Episode 490
with Roman Mars & Kurt Kohlstedt, Shayla Lawson, and Colin Hay
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss some mysteries we can never seem to solve; 99% Invisible podcasters Roman Mars & Kurt Kohlstedt unveil the hidden world of everyday design in their companion book The 99% Invisible City; writer Shayla Lawson takes the lead role in her new collection of essays This Is Major, in which she celebrates Black womanhood; and Colin Hay, former frontman of Men at Work, performs a moving acoustic version of their hit song "Overkill."
Roman Mars
Podcast Host
Roman Mars is the creator and host of 99% Invisible, the wildly popular podcast exploring architecture and design, for which he produced the most successful crowdfunding campaigns for a podcast in Kickstarter history. Fast Company named Mars one of the 100 Most Creative People in 2013 and he was a TED main stage speaker in 2015. He is also a co-founder of Radiotopia, a collective of ground-breaking independent podcasts. His book is The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design, co-written with Kurt Kohlstedt. Website • Twitter
Kurt Kohlstedt
Producer/ Designer
Kurt Kohlstedt is the digital director and producer of 99% Invisible. Before joining the show, he founded a series of successful online magazines on cities and design, starting with WebUrbanist in 2007. He holds a graduate degree in architecture from the University of Washington’s College of Built Environments. Over the years, Kurt has worked on residential, industrial, theatrical, furniture, graphic, and web design projects and has been known to tweet about cities, design, and raccoons. His book is The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design, co-written with Roman Mars. Website • Twitter
Shayla Lawson
Poet/ Essayist
Shayla Lawson is the author of three books of poetry — A Speed Education in Human Being, Pantone, and I Think I’m Ready to see Frank Ocean — as well as an essay collection, This Is Major: Notes on Diana Ross, Dark Girls, and Being Dope. Lawson is a regular columnist at Bustle magazine and has written for ESPN, Guernica, Vulture, New York, and The Cut. She is also a MacDowell and Yaddo Artist Colony Fellow and a 2020 National Book Critics Circle Finalist. Born in Rochester, Minnesota, Lawson grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, studied architecture in Italy, and spent a few years as a Dutch housewife — milkmaid braids and all. She is currently the writer in residence at Amherst College. Website • Twitter
Colin Hay
Singer-Songwriter
Colin Hay is a distinguished singer-songwriter and philanthropist widely known for his intimate live shows and natural gift for connecting with a wide variety of people. He rose to fame as the lead vocalist of his former band Men at Work, which had five top hits in 1982 and won a Grammy for Best New Artist. Beginning in 1985, however, Hay became primarily a solo music artist—to great acclaim. He has inspired generations of musicians across genres and written and released some 13 solo albums, the latest being I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself, an eclectic mix of cover material released through Nashville-based Compass Records. Hay is set to release an album of original material in early 2022. Website • Listen
