Jake Brennan, creator and host of the hit true crime music podcast Disgraceland, and his business partner Brady Sadler, formally launched their new audio-driven media company Double Elvis Productions. Following the success of Disgraceland, the company today also announced the first in its new slate of four music-focused iHeartRadio Original Podcasts in partnership with iHeartMedia.
With a focus on music and pop culture, Double Elvis Productions will create original entertainment properties rooted in podcasting. “There is no shortage of great stories out there but not all of them fit into the world of Disgraceland,” explains Jake Brennan. “Double Elvis is a way for me to help bring to life other stories that I want to hear, from an emerging group of compelling and diverse storytellers that challenge and inspire me to continue to try and push the limits of the podcast medium. Working with iHeartRadio on this new slate gives these creators a massive platform to help them find their audience.”
“Through the podcast ‘Disgraceland,’ we were all introduced to one of our medium’s great talents, Jake Brennan,” said Conal Byrne, President of the iHeartPodcast Network. “And now, we could not be more excited to support Jake as he moves into the role of executive producer – launching his first show, ‘Dear Young Rocker,’ a totally unique and incredibly touching story about a woman encouraging a younger version of herself to have confidence in herself, to believe in herself – to be herself. There’s much more to come from Jake, as we build out a slate of groundbreaking content in partnership with his company Double Elvis Productions.”
The first of these four iHeartRadio Original Podcasts, Dear Young Rocker, set to release early 2020, is a first-person, coming of age story about the struggles of young adulthood and the power of music. Told from the perspective of host Chelsea Ursin, the show creates a dialogue around the issues of body image, gender power dynamics and mental health, and shines a spotlight on the way these issues are severely magnified during our formative years.
Watch a Video Teaser for “Dear Young Rocker” below:
“I’m excited to work with Double Elvis Productions because we share a commitment to showcasing the power of music through creative storytelling and I feel truly supported in my fierce individuality as a creator. They’re helping me do exactly what I want to do while I stay true to my DIY sensibilities,” explains host Chelsea Ursin, who initially launched the show independently before teaming with Double Elvis Productions. “I created Dear Young Rocker to reconnect with the young emotional parts of ourselves and the singularly intense feeling of falling in love with your favorite band for the first time, because I think teenage feelings actually mean something and as much as I wish I could say to the younger me, I know our present selves can learn something from the kid in us too. I want my story to help anyone who’s ever struggled with self-doubt and isolation and found power, freedom and connection in music.”
“Chelsea is an extremely talented artist and Dear Young Rocker is exemplary of the entertaining and purposeful storytelling we want to champion,” said Brady Sadler. Prior to Double Elvis Productions, Sadler spent 15 years in brand marketing, professional sports and entertainment, having started his career with The Walt Disney Company. He also co-founded a platform that developed over 100 partnerships between artists and brands, and, in 2018, published his first book; Collaboration is King: How Game Changers Create Marketing Partnerships That Build Brands and Grow Businesses.
“Double Elvis Productions is at the vanguard of creator-led studios building impactful media companies in podcasting,” said Jake Shapiro, co-founder and CEO of RadioPublic PBC and Podfund, an investor in Double Elvis. “Jake and Brady’s skills in storytelling, production, and marketing, matched by entrepreneurial instincts, are the essential ingredients for success at a transformational moment in the industry.”
Disgraceland, the first release from Double Elvis Productions’ co-founder Jake Brennan, in partnership with iHeartRadio, is in the midst of its fourth season and has been adapted into an acclaimed book and live show experience that has seen packed shows in Boston, Denver, and Comedy Central’s Clusterfest. Since joining the iHeartPodcast Network, Disgraceland has seen immense growth due in part to iHeartMedia’s “Podcast, Meet Broadcast” marketing initiative, which they plan to employ for the new slate of Double Elvis Productions shows.
Double Elvis Productions is represented by Oren Rosenbaum at United Talent Agency, who is revered for his work with top podcasters, entertainers and networks. “Our success with Disgraceland is just the beginning and I am thrilled to be working with Jake & Brady. Dear Young Rocker and our other forthcoming shows play into a broader landscape for adaptation to television and additional derivatives. We couldn’t be more excited,” said Rosenbaum.
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