Episodios

  • Tiny Desk local listening party: The Neighborhood Kids and Aleah Discavage

    Tiny Desk local listening party: The Neighborhood Kids and Aleah Discavage
    Jun 12 2025
    What started as a low-key folk set behind a desk in a newsroom has become one of music's most iconic stages. This year, NPR's Tiny Desk Contest drew a record-breaking nearly 7,500 entries. Among them were 75 hopefuls from San Diego, all dreaming of a breakthrough moment. In this episode, we spotlight two rising artists who stood out for their originality and emotional depth: Aleah Discavage, whose raw, autobiographical ballad is rooted in personal healing, and The Neighborhood Kids, who turned protest and passion into a high-voltage performance. Plus, we'll unpack the fascinating origin story of Tiny Desk, explore why this unconventional contest continues to resonate with artists and fans alike and hear what drives these musicians to keep creating — even when the stage is small and the odds are long.
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    42 m
  • Worn, painted, reimagined: The power and complexity of Our Lady of Guadalupe

    Worn, painted, reimagined: The power and complexity of Our Lady of Guadalupe
    Jun 5 2025
    Our Lady of Guadalupe is everywhere in art, memory and protest. She's instantly recognizable — hands in prayer, floral dress, starry mantle — but she represents much more than religious devotion. Her 500-year history weaves through colonial violence, activism, survival and cultural adaptation. Today, she remains a powerful symbol, embraced across generations, communities and identities. This episode explores the evolving meaning of her image through the lens of artists and scholars. Mingei International Museum curator Ariana Torres reflects on the contradictions that give Guadalupe lasting relevance. Theologian Jeanette Rodriguez offers a decolonial interpretation of her origin. Designer Claudia Rodríguez-Biezunski draws on family and heritage to bring la Virgen into contemporary fashion. And muralist Josue Baltezar shares how he honored the connection between the Virgin and an Indigenous earth deity. Across borders and belief systems, Guadalupe's image lives on — reshaped by those who continue to find meaning in her presence.
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    34 m
  • Bonus: The team behind The Finest talks arts and culture

    Bonus: The team behind The Finest talks arts and culture
    May 29 2025
    In this first-ever bonus episode of The Finest, we're flipping things around. Host Julia Dixon Evans sits down with producer Anthony Wallace and editor Chrissy Nguyen in a casual conversation recorded at the SDSU theater next to KPBS. We unpack big questions (what is art?), share our hottest takes (sorry, Mona Lisa) and talk about how the show comes together each week. You'll hear how each of us brings a unique perspective to the show, why relatability is our storytelling secret weapon and what keeps us inspired. Expect thoughtful moments, surprising opinions and the kind of banter that comes from real collaboration.
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    26 m
  • San Diego's last alt-weekly stops the presses, but it's not giving up yet

    San Diego's last alt-weekly stops the presses, but it's not giving up yet
    May 15 2025
    For decades, alt-weeklies like the San Diego Reader were a city's rebellious voice, digging into local politics, covering underground arts and publishing stories no one else would. But their survival depended on classified ads and print advertising, both of which were decimated by Craigslist and the rise of digital media. Now, one by one, these once-essential papers are vanishing. As the Reader ends its print run, we look at what their disappearance means for local journalism.
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    34 m
  • When better sleep silences a painter's muse — now what?

    When better sleep silences a painter's muse — now what?
    May 8 2025
    For most of her adult life, artist Mary Jhun has drawn inspiration from a distinct muse: fractured silhouettes of girls, embellished with surreal details. Her paintings have been a way to process trauma, loneliness and despair, while also serving as a fascinating feedback loop into and out of her vivid dream life. She experiences the "girls" in dreams as she paints them, using these visions as fuel for future works. But when she started using a CPAP machine to treat sleep apnea, her dreams vanished overnight. Now, in a new solo exhibition at the Oceanside Museum of Art, Mary has found her way back — to both her girls and her dreams — by incorporating surreal CPAP machinery into her paintings and tricking her body to dream again. Yet a question lingers: What toll does creativity take on our physical, emotional and relational health?
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    26 m
  • Spotify is changing, so one indie artist is advocating for fairness in a stream-heavy world

    Spotify is changing, so one indie artist is advocating for fairness in a stream-heavy world
    May 1 2025
    For indie musicians like Julianna Zachariou, Spotify has made music more accessible than ever — but at a cost. With payouts that amount to less than a penny per stream, she's had to turn to crowdfunding and direct fan support to fund her projects. She opens up about the personal toll these struggles take and how she's found ways to stay true to her craft while facing these challenges. In this episode, we break down Spotify's business model, the economics of streaming and what it really takes to sustain a career without major-label backing. Julianna's story is a powerful reminder of the need for change in the industry and how we can all play a role in supporting the artists who enrich our lives.
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    36 m
  • San Diego's poets laureate on being a 'government artist' and knocking poetry off its pedestal

    San Diego's poets laureate on being a 'government artist' and knocking poetry off its pedestal
    Apr 17 2025
    What does it mean to be a "government artist" in San Diego? Outgoing Poet Laureate Jason Magabo Perez shares the lessons he's learned from his two-year term, where he brought the city's neighborhoods to life through his vivid poetry. As Paola Capó-García takes on the mantle, she talks about her plans to bring a fresh perspective to the role and expand poetry's reach. In this conversation, both poets dive into how they demystify poetry for students and the public, and how they can connect and uplift San Diego's diverse communities through verse.
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    35 m
  • Making it in music: How do you create a local music scene in a 'superstar economy'?

    Making it in music: How do you create a local music scene in a 'superstar economy'?
    Apr 10 2025
    San Diego's music scene is full of talent, but making a living off your art? That's a different story. Shua, a Southeast San Diego artist with over a million Spotify streams, has lived both extremes: signing a record deal and later facing near homelessness. In this episode, he shares the highs and lows of his career, what it means to be an independent musician today and why fan support is more crucial than ever. We also break down the brutal reality of the modern music industry, where the biggest stars are increasingly taking home the bulk of the earnings while local and indie artists fight to stay afloat. And we explore why local music matters, what we lose when artists can't afford to make their art. Whether you're an artist, a music lover or just curious about how the industry really works, this episode offers a perspective you won't forget.
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    35 m
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