Good Listen with Joe Pardavila

Internationally known DJ Samantha Michelle joins me to share her story. She has played at major music festivals, the most exclusive nightclubs worldwide, and parties for iconic brands. Samantha explains how her career began unexpectedly one unforgettable night at London’s Groucho Club. Fast forward several years, she now regularly headlines high-profile events and trendy hotspots like London’s Loulou’s, New York’s Butterfly, and Los Angeles’ Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Recent gig highlights include spinning for Christian Louboutin, back-to-back East and West Coast performances for Dolce & Gabbana, sets at Soho Desert House Coachella, posh Hamptons galas, and the launch party for Lotus Cars’ new luxury model. Tune in to learn how it all started for Samantha Michelle and how her soaring career continues to unfold.

About Samantha Michelle: Samantha is a Toronto-born, London-bred, bicoastal, globe-trotting DJ and award-winning filmmaker.
Known for her sophisticated, fun & feel-good sound, Samantha is called upon to spin for major industry & music festivals, luxury fashion parties, media publications, art galleries, hotels, nightclubs, members clubs and private events. She’s opened for music legends, including the likes of Mark Ronson, LCD Soundsystem, Miley Cyrus, DJ Ruckus, and Bachman Turner Overdrive, and headlined shows with audiences in the thousands.
Her career as a DJ kicked off in 2012, one night at The Groucho Club in London; this happy accident quickly transformed into a full-time focus as she soon found herself filling dancefloors around the world. Her versatile sound has taken her everywhere from Burning Man to Beverly Hills, from the South of France to the Swiss Alps.
In June 2022, Paramount brought Samantha to Cannes to be their exclusive DJ on their yacht at Cannes Lions. In 2019 and 2020, Wall Street Journal brought Samantha to both Cannes Lions and Davos for the World Economic Forum to open for Mark Ronson and to headline her own event. Other recent career highlights include spinning for Christian Louboutin, back-to-back bicoastal gigs for Dolce & Gabbana, performances at Soho Desert House Coachella, a series of Hamptons charity events and the launch of Lotus Cars’ new luxury model. She’s also DJ’d private events for brands such as Rolling Stone Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, Christie’s, Cinetic Media, Bulgari, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Carolina Herrera. She’s headlined festivals in the UK and the US like Glastonbury, The Secret Garden Party, Red Rooster and MemphoFest. From east to west coast, and on both sides of the Atlantic, Samantha’s energetic performances have made her the go-to DJ to get the good time going.
Samantha’s sonic style blurs the past and present as she fuses familiar classics with remixed gems, throwbacks with contemporary elements, always offering a tailor-made sound as she moves between the genres of disco, house, EDM, funk, rock and soul.
She’s long spread her love of music history hosting The Samantha Michelle show on London’s Soho Radio. She’s written and produced hundreds of hours of radio content, tracing through hidden gems and deep cuts of the soulful kind from the 1960s & 70s. Offering her audience an auditory journey through the past, she excavates the stories behind the songs she loves as she shares tales from her own wild DJ life.

Kenny Santucci, known for his appearance on the MTV reality show “The Challenge” nearly two decades ago, has a story to tell. While his successful run on the show ended amidst controversy, what he did afterward is truly inspiring. Kenny leveraged his reality fame to build a thriving career as a popular fitness influencer and gym owner in New York City. In this episode, we delve into Kenny’s journey, exploring how his setbacks and failed business ventures fueled his success today. He has emerged as one of New York City’s top trainers and a thought leader in the health and wellness industry. Join me as we uncover the secrets behind Kenny’s transformation from reality TV star to fitness icon.

About Kenny: With over a decade of experience, Kenny Santucci has made himself known as one of New York City’s top trainers and a thought leader in the health and wellness industry. Brand ambassador for Michelob Ultra and Fitaid, Technogym Master Trainer, host of the Fitaid Morning Show, Michelob Ultra MOVEMENT Fitness Festival, Model Beach Volleyball, and more, Santucci has established himself as a force within the fitness space. He has collaborated with industry titans across the health, wellness, and lifestyle space such as Reebok, Under Armour, Adidas, ASICS, Rhone, Melin, Cellucor, Bodybulding.com, CrossFit, the National Academy of Sports Medicine, Precision Nutrition, Nautica, TimeOut, Gregory’s Coffee, and more.

Kenny has also shared his training approach and wellness philosophy with features in top health and wellness publications such as Shape Magazine, Men’s Health Magazine, Men’s Journal, Well+Good, Askmen.com, Reebok.com, and Women’s Health Magazine.

Kenny lives his mantra of helping others well beyond the gym's walls. As the creator of the STRONG New York health and wellness series, he is the heart and leader behind these events that have already raised thousands of dollars and brought awareness to the community around men's and women's health issues, with a portion of the proceeds going to different health-focused organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Awareness Foundation, Movember Foundation, and Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Lauri Loewenberg has a story to tell. With a background in dream psychology, Lauri is a professional dream analyst and wrote the book “Dream on It: Unlock Your Dreams, Change Your Life.” We discuss Lauri’s journey with dreams, what they reveal about ourselves and our lives, and how learning to interpret them can create positive change. We also find out why I always dream about my old job and why I always have nightmares about my teeth falling out.

About Lauri Quinn Loewenberg:  Lauri has kept a dream journal since she was a child.  One night, at the age of 19, her deceased grandfather visited her in a dream and gave her a life-changing message. It was then that she decided to dedicate herself to finding out what dreaming is, why we do it, and what it means. 

With a background in Dream Psychology, Lauri is now a

She currently resides in Tampa, FL with her strikingly handsome husband, her musical son and orange tabby Sigmund.

Sapphire Howell tells her story – from teenage modeling to diving into adult entertainment and branching out into entertainment, business, and tech. We chat openly about her drive to blaze an unconventional trail, all about independence and creative vibes. We also get into the juicy stuff like the Taylor Swift AI drama, her religious detour, and how she crafted a brand that clicks with her fans.

About Sapphire Howell: Sapphire  is an actress, model, and media darling. This All-American bombshell attributes her beauty from the descent of African and Caucasian parents. She managed to manifest her teenage dreams when she graced the coveted pages of Playboy, which set her trajectory to fame. Her path was forged with this tenacity and prompted a move from the Midwest to the West Coast. Sapphire kept building her modeling career and with her innate entrepreneurial spirit became a leading female tech founder in Web3, when she created digital membership passes as an extension of her brand. The self-portrait animated style NFTs launched in November 2022, which would catapult her career. This enabled her to hone in on her artistic side and create content that would supply a lifetime value of art for her three million fans. In February 2024, she will continue to offer her inimitable virtual presence by launching an eponymous app and joining forces with the creators of SugarWorld App. 

Howell is currently Collaborative Editor for growing lifestyle outlet Thrissle and Host of sex and relationship podcast, Heartbreakers, which is climbing the charts in the relationship category.

You know how everyone has a story to tell, but we don’t always get to hear them? Well, that’s what Joe's podcast, Good Listen, is for. Joe loves to chat with fascinating folks who have done incredible things in their lives. These are the kinds of stories that will make you laugh, cry, and feel good.

Joe's been working in radio and podcasting for decades now, and he’s obsessed with people’s stories whether he’s recording something or running into someone at the store.

On this podcast, you’ll hear inspiring stories from voices that need to be heard. So join Joe Pardavila by subscribing to Good Listen.