It’s been two years since I published my memoir, My Life in the Sunshine. Reflecting on the journey, I loved the three-and-a-half years it took to bring the book to completion. I correctly predicted that I’d enjoy the promotion cycle even more, which I stretched into a year-and-a-half-long tour around the globe. After seventy-ish in-person book events—including stops in Tokyo, Helsinki, and two separate trips to Idaho—the promotional phase wound down toward the end of 2023, and I began working on a new project: a podcast called Identified.
Early last year, I had several meetings with a major podcast production company. When those conversations reached an amicable dead end, a friend of a friend in London named Kieron convinced me to create something on my own, with him as the executive producer. As a former band member now in the music business, I was embarrassed that it took someone else to explain that, much like in music today, I didn’t need a big production company—I could do whatever I wanted, as long as I enjoyed it and felt it was important.
So, in the fall of 2023, Kieron and I went to work. I began interviewing friends, acquaintances, and some recipients of cold calls about family. Sure, I had a longer pitch. But after a year-and-a-half of meeting new family members because of my book and talking about what family means, I was excited to hear from others with unique, interesting, uplifting, and sometimes tragic family stories.
Identified is just that: me in conversation with one guest (occasionally two) about family—what it means to them, how they define it, and how they’ve come to that conclusion. I’ve spoken with authors, comedians, chefs, and, of course, many musicians.
The first three episodes are live now. Episode one is with Karen Ayers, a living descendant of the man who enslaved my paternal ancestors. Our story felt like the perfect beginning: documenting the first time Karen and I met last fall in Austin and explaining some backstory about why I’m doing the podcast. We also discuss the possibility of a DNA test and what the results might mean to both of us. Episode two is with musician and Song Exploder podcast host Hrishikesh Hirway. Episode three is with musician Dawn Richard. A new episode will drop every Thursday for the foreseeable future. Identified is available on all major podcast platforms, 100% free and ad-free. You can watch short video clips on the YouTube and Instagram pages.
A big shout-out to my executive producer, Kieron Banerji, who insisted that every conversation be in person and on camera, creating a level of intimacy that’s just not possible on a computer screen. Thanks to Patricia Brennan and Nouela for the music, Pooneh Ghana for the new photo, and Rodrigo Corral for continuing the Sunshine narrative in the podcast artwork.
I hope you’ll give Identified a listen and share it with others who might enjoy it
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My podcast is called Identified. You can listen here or anyplace you listen to podcasts. My memoir is called My Life in the Sunshine. You can order it here, or listen to the audiobook on Spotify.
I hope to see you somewhere soon. Upcoming events are always listed here.
Nabil Ayers / Brooklyn