Faith Fuels Frequency with Tonya Nelson Fisher | Episode 03 | Via the Sound

What does it look like to build a decade long career in music from college radio to Sirius XM to Tidal; while navigating faith, motherhood, and being a Black woman in rooms that weren't always built for you?This week we sit down with Tonya Nelson Fisher; a content strategist, music executive, creative storyteller, and author — for a conversation that goes way beyond the resume. We get into her six-year-old self meeting Kirk Franklin and how that moment came full circle, the email she wasn't supposed to see that changed her entire trajectory, what it actually means to program music at scale, negotiating her first six-figure salary with a newborn at home, and why she waddled into a job interview seven months pregnant and got the job anyway.We also get real about Black women being pushed out of the industry at an alarming rate, whether faith and the music industry are more compatible than people think, and the gospel artists you need to have on your radar right now.This one hits different. Be sure to give us a follow to stay locked in for more conversations 🖤🎙️Tonya's Book: My Friend J.C.: A Child's Guide to Understanding the Holy Spirit's Presence https://www.amazon.com/My-Friend-J-C-Understanding-Presence/dp/B0F5XZ3WQ9⏱️ CHAPTERS0:00 – Cold Open: Kirk Franklin, God's Property & A Dream Behind the Mic0:54 – Intro: Welcome to Via the Sound1:31 – Meet Tonya Nelson Fisher2:15 – Icebreakers: 3 Emojis & Rapid Fire This or That4:26 – Kirk Franklin or Fred Hammond? 4:46 – Who Was Tonya Before the Titles?5:12 – Growing Up: 90s, Black Sit Coms, 90's Girl Groups: Destiny's Child, TLC 7:36 – Mom from Barbados, Dad from Queens: Musical Upbringing9:32 – Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder & the Car Rides That Shaped Everything10:23 – Pivoted Dreams to Broadcast Journalism11:47– College Radio: How "Agree to Disagree" Started It All12:09 – Sirius XM: From Intern to On-Air Personality14:07 – Six Years Old at a Kirk Franklin Concert 15:40 - Joe Madison Show17:16 – The Email She Wasn't Supposed to See (And What She Did With It)21:27 – What Music Programming Actually Looks Like Behind the Scenes25:48 – From Part-Time Coordinator to On-Air Co-Host26:09 – Interviewing Kelly Rowland, John Legend & Bruno Mars26:24 – From Radio to Streaming: COVID, Burnout & Tidal30:29– Negotiating Her First Six-Figure Salary With a Newborn at Home33:25 – Rate the Take: Gospel, Faith & the Music Industry38:40– Being a Working Mom: Village, Support & Refusing to Shrink39:34 – Radio Built Fans. Will Algorithms Ever Do the Same?41:42 – Are the Best Music Execs Failed Musicians? (Hot Take)44:00 – Kirk Franklin Saved Gospel Music for a Generation?46:04 – Emerging Gospel Artists to Watch: Alex Jean, Hobie, Lizzie Morgan50:15 – Stevie Wonder Story51:18 – Music Industry Layoffs: The Stats & The Reality 57:07 – "My Friend JC" — The Children's Book Inspired by Her Daughter1:03:03 – Waddling Into a Job Interview 7 Months Pregnant & Getting the Job1:07:02 – Closing Gems: Prayer, Journaling & Building a VillagePod Jingle By: @uyixshane