Adventures of the Nomadic Mic: Recent Episodes
Nikhil Nagarkar
Adventures of the Nomadic Mic is a talk show created by Nikhil Nagarkar. The show’s themes cover culture, philosophies and stories of humans from around the world. The podcast was born from the concept of personal branding. Individuals now have great control to express themselves and their stories… but what does it take to build a brand? How are people making their mark on the world on social media and beyond?
Dr. Félix Landry Yuan is an environmental scientist who has spent his years researching the conservation of culture through the preservation of snakes and reptiles. Apart from his research in the field, Félix takes a sattvic approach to his mind and body, only indulging in foods and general activities that contribute to his overall well-being, and ultimately the well-being of others and the planet. He also enjoys getting into flow through a lifelong passion for skateboarding and being tied to an emerging community of skaters.
RVZR joins Nik on The Nomadic Mic to do what she does best - breed compassion through relatability. What's struck us is how her art does the same, which goes to show that it truly is the essence of a person that shines through in any endeavor that they choose. Watch the full episode to find out how she's taken her experiences in cultural identity, relationships, and self-esteem onto the canvas to not only inspire conversations, but to also adorn the insides of people's homes.
What does life look like growing up around legends of Hong Kong cinema? John Chiang Jr. joins Nik on The Nomadic Mic to discuss his experience of discovering identity while carrying the weighted legacy of his parents.
01:25 - How John and Nik know each other
02:45 - What was it like for John growing up?
04:08 - Who are John's parents?
05:35 - Talking about legacy
09:30 - John joining the film industry
10:50 - From actor the chef
16:30 - The glamor of being a chef, as portrayed in movies
19:50 - How experiences form our identity
21:00 - Expanding on identity and wearing masks
26:30 - How do characters differ on set vs the kitchen?
30:00 - Growing in the public eye and letting it forge your personal brand
35:45 - What kind of special feedback does John get from his parents
40:00 - The Nomadic Mic set
44:50 - Being a good storyteller in life
50:00 - Nik's long story about the book "When Breath Becomes Air"
52:00 - Living in a distracted world
54:40 - Dopamine detox
56:00 - The 70's were Peak times for Hong Kong cinema
58:50 - John's dad winning Asia's best actor
1:02:00 - A fight breaks out at the disco
1:04:30 - John's mom's career trajectory
1:07:00 - The 70s were crazy. Need to learn martial arts.
1:09:55 - What would John say to his younger and older self?
What is this a high school movie?
Not quite. But nearly 10 years after graduating high school Lewis and Nik rendezvous on the set of The Nomadic Mic. The boys talks about Lewis’ life as a musician, with a reputation of consolation when we all experience the very real moments of heartbreak, serendipity, and sadness. His melodies have cradled millions, and now we get to hear stories from his life and the experiences from where these relatable lyrics stem from.
01:57 - The brain has an algorithm that synthesises dreams with life
03:44 - Dream journals
06:00 - Lew’s dreams and its parallels with his music
07:30 - Dreams about people - Empathy for others - Research about said people
09:15 - Introspection in songwriting
11:00 - How Berklee impacted Lew’s music
14:30 - Being rated at Berklee
18:25 - It doesn’t matter if you’re the best if people don’t like being around you
18:54 - Joining the police force before Berklee was humbling
21:45 - How skills from police training transferred to Berklee
24:30 - The tenacity required to be in an arts field
26:40 - What does “pop” music actually mean?
28:11 - Impacting community by finding your purpose
31:58 - Music is just a tool for Lew’s bigger purpose
33:07 - Not over identifying with labels
34:45 - What kind of people are in Lew’s community? People who aren’t afraid to say they don’t have their shit together
37:11 - What kind of songs does Lew like to write?
38:50 - What is Lew like when he’s alone and doesn’t have his community around him?
41:15 - Interactions when experiencing anxiety
43:40 - Understanding social rules
44:42 - Social expectations of masculinity and what it means to Lew.
53:44 - The philosophy of Lew’s tour “Planting Seeds”
56:28 - Finding your voice as a person that people can trust
59:55 - Are you holding the right tools for your personality?
1:02:40 - What conversation would Lew have with his younger and older self?
1:08:05 - Lew’s final thoughts for the people
Nik sits down with Xavier, an old friend from high school, to talk about his journey in the realm of languages. Xavier was raised in a Spanish-Chinese household where he picked up Spanish, Cantonese, and English very early on in life. Faced with an ultimatum at a pivotal point in his career, he mastered fluency in Mandarin within several months, and is now pursuing French. It's inspiring what language can do for our perception of the world, and how it helps us connect with the stories of more people. Nik sits down with Xavier, an old friend from high school, to talk about his journey in the realm of languages. Xavier was raised in a Spanish-Chinese household where he picked up Spanish, Cantonese, and English very early on in life. Faced with an ultimatum at a pivotal point in his career, he mastered fluency in Mandarin within several months, and is now pursuing French. It's inspiring what language can do for our perception of the world, and how it helps us connect with the stories of more people.
When pursuing a form of art, or anything where success seems out of reach for most people, you’ve got to stay irrational.
Wes’ reputation precedes him. For the past several years he has contributed heavily to the R&B and Hip Hop scene in Hong Kong and South East Asia. This doesn’t just mean his music is pleasant to listen to. It means that the efforts with his team are shifting narratives, opinions, and attitudes in a region that continues to expand its acceptance and understanding of other cultures.
Sarah Vee is the founder of Women of Hong Kong.
At the time of recording this podcast in November 2022, her organization "Women of Hong Kong" had over 6,500 members after just 1.5 years. These are numbers of those IN the rapidly growing community, but far more have heard and seen the impact on the city of 7 million and beyond. Sarah is a woman driven by purpose, ambition, and a burning desire to carve the space for women to grow.
In this episode we explore what it's taken for her to take the brand this far, what her experiences are, and how they've forced her to question what it means to be an authentic human being. Listen to the full episode to learn what it takes!
If you liked this episode give us a follow on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenomadicmic/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsniknagarkar
Alexander Glavatsky Yeadon competed in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games representing Great Britain. What can be summarized in a sentence does little to convey the depth of pain he's had to endure to reach this point.
2014: After being turned away from the Hong Kong Olympic Committee at the age of 19 for not having a local passport, his dreams of competing in the Olympics seemed to have crumbled.
The next Olympic games were 4 years away. In between 2014 and 2018, he suffered 2 ACL tears and was told by professionals that his dreams of competing in the next Olympics were all but dead.
If it were not for his attitude and will to make it happen, we would not be telling this story of triumph today. Xander is a true example of how dreams are bullet proof in the face of adversity.
Show Notes:Xander and his partners weren't fond of the track-suit-like outfit that skiing is known for, so they reimagined what high-end skiing could look like with their apparel brand - Saint Valais. You can check out their catalogue and more about their mission here.
https://saintvalais.com/
The world is beautiful, but is beauty just a bandage for something much darker? We speak to Seb Xavier, a fine art photographer whose passion lies in discovering stories and themes that reveal truths of modern society.
His brand has found success through the lens as it continues to touch, move and inspire people across the globe. How does he find stories, what motivates him, and how does he maneuver the demanding creative field? We document the story of his early career, his life and how it all culminates into the gravity that is his art.
Have you ever dreamt of living on the road, with the world as your address? Andrew Sibert once did and followed through on the vision. After landing his dream job as an interaction designer at Google, he negotiated a deal that would allow him to work remotely from wherever he wanted. He grabbed the keys to Martha the van, and never looked back.
A year on, this is his story.
Show notes:
Blogs that Drew references -
Stratechery by Ben Thompson
https://stratechery.com/
Books that Drew references -
Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari
https://www.ynharari.com/book/homo-deus/
The Social Photo by Nathan Jurgenson
https://www.amazon.com/Social-Photo-Photography-Media-ebook/dp/B075PW32Y2#ace-g2545694624
Journalling has re-emerged as a popular medium for keeping track of one's life. Xavier Pick has been doing it every day for the past 35 years. Not only does he write, but he also sketches scenes from daily life using a variety of mark-making materials.
His sketchbook has taken him on adventures around the world, from researching peace and terrorism, to being appointed as a war artist by the UK's ministry of defence.
In this episode we speak about his origins, the experience of sketching in times of war, where he hopes the sketchbook can take him in the future and how everyone can begin documenting their adventures between the covers of a sketchbook.
Find out more about him at xavierpick.com
What's up Nomads.
My name is Nik and we're starting off the year 24 with a talk show full of purpose. Join the Adventures of the Nomadic Mic as we seek wisdom, humor, and conversations that can potentially tilt the needle for a better life.