with Focusrite over the coming months.

Matthew and Sarah Bivens, based in Atlanta, GA, created the Doing It at Home podcast as a weekly discussion about home birth and their decision to go from a traditional hospital birth with an OB-GYN to a natural birth at home with midwives. The Bivens’ prize package included a Heil PR 40 microphone for Matthew, a Heil PR 30 for Sarah and two Heil PL2T boom arms and shock mounts, alongside all the other standard prize package fare. Future plans for the duo include sharing more diverse birth stories and growing their community outside of the podcast.

Studio Bonsai Sprouts From Focusrite Hub

Jarika Johnson, also based in Atlanta, created the Blackpacking podcast to discuss her personal travel stories and have engaging discussions with guests about all things travel. Johnson chose a Heil PR 40 mic.

Melanie Scroggins, based in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, developed The Creator Speak Podcast as a limited series based on conversations with creatives and educators about their experiences in the world and how they use their particular brand of genius. Scroggins’ prize package included a Heil PR 30 microphone.

Focusrite marketing manager Dan Hughley, who helms the Focusrite Pro Podcast, remarks, “We had hundreds of amazing submissions, and I took a strong personal stake in carefully reviewing each entry and helping choose the ones that were right for the selection of winners. Unfortunately, every deserving submission couldn’t end up on the list of recipients, but the three lucky selectees are all amazing podcasters that we are proud to elevate. We can’t wait to see what comes next for all these talented individuals.”

Focusrite: • www.focusrite.com