What’s new to listen to
Ximena Smith rounds up what podcasts we’re tuning into.
The Missing Cryptoqueen
This hit BBC show is back with new episodes, in which host Jamie Bartlett continues his search for the elusive Bulgarian woman known as Dr Ruja Ignatova, pictured. In case you’re unfamiliar with The Missing Cryptoqueen, the premise of the show is that in 2014, Dr Ignatova launched a new cryptocurrency called OneCoin, which she promised was going to be revolutionary and would rival Bitcoin. Hundreds of thousands of people apparently bought into OneCoin, but then in 2017, Dr Ignatova disappeared – along with all of the money of OneCoin’s investors. The first season of The Missing Cryptoqueen came out in 2019, and it’s a thrilling listen right from start to finish. The new episodes released so far (as well as an update episode in 2020) haven’t quite packed the same punch as those earlier 2019 episodes, but if you’re as invested as I am in Bartlett’s search for Dr Ignatova at this point, then that probably doesn’t matter too much.
New episodes of The Missing Cryptoqueen can be heard on the BBC Sounds app, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Heavyweight
Another oldie-buta-goodie that’s started to release new episodes is Gimlet’s Heavyweight, which has just returned for its seventh season. Hosted by humorist Jonathan Goldstein, pictured, Heavyweight invites its listeners to write in about an unresolved moment from their past that they need Goldstein’s help in addressing. While perhaps that might sound like an overly sentimental, self-helpy premise to you, Goldstein’s self-deprecating, dry sense of humour makes the concept work, and every episode that I’ve heard from the past six seasons has been an absolute joy to listen to. The new season so far has been no different – for example, in the first episode we meet Sara, who had received a puzzling letter from a childhood friend that she has no memory of, and she’s not quite sure what to do about it. Goldstein works his magic and what follows is a heartwarming tale of reconnection and reflection. You can listen to new episodes of Heavyweight each week exclusively on Spotify.
Power Lines: From Ukraine to the World
The Kyiv Independent’s Anastasiia Lapatina and Jakub Parusinski are the hosts of this new podcast that explores what it means to live in Ukraine today following Russia’s invasion. Lapatina and Parusinski speak to civilians, fellow journalists, academics and more about the onthe-ground situation in Ukraine, but they also take a wider lens, looking at the country’s position in a broader geopolitical context. When it comes to reporting on global crises, news fatigue among audiences is a very real phenomenon; that’s why series like Power Lines are so important, because they contextualise and humanise the conflict in Ukraine in an accessible, compelling way. Lapatina and Parusinski help this further by talking conversationally about their own experiences and opinions, rather than choosing to adopt an impersonal, arm’s-length journalistic position. New episodes of the 12-part series are now being drip-fed on all the major podcasting platforms for free, but you can sign-up to Power Lines + for bonus episodes and extra, behindthe-scenes content.