Podcast
Blackout Podcast
Hosted by Israel Ekanem · EN
Blackout Podcast: Intimate Conversations With Amazing People Who Do Amazing Things.
It is about unfiltered truth.
A space to talk openly about life, art, mental health, family, beginnings and endings.
26episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Niyi Adeogun – Multidisciplinary Artist / Creative Director
Jun 100:24:45Tap to summarizeNiyi Adeogun is a multidisciplinary artist, creative director, and founder of CXRE Labs, a creative studio exploring the intersection of art, design, and technology. His work spans visual art, brand identity, immersive experiences, and experimental design, often using symbolism and storytelling to create pieces that feel both personal and thought-provoking.Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, and now based in Canada, Niyi’s practice is rooted in curiosity, emotion, and innovation. He is passionate about creating work that not only looks compelling but also invites deeper reflection on identity, connection, faith, and the human experience.Through his studio and personal practice, Niyi continues to build projects that blur the lines between disciplines, bringing together art, design, and emerging technology in ways that feel meaningful, accessible, and alive.Check him out @niyiadeogun
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Dawn & Paris - East Coast Sessions
May 2500:25:30Tap to summarizeEast Coast Sessions is a Black female-owned and led music platform dedicated to showcasing local musical talent across the East Coast of Canada. Our mission is to empower artists to confidently share their craft while providing an affordable, professional, and supportive space for growth.Unlike traditional music video services, East Coast Sessions offers a full creative experience tailored to each artist. We guide artists through a collaborative process to help them prepare for their session and highlight their performance in the best way possible. After the session, we provide a content plan designed to help artists share their work with a wider audience and grow their presence online, giving them tools to build a strong and authentic brand.East Coast Sessions addresses a critical gap in the East Coast music scene, where many talented artists struggle with visibility, branding, and opportunities to perform regularly. Our platform gives artists a space to develop their confidence, connect with audiences, and gain exposure. Beyond supporting artists, we also partner with local businesses to create collaborative opportunities that increase their visibility as well.Dawn A. Dean - Co-Founder & Director/EditorParis Da Breo - Co-Founder & Head of OperationsCheck them out @eastcoastsessions_
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Daramfon Morgan - Visual Artist / Cultural Storyteller
May 1800:40:35Tap to summarizeDaramfon Morgan is a Canadian Nigerian visual artist and the founder of DCM ART CREATIONS, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. His work explores identity, culture, and memory through a bold visual language that blends African heritage, Caribbean influence, and contemporary expression. Working primarily in digital painting, his pieces are known for their rich colour, layered symbolism, and ability to tell stories that resonate across the diaspora.Through collections such as Faces of the Diaspora, We Carry the Fire and We Wear Our Stories, Daramfon uses art as a tool for storytelling, education, and connection. His work reflects the lived experiences, traditions, and evolving narratives of Black communities, while also pushing into modern spaces such as public art, exhibitions, and digital platforms. His practice sits at the intersection of culture and innovation, with a growing focus on art licensing, murals, and large-scale visual storytelling.Beyond his studio practice, Daramfon brings a unique perspective shaped by his professional work in social development and community systems. This influence shows up in the intention behind his work, which often centres on visibility, belonging, and long-term impact. Whether through exhibitions, collaborations, or public installations, his goal is to create work that not only captures attention but leaves a lasting impression.Check him out @lifecover_art
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Zuzu Ramia - Light Warrior
May 1100:32:49Tap to summarizeZuzu, an author, speaker, percussionist, and photographer, transforms adversity into empowerment.After breaking his neck, Zuzu was fully paralysed and told he’d never walk again. With an unwavering belief in God and in himself, he has defied the odds by overcoming his paralysis through a variety of action-centric modalities, meditation, and a plant- based diet.Embodying a “Light Warrior” mindset, he now helps others transcend pain, awaken their purpose, and live a self-actualised life.“Life is meant to be lived to the fullest… now, in this present moment.” - Zuzu RamiaCheck him out @zuzu_ramia
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Zoe Leger - Singer / Voice Coach/ Music Educator
May 400:36:04Tap to summarizeRaised and based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Zoe believes in the power of the voice to create community through song, and is constantly learning from her students and colleagues. Zoe holds a full studio of amateur and professional singers, and focuses her teaching on CCM pedagogy. Zoe has coached professional singers and actors, post-secondary and post-graduate students and other vocal coaches. Zoe holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance (Jazz Studies) as well as a Masters of Music (Composition). Zoe holds certificates in Somatic Voicework - The Lovetri Method (Baldwin Wallace University) and Acoustic Vocal Pedagogy (University of Michigan). Zoe uses a holistic approach to teach singing that encourages singers to connect mind, body and voice together to reach their fullest potential as artists. Zoe uses science-informed pedagogy in her teaching that motivates singers to challenge pre-conceived notions about what the human voice is capable of, and what makes a ‘good’ singer.In addition to her private vocal studio, Zoe is the director of the Atlantic Contemporary Vocal Institute. Zoe holds current teaching positions in the music departments of St. Francis Xavier University, The Fountain School of Performing Arts at Dalhousie University, and Nova Scotia Community College where her roles include private voice instruction, ensemble direction, and lecturing in songwriting, music theory and history. Zoe also has a popular online training program that delivers singing training opportunities at an affordable cost.Zoe is an accomplished jazz and contemporary vocalist and pianist, songwriter and arranger, who has performed across Canada and the United Kingdom as a solo artist as well as in a variety of contemporary ensembles. Zoe has won and been nominated for East Coast Music Awards and Music Nova Scotia Awards for her solo and collaborative recording projects.Learn more @acvinstitute
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Shawntaya MacLean - Poet/ Creative Entity / Future Story Teller
Apr 2700:37:25Tap to summarizeShe is a poet at heart, a creative spirit who experiences the world through rhythm, emotion, and truth. Her words are shaped by lived moments and quiet reflections, capturing both the beauty and complexity of life. Through her poetry, she gives voice to the unspoken and creates space for connection, healing, and self-expression. As a new mother, her world has expanded in deeply transformative ways. Motherhood has both grounded and elevated her, inspiring a new depth in her creativity rooted in love, growth, and resilience. It continues to influence how she moves, creates, and shows up in every space she enters. On this podcast, she brings her full self: the artist, the woman, the mother. Her presence creates a space where vulnerability and creativity intertwine, inviting listeners into honest conversations, raw emotion, and stories that deserve to be felt.Find out more @galatiic.gypsiie
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Liz LeClair - Founder, UpRising Philanthropic Consulting
Apr 2000:48:37Tap to summarizeLiz LeClair is a proud fundraiser and an intersectional feminist, bringing 20 years of experience to her work as the founder of UpRising Philanthropic Consulting. Liz is also a gender-based violence advocate working to raise awareness on the epidemic of violence in Nova Scotia and an end to the misuse of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).Liz lives and works in Punamu’kwati’jk (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia), which is located in Mi’kma’ki - the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people.Liz approaches her work with nonprofit organisations through a community-centric fundraising lens, recognising that equity and inclusion are fundamental to the work. She believes these principles must also be at the heart of fundraising, ensuring that philanthropy is both ethical, inclusive, and just.Find out more @liz_leclair_hfx
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Warlet - Rapper / Singer / Beatboxer
Apr 1300:21:46Tap to summarizeShe writes, raps, beatboxes, performs spoken word, and speaks three languages. Meet Warlet, one of the most exciting and multi-dimensional artists to join The Blackout Podcast.Warlet shares the story behind her journey from Brazil to Canada, revealing how her parents (both vocal coaches) inspired her musical foundation, how Brazilian rap legends like Racionais MC shaped her political awakening, and why her upcoming debut album TRLNGL will feature everything from Brazilian funk to reggaeton to R&B.But this conversation goes much deeper than music. Warlet opens up about the profound impact of her younger brother (who is autistic and non-verbal) on her life, her maturity, and her eventual autism diagnosis. She reflects on how those experiences taught her resilience and helped her embrace what makes her different. Warlet is a singer, rapper and beatboxer from Brazil living in Nova Scotia. She mixes different genres such as Emo, Rap, Trap, Pop and R&B in her music and elements of her Latin background, including mixing languages on her songs. Her lyrics focus on deep, real-life experiences from toxic relationships to her life as a woman on the spectrum and an immigrant.Check her out @warletmusic
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Jessica Steele - Paper Collage Artist
Apr 600:38:10Tap to summarizeJessica Steele is a paper collage artist based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She holds a BFA in Fibres from Concordia University and a Diploma of Fine Arts from Dawson College.Working primarily with hand-cut vintage print materials such as books and magazines, Jessica explores how meaning shifts when familiar imagery is separated from its original context and recombined into new relationships. Though collage is often associated with spontaneity, her process is tactile and methodical, involving the careful sourcing, cutting, and arranging of printed fragments to create surreal compositions. She is particularly interested in how a single shift in scale or position can alter the reading of an image, inviting close looking and curiosity.Jessica’s work has been exhibited across Halifax and collected in Canada and the United States. She was selected as one of four emerging artists in the 2025–26 Visual Arts Nova Scotia Mentorship Program, a competitive 10-month initiative supporting the professional development of early-career artists.View her work at jessicasteele.ca or on Instagram @artbyjessicasteele
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Tapiwa Munyanyi - Photographer / Filmmaker
Mar 3000:16:10Tap to summarizeHe’s a photographer, a videographer, a rugby player, and a die-hard Dallas Cowboys fan. Meet Tapiwa, the creative force behind Captured by Shumba.In this episode, Tapiwa explains how his journey behind the camera began in 2023, inspired by a photographer he met on a solo trip to see the Cowboys. But more importantly, we get into why his photos stand out. Tapiwa’s mission is to show his subjects a version of themselves they’ve never seen before, making every photoshoot an experience they’ll never forget.We discuss the meaning behind his brand name ("Shumba" means Lion in his native Shona language), how he prepares for the high-stakes world of wedding photography, and his thoughts on using AI as a creative tool.If you’ve ever wanted to turn a spark of inspiration into a full-blown creative career, you won’t want to miss this conversation.Find Tapiwa's Work: @CapturedByShumba
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