02 November 2018

Number 1 music podcast Rhyme & Reason interviews Instagram Star about sleeping on the streets

Musicians Making a Difference’s (MMAD) new podcast for Australian youth, getting up-close and personal with influential Australian music artists reached number one on the iTunes music show Top Charts with it’s initial episodes featuring singer/songwriter engineer Dustin Tebbutt and Australian rapper Pez. The podcast series has been made possible by a grant from Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation.

The 16-episode series discusses themes of grief and loss, mental illness, self-identity, alcoholism and addiction, as the artists openly share their personal experiences and the songs that have helped them find their path.

This week’s episode is with 20-year-old Gold Coast singer, model, actress and host Alli Simpson. With a huge following of 1.4 million people on Instagram, Alli says her perspective on what really matters changed when she featured on Filthy Rich & Homeless, a series that follows five wealthy Australians who swap their life of privilege for homelessness. Alli claims that it opened her eyes to what really matters, and to her potential to use social media as a platform to influence positive change.

“My short homeless experience on Filthy Rich & Homeless was life-changing for me. I met MMAD when I was in a refuge and their music program was so inspiring, so now I really want to help them to reach more young people,” Alli says.

 

“Rhyme & Reason was created to give a platform for artists and people within the industry to share stories about struggles, strength, and how music has helped shape them.” MMAD Co-Founder Dominic Brook explains. “It is our hope that these stories with influential people will cut through to others who may be experiencing similar challenges, offer some comfort in learning they are not alone in their battle, and find new ways to move towards health & happiness.”

The podcast provides an insight into some of Australia’s most cutting-edge artists, enlisting the talents of young MMAD clients to create and produce the series, developing their skills in sound production, journalism, research, videography and marketing, among other fields.

“Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation is proud to work with organisations like MMAD to engage young people in innovative channels and programs like the Rhyme & Reason podcast series, to tell important stories of influential young people, normalise and break down perceptions of those struggling with mental illness and personal issues,” said Charitable Foundation Chair, Phil Neat.

Alli Simpson’s episode will launch on Friday, 2nd October on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Play. A weekly episode will be released until the end of the year.

More information

 

Musicians Making a Difference (MMAD)
MMAD is a unique grassroots charity that exists to change young lives through the power of music and mentoring. MMAD creates a sense of family for vulnerable young people and offers a creative safe-haven where they are supported in breaking negative cycles and empowered to use their own unique talents to make a difference within the wider community.
Read more at www.mmad.org.au

 

Rhyme & Reason podcast by MMAD
Everyone has that song. The one that helped you get out of bed when nothing else could. The one that inspired you to pursue your dreams. Rhyme & Reason gets up close with influential artists, explores their life stories and the songs that helped them live to tell them. 

This podcast series has been funded by a grant from Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation.

Rhyme & Reason by MMAD https://www.mmad.org.au/rhyme-and-reason 

 

Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation

Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation distributes more than $1.5 million in grants each year to facilitate charitable projects that address disadvantage, marginalisation, or isolation in local communities throughout the NSW Hunter, Central West, Central Coast, New England, Mid North Coast, and Northern Rivers regions. Since its establishment in 2003, the Charitable Foundation has provided more than $18.3 million to 435 community initiatives.

www.charitablefoundation.com.au

 

Alli Simpson
Alli Simpson is a multi-talented young Australian who made her mark in showbiz as an actress, singer, model, host, dancer and fashion columnist. She forayed into showbiz inspired by her singer-songwriter, dancer and actor brother Cody Simpson. She started posting vlogs, beauty videos, cover songs and interviews on YouTube launching her account SoAlli which with time amassed millions of views.
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4972096/bio

Filthy Rich and Homeless
Filthy Rich and Homeless is a Logie Award-winning Australian TV documentary series produced by Blackfella Films and broadcast in 2017 (Season 1) and 2018 (Season 2) on SBS.