MrBallen, a former US Navy SEAL and mystery fan, has climbed to the top of Spotify’s true-crime podcast list. MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark, and Mysterious Stories debuted on Monday, February 14, beating fan favorites such as Crime Junkie and Murder, Mystery, and Makeup. The first episode of the podcast series is named “The Plot,” and it tells the story of a tense real-life murder case involving Washington girl Rachel Burkheimer. In an official statement, the YouTuber expressed his desire to create the program, saying:
“I’ve liked telling bizarre, dark, and mysterious tales since I was a youngster, sitting around a summer campfire.” My YouTube channel has enabled me to explore a wide range of bizarre stories, but I’ve always wanted to grow more thorough, intricate, and interesting.”
What!?!? Spotify rankings just came out, insane! Thank you for tuning in!!
Link to my podcast on Spotify:https://t.co/cOJZtr6Vvx pic.twitter.com/kbru3YL8Sq
— MrBallen (@MrBallen) February 15, 2022
He continued, saying:
“I feel like I’ll be able to dive deep on the tales that worry me the most with our new podcast.”
John “MrBallen” Allen will release two weekly episodes, narrating terrifying real crime stories and spotlighting fans’ favorite YouTube moments. The original episodes will be published every Monday, along with a “best of” feature on Thursdays. The episodes will be accessible on podcast-streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and others.
Where is MrBallen from?
The author grew raised in Quincy, Massachusetts. He served as a Navy SEAL between 2012 and 2017 after expressing an interest in the military. Unfortunately, a grenade landed on his shoulder during deployment, causing shrapnel to impact his hips and legs. The YouTuber praised his medic team for saving his life as “all-stars.”
Following his tenure in the military, he opted to retire in 2017. He co-founded two successful groups that assist former operatives in finding employment. The 33-year-old got widespread attention online after uploading a TikTok video on the Dyatlov Pass event, which went viral. However, he realized he couldn’t create a career only on TikTok, so he began uploading videos of comparable substance to YouTube. The video maker currently has over eight million TikTok followers and approximately 5.4 million YouTube subscribers. He has covered various murder and disappearance tales on his channel based on trustworthy eyewitnesses. The content developer now resides in Pennsylvania with his wife Amanda, whom he has been married to for over ten years, and his two daughters and son.
