BBC Sounds Audio Lab: Hanna Adan – The Museum of Bad Vibes

Welcome to the third in our series of interviews about the BBC Sounds Audio Lab shows. This time, we’re talking to Hanna Adan about The Museum of Bad Vibes, a five-part series that mixes creative dramatisations with interviews and research to explore a collection of cultural and spiritual artefacts housed in British museums. From 16th century Benin bronze sculptures to Chinese ancestral tablets and a Koi board carved from a tree in Papua New Guinea, these objects and their ancient spirits are heard for the first time, and have much to say.

What was your introduction to podcasting as a listener?

I started listening to podcasts a few years ago when I was in my final year of uni. I was feeling lost and unsure of what to do next so I turned to podcasts to help me find my way. I would listen to podcasts, like Oprah’s ‘Super Soul Sundays’, that would interview people who have done amazing things in life to motivate me. After a while I learnt that just like any other medium there are so many different genres in the podcasting world! I started listening to dramas and audio documentaries and I’ve been listening ever since!

Why was audio the right medium for your project?

Audio was the only way this project could come to life. It allowed me to mix the dramatisations with expert interviews without taking away from the seriousness of the topics. Audio also gives the listener freedom to visualise the worlds described in a very personalised way and I think that’s important for a series like this one that is so reliant on the imagination.

What the biggest thing you’ve learned from making the podcast?

On a personal level I learnt just how much I really love storytelling! This was the first project that I worked on where I had all the creative licence and it was just so much fun trying different forms of storytelling. I also learnt the importance of having a great team around you! My AP, Researcher and drama writer made the experience so enjoyable and the long hours less painful!

What would you like to see more of in the podcast space?

More diverse voices. And not diverse in order to tick a box but podcasts that allow people from all walks of life to tell stories that are authentic to them. I think The Digital Sisterhood podcast does a great job of this! The host interviews Muslim women from all walks of life and allows them to speak candidly about subject matters that are close to them. We hear so many discussions about Muslim women but we rarely hear them speak for themselves and this podcast does that beautifully.

Listen to The Museum of Bad Vibes now on BBC Sounds and other popular podcast apps.

Don’t forget to check out the other interviews in this series.