Solo Spotlight with Ryan MacDougall

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! After a workplace injury changed his working life, Syonis found a way to express his pain through hip-hop. The independent Canadian artist joins Ryan MacDougall on Solo Spotlight to discuss living with autism and learning disabilities, feeling underestimated, and developing his own voice. He sh...

Nova Scotia singer-songwriter Mitchell MacDonald returns to Solo Spotlight following a major milestone in his music career: winning Social Impact Video of the Year (Male) at the 2026 Josie Music Awards in Nashville. In this conversation, Mitchell joins Ryan MacDougall to share the story behind "Signed, No Longer Yours," a deeply personal song inspired by a friend's experience with domestic violenc...

What did you expect would come more naturally by now? In this solo episode of Solo Spotlight, Ryan MacDougall reflects on the everyday parts of adulthood he thought he would have figured out: getting back to people, following through on plans, and enjoying a day off without feeling like he should be doing more. He brings research on adulthood, intentions, and leisure into a discussion about the ex...

Colin Dingelstad started pursuing an MMA championship at 28, with limited combat-sport experience and a documentary crew following the attempt. In episode 105 of Solo Spotlight, Colin joins Ryan MacDougall to discuss IMPOSSIBLE, his ambition to become UFC lightweight champion, and what that commitment has required so far. Colin shares how fatherhood changed his priorities, why he chose MMA, and ho...

Edmonton creator Kempes Pandey , better known as @itsjustkempes , joins Ryan for a conversation about how he went from being terrified to post content to becoming one of Edmonton’s increasingly recognizable online creators. They discuss overcoming embarrassment, rejection, going viral, dealing with criticism, the pressure of having an online persona, creator burnout, credibility, controversial con...

More than twenty years after their paths first crossed in Edmonton’s music scene, Arlo Maverick, Kreesha Turner and Habe Kitine come together to tell the story of Music for Mavericks . What began as a record label became something much bigger — a collective, a support system, a place for mentorship and artist development, and a community of people trying to create opportunities for themselves and...

Edmonton hip-hop artist Twig joins Ryan MacDougall for Episode 102 of Solo Spotlight . Twig discusses the anxiety he experienced during his first performances, learning how to build confidence onstage and finding his identity within Edmonton’s music scene. He also reflects on stepping away from music, returning during a difficult period in his life and receiving support from ILLiam and Whole Heart...

A year after his first appearance on Solo Spotlight, Mark Wvlker returns to reflect on everything that's changed. When Mark first joined the podcast, we talked about rebuilding his identity as an artist, finding his authentic voice, and taking the first steps toward a new chapter in his career. Since then, he's released new music, toured Western Canada, launched merchandise, and continued building...

This week on Solo Spotlight, Ryan is joined by Mary Tibbetts — keynote speaker, corporate wellness strategist, entrepreneur, founder, and MS advocate. Mary’s story is one of ambition, business success, burnout, a life-changing multiple sclerosis diagnosis, and rebuilding life with more purpose, boundaries, and intention. Before becoming a speaker and advocate, Mary built an award-winning flower sh...

Ryan MacDougall sits down with Edmonton rap duo Dogboys for a raw conversation about brotherhood, sobriety, faith, family loyalty, and building an independent music career from the ground up. Dogboys open up about how music brought them closer as brothers, the making of their album When It’s Finally Dark , their early influences, finding their sound, and what it means to create dark, aggressive mu...

In this episode of Solo Spotlight , Ryan MacDougall sits down with Martin Brooker , a retired Commodore from the Royal Australian Navy, leadership speaker, coach, and advisor, for a conversation about what real leadership looks like when the stakes are high. Martin joined the Navy at just 15 years old and went on to serve for 37 years, leading people through complex, high-pressure environments. Bu...

On this episode of Solo Spotlight , Ryan is joined by David Graham, founder and Chief Exploration Officer of EDGE3, Master Certified Coach, Royal Roads faculty member, TEDx speaker, and program director at Ivey Business School for Executive Education. David shares his journey from acting and cruise directing to marketing and executive coaching. The conversation explores burnout, career change, the...

On this episode of Solo Spotlight, Ryan sits down with Edmonton hip-hop artist Illiam for a conversation about confidence, craft, live performance, fake streams, collaboration, and the reality of building as an independent artist. Illiam opens up about his journey from performing as Hades to becoming a more authentic version of himself, the years he spent writing hundreds of songs before feeling c...

In this episode of Solo Spotlight, Ryan sits down with Ben Popplestone, a keynote speaker, strategist, and adventure mentor who brings together two worlds that may seem completely different at first: high-growth corporate leadership and high-risk adventure. Ben has spent over two decades working inside fast-moving technology and e-commerce companies, helping organizations grow, adapt, and navigate...

Nick VonDub returns to Solo Spotlight for Episode 93 — and this one goes deep. Since his last appearance, a lot has changed. The Moon YEG was forced into a major move after the building it operated in was sold, putting one of Edmonton’s most unique comedy spaces at risk. In this episode, Nick breaks down what happened behind the scenes, how the community rallied together, and what it took to keep...

In this episode of Solo Spotlight, Ryan MacDougall sits down with Greg Clink, a longtime college basketball coach, former head coach of Chico State men’s basketball, and current speaker focused on leadership, communication, and building culture. Greg shares his journey from growing up in California and falling in love with competition, to playing college basketball, coaching for over 30 years, and...

Comedian Jamie Randall joins Solo Spotlight for the first time to talk about the real work behind stand-up comedy. In this episode, Ryan and Jamie get into his journey from music into comedy, finding his voice on stage, writing and testing new material, bombing in front of a crowd, the difference between open mics and paid shows, and what it takes to move from hosting to headlining. Jamie also bre...

In this episode of Solo Spotlight, Ryan sits down with Sara Steeves for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about survival, reclaiming your voice, healing after abuse, and turning lived experience into advocacy. Sara opens up about the path that led her to speak publicly, the role sobriety played in changing her life, the realities of coercive control, and the importance of creating safe s...

In this episode of Solo Spotlight, I sit down with Edmonton-based music duo Murdock Altas to break down their journey, creative process, and the mindset behind their sound. We dive into how both artists developed individually before coming together as a duo, what influences shaped their music, and how they approach creating something authentic in a space that often rewards trends. We also talk abo...

In this episode of Solo Spotlight, Ryan sits down with Lameese Smaili to talk about growing up between Canada and Lebanon, living through crisis, teaching in Lebanon, witnessing the impact of war and displacement, returning to Canada, and building a career in journalism and long-form storytelling. The conversation also dives into media trust, journalistic ethics, and her work hosting Pop-Up Conver...

Ryan Cowan joins Solo Spotlight for a raw and deeply personal conversation about addiction, prison, sobriety, masculinity, mentorship, and rebuilding a life with purpose. In this episode, Ryan opens up about his childhood, the chaos that shaped him early, time spent in jail, the pressure of parole, and how those experiences forced him to confront who he was becoming. He also shares how fitness and...

Celia Bugno is back on Solo Spotlight for a second appearance — and this time we’re dragging art history straight into 2026. We break down the art world’s biggest pressure points right now (museums, funding, culture wars, and the attention economy), then run a full discussion segment: “Art Terms, But Make It 2026.” You’ll hear how the canon became algorithmic, how the gaze became measurable, how m...

In Episode 85 of Solo Spotlight, Ryan sits down with Yenn Purkis — autistic and non-binary author, presenter, and advocate — for a practical, honest conversation about what autism really looks like in day-to-day life. Yenn shares their journey through diagnosis, mental health systems, and rebuilding identity over time — including why they didn’t fully accept their diagnosis for years, and how find...

Nathaniel Blais returns to Solo Spotlight to discuss his rapid growth as a real estate agent, closing 11 deals in his first year in a highly competitive market. In this episode, Nathaniel breaks down what it actually takes to survive and grow in real estate, the mindset required to handle rejection, and how communication, persistence, and self-drive separate successful agents from those who leave...

In this episode, I sit down with Karisse G to talk about his journey as an Edmonton artist—how writing started for him on a family trip to Jamaica in 10th grade, how he linked up with producer Taylor, and what it really takes to build momentum in music. Karisse breaks down the behind-the-scenes reality most people never see: the COVID-era daily grind (including taking three buses just to get to se...