Solo Spotlight with Ryan MacDougall

On this episode of Solo Spotlight, Ryan sits down with Edmonton hip-hop artist Illiam for a conversation about confidence, craft, live performance, fake streams, collaboration, and the reality of building as an independent artist.

Illiam opens up about his journey from performing as Hades to becoming a more authentic version of himself, the years he spent writing hundreds of songs before feeling confident in his music, and the process behind sharpening his pen through rhyme drills and thousands of pages of rhymes.

The conversation also explores backing tracks in live rap shows, soundcheck struggles, touring with Junk, the Edmonton hip-hop community, fake playlist promotion, and the pressure artists face to look successful online before the foundation is actually built.

This episode is a grounded look at the work behind the music, the person behind the artist, and what it takes to build something real in independent hip-hop.

Follow Solo Spotlight for more conversations with artists, creators, entrepreneurs, and everyday people with stories worth hearing. New episodes continue to spotlight the people building something real from the ground up.

In this episode of Solo Spotlight, Ryan sits down with Ben Popplestone, a keynote speaker, strategist, and adventure mentor who brings together two worlds that may seem completely different at first: high-growth corporate leadership and high-risk adventure.

Ben has spent over two decades working inside fast-moving technology and e-commerce companies, helping organizations grow, adapt, and navigate change. At the same time, he has built a life around adventure — climbing mountains, trail running, spearfishing, sailing, and exploring environments where pressure, uncertainty, and risk are not just theories. They are real.

If you are a leader, entrepreneur, creator, athlete, or someone trying to grow without burning out, this conversation is worth your time.

Check out Ben Popplestone:

LinkedIn: Ben Popplestone

Adventure Mentors: adventurementors.com

Email/contact: [email protected]

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#SoloSpotlight #SpareBedroomStudios #BenPopplestone #AdventureMindset #Leadership #Burnout #PersonalGrowth #Podcast #Entrepreneurship #RiskTaking #LeadershipDevelopment

Nick VonDub returns to Solo Spotlight for Episode 93 — and this one goes deep.

Since his last appearance, a lot has changed. The Moon YEG was forced into a major move after the building it operated in was sold, putting one of Edmonton’s most unique comedy spaces at risk. In this episode, Nick breaks down what happened behind the scenes, how the community rallied together, and what it took to keep The Moon alive without missing a beat.

Nick is a comic, podcast host, showrunner, and a key part of The Moon YEG comedy community. This episode is part comedy conversation, part behind-the-scenes breakdown, and part love letter to the people keeping local creative spaces alive.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to like, comment, and subscribe to Spare Bedroom Studios.

Follow Nick VonDub and The Moon YEG to keep up with upcoming comedy shows, podcasts, and live events.

In this episode of Solo Spotlight, Ryan MacDougall sits down with Greg Clink, a longtime college basketball coach, former head coach of Chico State men’s basketball, and current speaker focused on leadership, communication, and building culture.

Greg shares his journey from growing up in California and falling in love with competition, to playing college basketball, coaching for over 30 years, and eventually leading Chico State into one of the strongest Division II programs in the country. Throughout the conversation, Greg breaks down what it really means to build culture, recruit character, develop players, and lead people beyond the X’s and O’s of the game.

Ryan and Greg discuss the difference between talented teams and successful teams, how coaches evaluate players beyond skill, why leadership requires humility, and how lessons from athletics translate into business, public speaking, family, and everyday life.

This episode is for coaches, athletes, team leaders, business owners, and anyone interested in leadership, culture, accountability, communication, and personal development.

If you enjoyed this conversation, make sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more long-form interviews on Solo Spotlight.

#SoloSpotlight #GregClink #Leadership #Coaching #Basketball #ChicoState #TeamCulture #PlayerDevelopment #SportsLeadership #SpareBedroomStudios #PodcastInterview #CultureBuilding #LeadershipLessons #CollegeBasketball

Comedian Jamie Randall joins Solo Spotlight for the first time to talk about the real work behind stand-up comedy.

In this episode, Ryan and Jamie get into his journey from music into comedy, finding his voice on stage, writing and testing new material, bombing in front of a crowd, the difference between open mics and paid shows, and what it takes to move from hosting to headlining. Jamie also breaks down the role of a comedy host, how crowd work can shape a set, why recording your performances matters, and how different comedy scenes — from Vancouver to Edmonton — can force a comic to adapt and level up.

They also talk about Edmonton’s growing comedy scene, The Moon Comedy Café, local rooms, upcoming shows, and the community of comics building something real in the city. Jamie gives a shoutout to YEG Comedy Shows, his upcoming professional comedy nights, and The Moon’s new venue.

This conversation is a great look into what stand-up comedy actually takes behind the scenes — not just getting laughs, but learning how to write, fail, adjust, and keep showing up.

Go support out guest:

https://www.instagram.com/jamie_randell/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp7Hgf1A4pN-mfdyzEo29sQ

#SoloSpotlight #SpareBedroomStudios #JamieRandall #EdmontonComedy #YEGComedy #StandUpComedy #CanadianComedy #ComedyPodcast #Podcast #PodcastEpisode #LocalComedy #TheMoonYEG #YEGCreators #CanadianComedian #ComedyScene

In this episode of Solo Spotlight, Ryan sits down with Sara Steeves for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about survival, reclaiming your voice, healing after abuse, and turning lived experience into advocacy.

Sara opens up about the path that led her to speak publicly, the role sobriety played in changing her life, the realities of coercive control, and the importance of creating safe spaces for survivors to be heard. She also shares how her platform has grown into a community, the message behind her Trauma Tees / REALM collaboration, and why she’s currently working on a book called Canadian Soil.

This is an honest conversation about pain, resilience, accountability, healing, and what it means to use your story to help someone else feel seen.

Solo Spotlight is part of Spare Bedroom Studios — real conversations with people who have real stories.

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keep up with our guest:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sara_12636_steeves/

REALM - https://realmshakercup.com/sara/

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@saramsteeves/video/7532408330069871928

#SoloSpotlight #SpareBedroomStudios #SaraSteeves #Podcast #Interview #Healing #Survival #Advocacy #Sobriety #CoerciveControl #AbuseAwareness #Storytelling #CanadianSoil #TraumaTees #RecoveryJourney

In this episode of Solo Spotlight, I sit down with Edmonton-based music duo Murdock Altas to break down their journey, creative process, and the mindset behind their sound.

We dive into how both artists developed individually before coming together as a duo, what influences shaped their music, and how they approach creating something authentic in a space that often rewards trends.

We also talk about the realities of making music today — from production and lyricism to live performance and building a fanbase that actually connects with the work.

Their upcoming album “Believe It” drops April 19, and this conversation gives a real look into what went into building that project and where they’re headed next.

If you’re an artist, creative, or just someone who appreciates real conversations about the process behind the work — this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen on all platforms

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🎶 Check out Murdock Altas — “Believe It” dropping April 19 -

https://linktr.ee/murdockaltas?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

#SoloSpotlight #SpareBedroomStudios #Podcast #PodcastClip #PodcastLife #LongFormContent #InterviewPodcast #ContentCreator #YouTubePodcast #CreativeConversations #MurdockAltas #EdmontonMusic #CanadianMusic #HipHopArtist #IndieArtist #MusicDuo #NewMusic #MusicInterview #UpAndComingArtist #IndependentMusic

In this episode of Solo Spotlight, Ryan sits down with Lameese Smaili to talk about growing up between Canada and Lebanon, living through crisis, teaching in Lebanon, witnessing the impact of war and displacement, returning to Canada, and building a career in journalism and long-form storytelling. The conversation also dives into media trust, journalistic ethics, and her work hosting Pop-Up Conversations. A powerful, honest episode about resilience, identity, and telling human stories.

Make sure to follow Lameese Smaili and check out Pop-Up Conversations for more long-form artist interviews and human stories. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to Solo Spotlight, leave a comment with your biggest takeaway, and share this episode with someone who cares about storytelling, journalism, and real conversations.

#SoloSpotlight #SpareBedroomStudios #LameeseSmaili #Journalism #Storytelling #Media #Podcast #PodcastInterview #LongFormConversation #Edmonton #YEG #CanadianMedia #PopUpConversations #RealStories

Ryan Cowan joins Solo Spotlight for a raw and deeply personal conversation about addiction, prison, sobriety, masculinity, mentorship, and rebuilding a life with purpose.

In this episode, Ryan opens up about his childhood, the chaos that shaped him early, time spent in jail, the pressure of parole, and how those experiences forced him to confront who he was becoming. He also shares how fitness and coaching became more than physical transformation, turning into a way to help others through accountability, hard conversations, and lived experience. Ryan discusses his involvement with Gloves Not Guns, where he speaks to youth coming through the correctional system and works with them through boxing and mentorship. He also talks about his bigger vision moving forward: taking life coaching to the next level and using his voice to reach and help more people through social media.

This is a conversation about pain, discipline, healing, and what it really means to change your life in real time.

Follow Spare Bedroom Studios for more episodes, clips, and weekly conversations.

#SoloSpotlight #RyanCowan #SpareBedroomStudios

Celia Bugno is back on Solo Spotlight for a second appearance — and this time we’re dragging art history straight into 2026.

We break down the art world’s biggest pressure points right now (museums, funding, culture wars, and the attention economy), then run a full discussion segment: “Art Terms, But Make It 2026.”

You’ll hear how the canon became algorithmic, how the gaze became measurable, how modern patronage shows up through brands and platforms, why provenance is basically receipts culture, and why Rococo might be the blueprint for today’s curated joy aesthetic.

If you’ve ever felt like you needed a dictionary to understand art — this episode is your translator.

CHECK OUT CELIA / HIGHBROW HONEY

Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/highbrow-honey-podcast/

Instagram: @highbrow_honey

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