Jad Abumrad loves a butterfly knife and a good springy pillow

Jad Abumrad, creator of *Radiolab* and producer of *Dolly Parton’s America* and *Fela Kuti: Fear No Man*, discusses the everyday objects and digital tools he relies on. His answers offer a personal glimpse of the audio storyteller behind shows that helped shape podcasting through original music, sound design and reported storytelling.

Abumrad says he depends on a flat, springy travel pillow, the Fantastical calendar app and the ageing granular synthesis tool Granite, which he used on dozens of *Radiolab* stories. He also favours Alfred for Mac searches, has 14 browser tabs open, and wishes his phone could silence its alerts. His treasured gadgets include a 1997 Motorola flip phone and a butterfly knife; he retired from *Radiolab* in 2022 and now works across audio, film, theatre, dance and academia.