New Adventures Await Andrea Swensson
• After nearly a decade of service with Minnesota Public Radio Triple A KCMP (The Current)/Minneapolis-St. Paul, the last five years as host of Sunday evening’s The Local Show, Andrea Swensson announced her impending exit as she explores new musical avenues. “The time has come for me to find my next thing,” Swensson said in a story posted to thecurrent.org, adding, “I’m starting a new chapter as a self-employed music writer, author, and podcaster.” Swensson’s final appearance as host of The Local Show will be Sunday, April. 4.
Swensson added, “I am grateful to all my colleagues at The Current who have encouraged me to keep searching and growing, and I will always treasure the experiences we’ve shared. I am especially grateful to all of the artists who have trusted me to help them tell their stories, and all the listeners who appreciate the importance of supporting hometown talent and lifting up new voices. My departure will make room for a new voice to take over The Local Show, and that’s the best news of all. I’m looking forward to listening.”
David Safar, Managing Director of The Current, remarked, “Andrea is a friend and mentor to so many at The Current, and she will be truly missed by all of us at the station and our listeners. She started at The Current writing for thecurrent.org to build an audience for local music. She did exactly that and went on to become a radio host, podcaster, and curator of events and multimedia experiences. I’m grateful to Andrea for her leadership and commitment to our audiences, and I wish her the best in her next venture. We will be cheering Andrea on in this new chapter, and I’m excited to see what it holds for her.”
MPR President Duchesne Drew commented, “Andrea’s contributions to The Current and Minnesota’s music scene are too many to count in this moment, but I want to thank her for her sharing her insights, creativity and passion for local music with our listeners and our community.” [Photo credit: Nate Ryan / MPR]
