WILD Puts Raw, Intimate Conversations in Your Earbuds

“Wild” is one way to describe the whirlwind that has been the pandemic. In a matter of days our lives changed completely, and it was quite terrifying. One of my friends who was visiting almost didn’t make it home because the airports shut down. My last social event was a “Murder By Death” show right when news was really picking up about the virus. We nervously looked around at each other, and the entire crowd attempted to social distance. It was so frightening. Now, more than a year later, many of us are feeling a bit more stable. It feels like a time of reflection and healing. During the peak of the pandemic, I lost both of my grandfathers within months of each other. I was laid off twice, and my partner was once. I couldn’t see my family for over a year, and, even worse, the pandemic kept me from seeing my loved ones one last time. Which is a very poor transition, but the basis of the WILD podcast comes from a grim place and coping with life.

WILD isn’t necessarily about the pandemic or 2020; it’s about the journey. The description of the show says it’s about “growing up . . . kind of.” It’s a very broad statement. When I first listened to the trailer, I felt like I was listening to a secret. The host, Erick Galindo, has a very soothing voice, and it seems like you are in the room with him. He is the only host of the show, but he interviews individuals about their journeys. WILD only started releasing episodes a few weeks ago, but some of the recordings and interviews were recorded during the pandemic (so far). It’s a different experience every time I listen to the show.

The structure of the podcast feels very fluid. The purpose of the show is to tell the stories of 10 people in the first season, and each episode is its own. The first episode is about a young woman who goes back to her childhood home due to the pandemic and creates her own business. There are moments of sound clips of her parents and another moment is spoken-word. The next episode focuses on a singer’s music and sound clips from their viral video. The host creates a very dynamic space, and each person tells their story differently. It feels so raw listening to each story because the interviewees are speaking their thoughts in an intimate setting created by the host. You want to stop what you are doing and listen to the conversation that sounds like only two friends should be having.

The episodes are around 30 minutes long, and it’s not a niche podcast where you need prior knowledge. I would recommend this podcast to everybody. During this point of time we all experienced a world-wide event, and it is a lot to process. It’s comforting to hear about other people’s stories from 2020 and know that not everyone was okay. We all had our struggles, some in bigger ways than others, but the sense of community shines in this podcast. It may not be exactly how we experience community. However, it’s the human experience of learning from others that helps us grow.