In today’s era of East-West digital tensions, Jake Newby’s writing is more important than ever. The founder and author of the Substack, Concrete Avalanche, Jake discusses and shares alternative Chinese music with audiences around the world. Sustaining nearly 3,000 followers and being awarded the prestigious Substack Featured Publication badge Jake is successfully creating a bridge between massively different cultures.
Jake’s writing accomplishments date back far before his time in Substack, however. In the early aughts, right out of college, he decided to move to China to teach English as part of a government program. From there he stayed in China and developed a reputation as a great team builder, effective editor, and exceptional Mandarin speaker. Not before long, he became editor of several local publications, including Radii and Time-Out Shanghai.
Jake has also interviewed a number of A-list celebrities throughout his career, from Kanye West to Kieth Richards. I can’t wait for you to hear about his Kanye story. Jake’s work has also been in renowned publications like The Financial Times, Vogue, the Wire, and the Associated Press. In our enriching conversation, we break down some of the misunderstandings about music in China, what it’s like to build a writing career and gain legitimacy by large and small publications, and so much more! Jake was wonderful to talk to and exuded incredible modesty despite his enormous accomplishments. For any aspiring music journalist, this is a conversation you will not want to miss.
CHECK OUT JAKE’S PICKS FOR HIS MOST UNDERRATED PIECES BELOW:
How TV show The Big Band became a surprise haven of expression in China
Jake Newby's interview with Hualun (Paywall)
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UPCOMING MARCH LIVE MUSIC LECTURE NOTICE: As a paid subscriber, you will also have the opportunity to attend my live music lecture in March! Stay tuned for upcoming notifications and updates regarding the live lecture + Q&A.
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