Next Creator Up

Hey everyone, This is a special announcement episode. We’ve officially ended the first season and it’s been an incredible learning experience. I not only learned a lot about how to create, produce, and host a show, I’ve also taken a lot from each of our guests. We covered a lot of ground this season. Through ... Read more The post Season 2 Coming Soon appeared first on Next Creator Up.

John Presnell is a singer/songwriter who composes songs in light and dark tones that range thematically from romantic to political, and dramatic to whimsical. In this episode we discuss John’s socially conscious song “Pills,” as well as his song “Life’s So Unfair,” on which he collaborated with Stephane Wrembel, who wrote the theme song to ... Read more The post NCU Podcast #010: John Presnell on Disconnecting from Technology, Songwriting, and the Power of Joy in His Creative Process appeared first on Next Creator Up.

Lucy is an oil and oil pastel painter. Her paintings are in private collection throughout the world in Australia, China, France, South Africa, Finland, Germany and the United States. In this episode we discuss her creative process, how painting helped heal her depression, being courageous as an artist, and her method for being more expressive ... Read more The post NCU Podcast #09: Lucy Chen on Painting Healing Depression, Courage as an Artist, and Freeing Yourself up for Expression appeared first on Next Creator Up.

It’s natural to feel pressure when you care about your work and someone has entrusted you and is depending on you to perform. But we rarely create good work when we’re operating under this kind of self-imposed stress. Kori Celeste knows this all too well, and was happy to share her thoughts on releasing the ... Read more The post NCU Podcast #008: Kori Celeste on Composing Music for Podcasts and Releasing the Pressure to Produce Perfect Work appeared first on Next Creator Up.

Most people want to avoid sucking at all costs, and especially publicly. It’s terrifying to put yourself out there and open yourself up to judgment, especially when you’re new at something and full of self-doubt. But for motivational comedian and five-time TEDx speaker Alex Weber, sucking is a crucial part of the creative process—and he ... Read more The post NCU Podcast #007: Alex Weber on the Importance of Sucking, Moving Past Doubt/Nerves, and His Experience as a Motivational Comedian/on American Ninja Warrior appeared first on Next Creator Up.

Most of us want to not only express ourselves creatively but also make a positive impact on the people around us. We want our work to not only entertain but also make a difference. This is what motivates Noah Knox Marshall, and it’s why his work is so inspiring. An established film, television, and video ... Read more The post NCU Podcast #006: Noah Knox Marshall on his Non-dystopian Sci-Fi Book Series and Building a Better World Through Story appeared first on Next Creator Up.

There are a lot of podcasts out there—hundreds of thousands, in numerous genres. It can be difficult to decide which to give a try on your many commutes to and from the office or nights away from Netflix. If you’re a horror fan, I’ll save you a little time: Jeff Heimbuch’s serialized comedy horror podcast, ... Read more The post NCU Podcast #005: Jeff Heimbuch on Producing a Comedy Horror Podcast and the Most Important Lesson from a Disney Imagineer Rebel appeared first on Next Creator Up.

**This episode contains explicit language.** As artists, we’re naturally sensitive people and can be easily influenced by the people around us. We can take their criticisms to heart and assume we can go no further than they believe is possible. But we can. Sarah Potenza is living proof. Sarah is a singer/songwriter out of Nashville ... Read more The post NCU Podcast #004: Sarah Potenza on Proving the Naysayers Wrong, Using Her Scars for Her Art, and Her Experience on The Voice appeared first on Next Creator Up.

Conventional wisdom tells us bigger is better, and that we’d all be happier if we had more—more growth, more followers, more customers, more money, more of everything society associates with “success.” But what if we could do what we love, on our own terms, and make solid money, while remaining small? What if we could ... Read more The post NCU Podcast #003 – Paul Jarvis on Creativity, Staying Small in Business, and Defining Success for Yourself appeared first on Next Creator Up.

The artist’s life is full of challenges—there’s no denying that. It’s not an easy path, which is why many don’t choose it. But if you’re a deeply emotional person who’s profoundly affected by the world and people around you, there’s nothing more fulfilling than having a creative outlet for your feelings and reflections. In this ... Read more The post NCU Podcast #002 – Melissa Center on the Sacrifices and Challenges of an Artist’s Life and Producing Your Own Film Projects appeared first on Next Creator Up.

We all have a story to tell, and that’s what makes our art so powerful. Whether we’re channeling it into a song, film, painting, or some other creative work, the truth of our story is the power behind any project. This, beyond our skill and artistry, is what draws people to our creations—a backbone of ... Read more The post NCU Podcast #001 – Kelley McRae on Creativity, Songwriting, and Discovering the Heart of Your Story appeared first on Next Creator Up.