MHK Music Scene’s new podcast helps artists find an audience through a new medium.
The podcast is hosted by MMS’s very own Quinton Morton, also known as DEE JAY QUE, and Krys Williams. In genre, the podcast transcends boundaries, featuring conversations with all kinds of artists from both near and far.
The inspiration for the podcast can be credited to Brendan Henault, whose passion for local arts brought him to MHK Music Scene as a graphic designer, and now podcast producer.
Though he went to school for graphic design, Henault said some previous experience with podcasts helped give him the necessary skills to produce this one.
“In Topeka, I was doing something kind of similar with a former coworker and I, like a basement video podcast show,” he said. “We would have local musical guests come to his private residence … tell us about themselves and showcase a little bit of their music for us.”
His hope for the podcast is to provide artists a platform they can rely on and for people to learn more about the local scene.
“[It’s] pretty exciting for anyone interested in live music in this local area,” Henault said.
On the other side of the camera, host Morton brings decades of disc jockey experience across music genres, and has had his finger on the pulse for decades.
“Manhattan has had a great history of music for a long time, it’s just that nobody really got to showcase it, is not showcasing it now except for MHK Music Scene,” he said.
When it comes to hosting a podcast, Morton’s career as a DJ has made him open to different sounds and learning something new.
“When we get to sit down with these local artists and these bands that they play, I love this,” he said. “It’s fresh, it’s different.”
(Behind the scenes photo of the band "Philosophy of Lions" | PHOTO BY COLLIN AINSWORTH)
Morton, who also broadcasts his own online radio station, said the new podcast is more “freestyle” and offers the opportunity to get personal with artists.
“You and the artist are right next to each other,” he said. “You’re … learning about them. Learning what makes them tick, learning about their music, learning about the history, the heritage, what made them want to be an artist, what made them want to put this kind of music out.”
“It’s a little bit more human,” he added. “It’s more natural, and it comes across as being natural. You can’t do a podcast and be fake.”
Opposite her DJ co-host, Krys Williams brings a fresh perspective to the Manhattan music scene.
Williams’s favorite part of the podcast so far is just hearing people’s stories and getting to know them.
“I just think that stories and conversations are so important,” she said. “Nowadays, especially during this time, it’s important for people to have conversations about things that they disagree on … I’m also passionate about modeling ways to have a conversation.”
“We give people a platform as well, to talk about what they’re passionate about,” she said. “Community is important as well … I’m glad that the podcast is here to kind of be able to bring light to that.”
“Support your local artists, honestly they don't feel they get the same amount of respect here as they should,” Morton said.
New episodes can be found on MHK Music Scene’s YouTube page.