Season two will kick off with Tim McGraw at a live episode recording open to badge holders at the 2019 SXSW Interactive Festival on March 10

Austin, TX -- March 7, 2019 -- iHeartMedia, the No. 1 commercial podcast publisher globally with over 20,000 podcasts available on its iHeartRadio platform, today announced season two of the popular podcast “Spit,” an iHeartRadio podcast with consumer genetics company 23andMe. Launched in August 2018 and hosted by Baratunde Thurston, “Spit” welcomes an eclectic mix of artists, scientists and thinkers to discuss how DNA testing is changing the way people see themselves and the world around them. “Spit” allows listeners to eavesdrop on intimate conversations that span topics like identity, race, family and health.

To kick off the second season of “Spit,” iHeartRadio and 23andMe will host a live recording session for the first episode at the SXSW Interactive Festival in Austin, TX on March 10 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. at the JW Marriott as part of the Health and MedTech track. The SXSW session will feature Tim McGraw – singer/songwriter and long-time activist and advocate for health and wellness – alongside host Baratunde Thurston and guests Julia Hu, the CEO & Founder of Lark Health – the leader in chronic disease prevention and management using AI – and Tracey Brown, the CEO of the American Diabetes Association, for a thought-provoking conversation around one of the major challenges to health in the 21st century – the national type 2 diabetes epidemic – and answer the question of how we can use new technology, genetics and advocacy to help solve this health crisis. The live recording session is open to anyone holding an official badge for the festival. Episode one for season two of “Spit” will be available to everyone beginning March 27, 2019.

“The iHeartPodcast Network is leading the way in branded storytelling by asking brands what conversations they should have with listeners” said Gayle Troberman, CMO of iHeartMedia. “The result is a compelling chart-topping iHeartRadio podcast with 23andMe debating how the world changes when we all understand our DNA. ‘Spit’ provides fresh creative to fuel broadcast radio campaigns and drives results at scale.”

“The ‘Spit’ podcast underlines the growing interest in how genetics changes our understanding of who we are and how we interact with the world,” said Tracy Keim, VP of Consumer Marketing at 23andMe. “In season two, we are excited to dive into more thought-provoking conversations around health and genetics. We will explore specific health conditions, starting with type 2 diabetes in the first episode - a condition that could be reversed with the right knowledge.”

The first season of “Spit” featured fascinating conversations about identity with John Legend, race with Wyclef Jean and mental health with Mike Shinoda. It was one of the iHeartPodcast Network’s highest performing shows, appearing on the iTunes Podcast Charts within 24 hours of launch and remaining in the top 15 overall podcast list for a month after. Listeners can hear “Spit” on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere else podcasts are heard.