BLOOMINGTON – What do an ancient Celtic chant, a matricidal Italian composer, and a Black millionaire pharmacist from Baltimore have in common? The answer will be revealed on The Influencers, a new multimedia music history series that premieres this month on WFIU Public Radio’s broadcast and digital platforms.
Created and hosted by Lisa Robbin Young, each episode of The Influencers highlights a popular music artist and the hidden connections and stories buried within their musical family tree. With the help of music historians, educators, journalists, and fans, The Influencers traces hundreds of years back to find the earliest influences that helped make the artists of today’s popular music who they are. The series will explore the musical roots of Lizzo, Bruno Mars, Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift, Billy Joel, John Legend, and more popular artists.
The Influencers’ multiplatform content includes one-hour radio episodes, short-form video and audio podcasts, and supplementary “Show Your Work” videos that are published on WFIU-WTIU’s YouTube channel every Saturday before each episode’s premiere to provide a deeper look at how the musical connections were drawn from the past to the featured artist.
The first “Show Your Work” video of The Influencers is now available on WFIU-WTIU’s YouTube channel and features hip-hop legend Shane “The Doctor” Faber. Faber is connected to Queen Latifah, who influenced the artist and will be featured on the first episode of The Influencers. He discusses the early days of hip-hop, what it was like working with Queen Latifah on her smash hit, “Ladies First,” and how music from that era could never be re-mastered in the same way it was recorded. Faber also talks about his musical influences and his early band, Bad Sneakers.
Radio episodes of The Influencers will air on the last Saturday of the month at 5 p.m. on WFIU2 beginning January 25 and on the last Sunday of the month at 6 p.m. on WFIU starting January 26. Digital content for The Influencers will be available on all major podcast platforms, including WFIU-WTIU’s YouTube channel, youtube.com/wtiu.
Learn more about the series at wfiu.org/theinfluencers.
About Lisa Robbin Young
Lisa Robbin Young started at WFIU in January 2024 as the local host of Morning Edition and continues in that role. From a young age, Lisa had a knack for all things musical and dreamed of becoming a rock star. She completed her degree in Music Theory/Music History with a minor in vocal performance at the University of Michigan. She also studied screenwriting with Academy Award winner Casey G. Williams. Lisa is an accomplished musician with three full-length albums to her credit. She describes her genre as “pop-infused jazz and blues.” Lisa has performed on stages across the country and was featured in a show on Disney+.
A native of Flint, Michigan, Lisa grew up in a musical family and was exposed to music that spanned most of the 20th century, including pop, rock, classical, jazz, and Flint bands like Grand Funk Railroad and Ready for the World. Her favorite composers are John Cage and Mozart.
