The New Exchange with Ken Grand-Pierre

Marc Fennell is a wild multi-hyphenate from Australia and…to be honest with you, even saying that doesn’t feel fitting enough. Along with being a decorated journalist, he’s a television host, documentary presenter, radio personality, a writer, a dad, and as he simply likes to put it: a maker of things. Marc is also a person who’s directly inspired this very series, I’ve been a fan of his for a lon...

You know, it’s a wild thing to think about how today’s guest goes about his craft. TOBi wouldn’t be the first artist to be a lover of the old school while also carving out his own path…but honestly, we’ve never seen it done like this before. Hailing from both Lagos, Nigeria, and Brampton, Canada, TOBi is an artist full of multitudes. His latest album, PANIC, showcases this in spades, where through...

It’s mentioned towards the end of this episode, but it should also be said here: Danielle Ponder is a person who exemplifies grace. Her humbleness is part of that, but what also shines through is her tenacious passion for justice. An ex-lawyer turned professional musician, Ms. Ponder is an artist who’s on the rise in a magnificent way. Her debut album, Some of Us Are Brave, is one of the best bodi...

The episode you’re about to hear is one of my favourites of this entire series. Adia Victoria is a singer-songwriter who combines elements of blues, folk, and gothic country to tell stories. She’s also punk af, which is conveyed all-across today’s podcast. You see, Adia is the type of person who strives to live her words, constantly proving how true her words are to her. She’s a staunch supporter...

By now you’ve probably clocked the tagline of this podcast that reads “a podcast about music” with music scratched off and the word “people” above it. That tagline is as literal as possible to depict what drives this podcast and what intrigues me the most: the lives of people and what we can learn from them. I’d be hard-pressed to think of an episode that better focuses on that tagline than today’...

Having gratitude for life is something that’s a perpetual journey for me. It’s something I’ve admittedly been pretty bad at over the years. That said, the gratitude I feel for today’s episode is something that can’t be overstated. Local Natives are a band from Orange County, California that I’ve loved since I was in college. It’s always a special thing when you get to grow with a group of people,...

It comes up pretty early on in this podcast: but Jesse Boykins III is the kind of person that people smile about when they hear his name. I’ve seen it happen numerous times throughout the years, both across the US and abroad. Sure, much of that has to do with how celebrated Jesse is as an artist, but so much of that love also has to do with how Jesse exudes generosity, candor, and affection toward...

Our first bonus episode of season 7 is another chat I’ve been dying to have for a long time and I love that it happened under these circumstances. You see, Denai Moore is a British-Jamaican artist I’ve gotten to know over the years through her music (which is fucking excellent by the way). We do chat about her music career across this podcast, but we also chat in-depth about how she’s grown into a...

Say hello to Cristal, Alisa, Katie, and McKenna. There are a few episodes this season that I’ve been wanting to make since way back in season 1 and this is one of them. The Aces are a rock band from Utah that I’ve been privileged to have gotten to know over the years. They made their first album here in New York, and I fondly remember witnessing the hard work, tenacity, and just creative abandon t...

One of the most perplexing things on earth is how immigrants perpetually deal with unfair treatment throughout many corners of the world. The hard work, expressions of passion, and technicolor of culture are often ignored for fear-drenched sensationalism in the news. It’s in understanding that, where the vitality of a band like Gogol Bordello continues to be evident. Primarily based in New York Ci...

Welcome back to The New Exchange podcast and to very the beginning of season 7. I am beyond excited to share these talks with you, starting with a guest I’ve been dying to have on here for a long time. Seye Adelekan is a Nigerian-British artist who’s toured with Lana Del Rey, Emeli Sandé, KT Tunstall, and Paloma Faith; though he is best known as a prominent live member of Gorillaz’s touring party....

A short explainer of what to expect between now and the launch of season 7 (March 2024).

Let’s be honest, if we had to make a list of the acts we’ve taken with us from our high school years into adulthood….the list would be pretty short. So imagine how trippy it feels for me to have not only done that with Ash (my favourite band) but that I’ve also found myself in a position to say they’re still making their most vital works. Their latest and eighth album, Race The Night, is full of a...

Honestly, when it came to planning this season, I knew the finale had to be about my home, Ireland. But the end result has turned out to go well beyond what I expected. Ireland is a country that’s embraced me for over a decade now and I’m constantly gobsmacked by the amount of love and generosity I feel when I’m there. It’s a place that’s been crucial to both my professional and personal life, wit...

In just a few short decades, Germany has transformed into an epicenter of the arts. Whether it’s painting, writing, or music, artists from all over the world know that Germany is a place where your creativity can flourish. That reputation has led many to this European country, not just to create art, but also to appreciate it in a more tangible way. It’s also become a place where people can build...

Sulene is an accomplished songwriter, producer, performer, and composer from Cape Town who’s one of the most creative New Yorkers that I know. When I decided on featuring South Africa in this season, I knew it’d be important to explore the country considerably; especially since I’ve never been there before. One of the earliest talks I had for this season was the one you’re about to hear; where my...

It’s pretty crazy, this episode marks the first episode of the season to feature a country I’ve yet to experience. South Africa is a nation full of history, home to over 60 million people, and is one of the most culturally diverse places on earth (12 languages are spoken regionally throughout South Africa). Along with these attributes, the music and art of South Africa is also profoundly rich; wit...

The next episode of this season is about a country that reinvigorated me just a few months ago. Brazil is a part of the world that’s famous for its warmth, it’s vibrancy, and enthusiasm across its people, but I have to say; getting to experience that firsthand is really something else. Getting to go there, I got to experience some of the most overtly passionate people I’ve ever met and honestly, g...

Michaël Brun is a ridiculously talented DJ, producer, and songwriter from Haiti that’s perpetually manifesting his dreams. In a few short years he’s already collaborated with acts like Ed Sheeran, J Balvin, Maesgo, and honestly, the list is practically endless. Haiti is also the home country of my family, and getting to make this episode was a beautiful gift. Haiti is a prideful country where its...

To call today’s episode personal would be a massive understatement. France is a country that’s become quite a second home to me, a sentiment I’m fortunate to feel about several places but it’s a very different beast when it comes to France. My family are Haitian and French, with our roots extending between the two countries for actual centuries. I, myself, have been going there quite regularly sin...

Welcome to Season 6 of The New Exchange Podcast: The Passport Season. This is an idea that’s been kicking in my head for quite a while now and getting to have it materialize for you feels unreal. Traveling has been a major part of my whole life and the thing that I value the most about traveling is how I’ve perpetually gotten to meet people who’re different than me. The Passport Season is all abou...

It’s finally time to announce season 6 of the podcast: The Passport Season. Six episodes, six different countries, and six additional radio broadcasts sharing music from each country. To further explain how this season will work, I welcomed back my buddy Toby Tenenbaum to ask me about the who, what, when, why, and how of this different kind of season. 

Welcome to the last off-season episode before the launch of season 6 (which will be announced very very soon!). Getting to finish off this series of talks with Nottingham-based singer-songwriter Yazmin Lacey feels like the perfect situation, and I’m proper excited about you falling in love with Yazmin’s music the way I have. Her debut album, Voice Notes, is the perfect blend of R&B, jazz, soul...

Corniness be damned: you just gotta love when good things happen to good people. My brother (and returning pod guest) Abraham Alexander is having a stellar year, all off the back of hard work and authenticity. His debut album, SEA/SONS is a contemplation on loss, redemption, and anguish, but also light, joy, and most importantly; hope. In a time of perpetual algorithms, AI tech, and diminishing at...

Naaz is a Dutch-Kurdish alternative pop singer that brilliantly exemplifies what this podcast is all about. I’d forgive you for mistaking this series as a podcast about music, after all, I do talk to a lot of musicians. But no, this series is really about humanity and you have to admit, behind every great song and every great album is some form of hardship, some form of adversity, and quite frankl...