By Munirah Al-Fayez

KUWAIT: Starting a podcast seems to be something that many young Kuwaitis are becoming more and more interested in. Podcasts are like radio shows, except they are usually not live, and they are usually focused on a certain topic or genre. Kuwait Times interviewed two young Kuwaiti podcasters to ask them about what inspired them to start a podcast and their experience in starting and maintaining a podcast. Host of the podcast Ment Ebrouhek, Hanan Al-Salahi, shared that her podcast is built on feelings of pain and grief she went through.

She explained that at times when she felt these feelings, she felt very alone, but listening to podcasts made her feel less alone. This experience, says Hanan, is what inspired her to start the podcast, hence the name which translates to “you are not alone”. Hanan said having conversations with people she would have never had access to before is one of her favorite things about having a podcast. “Human connection is a value of mine and now I get to do it on an entirely different scale, so I am extremely grateful for that,” she said. Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett is a podcast she enjoys listening to, which inspired her to start podcasting.

She added she also enjoys listening to How to Fail by Elizabeth Day, Saturn Returns by Caggie Dunlop and The Happy Place by Fearne Cotton. She concluded with a piece of advice for people who are considering starting a podcast. “Find the right fit to work with. I am very lucky to have found my producer who covers almost all the technical stuff, but also helps me with ideas and suggestions for guests.” Nasser Al-Doseri, co-host of the 4th Ring Road podcast, explained that in his last year of university, he realized he wanted to become a content creator.

He said at the time he had just started listening to podcasts, so he thought it would be a great opportunity to start one. Podcasting, says Nasser, gives him an outlet to express himself freely and talk about things he is passionate about, like mental health and how it affects our society. “I love that I met like-minded people and got to make new friends through the podcast. I also love having conversations. I think it is an art.” Doseri said his favorite podcast, the one that inspired him to start a podcast, is “The 85 South Show”, an American comedy podcast that talks about and laughs at their own insecurities.

“They always made me smile and giggle,” he said. Nasser’s advice to people who are considering starting a podcast is to “start the podcast and do not overthink it. Podcasts are meant to be unique and spontaneous. Do not compare yourself to other podcasts. Talk about things that you are passionate about; listeners can feel the passion and they will be more engaged. Always have fun doing it. If you are not in the mood, don’t record an episode. Its ok. Finally, the podcast game is a marathon — you should stay consistent and keep putting out episodes for 2-3 years before you see any success.”