When I first stepped into the strange, capitalist-fantasy fever dream that is StanLand, I had no idea it would someday lead me to a red carpet in Brooklyn.

And yet…. StanLand is nominated for Best Fiction Podcast at the The Ambies!

I’m still a little stunned by that, honestly.

This is not just any award!

The Ambies, presented by The Podcast Academy, are one of the highest honours in podcasting. They celebrate the very best in audio storytelling across several genres. To be nominated for Best Fiction Podcast puts StanLand alongside some of the most ambitious, beautifully crafted narrative work in the medium. Shows from production powerhouses like BBC, Audible, Radiotopia.

We’re an independent network. We don’t have a giant studio machine behind us. We make weird, fun things because we love weird, fun things. So this nomination feels especially meaningful. It shows us that the industry is paying attention to bold, script-driven, out of the box, indie storytelling. And I couldn’t be more excited about that.

On February 23, we’re heading to Brooklyn for the awards ceremony.

We’ll be there celebrating not just the nomination, but the entire process that brought StanLand to life.

And then we’re sticking around for the iconic On Air Fest!

As if that weren’t enough, the ceremony lands during On Air Fest: a massive gathering of audio creators, fans, and industry leaders from around the world.

On Air Fest turns Brooklyn into a kind of real-life audio multiverse. Panels, workshops, live shows. The works! It’s a place where independent creators get to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with major platforms. To be nominated during that week, when the entire audio world is buzzing, feels electric.

This is affirming everything I believe about fiction podcasting.

I truly believe that StanLand is new and exciting on the scene. It leans into fantasy while satirizing modern capitalism. It asks audiences to suspend disbelief while also holding up a mirror to reality. For me, this nomination affirms that fiction podcasting can be ambitious, cinematic, absurd, and still deeply resonant. It affirms that independent networks can swing big and land a hit.

Mostly, it affirms the power of artists. The writers, actors, producers, and sound designer who worked on this project did it because they were excited about it. And that comes through when you hear it. Which I’m sure you all have by now!!!

Win or lose, being nominated for Best Fiction Podcast at The Ambies is already a crazy milestone for us.

Zyngia may be fictional, but this is VERY REAL!

💛 — Marianna